What Are the Symptoms of a Bad Starter Motor on a Riding Mower Engine? | Hunker

A well-maintained lawn mower will last for many seasons. Image Credit: Stockbyte/Stockbyte/Getty Images A riding lawn mower that has a bad starter can be difficult to diagnose. A bad starter can manifest itself in a cranking noise without engine turnover, a clicking when the ignition button is pressed, or a mower that simply does not respond to attempts to start. An indication of a bad starter motor is the absence of other electrical problems that can be more easily tested. Advertisement A Functioning Battery Video of the Day Test your riding lawn mower's battery. Check your manual or the battery itself to ascertain how many volts it should be producing, and use a voltage tester to make sure the battery is not to blame for your starting issues. If the voltage being put out by the battery is less than the mower requires, recharge or replace the battery and attempt to start the mower. Advertisement Video of the Day Clean Leads The negative and positive cables that attach to the battery n...