Why Your Craftsman Lawnmower Won’t Start & What to Do

Exactly Why That Craftsman Mower Isn’t Starting

Having Trouble With Your Craftsman Mower Because of a Dead or Faulty Battery?

In the event that your Craftsman won’t start, try switching out the battery. The problem may be a dead or undercharged battery.

Once it has been fully charged, a 12-volt battery will register at around 12.7 volts. If the number is lower than it should be, you should charge the battery.

Follow the guidelines in “5 Things That Are Draining the Life of Your Lawn Mower Battery” to analyze the battery’s condition. Learn what uses up your battery power so you don’t have to worry about it in the future.

You may charge the battery on your Craftsman lawn mower by connecting it to 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 at the battery and the connectors. Sometimes, a screwdriver is required to access the battery. Don’t take the battery out of its case.
• In order to charge something, the positive cable must be plugged in first. The plus-sign cable, or the red cable. Connect the cable to the battery’s positive terminal.
• Join the negative end of the cable to the battery’s negative post. This is the negative-sign cable, sometimes known as the black cable.
  To avoid electrocution, avoid touching anything that isn’t covered in rubber.
• The voltage and current output of the charger can be adjusted to suit your needs. Typically, lawn mower batteries will have a voltage of 12 volts. The battery can be charged more rapidly with an increase in amperage. Two amps to start, and no more than ten amps at most. It’s best to charge slowly.

If the battery can’t keep its charge, you should get a new one. A replacement battery can be purchased from any hardware store, auto parts store, or Craftsman dealer.

The old battery should be brought along with you. You should expect to pay a battery core fee if you don’t bring in your old battery when getting a replacement.

Problems with Your Craftsman Lawn Mower Caused by Loose or Corroded Wires and Connections

The vibration and shaking from operating your Craftsman mower might cause the electrical cables and connections to become loose. Connections and terminals can deteriorate if they are exposed to moisture, which can also lead to loose wiring.

If there is a break in continuity and your Craftsman won’t start, you may need to check for loose or damaged electrical components.

Verify the integrity of the joints to ensure proper operation. Use a baking soda solution to get rid of any corrosion you notice (The ratio of water to baking soda should be 2 cups water to 3 tbsp). Tighten up all of the cables and plugs.

If you detect any corroded or broken wires, connectors, or terminals, you should get new ones.

The Craftsman Lawnmower Fuse Is Bad.

To the exception of a few manual pull-start models, every Craftsman lawn mower features a fuse. A fuse is installed to safeguard the mower’s electrical components.

Look for a blown fuse. If you suspect a blown fuse but aren’t sure, you can test it by touching the probes of a multimeter to the fuses’s prongs and reading the resulting resistance.

Your fuse is fine if the resistance reading is close to 0. A blown fuse is indicated by a reading of infinite resistance.

Always use a fuse of the same amperage rating to replace a blown one. Take your mower to a Craftsman dealer or repair shop if you keep having fuse failures.

Your Craftsman mower’s ignition switch may be broken.

If nothing happens when you turn the key in the ignition, it may be the switch. There may be a toggle switch rather than a keyed switch on your model. Your Craftsman won’t start if the switch is faulty.

If you suspect that the ignition switch is malfunctioning, you can test it with a multimeter to see if there is any continuity. Find the “B” and “S” prongs on the battery and the starter solenoid, respectively.

Put the key in and turn it until you hear a click (Alternatively, turn the toggle switch on). A multimeter’s resistance reading is taken when one probe is placed on the B prong and the second probe is placed on the S prong.

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 Craftsman lawn mower has a faulty safety switch.

A safety feature called “operator presence control” has been installed on your Craftsman mower. When specific conditions are fulfilled, such as when the brake is engaged, the mower will not start because of the safety switches in this system.

Your Craftsman might not start because of a faulty safety switch. Apply the multimeter test to your switch. Troubleshooting may also necessitate the temporary removal of the safety switch.

Always use the safety switch before starting the mower.

Never operate a lawn mower with the safety switch removed. There’s no telling when you’ll need a safety switch until it’s too late to prevent a major accident.

Your Craftsman Mower Has a Faulty Starter Solenoid.

To crank over your Craftsman engine, you need to activate the starter solenoid, which is an electromagnetic switch.

Failure of the starting solenoid may occur if the spring becomes brittle or the copper plate corrodes. It’s possible for the solenoid to malfunction if the starting is weak, the battery is dead, or the ground is corroded.

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.

Your Craftsman lawn mower has a faulty starter motor.

If your Craftsman still won’t start after you’ve checked the battery, cables, wiring, ground, and starter solenoid, then it’s time to look at the starter. It is possible to take out the starter and put it through its paces.

Before you go out and buy an expensive new starter for your Craftsman mower, have the one you already have checked out by a local repair company that specializes in beginning and alternator repairs, and have it rebuilt if necessary.