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Contents9
  1. Consumer impact summary
  2. Repairability
  3. Incidents
  4. FTC Lawsuit (January 2025)
  5. Security flaws exposed sensitive customer information (2021)
  6. Failure to uphold signed right-to-repair agreement (2021 - Present)
  7. Lobbying against right to repair (2020 - Present)
  8. See also
  9. References
John Deere
Basic information
Founded 1837
Legal Structure Public
Industry Agricultural Machinery, Heavy Equipment
Also known as
Official website https://deere.com/

John Deere is a leading manufacturer of agricultural and heavy machinery. Founded in 1837, the company is primarily known for its heavy-duty agricultural equipment, such as tractors and combines. Recently, its business practices, particularly concerning equipment repair, have faced criticism. These practices have raised concerns among farmers, independent repair technicians, and consumer-advocacy groups.[1]

Consumer impact summary

Front Page of the FTC's Suit Against John Deere[2]

Repairability

Access to essential repair software and diagnostic tools is reportedly limited by John Deere.[3] Such restrictive policies can hinder farmers from performing repairs independently or utilizing independent repair shops, thereby necessitating reliance on authorized dealerships.[1]

Monopoly on repairs

Farmers have reported that without access to John Deere's proprietary tools, they're unable to address certain mechanical issues, even minor ones.[4] There are measures in place that prevent independent repair technicians from completing repair,[3] such as:

  • Software locks that control user autonomy.[5]
  • Requiring access to proprietary software.[4]
  • Controlling access to repair resources and parts.[4]

Through eliminating competition in the repair market, John Deere has allegedly unlawfully inflated repair cost.[6] To take back some control, mechanics and technicians are reportedly buying pirated John Deere firmware online to repair consumer tractors, at the risk of being scammed or clicking sketchy links.[7]

Opposition to right-to-repair legislation

John Deere has actively lobbied against right-to-repair legislation in multiple states, and on the federal level.[8][9] Despite signing a memorandum of understanding with the American Farm Bureau Federation in 2023, the company has been accused of undermining the spirit of the agreement.[10][11]

Incidents

This is a list of all consumer protection incidents this company is involved in. Any incidents not mentioned here can be found in the John Deere category.

FTC Lawsuit (January 2025)

On January 15, 2025, the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) filed a lawsuit against John Deere, alleging anti-competitive practices in the repair market.[4][2] The lawsuit claims that:

  • John Deere unlawfully inflated repair costs by monopolizing the repair-service market.
  • The company's restrictive policies violated consumer-protection laws and limited farmers' ability to maintain their equipment.

Security flaws exposed sensitive customer information (2021)

Main article: John Deere security flaws exposed sensitive customer information

A number of security flaws in the software John Deere provided could have allowed hackers to find and download the personal data of all owners of the company’s farming vehicles and equipment.[12] John Deere downplayed the impact while simultaneously increasing their security practices.[13][14] Later in 2024, security jobs opened and they started to partner up with security researchers.[15]

Failure to uphold signed right-to-repair agreement (2021 - Present)

Main article: John Deere fails to uphold right to repair agreement

In 2018, John Deere entered a voluntary agreement to provide manuals, training, and diagnostic software for tractors available to purchase by January 1, 2021. However, the company does not appear to have fulfilled this commitment, nor does it seem to have plans to do so in the near future.[16][17]

Lobbying against right to repair (2020 - Present)

Main article: John Deere dealerships lobby against right to repair

John Deere dealerships lobbied against a right to repair bill that was discussed in Maine, stating a number of reasons. They question the definition of a motor vehicle, and regarding the legislation if it should apply to motor vehicles due to what they call safety concerns. One dealer argues that right to repair is a touchy subject, as "a lot of us dealers sit back, and say we really almost don't want in essence people possibly working on our equipment."[18]

See also

References

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 Selyukh, Alina (16 Jan 2025). "John Deere faces U.S. lawsuit over farmers' ability to repair tractors". www.npr.org. Archived from the original on 3 May 2025. Retrieved 24 Apr 2025.
  2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT FOR THE NORTHERN DISTRICT OF ILLINOIS WESTERN DIVISION (Archived)
  3. ↑ 3.0 3.1 "Deere in the Headlights". pirg.org. 5 Feb 2021. Archived from the original on 4 Apr 2025. Retrieved 24 Apr 2025.
  4. ↑ 4.0 4.1 4.2 4.3 "FTC, States Sue Deere & Company to Protect Farmers from Unfair Corporate Tactics, High Repair Costs". FTC. 15 Jan 2025. Archived from the original on 29 Apr 2025. Retrieved 24 Apr 2025.
  5. ↑ O'Reilly, Kevin (18 Jul 2023). "Service Obstructor: John Deere software restricts farmer repair". pirg.org. Archived from the original on 22 June 2025. Retrieved 24 Apr 2025.
  6. ↑ Byrnes, Dave (15 Jan 2025). "FTC accuses John Deere of unlawful equipment repair practices". Courthouse News Service. Archived from the original on 27 Apr 2025. Retrieved 24 Apr 2025.
  7. ↑ Koebler, Jason (21 Mar 2017). "Why American Farmers Are Hacking Their Tractors With Ukrainian Firmware". Vice. Archived from the original on 4 Apr 2025.
  8. ↑ Proctor, Nathan; Sherwood, Will (27 Nov 2024). "John Deere and Right to Repair over the years". pirg.org. Archived from the original on 10 May 2025. Retrieved 24 Apr 2025.
  9. ↑ Bamberg, Jennifer (17 Apr 2024). "Farmers' long fight for the Right to Repair gets little traction in John Deere's home state of Illinois". Wisconsin Watch. Archived from the original on 10 May 2025. Retrieved 24 Apr 2025.
  10. ↑ Dickey, Dave (12 Nov 2024). "Is John Deere's day of reckoning soon at hand?". Investigate Midwest. Archived from the original on 28 Apr 2025. Retrieved 24 Apr 2025.
  11. ↑ Rossmann, Louis (10 Jan 2023). "John Deere memo: Farmers have NOT won, but that won't stop the news from pretending they did". YouTube. Archived from the original on 2 Apr 2023. Retrieved 24 Apr 2025.
  12. ↑ Lorenzo Franceschi-Bicchierai (22 April 2021). "Bugs Allowed Hackers to Dox John Deere Tractor Owners". Vice Media. Archived from the original (article) on 19 Dec 2025.
  13. ↑ Laurie Bedord (23 Apr 2021). "John Deere Addresses the Ongoing Risks of Living in a Digital World". Successful Farming. Archived from the original (article) on 23 Jul 2025.
  14. ↑ Rossmann, Louis (25 Apr 2021). "John Deere instigates hackers, gets hacked again" (video). YouTube. Archived from the original on 23 Feb 2026.
  15. ↑ Paul F. Roberts (14 Apr 2021). "184 Years In: Ag Giant John Deere Awaits Its First Software Vulnerability". Forbes. Archived from the original (article) on 23 Jul 2025.
  16. ↑ Joel Hruska (23 Feb 2021). "John Deere Fails to Uphold Right to Repair Agreement Signed in 2018". Extreme Tech. Archived from the original (article) on 30 Sep 2025.
  17. ↑ Rossmann, Louis (25 Feb 2021). "John Deere screws over farmers by weaseling out of agreement" (video). YouTube. Archived from the original on 23 Feb 2026.
  18. ↑ Rossmann, Louis (27 Jan 2020). "John Deere dealerships are lobbying against right to repair. Farmers, please help me out here". YouTube. Archived from the original (video) on 23 Feb 2026.
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