John Deere locked the repair. It cost $99 million, and the FTC case goes on.
Between 2013 and 2019 Deere's parts sales grew 22% while new ag equipment sales fell 19%. Then came a state repair law, an FTC suit and a $99 million class settlement.
Transcript
$99 million. That is what John Deere agreed to pay to settle a class action over who gets to repair its tractors.
The fork came in 2016. A 2015 ruling said repairing farm equipment was not copyright infringement, but did not make manufacturers share diagnostic tools. Deere could give owners full repair access. Instead, Deere updated its license agreement to forbid modification and third-party repair, as flagged in December 2016.
Here is why. Between 2013 and 2019, Deere's parts sales grew 22%, while its new ag equipment sales fell 19%. Repair was the steady money.
Then came the pushback. In April 2023, Colorado signed the first state right-to-repair law for farm equipment. In January 2025, the FTC and states sued Deere for monopolizing repair. In April 2026, the $99 million Deere settlement was approved, and the FTC case goes on.
Locking the repair protected Deere's aftermarket for years. It also turned customers into plaintiffs and regulators into opponents, and the full cost is not known yet. If your margin depends on a lock, plan for the day someone forces it open.
The records behind this video
Every figure in the video comes from this Decision Record, each with its sources.
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