Karcher Pressure Washer: Engine & Motor Troubleshooting With Fixes

Karcher pressure washers are powerful devices that can be employed to dislodge dirt and debris from any surface. The major powerhouse in a pressure washer can be an engine (in gas pressure washers) or an electric motor (in electric models). Being a pressure washer user, one needs to be well versed with these components so that if any problem arises, it can be identified correctly and duly dealt with.

If the motor of your electric Karcher pressure washer doesn’t run, it’s commonly due to a blown-out fuse or issues in the power outlet. You may need to check your extension cord and the capacitor. If the engine of your gas-powered pressure washer faces a problem while starting or running, you need to check your air and fuel filters and make sure the spark plug hasn’t worn out. Also, remove any old fuel deposits from your carburetor.

In this post, I shall discuss a variety of issues that you can encounter while using a Karcher pressure washer, be it gasoline-powered or an electric one. After reading this article, you will learn how to identify any fault and fix it by yourself.

Karcher Electric Pressure Washer Motor Issues

Electric pressure washers are being purchased frequently, considering their advantages over traditional gas-powered variants. These machines run a lot quieter and need significantly fewer maintenance requirements. Furthermore, they don’t have a toxic exhaust and are lighter in weight, making them easy to carry around.

Some of the commonly occurring issues with Karcher electric pressure washers are discussed in the following section.

● Electric Karcher Pressure Washer not Running

If your electric pressure doesn’t start, check the fuse and ensure that the electrical outlet is working correctly. If it still doesn’t start, your electric motor might have become faulty.

If your pressure washer is not working, there are a few things you can check:

– Step 1: Check for Power Outlet Issues

If your Karcher electric pressure washer is not working, the first step is to check if your outlet is working. Unplug the pressure washer, and check the outlet with a lamp or other appliance. If it does not work and it has a ‘reset’ button, press it. If that does not help, check the circuit breaker in the fuse box.

– Step 2: Check the ground Fault Circuit Interrupter

If you use a Ground Fault Circuit Interrupter (GFCI), it may have been triggered due to a voltage loss. Unplug the pressure washer and reset the GFCI. If you notice that it keeps on triggering when you connect your pressure washer, and it is still wet, let it dry before trying again. If it still pops when dry, there is a malfunction in the pressure washer.

– Step 3: Check the Extension cord

If you use an extension cord with your pressure washer, remove it and try plugging in the machine directly. Ensure that the plug has a tight connection with the power outlet. If it works now, there is an issue with the extension cord.

– Step 4: Check the Fuse

If the electric socket is working fine (check it with a lamp or other appliance), you should check if the fuse located at the plug of its cord or inside the machine hasn’t blown out. Check the manual if you can not find it. If it has blown out, replace the fuse and recheck it.

– Step 5: Check the Power cord

If it still doesn’t start, your power cord might have become damaged at some point. Replacing the cord could solve the issue.

– Step 6: Check the Capacitor

If the motor of your Karcher pressure washer gives a ‘humming’ sound, it is often due to a faulty capacitor. You can replace it if you know how to do this. Else, let a professional do this.

If the machine still doesn’t start, you should get your electric motor checked by your manufacturer and replace it if it’s under warranty.

● Karcher Electric Pressure Washer Motor Stops

If your pressure washer motor stops, it is likely due to a power failure in the socket or a faulty capacitor. In some cases, a low voltage in the socket could also cause it to shut down.

The motor automatically shuts down when the voltage falls below a certain value. Using a multimeter, check the voltage level in the socket. The optimal voltage for pressure washers is 120V or 230V, depending on your location.

If the motor of your Karcher pressure washer gives a ‘humming’ sound, it is often due to a faulty capacitor. You can replace it if you know how to do this. Else, let a professional do this.

Karcher Gas Pressure Washer Engine Issues

In gas-powered pressure washers, most engine-related issues arise due to a fault in the filters or the carburetor. This is a direct consequence of poor engine maintenance. Let’s troubleshoot these engine issues for your Karcher pressure washer and find their fixes.

● Problem 1. Karcher Pressure Washer: Keeps Stopping and Starting

If your pressure washer starts and stops repeatedly, it may be due to a clogged fuel tank vent causing a vapor lock. In some cases, a bad fuel filter might cause the problem.

When a fuel tank’s vent gets blocked, fuel vapors build up and cause a rise in vapor pressure. This vapor pressure produces a vapor lock, due to which fuel flow to the carburetor reduces, and the engine stops just after starting.

– Solution: Karcher Pressure Wash Keeps Stopping and Starting

To fix this, open your fuel cap and let it rest for vapors to escape the liens. Start the engine again. Always make sure that the tank’s vent isn’t blocked with dirt. If this doesn’t fix the problem, check your fuel filter and replace it if signs of wear are noticed.

● Problem 2. Karcher Pressure Washer: The engine won’t Run

If your engine doesn’t run, check the spark plug and ensure it’s in good shape. If it doesn’t fix the problem, check the carburetor by removing it and cleaning its ports using a carb. cleaner liquid.

The spark plug’s electrodes often get weakened due to carbon buildup, degrading the spark quality and making starting the engine difficult.

– Solution: Karcher Pressure Wash Keeps Stopping and Starting

If the problem persists, check your pressure washer’s carburetor. Proceed by removing the carburetor and cleaning it from old fuel residues. You can buy a carburetor repair kit and a cleaner liquid to assist the repair process.

● Problem 3. Karcher Pressure Washer: Engine Stops

If the engine stops just after starting, your air and fuel filters must be checked and maintained. Also, you should check for a vapor lock and ensure that the carburetor is properly maintained.

The air and fuel filters prevent external debris from reaching the carburetor. Due to this, these filters often get plugged with dirt, and the air-fuel supply to the engine gets affected, causing a loss of power.

– Solution: Karcher Pressure Wash Engine Stops

To troubleshoot, you should inspect these filters independently and clean/replace them if needed. Check the fuel tank for vapor lock and clean your carburetor if the issue remains.

● Problem 4. Karcher Pressure Washer: Engine not Providing enough Power

If your engine doesn’t produce enough power, check that the water supply is adequate and no kinks exist in the fuel lines. After that, ensure that the air filter is clean and the carburetor jets aren’t plugged with debris.

If the engine isn’t generating enough power, the air-fuel mixture may have become too rich. This implies that the engine is getting too much fuel but insufficient air to produce enough power after combustion. The fault may lie either in the filter or in the carburetor.

– Solution: Karcher Pressure Wash

For sufficient air to be supplied, check the air filter that shouldn’t be blocked with dirt. The carburetor’s L and H screws should be properly adjusted. These screws control the engine RPMs at low and high speeds, respectively 

Moreover, you should ensure that no air is trapped in the pump and the hoses are kink free as this exerts additional back pressure on the engine. Hence, it may not provide enough power in that case.

● Problem 5. Karcher Pressure Washer: Oil Leak

If your engine is dripping oil, it is most certainly due to a damaged seal. Replacing the seal would fix the issue in almost every case. In some cases, an overfilled tank could also cause oil to drip off.

You can buy an oil seal kit to help replace seals whenever needed. These oil seals are located inside the oil inlets. There are two inlets secured with caps on either side of the engine.

– Solution: Karcher Pressure Wash Oil Leak

Use a screwdriver to help pluck out the seal and inspect its condition. If it seems damaged, replace it with a new one. As a precaution, avoid overfilling your oil tank, as this can also leak oil out of these inlets.

● Problem 6. Karcher Pressure Washer: Water in Oil

If water enters the engine oil, it is due to a faulty oil seal in the engine. You should replace the seal.

Water entering the oil makes it look milky. This can be a direct consequence of a faulty oil seal. Another least likely reason to cause this is a worn-out engine piston. Mechanical wear over time causes metal to slide off from pistons and increases the clearance between the piston and cylinder walls.

Thus, the water entering the piston via the inlet manifold can reach the crankcase, mixing with oil and producing a milky suspension.

– Solution: Karcher Pressure Wash Water in Oil

If your engine is somewhat new, the fault most certainly lies with the seals/gaskets. You would need to replace your engine’s seal/head gasket to fix this. If your engine is under warranty, you should consult Karcher for making this replacement. I wouldn’t recommend risking the warranty by performing the replacement yourself.

In case of a worn-out piston, contact Karcher customer service and ask if the warranty still holds for the engine. If not, you may need a new engine for your pressure washer.

Troubleshooting table for a Karcher Pressure Washer

● Troubleshoot Karcher Electric Pressure Washer Motor issues:

● Troubleshoot Karcher Gas Pressure Washer engine problems: