FTC revs up ‘right to repair’ fight with Harley-Davidson agreement

WASHINGTON – Harley-Davidson and a Westinghouse generator maker have agreed to fall some limits on who repairs their products and solutions, the U.S. Federal Trade Commission claimed on Thursday.

The company voted very last 12 months to make it a precedence to press brands to cease necessitating consumers to use certified dealers to restore products ranging from smartphones to farm tools. Critics say the practice raises price ranges for people and shuts out unbiased mend retailers.

The FTC claimed in its complaint from Harley-Davidson, which was released at the very same time as the consent arrangement, that it had objected to language employed by the motorcycle maker these kinds of as “the use of components and service strategies other than Harley-Davidson permitted pieces and services techniques may perhaps void the limited guarantee.”

Underneath the settlement, Harley-Davidson agreed that it would not void warranties because the customer employed 3rd-get together areas or unauthorized assistance facilities.

Outdoor generator maker MWE Investments, portion of Westinghouse Electric Corp, created a very similar agreement with the FTC.

Ideal-to-fix was element of a sweeping government get that President Joe Biden signed last summer months aimed at endorsing additional levels of competition in the financial state. The purchase resolved issues as disparate as non-contend clauses in employee contracts and high prices for hearing aids. read extra

Neither Harley-Davidson nor Westinghouse quickly responded to a ask for for comment.