Porsche Accused of Turning Service Into a Dealer Monopoly
It feels like right-to-repair lawsuits come up every few years or so. The massive John Deere case finally came to a close last month, with the agricultural equipment company losing the suit and settling with a $99 million payout.
Now, Porsche is being accused of a similar situation, with vehicles sold by Porsche after January 1, 2021, allegedly being limited in what repairs can be performed by non-dealers.
The origin of the lawsuit is via CarComplaints.com, which alleges that Fleet Salvage Systems, Inc. brought their Cayenne to an independent repair shop for basic work. Tire Kingdom was able to change the oil, but it wasn't able to reset the car's oil life indicator. As it turns out, only the service centers at Porsche dealers can do so.
Ed. note: sounds like this particular independent repair shop didn't have the correct software to reset the oil light; it is readily available through aftermarket OBD2 tools from manufacturers like AUTEL.
This brings up the whole right-to-repair situation again. As has been evidenced by countless court cases over the years—notably those involving John Deere, and Apple, among others—the consumer must be allowed the full ability to service a vehicle on their own, or by whomever they choose. Requiring buyers to go back to the dealer for service is, in fact, an illegal monopoly situation, as it forces people to pay dealership prices.
As for the case of Fleet Salvage Systems, Inc. and their dispute with Porsche, the parties are (at the time of this writing) going to be appearing in court to settle the dispute. Fleet Salvage Systems, Inc. wants its damages paid for, and we're sure Porsche just wants to see this whole ordeal disappear.
Don't be surprised to see the story slip into the abyss as it's covered up in an effort to maintain brand integrity; OEMs have huge budgets to spend to help keep their reputation intact should something like this arise.
The good news is that there's already a bill in the works to prevent situations like these. It's called the Right to Equitable and Professional Auto Industry Repair (REPAIR) Act, and it would prohibit a scenario like this from happening in the first place, thereby protecting consumers against manufacturers and OEMs that have significant leverage over "the little guy."
Naturally, the National Automobile Dealers Association (NADA) is opposed to this bill, and it has stalled slightly in the House Energy and Commerce Committee. We hope to see it pass in the coming months.
Become an AutoGuide insider. Get the latest from the automotive world first by subscribing to our newsletter here.
Based in Connecticut, Ross hosts The Hooniverse Podcast. He has been in the off-road world since he was a kid riding in the back of his dad’s YJ Wrangler. He works in marketing by day and in his free time contributes to Hooniverse, AutoGuide, and ATV.com, and in the past has contributed to UTV Driver, ATV Rider, and Everyday Driver. Ross drives a 2018 Lexus GX460 that is an ongoing build project featured on multiple websites and the podcast.
More by Ross Ballot
Comments
Join the conversation
I own a 2023 Macan. I am able to reset its service interval monitor using an iCarsoft POR V3.0 scan tool that I purchased on Amazon for $190.00. The tool also performs a number of other operations.
If I had the money to buy a nice Porsche, I would prefer to take it to the dealership for service.
In a similar vein... What about Carfax invading your privacy every time you buy a new vehicle?? You get bombarded with Emails ,do this do that to keep your well maintained status. I am old school and still do much of my own maintenance and get thoroughly annoyed that THEY have no method of entering the information. I don't need to fork out money to rotate my tires or change oil, and I certainly know how to check my own brake pads.