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If your Husqvarna riding mower fails to turn over, it might be annoying and frustrating, especially when you have a lot of mowing operations to carry out.

In this article, I share 8 common reasons why your Husqvarna riding mower won’t turn over and troubleshooting tips that you can follow to diagnose and fix these problems.

Contents show

Husqvarna Riding Mower Won’t Turn Over: Reasons and Possible Solutions

Before I go into details, let’s look at some common reasons why your Husqvarna riding mower won’t turn over and their possible solutions

Reasons	Possible Solutions
1. Bad or dead battery on your Husqvarna riding mower	Charge or replace the battery.
2. Loose connections and wires	Remove corrosion on terminals, wires and connections or replace them.
3. Defective ignition switch	Replace the defective ignition switch.
4. Bad Fuse	Change the blown fuse. Contact a professional to fix it if it keeps blowing.
5. Bad safety switch	Replace the bad safety switch.
6. Faulty starter solenoid	Replace the faulty starter solenoid
7. Faulty spark plug	Clean or replace the spark plug
8. Defective starter motor	Seek the help of an expert to fix the issue.

Tools You Need for this Job

While troubleshooting, you might need to have the following tools nearby:

Spark plug spanner
Cloth
Steel brush
A new spark plug.

Husqvarna Riding Mower Won’t Turn Over: Possible Reasons, Diagnosis and Fixes

1. Bad or Dead Battery on Your Husqvarna Riding Mower

Your Husqvarna mower may not turn over if the battery is dead or has a low battery charge. If your fully charged 12-volt battery does not give you a 12.7-volt reading, it shows that it requires charging or replacement.

To extend the battery’s life, ensure that you keep the battery charged during storage.

Diagnosis

Your fully charged 12-volt battery should give you a reading of about 12.7 volts. If you are getting a lower reading, it indicates that you should charge it.

Fix

Charge the battery or replace it if it is in a bad condition.

2. Loose Connections and Wires

If you notice that your riding lawn mower is shaking and vibrating while running, you need to check the connections and wiring. The connections and wiring won’t have a good continuity if they are loose.

Furthermore, moisture and loose wiring can cause terminals and connections to corrode.

Diagnosis

Check the connections and wiring for signs of looseness, damage and corrosion. If you detect these signs, you may need to replace the wires or terminals.

Fix

Use a baking soda solution (three heaping tablespoons of baking soda and two cups of water) to remove corrosion. Any loose connections and wires should be secure.
If your terminals, connections and wires are severely corroded or damaged, change them with new components.

3. Defective Ignition Switch

This is also one of the reasons why your Husqvarna riding mower may not turn over. If faulty, your mower will fail to run when you turn on the key. This will affect the functionality and performance of your mower.

Diagnosis

Use a multimeter to check the continuity of your ignition switch. Look for prongs marked “S” for the starter solenoid and “B” for the battery. If the ignition key measures an infinite measure, it means that it requires replacement.

Fix

Insert your key and turn it to the start position. Use a multimeter to set the measure resistance and touch one probe to the B and S prongs respectively. It should have a measured resistance that is near 0 ohms.
If the switch measures infinite resistance, it means that you need to replace it.

4. Bad Fuse

A fuse offers protection to the electrical system of your Husqvarna mowing machine. Inspect your lawn mower and ensure that the fuse is not blown. If it is blown, your Husqvarna riding will fail to turn over.

Diagnosis

To check for a blown fuse, place a multimeter probe on each prong of the fuse to measure resistance. If the resistance reading does not read near 0, it means that the fuse is faulty.

Fix

Change the blown fuse with a fuse that has the same amperage as the one that you want to replace. You can also seek the help of a professional if the fuses keep on blowing.

5. Bad Safety Switch

Your Husqvarna riding mower comes with a safety switch that acts as a safety feature while mowing.

If the safety switch is bad, your riding mower will not turn over. It is advisable not to operate your mower without a safety switch. In addition, do not run your mower when the safety switch is bypassed.

Diagnosis

Use a multimeter to test the safety switch if it is bad or not. You may also bypass it temporarily to identify if it is faulty.

Fix

Replace the faulty safety switches.

6. Faulty Starter Solenoid

The starter solenoid is responsible for initiating the starter motor to turn over when it is engaged.

If the spring is weak, or its copper plate starts to corrode, your starter solenoid can become defective.

Other factors that may cause the solenoid to malfunction include a bad battery, a weak starter or bad ground. In this case, your Husqvarna riding mower may fail to turn over.

Diagnosis

Ensure that you test the solenoid and inspect for defects. If it is defective, it needs to be replaced.

Fix

Make sure that you have a fully charged battery before you test your starter. Replace it if it is in a bad condition.

7. Faulty Spark Plug

A faulty spark plug is also one of the reasons why your mowing machine may not turn over. In this case, it may cause it to fire intermittently and it will affect the functionality of your riding mower.

Diagnosis

Inspect the spark plug for cracks, burnt electrodes or dirt on its tip. Replace it if the spark is damaged, the electrodes are burnt or the insulation has cracks or is damaged.

Fix

Clean or replace the spark plug

How to Examine and Replace a Spark Plug on Your Husqvarna Riding Lawn Mower

Here are some tips on how to examine and replace a spark plug on your Husqvarna riding mower:

Gather items such as a spark plug spanner, cloth, steel brush and a new spark plug.
Open the engine cover
Take off the spark plug cap ad clean around the spark plug
Use a spark spanner to remove the spark plug
Check the spark plug if it has cracks, burnt electrodes or is damaged.
If it is not defective, use a steel brush to clean it.
Ensure that the measurement of the electrode gap is correct. You can also check the operator manual for the correct electrode gap because it may vary on your riding mower model.
To adjust the electrode gap, you need to bend the side electrode.
Insert your spark plug and use your hand to turn it till it touches your spark plug seat.

Please note: If the spark plug is not tightened correctly, it can damage your engine.

Tighten the spark plug with your spark plug spanner.
Tighten a new spark plug ¼ turn more while that of a used spark plug should be tightened 1/8 of a turn more.
You can also change your ignition cable shoe.

Please note: Avoid trying to start the engine if the ignition cable or spark plug is removed.

8. Defective Starter Motor

If you have checked your wiring, battery, cables, ground and starter and it is still not turning over, then you need to check your starter motor.

Diagnosis

Remove and test the starter motor and check for defects.

Fix

It is advisable to seek the help of an expert who specializes in alternator and starter repairs to help you to fix the issue.

Conclusion

Some of the possible reasons why your Husqvarna riding mower won’t turn over include a bad battery, faulty spark plug, defective starter motor and bad starter solenoid.

Follow the troubleshooting guide and recommended fixes in this article to diagnose and fix these problems.

If the problem persists, it is advisable to contact your local Husqvarna dealership or lawn mower repair shop for assistance.