Honda Lawn Mower Starting Problems: Troubleshooting & Fixes

Lawnmowers by Honda have enjoyed a positive reputation amongst customers owing to their reliable designs. However, proper care and maintenance are essential to obtain the best out of any machine. And sometimes, all you need is to follow some basic steps to make your underperforming machine good as new.

Honda lawnmower starting problems

To troubleshoot gas-powered Honda Lawn Mowers that won’t start, begin inspecting the ignition and fuel delivery system, which is faulty. This involved inspecting, cleaning, and replacing the air filter, fuel filter, carburetor, and fuel lines. The ignition coil and the spark plug should also be checked to ensure their functionality. A discharged battery, loose connections, or an overheated motor mainly cause electric lawnmowers’ starting problems.

The following article provides a detailed understanding of all underlying issues that can prevent your lawnmower (be it riding, self-propelled or electric) from running effectively.

What Causes Starting Problems in a Honda Lawnmower?

It would be quite frustrating if you decided to tidy up your lawn with your Honda Lawnmower one day and discovered that the machine wouldn’t start. Here are a few problems that may arise in a Honda Lawnmower and can be easily fixed.

1. Fuel:

When the tank is empty or the gasoline is of bad quality, the lawn mower does not start. It is recommended to keep your tank filled up to 3/4th volume and use a high-quality fuel with fuel additives and stabilizers so that the residual products may not clog the system. 

2. Filters:

Air and Fuel filters are commonly clogged due to the residual gasoline products producing a sticky by-product along with the dirt, debris, and foliage from the environment. Remove the filters and clean them under soap water to remove all stains and debris. Dry them before installing them back in. 

3. Carburetor:

A clogged carburetor can be the primary cause of your lawnmower not starting. Fuel left inside the carburetor can decay and clog its jets, inhibiting it from producing the combustion in the engine. It would be best if you effectively cleaned the carburetor to make the engine run again. 

4. Spark plug:

The spark plug is a crucial ignition component, deposits stuck at its electrodes will never let a lawnmower start. You will need to replace the spark plug with a new one. 

Honda Riding Lawnmowers: Troubleshooting Starting Problems

Honda riding lawnmowers are best for performing heavy-duty mowing operations even on unfavorable terrain. Despite their ruggedness, these machines still need to be looked after. In case a riding lawnmower doesn’t start, here’s what can be done.

1. Honda Lawn Mower Does Not Start?

If your Honda Lawn Mower fails to start, there could be following issues with the machinery. 

– Stale Fuel: 

Fuel older than 30 days or low-quality fuel might not let an engine start. Hence, replace fuel with a fresher one with additives and stabilizers added for a better experience. 

– Clogged Carburetor: 

High ethanol fuel can cause a carburetor to clog. In addition, dirt and debris within the fuel may also prevent the carburetor from functioning, which would cause the engine to die. You should detach the carburetor and clean its insides from bad fuel clogs to make it up and running. 

– Faulty Ignition Coil:

Damaged ignition coils will prevent the engine from igniting. Test and replace the ignition coil if it’s faulty for your lawnmower to start. 

– Bad Filters:

Clogged filters are a primary reason your lawn mower won’t start; cleaning and drying these filters out is essential for the machine’s function. Carb cleaners and compressed air must be used to clean the filters and prevent accumulation.

2. Honda Lawnmower Starts but then Dies?

If your lawn mower starts up with effort but then slowly stalls and dies out, there could be an issue with the same components mentioned above.

• Fuel: Over time, fuel degrades, becoming less effective and more likely to block fuel systems and harm engines. To stabilize the fuel and help clean the fuel system, utilize a fuel enhancer or a stabilizer like Sea Foam. Fill the tank with new gasoline after draining the old one.

• Ignition Coil: If the windings on an ignition coil become damaged, it won’t produce any spark at the spark plug. In that case, you will need to replace the ignition coil. While reinstalling the coil, ensure the air gap between the coil and the flywheel is set according to a feeler gauge while ensuring that the flywheel rotates freely.

• Carburetor: A carburetor mixes the air and fuel in a certain proportion for maximum combustion and efficiency. However, when ethanol-blended fuel keeps sitting on the lines for a long time, it causes decayed gasoline products to form a white gummy deposit and clog it. Hence, a carburetor needs to be thoroughly serviced for the engine to breathe effectively with air and fuel.

3. Honda Lawnmower is Smoking?

When an engine runs in a rich setting (low air-to-fuel ratio), it produces more smoke from its exhaust. The bulk of the smoke consists of unburnt hydrocarbons. This is because the air in the mixture was insufficient for the fuel to combust entirely. To prevent the engine from smoking, you need to ensure that the airflow to the engine is increased.

This can be done in two major ways.

– Clean the Air Filter:

If the air filter on your riding lawnmower is blocked, the air won’t reach the engine and mix with the fuel. This produces a richer fuel mixture (more fuel), and the engine smokes as a result. To fix this, make sure your air filter is detached, cleaned with soap solution, dried, and reinstalled back.

– Clean the Carburetor:

Remember that your carburetor jets are responsible for drawing sufficient fuel via the venturi duct and mixing it with air. If the air jets are blocked with debris, the composition of the airflow mixture gets disturbed, causing a smoking engine. Make sure you clean the carburetor jets with a carb cleaner or WD-40. Use a thin metal wire to dislodge these deposits completely.

4. Honda Lawnmower Runs Rough/Misfire?

If your engine is running rough and misfiring, immediately turn it off and wait for it to cool first. Some of the reasons that could be causing this rough running of the engine are:

• Damaged spark plug: The spark plug should be examined. The electrodes should be checked for carbon buildup. Reinstall the plug after examining it or replace it if the damage is significant.

• Restricted carburetor: Remove extra fuel from the carb’s float bowl by draining it. See if you can locate some Sea Foam at an auto parts store and add it to the gas to see if it makes a difference. If not, you will need to purchase a carburetor repair kit to get multiple spare parts.

• Degraded fuel: If the fuel in the tank is quite old, drain it out and replenish it with fresh fuel. Put some fuel stabilizer in the gasoline tank if you want to store the lawnmower for some time.

• Broken Flywheel key: The flywheel key could break if the lawnmower hits a hard object, and this can cause it to run rough. This upsets the engine’s ignition timing, and it can misfire. To fix the problem, make sure you replace the broken key with a new one.

5. Honda Lawnmower has a Dead Battery?

If your lawnmower has a dead battery, it’s probably been kept sitting for quite some time. To recharge it again, remove it from the casing and use a separate 12V charger.

Most Honda lawnmowers use a lead-acid battery to power the ignition system. Most users store their lawnmowers for the winter without detaching the battery terminals. As a result, the battery gets discharged completely when you reuse the mower after winter.

When this happens, you should first check the battery’s water level for refillable batteries. Fill it up to that level if it’s short of the mark. Next, use a separate 12V battery charger to recharge your battery. Alternatively, you can also hook it up to your car battery using a jumper cable.

To test if the battery’s working fine, use a multimeter and check the terminal voltage. When it’s 12V, the battery’s recharged and ready to be used. If it’s short of 12V even after recharging, then your battery has desulphated and wouldn’t work unless replaced.

Honda Self-Propelled Lawnmowers: Troubleshooting Starting Problems

Self-propelled lawnmowers are rather cheaper and work best on leveled terrains. A petrol engine or an electric motor can either propel them. Some problems that are specific to these lawnmowers have been discussed below:

1. Honda Lawnmower Engine Doesn’t Start

If your Honda Self-Propelled Lawn Mower doesn’t start, debris may obstruct the air filters or the carburetor, which are critical for supplying the air and fuel mix to the engine.

To prevent them from becoming jammed again, these components must be adequately cleaned with a cleaner liquid or WD-40, and all dust needs to be cleared with a soap-water solution.

A worn-out spark plug is another factor in your lawnmower’s inability to start. It would be best if you inspected the spark plug’s condition and its electrodes to ascertain the level of wear. Replace the spark plug with a fresh one to get your lawn mower operating again. 

2. Honda Lawnmower Pull Cord Needs to be Fixed.

The lawnmower pull cord can get stuck either due to grass stuck in the cutting blades or a damaged recoil assembly.

If your pull cord has stuck, the first thing to do is check the mower deck by tilting the lawnmower over and see if the blades can rotate freely. If they cannot, make sure all the grass strands are dislodged between the blades and spindle assembly.

Next, you need to remove the blower housing and check the recoil assembly of the pull cord. If the recoil spring has been damaged, the pull cord will not be retracted, and the lawnmower won’t start. Hence, you should contact customer support to get the exact part number and replace the recoil assembly.

If your lawnmower is under warranty, avoid doing this repair by yourself and contact the OEM to perform this replacement.

Honda Battery-Powered Lawnmowers: Troubleshooting Starting Issues

Despite being a giant in engine technology, Honda has recently launched its cordless electric lawnmowers. These machines offer a much quieter, safer, and hassle-free alternative. Some of the common problems faced by these lawnmowers are:

1. Honda Electric Lawnmower Doesn’t Start

If your lawnmower doesn’t start, check for the battery, its charging system, and the start switch. A fault in any one of these components could be causing the issue.

Inspect the battery and its terminal connections. Check if it isn’t leaking any electrolyte solution. Take a multimeter to test the battery’s rated voltage. Make sure that the charger is charging the battery as well. Check for broken or loose connections at the start switch. If the start switch’s electrodes have rusted or corroded, replacing them with a new one is best. 

4. Honda Electric Lawnmower Shuts Down?

If the electric lawnmower suddenly shuts down, it can be that the battery has discharged completely. A loose switch connection or overheated motor can also cause it to shut down instantly.

If this happens, the first thing to check is the battery terminals. Use a multimeter to test the battery voltage and see if there are any loose or broken connections at the switch.

Most electric lawnmowers have a thermal switch that engages when the motor temperature reaches a certain level. It causes the motor to shut down and prevents the winding from damage. If so, let the machine cool down and restart it again.