6 Common Problems With Husqvarna Riding Mowers You Must Know!

A big shout out to Husqvarna riding mowers that help you to take care of your property. But sometimes the faulty mowers can be the reason for your frustration.

To make sure that you’re free from anxiety, we are here with the most common problems with Husqvarna riding mowers. Also, we’ll talk about why the problems occur, how you can identify them, and what the fixes are.

So, let’s dive right in!

The Main Issues with Husqvarna Riding Mowers: Quick Rundown

Problems	Reasons
The riding mower won’t start, no click	Defective spark plugs, clogged carburetor, defective fuel pump, defective ignition coil, clogged fuel filter, broken recoil spring
The riding mower blades won’t engage	Faulty PTO switch, damaged deck belts, damaged engine belts
The mower won’t start after running	Inadequate fuel, clogged grass, old spark plugs, dirty air filters
The mower engine is smoking	Excessive fuel, faulty crankcase
The riding mower is vibrating excessively	Damaged blades, pulleys, or spindles
The mower battery keeps dying	Faulty alternator

6 Common Problems With Husqvarna Riding Mowers- How to Fix?

Here you’ll get to know about the six common problems with the riding mowers. Once you finish the section, you can be sure of which problem you are exactly facing with your mower.

1. Riding Mower Won’t Start, No Click

Sometimes, it’s just natural maintenance issues that prevent your Husqvarna mower from starting. More specifically, if your mower…

• The engine is flooded
• Doesn’t have enough fuel in the tank
• The freewheel control isn’t fixed to the ‘Engaged’ position
• The attachment clutch isn’t set to the ‘Disengaged’ position
• The control lever isn’t in the neutral

Then, chances are you will fail to start the mower. So, make sure you’ve done all the things right. But if still, the machine won’t start, then there are deeper issues you need to deal with.

Defective Spark Plug

A damaged spark plug is one of the most common reasons why the Husqvarna riding mower won’t start. If you dive even deeper, you may notice:

• The porcelain insulator is cracked
• There may be a heavy carbon buildup at the electrode
• The electrode is damaged/burned away

If these are the cases, you should replace the spark plug. Now, you may ask ‘how to be sure that the spark plug is defective?’. Well, a spark plug tester will make your path easier.

When the engine cranks, you must see a strong spark between the terminals of the tester. But if you see there’s no spark, then yes, the spark plug is the villain here. So, replace it then and there.

Clogged Carburetor

So, the second biggest reason for your mower not getting started is the clogged carburetor.

When you leave fuel in your mower for an extended period, there’s a chance that the fuel’s many ingredients may evaporate. And, it results in fuel residue that’s a stickier and thicker substance that can clog the carburetor and eventually stops the engine from starting.

Sometimes, it may happen only because of bad or old gasoline. So, using good fuel should also be your concern. However, if you know that the fuel is completely fine, deal with the carburetor.

Read Also: 3 Most Common Lawn Mower Ignition Switch Problems

Use a carburetor cleaning in the first place to deal with a clogged carburetor. But if you find it useless, then there’s no choice left except rebuilding or replacing the entire carburetor.

Defective Fuel Pump

It basically happens when the engine is overfilled with oil. To have a clear understanding, let’s get to know the functionalities of the fuel pump first.

The fuel pump contains three ports:

• The gas-in port
• The pulse port
• The gas-out port

There’s a connection between the engine crankcase and the pulse port and a small rubber tube makes the connection. When you start the engine and it cranks, the air within the crankcase pressurizes and depressurizes alternately.

The pressurized air serves in pumping the gas. But when the engine is flooded with oil, this adequate oil may center the pulse port line which eventually can prevent the pulse port from working correctly.

Another issue can occur because of the check valves that the fuel pump has. When the check valves fail, they prevent fuel from entering the gas tank. So, you should check the valves as well.

Once you can become sure of the defect, replace the fuel pump.

Defective Ignition Coil

The ignition coil is directly connected to the spark plug because it sends voltage to the plug when the engine runs. A defective ignition coil is one of the big reasons why your mower won’t start.

So, if you’re sure that there’s no issue with the spark plug, it’s only the ignition coil that’s not working properly, then replace the coil. To testify the performance of the ignition coil, you can use an ignition coil tester.

Clogged Fuel Filter

Hence, things are almost the same as the carburetor. When there’s old fuel left in the mower for a long time, the fuel can end up being stickier and thicker. With the sticky fuel, the fuel filter may clog up and don’t let the engine start.  

If this is the case, drain the fuel from your fuel tank and then replace the fuel filter.

Broken Recoil Spring

How the recoil spring does work is, when you pull the starter rope, the spring has to recoil the rope on a pulley.

But a broken recoil spring cannot recoil the rope onto the pulley. In due course, it prevents the spring from properly turning over the engine and the engine can’t start at all.

To solve this issue, you can replace the recoil spring but things will be even easier when you replace the entire recoil starter assembly.   

2. Mower Blades Won’t Engage

Another common question that many of the Husqvarna riding mower users ask is- why the blades won’t engage?

It happens when there’s a faulty PTO switch, damaged deck belt, damaged engine belt, and the battery doesn’t have enough charge. Also, when the safety switch is on or the blade clutch doesn’t work properly, the engine blades won’t engage.

Let’s discuss each problem in a bit more detail.

Faulty PTO Switch

The PTO (Power Take-Off) switch provides the PTO clutch with enough power so that the clutch transfers the power to the operator. This power finally transmits power to the drive belts so they engage as well as rotate the blades.

So, when the PTO clutch can’t get enough power, the blades do not engage or turn on. Therefore, you need to make sure that the PTO switch isn’t damaged or worn out.

You can simply test the power supply and consistency of the switch using a multimeter.

In case you notice there’s any inconsistency in the power supply, you should go for a new PTO switch.

Damaged Deck Belt

Another reason why the blades won’t engage is the damaged deck belt. The deck belt is responsible for the rotation of the blades and the ideal pulley mechanism.

To check if the deck belt is the issue here, place your mower in a way that the lower deck is at the lowest settings. Then, clean up the dirt or debris if there’s any. Check whether the deck belt is worn or damaged.

If you notice that the belt is somehow misplaced and this is the issue, you can re-install the belt and get things back to normal. But when it’s a damaged belt, you should change it with a new one. 

Damaged Engine Belts

When you’ve determined that there’s nothing wrong with the deck belt, the next thing you’ll want to check is the engine belts.

When the engine belt of your Husqvarna riding mower is stretched out, damaged, or worn out, the blades may not activate properly. In this case, replace the drive belt and the problem should be rectified.

Moreover, if the belt is not mounted correctly, this also prevents the blades from engaging. Make sure it’s mounted properly, reading the owner’s manual attentively will help you in this case. 

3. Husqvarna Riding Mower Won’t Start After Running

So, this case is like your mower has started losing power during mowing. If you ask ‘why Husqvarna riding mower won’t start after running?’, then there are several reasons.

Maybe your mower has run out of fuel or too long grass has clogged up the mower. Also, an old spark plug or dirty air filter can cause this issue.

Here are the details.

Inadequate Fuel

If there’s any shortage of inadequate fuel, you can refill the engine and try again. The problem should be solved. However, if the mower doesn’t start even after refilling it, maybe there are some debris in the fuel.

The debris may float onto the fuel or can get sucked into it when the fuel runs out.

So, you may guess that you have to clean the fuel lines and make them free of debris. Yes, this should solve the problem in no time.

Clogged Grass

There’s a chance that your riding mower won’t work properly if you cut too long grass with it and the grass is clogged up. 

If this is what is stopping your mower from getting started, then clean out the cuttings as well as adjust the cutting height properly.

Old Spark Plugs

When you cannot make sure that the spark plugs are not clean, in good condition, or not connected properly, the mower may not restart. So, check the plugs and replace them if they’re old or too dirty.

Dirty Air Filter

If you notice that the mower has lost power and doesn’t restart, dirty air filters may be the reason here. You can simply check the air filter and clean it if needed. Then try again. But if you still can’t deal with it, then replace the air filter. 

4. Mower Engine is Smoking

This is one of the most frequently asked questions that ‘why is my Husqvarna riding mower engine smoking?’

The biggest reason is the engine is flooded by excessive oil. But if you’re sure that there’s no excess oil, then maybe your engine is losing the crankcase vacuum. Issues like defective engine breather assembly, improperly seated dipstick, etc cause the loss of crankcase vacuum.

If it’s only the excess oil, you can simply remove them. But for the other issues, there is no way without replacing the defective parts, sorry.  

5. Excessive Vibration

Are you feeling any unusual or excessive vibration from your Husqvarna riding mower? If you’re saying yes, then maybe the blades, spindles, or pulleys of your mower are somehow bent or damaged.

It happens when you mow over rocks, sewer lids, roots, and other large objects like these. You can simply replace any damaged part, however.

Another villain that plays such a negative role here is a damaged or twisted belt. Make sure that all the belts are routed properly and you keep them in a good shape. Moreover, you need to replace the belts in case they show any sign of wear. 

6. Mower Battery Keeps Dying

The alternator of your mower controls the whole charging system. The battery of your Husqvarna riding mower extinguishes 12 volts. However, when the mower is under normal use, it can’t maintain the required energy for keeping your mower operated.

For this, the alternator generates 14 volts and then transmits the electricity to the battery. Then that the battery can be fully charged. But when the alternator malfunctions, the battery drains, and eventually, your mower won’t start or other issues will show up.

To solve this, you should replace the alternator.

Read Also: Fixing Lawn Mower Automatic Choke Problems Easily!

Frequently Asked Questions(FAQs)

Conclusion

So, this is all we kept for you about the common problems with Husqvarna riding mowers. Since we left no stone unturned to explain the mostly-encountered issues, we hope that you’ve got what you wanted.

Saying fair and square, Husqvarna riding mowers do not require so high maintenance. So, if you read the owner’s manual carefully and upkeep your mower properly, it will last for decades. 

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