John Deere owners will get the right to repair equipment under FTC settlement
John Deere owners will get the right to repair their own equipment under a new FTC settlement
A John Deer emblem is seen at the Husker Harvest Days farm show in Wood River, Neb., Sept. 12, 2018. (AP Photo/Nati Harnik, File)
John Deere tractors sit in Norfolk Southern’s Conway Yard in Conway, Pa., Dec. 5, 2022. (AP Photo/Gene J. Puskar, File)
It looks like John Deere owners can soon feel free to fix their own machines.
The Federal Trade Commission and attorneys general from several states secured a right-to-repair settlement Wednesday with agriculture equipment giant Deere & Co . — commonly known as John Deere — that requires the company to let farmers and independent shops fix their own equipment.
The Illinois-based manufacturer has faced complaints for years for withholding the software needed for repairs and forcing customers to use authorized dealers instead of independent ones.