How to Start a Riding Lawn Mower (Step By Step)

Starting a push mower is pretty straightforward. Switch it ON, hold the bail lever, then pull the cord. It’s that simple. But a riding lawn mower is a whole different thing. If anything, they resemble a car more than a lawn mower. So, before you start pressing buttons and pulling levers, let’s take a look at the correct starting procedure for how to start a riding lawn mower.

What to Do BEFORE You Start Your Riding Lawn Mower

So, before you stick the key in the ignition of your riding mower, there are a few steps you will want to take care of first. Here’s what you want to check.

Check the Gas Tank

If you have a riding lawn mower, then you probably have a bigger yard. The last thing you want to do is get far away from where you store your gas and realize that you’re running low. So, pop off the gas cap and check how much gas you have. I always like to make sure my tank is full before I head out to mow.

Check the Oil

If you are unsure where the oil is located on your ride-on mower, then it’s well worth finding out where it is. It’s super important that you check the oil every time before you use your ride-on mower. Keeping the oil at the right level on the dipstick will ensure there is enough oil available to lubricate the engine. Running a ride-on mower that’s low on oil can result in some major damage to the engine.

Inspect the Tires

Ride-on lawn mowers rely on pneumatic tires that are filled with air. Keeping the tires at the correct tire pressure will ensure that you get a nice and level cut. If you don’t already have a pressure gauge, it would be a good idea to get yourself one. I always check the tire pressure on my ride-on mower before I cut and try to avoid the old tire kick test.

Check the Belts

Your ride-on lawn mower will more than likely have two belts. One belt is for the deck, and the other is for the drive. Before you head out, make sure to run your eye over both of the belts.

First of all, you will want to check that both belts are in place and that they are under tension (how tight should a mower deck belt be?). Then you want to check that they appear to be in good condition. By this, I mean that there are no chunks missing or any frayed edges. If you notice any damage or anything that looks out of place, then it’s best to stop and investigate what could be the cause.

Check Under the Deck

Next, you’ll need to take a look under the cutting deck. For this check, I like to raise the cutting deck to its highest position so I can get an easier look. Once you can see under the cutting deck, check that there isn’t anything under there that shouldn’t be there. You’d be surprised what a lawn mower can pick up under the deck. Also, while checking under the deck, take a look at the blades. If they are not looking sharp or if they are damaged, then it would be a good time to pop them off and give them a sharpen or replace them.

Check the Bagger

Depending on your lawn mower, you may have a bagging system. So, before you head out, check that the system is secure and that everything is in place as it should be. Baggers can become loose or unsecure during and after cuts. So, instead of waiting until it falls off and becomes a potential hazard, double check everything is as it should be.

Lift the Roll Bar

The bigger the mower, the bigger the risks. If your ride-on lawn mower has a roll bar, then you want to make sure that you always use it and that it’s always secured in its upright position. In addition, some roll bars have an electrical cut-off feature that prevents the engine from running. So, if you don’t have it secured correctly, then the mower won’t start.

Double Check the Yard

Even though ride-on mowers are bigger and tougher, they are still not designed to cut up tree branches and garden hoses. So, before you jump on your mower, double-check the area that you are going to mow and remove anything that you don’t want to drive the mower over. Dog toys and palm fronds included.

Check the Parking Area

The final check you will want to do is inspecting around the ride-on mower. More often than not, our lawn mowers are stored in our garages and sheds that are filled with a multitude of things. You want to make sure that nothing is in the way of you driving out. The last thing you want to do is knock a ladder over onto the car.

Grab Your Safety Equipment

Finally, grab your safety equipment. I use a set of ear defenders and a pair of glasses, usually sunglasses. Ride-on lawn mowers are significantly louder and kick up a lot more dirt and clippings than smaller push mowers. So, to keep mowing safe and enjoyable, ear defenders and eye protection are vital.

How to Start a Riding Lawn Mower (Step By Step)

Now that all the checks are done, it’s on to how to start a riding lawn mower. The steps for starting a riding lawn mower are simple enough, but they do need to be done in a particular order. If you skip steps or get the order wrong, then you probably won’t get the mower started, or it will end up switching itself off. So, here’s the order you need to do things.

How to Start a Riding Lawn Mower

• Sit in the Driver’s Seat
• Engage the Parking Brake
• Set the Throttle to Start
• Engage the Foot Brake
• Check the Blade Engager
• Turn the Ignition Key & Release
• Increase the Throttle
• Release the Parking Brake
• Apply Forward Acceleration

Sit in the Driver’s Seat

The first step is to sit in the driver’s seat. This is important for two reasons. One, it’s extremely dangerous to try to start a ride-on mower while not sitting in the seat. Two, there is usually a safety switch under the seat, which cuts the engine. So, take a seat.

Engage the Parking Brake

If you park your mower in a garage or a shed, then you probably don’t always use a parking brake. But, again, there is usually a safety switch on the brake that prevents the engine from running unless it’s engaged. So, once you’re sitting in the seat, make sure the parking brake is engaged and set to ON.

Set the Throttle to Start Position

Next, set the throttle to the start position. More often than not, the throttle is labeled where it should be positioned to start the engine. This is usually at a low RPM.

Ride-on lawn mowers rarely have manual chokes these days and rely on the position of the throttle and auto chokes. So, it’s always important to have the throttle in the right position to get the engine running and to do it safely without causing damage to the engine.

Engage the Foot Brake

Now it’s on to the foot brake. Place your foot on the foot brake and make sure it’s firmly pressed all the way down. Again, this will more than likely have a safety switch under it so that the lawn mower knows you do not have the reverse/forward pedal pressed. Keep your foot pressed on the brake until the engine has started and when you are ready to drive.

Check the Blade Engager

Next, check that the blades are disengaged. If the blades are engaged, then the lawn mower will not start. Again, another safety switch.

Turn Ignition Key & Release

Everything is set, and you’re comfortably seated in the driver’s seat. Now it’s time to crank up the engine. To do this, all you need to do is give the key a turn. Turn the key for a second or two until the engine starts. If everything is set correctly, it should only take a moment for the engine to start and you can let go of the key.

If you turn your key and nothing happens, then it’s probably down to a step being missed. Ride-on lawn mowers are covered in safety switches that prevent the mower from being started either dangerously or in the wrong starting order. So if there is a problem and nothing happens, stop and run back through the steps and check that you have everything covered.

Increase Throttle

Once the engine is running, allow the engine to warm up for a minute or two. This allows the engine to gently warm up and get the lubricants moving. Also, this is the perfect opportunity to listen to the engine and check for any strange noises. Once the engine has warmed up, you need to increase the throttle to maximum.

Release Parking Brake

Now that the engine has started, it is safe to release the parking brake. Just be sure that you checked the area around the mower as you’re nearly ready to get moving.

Apply Forward Acceleration

The final step is to apply pressure to the accelerator and head to the lawn. Now, accelerators on ride-on lawn mowers can be a little jumpy. So, the gentler you are, the better.

What Some People Struggle With At First

You wouldn’t be the first to sit on a riding mower, turn the key, and nothing happens. I’ve done it quite a few times myself. So, if you follow the steps above on how to start a riding lawn mower, you should be just fine. But just remember that if the mower doesn’t start, then it’s probably protecting you and itself.