Deere has agreed to give farmers and independent repair shops access to the same diagnostic and repair tools that authorized dealers use for a decade, following a settlement with the Federal Trade Commission and several state attorneys general. This agreement aims to reduce costly delays and repair difficulties that occur when farm equipment breaks down during critical planting and harvest periods.
The settlement, pending approval from a federal judge in Illinois, requires Deere to share software capabilities, technical manuals, and troubleshooting information. Farmers and repair shops will be able to read and clear fault codes, reprogram electronic components, pair replacement parts, and restart equipment following emissions system shutdowns known as limp mode. In addition, Deere must provide these resources to independent repairers as soon as more than half of its authorized dealers have access, and prevent dealers from retaliating against users of these tools.
The FTC and the states of Illinois, Minnesota, Arizona, Michigan, and Wisconsin brought the case, accusing Deere of unlawfully monopolizing repair markets by restricting software and tools to authorized dealers. The authorities argued this practice inflated repair costs and forced farmers to wait for dealer service at critical times. Deere denies any wrongdoing but will pay $1 million in legal fees to the states. Earlier, the company also settled a related private class-action lawsuit through a $99 million monetary payout without changing repair access policies.