The right-to-repair debate has reached the boiling point a few times in recent years, particularly in the United States, and various legal actions centring around it continue to wind their way through the U.S. court systems. If you haven’t heard about it, right to repair refers to a fight to have manufacturers make it possible for anyone to repair their products. The movement has come to include ag equipment mainly due to the complex computer-controlled systems built into them that contain proprietary software code, which most brands don’t want anyone to tinker with. While the debate has faded a bit in recent months, it has still been simmering below the surface.
John Deere has been a prime target of those pushing the issue. And although the brand announced many months ago it would make a host of repair and maintenance tools, manuals and diagnostic software available to owners, it has been criticized for not following through on those promises in a timely manner. In late March, however, Deere announced the release of several new repair resources.
“We are proud to announce we’re enhancing the capabilities of our existing diagnostic tools and expanding their availability with the following actions,” the company said in an announcement. “Starting in May, the diagnostic service tool Customer Service Advisor will be made available from John Deere directly to customers and independent repair shops through johndeerestore.com. The tool will continue to be available through John Deere dealerships.”
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Deere describes the Customer Service Advisor as a “digital diagnostic tool that allows users to connect with their machines to clear and refresh codes, take diagnostic readings and perform limited calibrations.” By May, it’ll be available through a subscription service and can connect to machines with an Electronic Data Link (EDL).
One of the reasons brands have been hesitant to allow anyone into machine computer systems is a claim unauthorized tinkering could cause any number of problems with them. All of which could have unintended consequences. Disabling safety systems is one of those unwanted results that could occur, according to the brands. That would, of course, leave Deere and others open to yet more civil liability in the lawsuit-happy United States and to a lesser extent elsewhere.
Therefore, the companies may have felt themselves between a rock and a hard place on the issue.
“(The) well-being (of operators) and that of our employees and technicians is of utmost importance,” Deere has said publicly. “Modifying the software of heavy machinery could override safety controls and put people at risk. Operating and maintaining our equipment to the base engineering standards helps keep everyone safe.”
Apparently, the access Deere is prepared to allow will be limited to prevent any effects on safety systems, while still providing significantly improved ability of owners and private repair facilities to access trouble codes and deal with them. By May, the list of diagnostic and repair tools will include service manuals, digital simulators, how-to videos as well as that Customer Service Advisor.
“In 2023, we will roll out an enhanced customer solution that includes a mobile device interface, and the ability to download secure software updates directly to embedded controllers on select John Deere equipment with 4G connections,” Deere says.
