Migliaccio & Rathod LLP is investigating whether John Deere & Company improperly requires owners to pay substantial activation fees and ongoing subscriptions to use AutoTrac guidance features that rely on hardware already installed on their equipment.
What Farmers Report
Farmers report:
- Purchasing new tractors with AutoTrac-compatible hardware already installed.
- Learning after purchase that AutoTrac would not function without an additional software activation.
- Paying thousands of dollars for an AutoTrac activation license.
- Paying recurring annual fees for RTK correction signals or advanced guidance features.
- Believing they had already paid for the steering hardware when purchasing the tractor.
- Being unable to fully utilize factory-installed equipment without additional payments.
Why Farmers Should Be Concerned
Precision guidance systems have become essential tools for modern farming, improving planting accuracy, reducing input costs, and increasing yields. Many farmers allege that they purchased tractors already equipped with the necessary steering hardware, only to discover that important functionality remained locked behind expensive software licenses and recurring subscription fees. Consumers argue that the true cost of ownership was not adequately disclosed before purchase.
Potential Claims May Include
- Deceptive trade practices
- False advertising
- Failure to disclose material information
- Consumer protection violations
- Breach of express warranty
- Unjust enrichment
Signs You May Be Affected
You may be affected if:
- You purchased a John Deere tractor equipped with AutoTrac hardware.
- You later paid an additional activation fee to use AutoTrac.
- You pay annual subscription fees for guidance services.
- You believed AutoTrac functionality was included with the equipment purchase.
- You were not clearly informed of additional activation costs before purchasing the tractor.
If you have encountered these issues, we would like to hear from you. Please complete the contact form on this page, send us an email at [email protected], or give us a call at (202) 470-3520.