Modern technology discourages DIY repair

Hey there, time traveller!
This article was published 14/08/2021 (1538 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

MY father’s idea of fun included taking stuff apart to see how it worked. I once watched him disassemble an old-fashioned radio, his workbench covered with an array of tubes, wires, a speaker and screws, all the parts arranged meticulously on a white cloth so none was lost.

A pertinent detail to note in this example is that there was no need to repair the radio. Everyone in our home who wanted a radio already had one that got better reception than the relic my father had probably found at a garage sale. He did it only to see for himself how a radio operated.

A machinist and millwright by trade, he was a fix-it guy who was adept at necessary household repairs. But more than that, his hobby was to deconstruct unfamiliar items and investigate their inner workings. Items he took apart included an outdated Polaroid camera, the engine from a broken lawn mower, a video game the kids no longer wanted and a microwave oven that had been replaced by a newer model.

In his quest to understand how everyday items functioned, he could have researched sources such as owners’ manuals and internet sources, but like crossword-puzzle buffs who don’t peek at the answers, he enjoyed the challenge of figuring it out for himself, hands-on.

Dad died in 2008, but he would have enthusiastically supported a growing Canadian protest against companies that make it difficult, if not impossible, to take apart and repair many household items. The corporate agenda is often to force consumers to buy new products instead of repairing ones they already own.

Parliament voted on June 2 in favour of the second reading of a Canadian Right to Repair law, a private member’s bill by Liberal MP Bryan May. The bill is part of a pro-repair movement that targets companies that refuse to sell spare parts and tools, or provide the information needed to repair the items they sold. For example, iPhone maker Apple has a proprietary five-point screw in its phones that cannot be opened by anyone but Apple or its authorized service centres.

Many laptop computers now come with components glued together, or perhaps the hard drive and memory are integrated into the motherboard, so it’s impossible to send an individual piece away for repair. It increase the chances the consumer will buy a new computer rather than replace a single faulty part.

Some devices even have stickers warning that warranties are void if the item is opened. Consumer advocates say this is often a bluff on behalf of the manufacturer, and legal challenges in the U.S., under a federal law called the Magnuson-Moss Warranty Act, have ruled warranties must be honoured.

If owners of electronic devices are frustrated, they’re sharing the pain of farmers, backyard mechanics and independent vehicle-repair shops that have long been stymied by companies that won’t disclose product information and repair procedures. It makes vehicle and equipment owners deal with the manufacturers’ authorized dealers, often at a higher cost.

The Canadian Right to Repair bill, which would remove copyright liability for consumers who try to repair their devices, is likely to be opposed by lobbyists for manufacturers.

For their part, the company spokespeople typically argue do-it-yourself repair is too difficult in modern devices with advanced electronics, especially anything with a computer chip. They also say tampering with devices can be dangerous, prompting such incidents as the one in which an airplane passenger’s smartphone caught fire during a flight.

As advocates look to the current Canadian bill as a welcome step, other countries are further along the pro-repair road. The United Kingdom mandates manufacturers must make spare parts available for electrical appliances. The European Commission is planning right-to-repair rules for smartphones, tablets and laptops. Most American states have proposed right-to-repair bills, and Massachusetts has a law that makes vehicle manufacturers share diagnostic and repair information with third parties, including owners.

The worldwide concern is about consumer rights, but it’s also environmental. When we can’t repair items, many more electronic goods are sent to landfills. E-waste disposed of improperly can leak mercury, beryllium, cadmium and lead.

Pro-repair advocates in different countries list similar demands: make parts and diagnostic tools available; offer access to manuals and schematics; unlock software; and design devices in ways that make repair possible.

It was encouraging that the Canadian Right to Repair bill got unanimous support in parliament (330-0), but perhaps it’s not surprising, because voting against this bill would be voting against common sense.

When we pay for a product, it’s ours. When we want to fix our stuff, we shouldn’t be thwarted.

carl.degurse@freepress.mb.ca

Carl DeGurse is a member of the Free Press editorial board.