John Deere S100 Series Lawn Tractor Guide

April 19, 2021

The S100 Series builds upon the prior E100 Series with sleek aesthetic upgrades. The S Series includes S100, S110, S120, S130, S140, S160, S170 and S180 models.

John Deere S100 series lawn tractor — John Deere S180 Lawn Tractor (Source: Deere.com)

In 2021 John Deere created the S100 Series Lawn Tractor lineup, an upgrade from the E100 Series models. The S-Series extends the high quality and comfort of the E-Series, with a sleek new look.

What's New In The S100 Series Lawn Tractor?

The most apparent visual change between the newer S-Series and prior E-Series is the hood. The S-Series hood is influenced by the larger ag tractors — it is now a sleeker, more modern design. The changes include a new top ventilation port, side ventilation ports, redesign of the front grill, new headlights and different side decals.

The fuel gauge is now an electronic display on the main control panel. Before it was located below the seat and harder to see. The S100, S110, S120, S130 and S140 seats have been upgraded to a two piece open back 15" seat.

Prior attachments that fit the E100 Series will be forward compatible with the S100 Series. The bagger kit attachment made for the S100 series is now a tool-less install design.

It's important to note that the 150 Model is no longer available with the S-Series lineup. You can view the S-Series information at Deere.com.

John Deere 100 Series Features

The 100 Series Lawn Tractor has been widely recognized as a very user-friendly, reliable and comfortable lawn tractor. Its thoughtful design makes lawn care a pleasant experience.

The S100 Series Lawn Tractor offers John Deere Easy Change for S120, S130, S160, S170 and S180 Lawn Tractor models. Easy Change is a 30 Second Oil Change System that makes changing oil simple, clean and fast. There is no mess and no fuss — anyone can change the oil in under 30 seconds.

The lawn tractor uses 40% more oil than comparable models, which greatly benefits the engine and performance. More oil helps the engine run cooler for longer, and it reduces the number of oil changes (oil changes are recommended every 50 hours or once per season).

John Deere Easy change oil system (Source: Deere.com)

The hood is very easy to open — simply lift it up with your hand. The space under the hood is spacious and easy to service. The engine is branded John Deere and manufactured by Briggs & Stratton. The battery area is also open and easy to access if you are going to add a trickle charger or change the battery. The air filter housing is enclosed by two hand screws — changing the filter is a breeze. There is a service interval chart located under the hood to help you remember the service checkpoints.

The driver seat is adjustable with a 5.5" slide and has springs to keep the ride balanced and smooth. The deck raise and lower handle is next to the driver seat and spring-assisted, making it easy to use. The deck raise and lower has 13 different settings from 1" to 4" at 1/4" increments.

Cruise control is a standard feature from S120 all the way up to the S180 model. It can be added as an option to S100 and S110 models. Cruise control is a nice feature for large straight passes.

The lawn tractor has a hydrostatic transmission with two-pedal system. One pedal controls forward movement and one pedal controls backward movement. There is no need to shift gears.

To the right of the driver there is a covered storage compartment as well as a cup holder.

The rear hitch is great for pull-type attachments such as a pull-behind spreader, pull-behind sprayer or thatcher.

The mower deck is two-blade system for S100, S110, S120 and S130 models. For the S140 model and higher the mower deck is a three-blade system.

Where is the John Deere 100 Series Lawn Tractor Made?

The John Deere 100 Series Lawn Tractor is made in Greenville, Tennessee. The Greenville facility was founded in 1988, and now it is John Deere's highest-volume facility in the world. The facility produces all of the 100 Series Lawn Tractors and residential ZTrak zero-turn mowers. Today it has over 400 employees at the location.