John Deere disputes FTC lawsuit over self-repair capabilities

John Deere responded to a Federal Trade Commission lawsuit alleging the company withheld self-repair capabilities from farmers and independent repair providers, calling the claims baseless and legally flawed.

The complaint is a flagrant misrepresentation of the facts meant to punish Deere’s innovation and product design, according to the company’s Jan. 15, vowing to defend itself vigorously. The FTC filed the lawsuit as President Trump prepares to take office, a move Commissioner Center later this year. The company said that these tools aim to empower customers and independent technicians with maintenance and repairs resources, such as reprogramming electronic controllers and accessing digital diagnostics.

Vice President Denver Caldwell emphasized Deere’s commitment to supporting customer repairability, highlighting tools like the Customer Service Advisor and the Equipment Mobile app, according to the release. The company plans to pilot additional solutions in the U.S. and Canada by late 2025.

“John Deere has a long-standing commitment to enhancing our customers’ ability to repair their equipment,” Caldwell said. “We remain dedicated to minimizing downtime and maximizing productivity for our customers.”

John Deere said it will continue investing in tools and resources to support machine ownership, repairability, and innovation.

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