John Deere has settled a Right to Repair class action lawsuit. Deal would see company pay $99 million and aid in servicing. Settlement could form a framework for other similar lawsuits. Right-to-repair advocates have scored a victory as Deere & Company, better known as John Deere, has reached a settlement agreement to resolve a class action lawsuit that was pending in the Northern District of Illinois. The case centers on long-running complaints about access to repair tools and information. While the agricultural giant didn’t go into many specifics, Reuters reports the company will put $99 million into a settlement fund. Deere said the money will then be handed over to “class members pursuant to a court-approved distribution plan and used to cover administrative and legal fees.” The money is reportedly being set aside for customers who took large agricultural equipment to authorized ​dealers for repairs starting in January of 2018. The lawsuit effectively alleged that Deere made repairs extremely difficult – if not impossible – unless they were performed by authorized service providers. This allegedly drove up the cost of repairs and created lengthy wait times. Besides monetary compensation, the settlement means Deere will “support customers and other service providers with access to repair resources, including tools, manuals, and diagnostic software.” However, Reuters said this is only required for 10 years as part of the proposed settlement. Deere’s Vice President of Aftermarket & Customer Support said, “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. We’re pleased that this resolution allows us to move forward and remain focused on what matters most – serving our customers.” A One-Off Victory Or The Start Of Something Bigger? While the Deere settlement still has to be approved, it begs the question of how the case fits into the larger right-to-repair fight. Automobiles are front and center in this battle and some groups have come together to support the REPAIR Act. One such group points to studies saying 63% of shops experience issues accessing repair data on a regular basis, while roughly half are forced to send vehicles to dealers due to data access issues. This costs owners as dealerships reportedly charge 36% more than independent shops. Lead image credit: Mecum
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