Deere announces new repair service while FTC files lawsuit

On Jan. 14, John Deere announced a digital solutions offering that it says will further empower customers and independent repair technicians by enabling them to reprogram Deere-manufactured electronic controllers.

This news comes just one day before the US Federal Trade Commission (FTC) announced that it is suing Deere. Along with the attorneys general of Illinois and Minnesota, the FTC is suing Deere over its use of unfair practices that have driven up equipment repair costs for farmers while also depriving farmers of the ability to make timely repairs on critical farming equipment, including tractors, according to its public statement.

“Illegal repair restrictions can be devastating for farmers, who rely on affordable and timely repairs to harvest their crops and earn their income,” said FTC Chair Lina Khan. “The FTC’s action today seeks to ensure that farmers across America are free to repair their own equipment or use repair shops of their choice—lowering costs, preventing ruinous delays, and promoting fair competition for independent repair shops.”

The FTC’s statement also said that, with the increasing computerization of Deere’s equipment over the past few decades, farmers must now rely on Deere’s interactive software tool called Service ADVISOR, which Deere makes available only to its authorized dealers, the FTC’s complaint states.

An inferior repair tool, according to the FTC, called Customer Service ADVISOR, is incapable of doing all repairs on Deere agriculture equipment. Deere also fails to make available to generic repair tool developers the information necessary to develop a fully functional repair tool, as equipment manufacturers in the automotive and trucking industries do.

In its announcement, Deere said its new repair information services will be integrated into the John Deere Operations Center and will offer more comprehensive solutions for diagnosing and repairing equipment while ensuring machine reliability, safety, and compliance.

“John Deere has a long-standing commitment to enhancing our customers’ ability to repair their equipment. Consistent with that commitment, we’ve continued to deliver new and enhanced solutions designed to improve that experience,” said Denver Caldwell, Vice President of Aftermarket and Customer Support. “As our equipment has become more technologically advanced, so too have the repair tools needed to advance customer capabilities. We are committed to offering customers the best equipment ownership experience, both in the form of world-class dealer support and extensive self-repair resources. This offering advances our goal of minimizing customers’ unplanned downtime and enables them to be more productive and profitable in their operations.”

Deere said this latest expansion will offer a more user-friendly, centralized platform for self-repair. As a leader in agricultural and construction technology as well as customer support, John Deere is committed to further enhancing machine ownership for a new generation.

In addition, John Deere has an expansive suite of tools currently that support customers throughout their machine ownership journey, including:

• John Deere Bookstore for viewing operators’ manuals for free and purchasing technical manuals
• Quick Reference Guides and instructional videos for maintenance tips
• Shop.Deere.com for finding and purchasing parts online
• John Deere Operations Center™ for managing farm data, maintenance, and machine information
• Customer Service ADVISOR™ for digital manuals, and for clearing and refreshing codes, taking diagnostic readings, and performing limited calibrations
• Equipment Mobile this free app is a one-stop-shop for machine information including operators and parts manuals, maintenance plans, quick reference information, trouble code lookup, and software updates on select 4G connected machines.