I guess they want to lose customers.
I just got my new(to me anyway)1969 428 Cobra jet Cyclone that had been sitting in a poll barn since 1980.Still has the original engine and we managed to get it to start and run.Purred like a kitten.Got to rebuild the carb though.I wont ever drive anything newer than 1969.
Why does this sound like a memo from the Risk Management Attorneys, that made it on to some sales VP’s desk?
F’n control freaks. I hate where this country is going. Just hate it. I learned so much about cars when my guy friends were fixing my ‘72 Charger. Those were good times. Everything has to be ruled and reg’d and controlled and locked down and forbidden and I’m so sick of this crap!! God forbid anyone, anywhere should be having unregulated or unsupervised fun. The Bloomberg clones will be all over your butt. What a bunch of pansies.
A software only update to the ECU in a new 4-banger VW GTI will give you 316HP. Add a downpipe and a little more hardware and I bet you'll see 11s at the track.
Tinkering with automobiles has always been a part of the American experience! I’ll admit that I kind of miss setting the air/fuel mixture by changing the jets out and pulling spark plugs to check the mixture after installing headers, and setting the timing and dwell om my firebird formula 400 with a simple timing light and meter.
Granted, changing out the rear plugs on that car required going through the wheel wells.
Mark
Car company is selling me a hardware platform, with software preinstalled. Are they claiming i cant install new software? That is BS.
On the other hand, if they are saying that aftermarket companies are reselling their code with tweaks injected — i get that.
If they are injecting data into the flash memory for data driven algorithms, i cant see it being a violation either.
Nah, I admit that aftermarket electronic ignitions were kinda cool, but...you did that yourself.
Maybe it was about the time you had to start buying "star" sockets and drivers.
If they ever were really fun at all...
Looks like I might be getting some tubing and plate to build a real chassis again—a good start. Time to start writing some how-tos for others, while I’m at it, and will start with documentation on doing repairs with fewer tools.
In 50 years, with the idiocracy of our own shitizens, and the influx of turd worlders, it will be a moot point.
My Goodness!
The old IBM model of customer care.
Force them to marry you and hold them at gunpoint forever.
Magnuson-Moss Warranty Act
In a nutshell, this protects the consumer from denial of warranty coverage if someone other than a stealership works on your car, or if aftermarket parts are installed. It’s somewhat vague about modifications, but it requires the manufacturer to prove that the modification caused a given problem. For example, if you put an aftermarket audio system in your car, and the transmission breaks, they can’t use the audio system mod to deny coverage on the transmission.
Admittedly, this is about warranty coverage, not “intellectual property”.
Sounds like the auto industry wants this law to go away, and to kill off independent shops who typically charge less than the stealerships.
Part stores might decide to weigh in on this....
I never thought to tweak the ECU code on my 57 BelAir or 67 Camaro. Guess I’m old school.
Misleading headline!
It’s about ECU software, not general maintenance or repairs.
And where in the Constitution does it specify that government has that power. They can pry my wrenches from my assumed room temperature hands.
My old 72 F-100 short bed 4x4 doesn’t see many miles anymore but I sure do love it. 300 straight 6 4 in the floor, manual hubs, mechanical windows and bench seat. Nothing fancy as far as tires or lift kit’s pretty much just like it came off the floor. I’m still running the old oil bath filter. It’s got 122,000 miles and has yet to leave me stranded, except for the time I blew 2 tires at the same time. Mudflap hanger off a semi fell off and went under the left side before I avoid it. other than going into the engine there’s not a thing on it I can’t fix. Yes my 2014 GMC 2500 4x4 is far more comfortable and will run circles around the old Ford but it’s just doesn’t have the same feel to it. My wife says their going to bury me in that old truck.
The auto industry leaders from my personal experience are tyranical elitist liberal progressives. Of course they’d oppose freedom for the average Joe.