Lawn Mower Repair: 11 Popular problems and How to Fix Them

Overgrown lawns are likely to attract harmful pests such as ticks, which are known to live in grass that is more than 4 inches tall. Therefore, it is important to make sure that you can keep a healthy, trimmed lawn by performing minor repairs and ongoing maintenance on your lawnmower.

Although some issues are better dealt with by professionals, lawn mower repair and maintenance are not necessarily complicated. By establishing and adhering to a maintenance schedule, most issues can be resolved with minor inspections and repairs, including simple tasks like sharpening the blade, using the appropriate fuel, replacing the oil, or changing the air filter.

Here are some of the commonest lawn problems that you can expect and how you can fix them.

Table of Content

1. Lawn Mower That Won’t Turn Off Unless the Spark Plug is Disconnected

A lawnmower that will not start is a headache, but one that will not turn off can be just as problematic. Two culprits are often responsible for this problem.

First, the “kill” or ground wire, which may have been disconnected. Second, the ignition switches connections, which may no longer be working due to wear and tear.

Begin by checking your ground wire. Make sure it is intact and connected to the area it “grounds”.

If your ground wire is okay, move to your ignition switch and use an ohmmeter to check if the connection between the “B” and “S” terminals is active. If it is not, replace your ignition switch, and your lawnmower should work smoothly afterward.

2. Lawn Mower That Won’t Start

In case your lawnmower is not starting, there are a number of things that you should check out:

Fuel: Your lawn mower will not run if its tank is empty. Similarly, if the fuel is older than 30 days, remove it before cleaning the carburetor.

Battery: Just like cars, lawnmowers rely on batteries to run. At some point, their batteries will give in to wear and tear and need replacing as they lose the capacity to hold or carry a charge.

Gas tank: Inspect the gas tank for any leaks. Seal any leaks you find if you can, but otherwise, replacements are normally available online on various lawn mower repair websites.

Air filters: Dirty air filters that are full of dust and dirt can restrict airflow and prevent your lawnmower from starting. If the air filter is dirty, simply remove it and get rid of all the accumulated debris. If it is too damaged, then it might be better to replace it.

3. Lawn Mower That Consumes Too Much Gas

Lawnmowers are not meant to consume gas like an athlete who just ran a full marathon without having a bottle of water. If yours does, a clogged air filter is typically your number one suspect.

This causes your mower’s engine to work overtime, forcing it to consume more gas to perform its normal capacity. To fix this, just clean your air filter thoroughly or replace it if it’s over a year old already.

4. Starter Rope That Is Either Stuck or Too Hard to Pull

An engaged flywheel brake is often the reason behind this simple problem. Before you pull the starter rope, make sure the flywheel brake is totally disengaged and does not press against your mower’s handle.

If that is not causing the problem, check the blades. They might be touching the ground or grass might be clogging them, which blocks the startup process.

To solve this, lay your mower down on a flat surface, disengage your spark plug, rid the blades of any dirt or grass cuttings, then try again.

5. Smoke Rising From the Lawn Mower

Although this is one of the most popular problems people face, interestingly, no one knows exactly how to fix a smoking lawnmower. And no, this is not a sign that your lawnmower is about to explode.

Generally, a leaking or an overfilled oil chamber causes this. When oil leaks into the muffler of your lawnmower, it causes the engine to smoke as the oil burns.

In such a case, turn off the engine and allow it to cool before checking the chamber for leaks. Ensure the cap is sealed tight as well before you restart your lawnmower.

6. Lawn Mower That Overheats

When you suspect that your lawnmower becomes too hot while mowing, do not ignore it just because it is still functional. Continuously using it in this condition may make the problem grow worse.

Begin your lawn mower repair by checking the exhaust for any buildup of grass. The cooling fins are components of the head of your lawnmower engine cylinder. This tends to overheat when it gets clogged. Therefore, get rid of any leaves, grass, and other debris that may have found their way into the cooling fins of your engine.

7. Lawn Mower With Reduced Speeds

A dislocated or damaged drive belt might be the reason behind your mower’s slow speeds. This drive belt is located in the motor casing, though it is best to consult the manual if you are not sure how to access it.

To repair this, turn off your mower before inspecting the drive belt. Reattach it if it is only loose or replace it altogether if there is too much damage.

8. Lawn Mower With Uneven Mowing

Uneven mowing is usually caused by one of the following:
• Unbalanced buildup: Leaves, grass, and other debris might have built up on one side of your mower. Clean these out and empty them as necessary.
• Dull blades: For your mower to function well, the blades underneath have to be equally sharp. You can either sharpen the blades using a metallic file, take them to your local lawn mower repair shop, or replace them altogether if they are worn out completely.

9. Lawn Mower That Fails to Cut grass

Interestingly, grass that is either too wet or too long causes a lawn mower’s failure to cut grass.

First, keep in mind that you should only do mowing during dry conditions. It is never a good idea to cut wet grass since this can clog your mower.

Second, the grass might be too long for your lawn mower’s setting. Raise the deck’s height above its standard settings before you begin cutting overgrown grass.

Also, mow at a slower pace when cutting taller and longer grass. Make sure to get rid of grass, leaves, and other debris that may accumulate under the deck as you mow to permit your mower to function at full capacity.

10. Bumpy or Bouncy Mower

Insufficient oil is one of the most common causes of mowers that seem bumpy or bouncy while running. Check your oil levels and make sure you change it every once in a while for a smoother ride and a better performance.

11. Excessively Vibrating Mower

Broken down drive belts can cause lawnmowers to vibrate excessively and unusually. Have it installed properly and keep it in good shape. Work out or damaged drive belts may need replacement if simple repairs cannot answer your problems.

Other factors that can cause this problem may include loose mounting bolts, an engine running below the advised RPM, or a cutting deck that is not in the right settings.