The 7 Most Common Causes of a Bad Boy Zero Turn’s Refusal to Start
It’s aggravating to try to start the mower and have nothing happen. The car’s motor won’t even crank. When this occurs, you should check for obstructions in the path of the starter motor’s power supply.
Problems with the battery, wiring and electrical components, ignition switch, safety switch, fuses, starter solenoid, and starter motor can prevent a Bad Boy zero-turn from turning over or cranking.
Follow all of the safety instructions in your Bad Boy’s manual to ensure your own well-being. Before making any modifications to the electrical system, the black battery cable must always be disconnected from the battery.
Table of Contents
The Problem with Your Bad Boy Zero Turn Mower and How to Fix It
Your Zero-Dead Turn’s or Its Battery Is Dead.
Preserving a fully charged battery in your Bad Boy zero-turn mower can help it last longer. This holds true even more so when it’s freezing outside. When not fully charged, a battery exposed to cold temperatures can freeze.
When trying to start an engine, a weak or dead battery won’t provide the necessary power.
Conduct the tests outlined in the article 5 Things That Are Draining the Life of Your Lawn Mower Battery to ensure your battery is in good working order.
The 12-volt battery must be charged with a battery charger. Please safeguard your eyes and skin from potential electrical shock by donning protective clothing before proceeding. To charge the battery on your lawn mower, do the following:
- Get to the connections and the battery. A screwdriver may be required to access the battery. Put the battery back in its case.
- Put the positive cable in first when connecting the charging cables. Remember, this is the plus-sign cable (also known as the red cable).
- Connect the wire to the battery’s positive terminal.
- Join the negative end of the cable to the battery’s negative terminal. That’s the negative-sign cable, often known as black.
- In order to avoid electrocution, avoid touching anything that isn’t covered in rubber.
- Alter the charger’s settings to achieve the desired voltage and current. Lawnmower batteries typically have a voltage level of 12 volts.
- Higher current speeds up the battery’s charging process. To begin, set up only two camps and no more than ten amps of power each. In this case, a gradual charging is preferable.
A new battery must be installed if the old one is unable to maintain a charge. A replacement battery can be purchased from any local lawn mower shop, hardware store, or auto parts store.
Please remember to bring your used battery. If you don’t return the old battery, most stores will charge you a core fee.
Somewhat Loose or Disconnected Wiring in Your Bad Boy Zero Turn
The continual motion of the mower might cause the cables and parts to become dislodged and unable to connect securely.
Ensure there is no break in the circuit by double checking all of the connections on your Bad Boy zero turn’s wiring and components. Look for corrosion, which can disrupt electrical continuity, in every component of the system.
First disconnect the batteries, then take off any rusted wiring, components, or terminals.
You can try to get rid of the corrosion by brushing it away with a baking soda solution with a wire brush (2 cups water to 3 heaping tablespoons of baking soda). If the terminals have corrosion that cannot be cleaned, you should replace them.
Your Bad Boy Lawnmower Has a Burnt Out Fusible
The electrical components of your Bad Boy are protected by a fuse. Make sure there is no blown fuse before starting your mower.
A blown fuse can be tested by measuring the resistance between the probes of a multimeter placed on the fuse’s prongs.
A resistance value close to 0 indicates a functional fuse. A blown fuse is indicated by a reading of infinite resistance.
If a fuse blows, replace it with one of the same amperage ratings. If your Bad Boy keeps blowing fuses, it’s time to take it in for service at the dealership or a repair shop.
Your Bad Boy Lawnmower’s Faulty Ignition Switch
If the ignition switch is broken, turning the key does nothing. Nothing you do will get your Bad Boy to roll over and start.
Whether you suspect the ignition switch is broken, you can test it with a multimeter to see if there is any continuity. Find the “B” for Battery and “S” for Starter Solenoid-marked prongs.
Put the key in and turn it until you hear the starter sound. Select the resistance measurement mode on the multimeter and connect one probe to the B prong and the second probe to the S prong.
The resistance of a high-quality key switch for the ignition should be close to zero. If the resistance reading on the ignition key switch is infinite, it’s time to get a new one.
The Bad Boy Lawnmower’s Faulty Safety Switch
For your own protection, your Bad Boy is equipped with an operator presence control system. Your Bad Boy might not start because of a faulty safety switch.
Use a multimeter to make sure your switch works. Additionally, if you are troubleshooting, you can temporarily disable the safety switch to determine if the switch is faulty.
Always use the safety switch before starting the mower
Do not operate a mower with the safety switch removed. There is no way of knowing if or when you will need a safety switch, but having one is always a good idea.
There’s something wrong with the solenoid that initiates the engine in your Bad Boy lawnmower.
Starter solenoids are electromagnetic switches that, when energized, start the engine in your Bad Boy.
A faulty starting solenoid may have a weak spring or a corroded copper plate. The solenoid may fail if the starting is weak, the battery is weak, or the ground is poor.
A fully charged battery is required prior to testing the starter solenoid. Follow the procedures outlined in How to Tell Your Lawn Mower Solenoid is Bad to continue testing the solenoid.
Problems with Your Bad Boy Lawnmower’s Starter Motor
After checking the battery, cables, wiring, ground, and starter solenoid, if your Bad Boy still won’t turn over, you should check the starter. In order to check the starter, it must be taken out.
Instead of just buying an expensive new starter for your Bad Boy mower, I would have it tested and maybe rebuilt by a local repair business that specializes in starter and alternator repairs.
Is Your Bad Boy Zero Turn Mower Still Giving You Trouble?
When you’ve had a lawnmower for a while, it’s bound to develop some sort of trouble, whether it won’t start, won’t stay running, smokes, leaks gas, cuts poorly, vibrates, or something else entirely.
Save yourself some time and money by using this tutorial the next time your Bad Boy mower gives you issues.
Solution Guide for Frequently Experienced Issues with Bad Boy Lawn Mowers.
Having a professional fix your Bad Boy lawn mower is the safest option if you lack the knowledge to diagnose and repair it yourself.
By doing so, you reduce the risk of getting hurt or of causing further harm to the lawn mower. If you’re having trouble with your lawnmower, get on over to the nearest Bad Boy dealer or repair facility.
