John Deere may have to pay out major $99 million settlement in landmark 'right-to-repair' case

John Deere facing a major payout in right-to-repair case

by · TechRadar

News By Mike Moore published 9 April 2026

(Image credit: Getty Images)

Share this article 0 Join the conversation Follow us Add us as a preferred source on Google Newsletter

Are you a pro? Subscribe to our newsletter

Sign up to the TechRadar Pro newsletter to get all the top news, opinion, features and guidance your business needs to succeed!

Become a Member in Seconds

Unlock instant access to exclusive member features.

Contact me with news and offers from other Future brands Receive email from us on behalf of our trusted partners or sponsors


By submitting your information you agree to the Terms & Conditions and Privacy Policy and are aged 16 or over.

You are now subscribed

Your newsletter sign-up was successful


Join the club

Get full access to premium articles, exclusive features and a growing list of member rewards.

Explore


An account already exists for this email address, please log in. Subscribe to our newsletter


  • John Deere agrees $99 million payout in class action lawsuit
  • Lawsuit covers the right to repair for farmers on their own equipment
  • It will also have to make its tools available to third parties for 10 years

Agricultural giant John Deere could be facing a major bill following the apparent end of a long-running lawsuit around the right to repair its farming equipment.

The company has agreed to pay a 'historic settlement' of $99 million into a fund for farms and individuals who participated in a class action lawsuit against it.

John Deere will also have to ensure its digital diagnostic, maintenance, and repair tools available to third parties for 10 years, after some farmers were reportedly forced to hack their own equipment in an attempt to solve issues.

Article continues below

Right to repair

“As we continue to innovate industry leading equipment and technology solutions supported by our world-class dealer network, we are equally committed to providing customers and other service providers with access to repair resources,” said Denver Caldwell, company vice president, Aftermarket & Customer Support.

“We’re pleased that this resolution allows us to move forward and remain focused on what matters most – serving our customers.”

The payout, which still needs to be approved by the United States District Court for the Northern District of Illinois, will specifically be available for claimants involved who paid John Deere’s authorized dealers for large equipment repairs from January 2018 onwards.

It will see them recover around 26% and 53% of overcharge damages, court documents state, much higher than typical payouts from such lawsuits.

Are you a pro? Subscribe to our newsletter

Sign up to the TechRadar Pro newsletter to get all the top news, opinion, features and guidance your business needs to succeed!

Contact me with news and offers from other Future brandsReceive email from us on behalf of our trusted partners or sponsors