How To Start A Lawn Mower With A Bad Starter

How To Start A Lawn Mower With A Bad Starter? (Step-By-Step Guide)

4 minutes

A lawnmower is an unparalleled cutting machine for keeping a lawn nice and lucrative. However, regular mowing is only enjoyable when the lawn mower is all right. But you know a bad starter is enough to ruin your day.

When the starter doesn’t work properly, turning the mower power on is a bit tricky. But nothing to worry about. Let’s know the reason.

There are some obvious reasons for it. And for those specific reasons, the lawnmower doesn’t start despite of clicking the starter. 

starting a lawn mower gif

But what is the solution? Do you leave the lawn mower without repairing it? Of course not. You can solve this problem only by checking a few parts of the lawn mower. 

In this article, we will discuss all the possible solutions on how to start a lawn mower with a bad starter.

So, without panicking, let’s start.

The Process To Start A Lawn Mower With A Bad Starter: 

How To Start A Lawn Mower With A Bad Starter

The starter does not work very often due to various problems. Among the problems that cause the bad starter of lawn mower is,

  • Flat or faulty battery, 
  • Faulty solenoid, 
  • The faulty ignition switch, and 
  • Faulty starter motor. 

If there arises a problem with any of these, the lawn mower’s starter won’t work properly. Now we will try to find out the perfect solutions to the problems.

A Flat Or Faulty Battery

A flat or faulty battery can be very painful while you want to cut the grass of your lawn. First, we have to check if there is any leakage in the battery. You can charge the battery using a charger cable. 

If the battery becomes wet, then it may have leakage. Seal the leakage or replace the battery with a new one. And always wear hand gloves and goggles when you deal with battery. 

When the battery has no leakage, check the voltage of the battery. Use a multimeter to check the voltage. If the battery shows 12 volts in the multimeter display, you can assume that the battery is in good condition. If it shows otherwise, you should understand that there is a problem with the battery.

Faulty Solenoid

Finding out solenoid in a lawn mower is a quite tough task. If you can’t find it by lifting the front hood up, go to the rear wheel. The easiest way that you should follow is the red cable of the battery.

When you have found the solenoid, check the screws and terminal attacher with the solenoid. If the screws are loose, tight it by using a wrench or a plier. Check the terminal also.

After that, rotate the lawn mower keys. If it just sounds click but the mower is not turned on, the solenoid will need to be replaced.

Faulty Solenoid lawn mowers

Faulty Lgnition Switch

Sometimes faulty ignition switches are responsible for a bad starter. Turn the keys on to check the ignition switch. You can check the switch by looking at the back of the switch. 

Check each and every wire connected with the ignition switch. Find out if there is any corrosion occurring in the back part of the ignition switch.

If any defect is found in the ignition switch, it is most probably responsible for the bad starter. Try to replace the ignition switch to overcome this problem. 

Faulty Lgnition Switch lawn mowers

Faulty Starter Motor

When the starter motor of the lawn mower has defected, this will prevent the lawn mower from starting. You will find the starter motor beneath the front hood. Thus you can check the starter motor easily. 

Most of the lawn mower has the starter motor and the solenoid unit together. Just use a jumper and connect it with the positive end of the battery. Attach a screwdriver in the negative end. 

You will see some spark when you connect the screwdriver. There is no chance of shock as it is carried only 12 volts. 

If the lawn mower only sounds click and doesn’t start, it is necessary to replace the starter motor.   

Faulty Starter Motor lawn mowers

Cautions: 

  • Before starting work, go through the user manual of all equipment. It will make your task easier. 
  • Always wear hand gloves and goggles for safety purposes.
  • You can also wear a personal protective dress to avoid any kind of unwanted accidents.
  • Operate the multimeter and screwdrivers carefully.
  • Keep your children away when you do this kind of repair

Final verdict:

Starting a lawn mower with a bad starter is not an easy task If all parts of the lawn mower are not working properly. Then, test all the above-mentioned parts. If any problem is found, replacing the parts will be a wise act.

If there no problem found, replace the starter of the lawn mower. Without replacing it, you can not operate the lawn mower as you did before. You can replace it by yourself at home or even take support from an expert technician. 

Hopefully, this article has given you all the necessary information on how to start a lawn mower with a bad starter.

Todd L Miles
Lawn Mowers Enthusiast
I started "Landscape and Lawns Care" to provide clients with lawn care with better service, better products and, most importantly, better ethics. My promise to every customer is to give the greenest grass possible while controlling weeds, insects, and diseases! The most important thing is that I strive to always do the right thing for you, your lawn and your wallet!