PIRG, repair advocates launch petition drive calling on EPA to investigate Deere
PIRG, Repair.org and iFixit have launched a public petition drive urging EPA to get off the sidelines and investigate Deere's apparently illegal repair restrictions.
The software in modern tractors locks farmers and independent technicians out of making many repairs, including repairs to their emissions systems. This forces farmers to turn to dealership technicians—and the delays and inflated repair bills that come with them.
Deere claims that the company is required to restrict repair to comply with federal emissions regulations. In fact, Deere appears to be violating the Clean Air Act by preventing independent repair.
The Clean Air Act requires that makers of engines, including those in tractors and combines, allow farmers to select the repair shop or person of their choosing to maintain, replace or repair emission-control devices and systems.
PIRG and Repair.org called on the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) in July to investigate Deere for these apparent violations. Now the repair advocates, along with the help of iFixit, have launched a public petition drive urging EPA to get off the sidelines and investigate.
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