Why lawnmower died while mowing and won’t start? It is harsh to hear, but faithful nonetheless, that your lawnmower died or shut down due to the failure of the safety switch.

The safety switch is a switch that is responsible for heavy-duty all the time.

However, it is noteworthy that there are some other reasons also. And to have a clearer understanding of the problems, we must know the operational steps that occur in a mowing machine.

Lawn Mower Died While Mowing and Won’t Start –  Find The Fundamental Problems

Let’s know the problems below, which an amateur can detect easily and fix at home by purchasing kits from an online or physical store. However, to have a brief knowledge, look at the table below. It assembles the problems and causes behind those. Don’t forget to read the fixing method below.

Learn the Comprehensive Mechanism

Before we learn the problems elaborately and fix them at our place, we must know how to start and run a mower. And somehow, an answer of “why does my lawnmower start and then die” is lying under here.

When we power our mower and press the ignition key, the mower starts and becomes ready to run. In the case of a riding mower, it only begins when we are sitting on it. And all the credit for this safety feature goes to the safety switch.

It turns the safety switch on while sitting on the seat, establishing a connection between the electrical wires. Therefore, our mower machine can receive the power from the battery. It is a continuous process, and when we leave the seat, the safety breaks the connection. As a result, the engine loses the link to the power source and shuts off.

In addition, when the battery serves the power to the whole mower, it also directs the burner to burn fuel so that it can visit through the cylinder. The passing of vaporized energy in the cylinder is not the whole.

When it is in a vaporized form, it creates a mini and robust explosion in the cylinder. And the explosion happens because of the spark plug. It creates sparks continuously, which fire the vaporized fuel, and the explosion takes place.

After the explosion, the cylinder travels downward with a massive force and prompts a circular gadget to roll. That rolling gadget is responsible for turning the fuel energy into electric power by recharging the battery with the magnetic charger.

So, this is how an engine runs. When facing such difficulties, you have to assume the problems raised due to any malfunctioning in this mechanism.

Flaws In Safety Switch

We disclosed how a safety switch works and how much we often deploy that. The safety switch is the only way the engine and fuel burner gets the electrical energy to run smoothly. So, if your mower’s engine gets off out of nowhere, there is a high possibility that your safety switch is not working.

You will need a voltage measurer or voltmeter to determine the fitness status. There are two points of this switch, one has the connection with the battery and another one with the circuit board. Now, connect the voltmeter with the point of the button which holds the circuit board connection. After that, press the ignition key and check the voltage. If your meter shows figure 12 V, your switch is okay. If not, then you must replace the switch.

Cause And Solution

There are no such causes that intentionally break the safety switch. Yet, faulty switches can raise the difficulty sooner than the average one. Generally, an unauthorized switch has less tolerance for continuous electrical flow and heavy use.

Therefore, whenever you shop for a safety switch, you must go for a brand that serves at least one year of guarantee.

The replacement method of the safety switch is similar to other controls. All you need to do is unplug the broken safety switch and tighten the new one.

There is no fear of electric shock because the battery can serve only 12 V. Yet, it will be wise if you wear safety gloves while replacing.

Flaws In Sparking System

Another major issue that can create an unusual situation, like riding lawn mower stopped running while mowing is the bad spark plug. You can learn the significance of a spark plug from above and its duty.

The battery will not receive any charge from the cylinder with a spark. So, check the spark plug if it is adequately plugged or not. Sometimes the plug fell off the place.

Also Read: Bad Ignition Coil Symptoms Lawn Mower- 5 Common Ones

To determine the fitness status of the spark, remove the plug from the cylinder and press the ignition key. If the spark plug is okay, there will be a spark on the top of the wire. The spark is meager and only visible in low light. It would be best to check this in your garage with deemed light.

Cause And Solution

There is no such precise cause behind this breakdown. In most cases, it occurs due to expiration and bad quality plug. You need to purchase a new pin and install it accordingly to fix this problem.

Check The Wires And Circuit Board

The eventual things that can cause such difficulties are the wires and circuit board. It is difficult to find an error in these items and requires an expert to determine. But, if you have general ideas about electric elements and can operate the meters, you can check the cables and circuit board.

This Video Will Help You Too!

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

Bottom Line

There are several reasons why the lawn mower died while mowing and won’t start. We have only discussed the prime reasons behind this. But, to determine and have the proper solution, experts are always beneficial. And hopefully, by reading our explanation, you will be able to find the problems and fix them on your own.