Sears Riding mowers & tractors Parts — Browse All Models

Troubleshooting your Sears riding mower or lawn tractor when it won't start

There are numerous explanations for why a riding lawn mower won't start, including everything from bad gas or a bad battery to a failed starter motor or bad ignition coil.

If you find yourself constantly having to charge the battery before starting the engine, a bad battery or failed alternator could be causing the problem. Connect the battery to a charger and if the battery won't charge fully within 8 hours, then you'll likely need to replace the battery. If the battery is okay, then a problem in the engine's charging system is causing the constantly drained battery. The engine uses an alternator to generate current, which constantly charges the battery and powers the mower's electrical system while the engine runs. When the alternator fails, the battery attempts to power the mower on its own and quickly drains without recharging. Replace the alternator if it isn't charging the battery.

Common replacement parts for Sears riding mowers & lawn tractors

• Brake interlock switch. The brake interlock switch detects whether you have the brake pedal fully pushed down. The parking brake holds the brake pedal in the fully depressed position so the brake interlock switch also recognizes whether you have the parking brake set. The brake interlock switch won't allow you to start the tractor without the parking brake set or the brake pedal fully depressed.
• Blade clutch cable. The blade clutch cable connects the blade clutch lever to the blade belt idler arm on the mower deck. When you shift the clutch lever to engage the cutting blades, the cable pulls the idler arm, which then tightens the blade belt and spins the cutting blades. The blade clutch cable releases blade belt tension so the blades don't spin when you shift the blade clutch lever to disengage the cutting blades.
• Carburetor rebuild kit. The carburetor rebuild kit includes gaskets, seals, a hinge pin and other components to refurbish the carburetor.
• Fuel filter. A fuel filter is a filter in the fuel line that screens out dirt and rust particles from the fuel. The fuel filter paper is usually integrated into a cartridge.