How to Fix a Hustler Zero Turn That Won’t Start

When the starting solenoid won’t energize the starter to crank the engine, you know something is wrong with your mower.

A dead battery, loose or corroded cables, connections, cabling, or terminals, blown fuse, broken ignition switch, faulty starting solenoid, or malfunctioning starter prevent a Hustler zero turn mower from cranking or turning over.

Use extreme care around live wires. Before making any repairs, disconnect the battery’s negative cable.

Take your mower to a Hustler dealer or lawn mower repair business if you are doubtful of your ability to work on the electrical system.

What to Do If Your Hustler Lawnmower Won’t Start

Your Hustler Mower’s Battery Is Dead or Faulty.

Your Hustler won’t start if the battery is dead or discharged. Look at the battery life. The voltage of a fully charged 12-volt battery should be about 12.7 volts. If the readout is low, try giving the battery a charge.

Make sure to keep your battery charged at all times, but particularly while you’re not using it. Follow the guidelines in “5 Things That Are Draining the Life of Your Lawn Mower Battery” to check the battery. What might cause your battery to lose charge will also be covered.

Battery Charging for a Hustler Lawn Mower

To charge your battery, use a battery charger. Put on goggles and rubber gloves to protect your eyes and skin from potential electrical current before proceeding.

To charge the battery on your lawn mower, do the following:

• Get to the battery and the connectors. A screwdriver may be required to access the battery. Don’t take the battery out of its case.
• Start by plugging in the positive cord to the charger. That’s the plus-sign cable, often known as the red one. Connect the cable to the battery’s positive terminal.
• Connect the negative end of the cable to the battery’s negative terminal. The negative-sign cable, or black cable, is this.
• To avoid electrocution, avoid touching anything that isn’t covered with rubber.
• Alter the charger’s settings to get the required voltage and current. Lawn mower batteries typically have a voltage of 12 volts. More amperage means a quicker battery charge. Two amps to start, and no more than ten amps at most. It’s better to charge slowly.

A new battery should be installed if the old one is unable to maintain its charge. A replacement battery may 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 bring in your old battery, most stores will charge you a core fee.

Problems with Your Hustler Lawnmower’s Loose Wires and Connections

While operating, your lawnmower vibrates and rattles. This might break the continuity of the circuit by dislodging the wires and connectors. In addition to causing cable to become slack, dampness may also damage electrical connections and terminals.

Use a baking soda solution (two cups water to three heaping teaspoons of baking soda) to get rid of the corrosion. Tighten up all of the cables and plugs.

Wires, connectors, and terminals should be replaced if you notice any signs of damage or significant corrosion.

Your Hustler Lawnmower Has a Blown Fuse

The electrical components of your Hustler are protected by a fuse. Make sure there is no blown fuse in your mower.

whether you’re not sure whether the fuse has blown, you may test it by touching the probes of a multimeter to each of the prongs. Your fuse is OK if the resistance measurement is close to 0. A blown fuse is indicated by a reading of infinite resistance.

If a fuse blows, replace it with another fuse of the same amperage. If the fuses keep blowing, take the mower to a repair shop or Hustler dealer near you so the problem may be properly diagnosed and fixed.

Your Hustler Mower’s Ignition Switch Needs Replacing.

If nothing occurs when you turn the key in the ignition, it might be the switch. The engine won’t turn over on your Hustler.

If the ignition switch is suspect, try testing its continuity using a multimeter. Find the “B” and “S” prongs on the battery and the starter solenoid, respectively.

Put the key in and spin it until you hear the starter sound. Connect one probe to the B prong and the second probe to the S prong of the multimeter when the multimeter is in the resistance measurement mode.

A good key switch for the ignition will have a resistance reading close to 0 ohms. If the resistance reading on your ignition key switch is infinite, you need to replace it.

Your Hustler lawnmower has a faulty safety switch.

The operator presence control system is a safety device included into the Hustler. The safety switches in this system prevent the mower from starting if certain circumstances are not met, such as when the brake is not engaged.

Your Hustler may not turn over because of a broken safety switch. Check the functionality of your switch using a multimeter. The seat switch, the brake switch, and the PTO switch might all be broken.

See whether there is an owner’s handbook for your mower for further details on its safety features.

You may also test whether the safety switch is broken by momentarily turning it off while troubleshooting.

The safety switch must always be engaged before to mowing the lawn. Never use a lawnmower without first activating the safety switch. A safety switch is useful at any time, and you never know when you may need it.

Your Hustler Lawnmower’s Starter Solenoid Is Broken.

To activate the Hustler’s starter motor, you must first activate the solenoid’s electromagnetic switch.

It’s possible that a weaker spring or rusted copper plate is to blame for a starting solenoid that won’t fire. The solenoid might fail due to poor starting, a weak battery, or a lackluster ground.

It’s important to fully charge the battery before testing out the new starter solenoid. If your starting solenoid isn’t working properly, you may test and identify the problem by following the advice in this article.

Hustler Lawnmower’s Faulty Starter Motor

After making sure the battery, cables, wiring, ground, and starting solenoid are all good to go, you should examine the starter on your Hustler if it still won’t turn over. The starter may be unplugged and put through its paces.

Instead of buying a whole new starter for your Hustler mower, you should have your current one inspected by a local repair shop that specializes in beginning and alternator repairs, and if necessary, have it replaced.