How To Troubleshoot a Lawn Mower That Keeps Running After Shut Off

Have you ever experienced a situation where your lawn mower won’t cut off or keeps running even after you let go of the handle? If yes, you must have wondered what might go wrong and whether it is possible to troubleshoot such a failure and how?

Immediately, turn it off by pulling the boot off the spark plug. Then, take the engine shroud off to check the contact between the control bracket & switch stop.

If they are not contacting properly, bend the Switch Stop down or push it back farther until you can ensure that both are contacting perfectly. Finally, test whether the fixing technique worked or not.

Continue reading this following article and learn to troubleshoot a Lawn mower that keeps running after shut off.

What Causes the Problem?

Your lawn mower might encounter such trouble if the contact between the control bracket and the stop switch is not correct because the switch stop and control tab need to make proper contact to kill the engine to turn off your mower immediately after you shut the mower off. 

Such troubles can arise if the ignition switch is failing to ground properly or the wiring connections are corroded. Poor or loose wirings can also lead to encounter such problem at some point.

Thus, the best option is to troubleshoot every potential area first to determine the main culprit and fix it.

4 Steps to troubleshoot a Lawn mower that keeps running after shutting off: 

Imagine you just let go of your mower handle as soon you finished the mowing task or wanted to take a break so that it could kill the motor. But the mower still did not stop and kept running. Such commotion is not only frustrating, but it’s also dangerously alarming if the blades keep swinging like that.

That’s why you need an immediate solution to fix such issues, and in today’s article, I will assist you with troubleshooting your lawn mower that keeps running after shut off.

The good news is, if you follow the below step-by-step method to troubleshoot and fix your mower issue, it won’t cost you a single penny unless the damage is severe and you have to replace some elements or components.

Things required to troubleshoot the Lawn mower keeps runs after shut off:

Look at the checklist of the required tools and materials for today’s troubleshooting task:

Step 1- Turn off by pulling the Spark Plug Boot:

The shortcut way to get rid of this annoying issue is to grab a pair of pliers.

Then, pull the boot off the spark plug, and it can be the best immediate remedy to try.

But sometimes, this trick also fails to fix the problem.

If your motor is still not turning off, it can be a worn-out brake that’s not stopping the flywheel.

Thus check the condition of the brake and if it is worn out as expected, replace it with a new Brake kit.

You can learn the step-by-step technique for repairing the brake by following this.

However, if the brake looks perfect in shape, then move on to the next troubleshooting step.

Step 2- Take the Engine Shroud off to check the contact between Control Bracket & Switch stop:

First, use an electric driver or Phillip screwdriver to remove the two screws holding the engine shroud cover.

Then push the cover back as shown in the picture.

Next, pull back on this handle a few times to disengage the brake.

Now, when you pull the motor, look closely at whether the bracket control tab touch or does not touch the switch stop. If it does not touch and that means they are not making contact.

But to turn off your mower immediately after you shut it off, the switch stop and control tab need to make proper contact to kill the engine.

Step 3- Bend the Switch Stop down or push it back farther:

Now, check whether the switch stop is bent or pushed up.

If that’s the case here, then all you have to do is bend the switch stop down to where it’s actually making contact on that control bracket.

Thus, use a flat screwdriver and just push down a little bit on it.

It might seem like you need to push farther back.

In that case, push back on the lever as shown in the image.

So, use a screwdriver to push this down a little bit and bend it a little bit down.

Tips: while pushing the switch down, keep checking whether it’s connecting with the control bracket or not and carefully continue bending it farther until it’s reaching the perfect contact position.

Instead of bending the switch stop down, you can actually push this stop tab up a little bit on the brake bracket control. That means instead of bending the switch stop you will be bending the bracket control.

Step 4- Test the lawn mower again:

Check by letting go of the lever and if so, putting it back together to test whether the motor is turning off or not.

Next, reinstall the engine shroud back on and tighten the screws securely.

Let’s test it now, and if this time it is working, you are good to go.

In case it is still not working as it should, better contact your nearest dealership.

Warning:

Performing such troubleshooting tasks can be hazardous. Thus, make sure you have enough knowledge and expertise to perform such tasks. Always remember to read your mower’s instructions manual before operating, servicing, or troubleshooting your lawn mower.

Watch this video.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

What causes my riding lawn mower not to shut off?

If your riding lawn mower fails to shut off or won’t shut off, the reason can be a faulty ignition switch. It can occur when the ignition switch is not turned on while you shut off the mower engine.

What causes my lawn mower to idle up and down?

If you experience that your lawn mower has suddenly started hunting and surging, it is most probably due to an airflow issue.

How to fix my lawn mower idle malfunctioning or failure?

First, tighten the idle adjustment screw located on the side of the carburetor and carefully turn the screw clockwise until you can feel it lightly touching the carburetor seat. Next, turn the screw off counterclockwise from the one-and-a-half turn point.

Why do my lawn mower RPMs jump up and down while idling?

If you are experiencing RPM malfunctioning trouble with your lawn mower, it can be due to worn-out or fouled spark plugs. It can also occur due to a dirty or clogged fuel filter.

Also, do not forget to check the engine vacuum to make sure there’s no chance of leaks.

What causes my lawn mower to sound like it’s going to stall?

Often lawn mower owners and users complain that sometimes their lawn mower sounds like it is going to stall. This can occur due to a dirty or broken vent. If water somehow gets into the fuel, such a surging problem can arise.

It can also occur due to an empty gas tank, choked engine, or improper disposal of the old fuel.

Final Verdict

Initially, the entire troubleshooting process might seem a bit complicated, but if you follow all the instructions explained in today’s article, you can fix the problem easily and quickly.

Remember, you can only get the best result if you thoroughly follow all the instructions to troubleshoot a Lawn mower that keeps runs after shut off.

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