> I think most people won't accept a car that prevents you from changing your own oil or replacing your own wiper fluid, so it always boggles my mind that so many are still buying computers that lock users out of the firmware and boot process.
There are countless variations of this in cars. Changing a fuel pump or ignition control module or sometimes even disconnecting a battery activates 'anti theft' features in many cars and companies frequently use the DMCA to prevent repair and maintenance without $10k/year software licenses.
I recently had to change the transmission in a '13 Juke. The battery was disconnected, and now three months later I still cannot use the radio. We have the placard with the unlock code, but the radio does not unlock.
Had the dealer done the repair, I could probably fight with them to get the radio fixed. But with the independent shop that did the repair, whom I feel did nothing wrong, I do not want to pressure to repair the "collateral damage" that really isn't their fault.
There are countless variations of this in cars. Changing a fuel pump or ignition control module or sometimes even disconnecting a battery activates 'anti theft' features in many cars and companies frequently use the DMCA to prevent repair and maintenance without $10k/year software licenses.