This may be your first electric lawn mower. Gas-powered mowers have been the typical mower used until recently. Electric lawn mowers have evolved to become a good environmentally friendly choice that can be bought at a reasonable price.
While you may not be that familiar with working on your EGO lawn mower, I can try to help you identify your starting problem
An EGO electric lawn mower may not start because of an insufficient power supply; being incorrectly set up; bad safety switches; loose or damaged plugs or wires; buildup of debris under the mower deck; or incorrect operating procedure.
I will go into this in more detail to help you identify the starting issue with your EGO electric mower. Before I do so, take all safety precautions when working with electric currents and sharp blades.
If your mower is still covered under EGO’s warranty period, consult with EGO before performing repairs so you don’t void that warranty.
Follow all safety instructions provided in your equipment operator’s manual before diagnosing, repairing, or operating. Consult a professional if you don’t have the skills, or knowledge or are not in the condition to perform the repair safely.
Reasons Your EGO Mower Won’t Start
1. Insufficient EGO Mower Battery Power
Without sufficient battery power, your EGO electric lawn mower will not start. There are several reasons why your lawn mower might not start regarding insufficient power.
This will affect both push mowers and Ego zero turns.
2. EGO Battery is Not Correctly Installed
Check the installation of your battery. Make sure the battery is securely in place. On many EGO mowers, you will hear a clicking sound when the battery is installed.
The battery release button will spring up when the battery is in place.
3. Bad Connection with EGO Charging Port, Battery Charger or Wall Outlet
Some EGO units have batteries that are able to be charged while in the mower using a charging port while others use a battery charger. Check your outlet and other electrical cord connections to ensure they are all fully plugged in.
You can use a standard 120V household outlet. The plug style on your EGO cord must match the style in your outlet. Do not attempt to modify the plug.
If your connections are all correct and you know your outlet is working. Make sure your extension cord is not damaged and is able to handle charging your mower.
Improperly pairing your electric lawn mower with an extension cord increases your chances of overheating both components, resulting in potential damage and creating a fire hazard.
Therefore, it is best to make sure whatever cord you are using is rated for your electric lawn mower and capable of powering it safely.
4. Your EGO Battery is Excessively Hot
When the EGO battery gets excessively hot, the mower will shut down. You will need to let the battery cool before you attempt to restart it.
5. Battery Is Dead in EGO Lawn Mower
EGO mowers don’t rely on an electrical outlet to run, but rather, they draw it from a battery. Therefore, it comes as no surprise that your lawn mower won’t start if your battery is dead.
Some EGO lawn mowers have a display showing you the charged level of the battery while others do not. If your mower doesn’t have a display on the mower, the battery charger may use an LED lighting system to indicate your battery charging status.
You can tell your battery is going bad when you fully charge the battery and it is not holding a charge as long as it once did.
Losing the ability to hold a charge is a sign the battery is dying. Another sign your battery is going bad is when it becomes very hot.
You will want to buy a replacement battery if you begin to notice your battery can’t hold a charge, is charging very slowly, or is getting extremely hot.
Batteries begin to fail because they become old, are exposed to extreme temperatures, or fail mechanically.
6. EGO Push Mower Handle is Not Set Up Correctly
There are safety switches in place to prevent you from starting your EGO lawn mower if the handle is not set up correctly. The foldable handle must be unfolded and secured in the operating position.
The side rails on the handle must be extended to their maximum length. The clamps to hold the side rails in this position must be locked.
There is the possibility the side rails can move out of position causing your lawn mower not to start.
If this happens to you, release the clamps, check that the handle is in the correct extended position, and secure the clamps.
7. Incorrect EGO Mower Starting Procedure
Whenever you get a new electric lawn mower or one that is just new to you, make sure you check its user manual to know all of your EGO mower’s safety features and safety recommendations.
EGO’s safety button or safety key is a safety mechanism meant to prevent children from accidentally depressing the safety handle and starting your mower. Not following this procedure will prevent your EGO from starting.
EGO Push Mower Starting Procedure:
- With the battery securely in place, press the safety button.
- While your safety button is depressed, pull the safety bar to meet the handle.
- Release the safety button.
- The mower will shut off when you release the safety bar.
EGO Zero Turn Mower Starting Procedure:
- Insert the safety key and press the start/stop button for 3 seconds
- Press the driving mode button
- Release the parking brake and pull your levers in towards the center of the mower.
Your EGO zero turn utilizes a safety interlock system to keep you safe by shutting the mower off if you leave the seat while the mower blades are engaged.
Read about the safety features and safety precautions when operating a zero-turn in your owner’s manual. You can also read more about steps to minimize dangerous situations here.
8. Bad Safety Switch on EGO Mower
If any of your safety switches fail, your mower may fail to start. You can test each switch by temporarily bypassing them with a jumper wire.
Replace any bad switch. For your safety and the safety of others, never operate your mower without all of the safety switches in working order.
EGO Push Mower
- Switch for the foldable handle
- Switch to ensure side rails are fully extended
- Switch for the safety bar. The bar must be pulled into the handle to operate the mower. When the bar is released, the mower will shut off.
EGO Zero Turn Mower
- Parking brake/pedal switch
- Seat switch
- Charging-port switch
Read your owner’s manual for any additional safety switches that may be installed on your EGO lawn mower. Read my article on the dangers of electric mowers so you understand why you need to take caution when working on your electric mower.
9. Loose Plug-Ins on EGO Lawn Mower
There is a vast network of electrical wires running through your lawn mower, especially if you have an electric zero-turn mower. Amidst all of these connections, it isn’t uncommon for a plug-in or two to come loose or completely disconnect.
This will disrupt your lawn mower’s power supply and prevent it from starting. A great way to check this potential cause off your list is to open up your lawn mower, particularly around the battery, and check to make sure all of your plug-ins are connected.
Do this when the EGO electric mower is off and the battery is removed. You may want to unplug and reconnect the plugs you see so you’re sure they make a good connection.
Even the smallest adjustment could be the fix your lawn mower needs.
10. Loose or Pinched Wires on EGO Mower
There are many electrical wires running through your lawn mower. Some of these wires may develop a short because they become loose or pinched.
Wiggle wires to check for a short. You can also use a multimeter to identify a short.
EGO push mowers are known to develop pinched wires that can prevent your mower from starting. A common place for a pinched wire happens to be in the area where the handle is folded into the machine for storage.
You can repair these loose or pinched connections using a wire nut. Before beginning the repair, remove the battery.
Also, check with EGO if you are still covered by its manufacturer warranty. Repairing a damaged wire yourself can void the warranty.
11. Debris is Restricting Blade Rotation on EGO Electric Mower
It is not uncommon for excess grass and other debris to get lodged or stuck under your lawn mower’s deck.
Whether you have a zero-turn or push electric lawn mower, you’ll want to check underneath the deck near the blades to ensure there aren’t any trimmings built up that need to be cleared.
As a reminder, always remove your battery before working on the deck.
Large amounts of grass in the electric lawn mower deck might be inhibiting your blade’s ability to rotate which can be the root cause of the lawn mower refusing to start.
If the blades on your lawn mower can’t turn properly, the machine will use safety features to prevent itself from turning on.
Your EGO mower may also stop mowing and not start when the mower is overloaded. This can happen when you are attempting to cut too much grass at once due to it being thick, tall, or wet.
When you are having this problem, you will need to raise the mower cutting height and slow down so the load is decreased on your EGO mower.
12. Damaged Components on EGO Electric Lawn Mower
Hopefully, your EGO mower’s starting troubleshooting doesn’t come to this point, but if it does, you might have a pricy solution on your hands.
While it certainly is not ideal it’s inevitable that, at some point or other, components on your lawn mower are going to wear down and will need to be replaced.
Many pieces need to be replaced routinely and come at a minimal cost, but the most problematic pieces might cost you more than the lawn mower is worth after purchasing the replacement and any professional help required to fix it.
Therefore, you will want to check the components on your lawn mower and make a judgment call about whether it’s worth fixing depending on what is damaged.
Some common pieces that often need replacing on an electric lawn mower include:
- Power cords
- Batteries
- Blades
- Plugs and safety switches
We’ve already discussed most of these components and detailed how they can prevent your lawn mower from starting if they are damaged or out of place.
However, a few components we haven’t mentioned in detail that are relevant here are its start switch and motor.
If you discover that either of these pieces is damaged and likely the cause behind your lawn mower not starting, you’re probably better off taking your electric lawn mower to a professional repair shop instead of fixing it yourself.
Not only are these components usually pricy, but they are best handled by individuals with extensive mechanical and electrical knowledge who can safely remove the damaged parts and reinstall new ones.
Operating Your Lawn Mower in the Rain Can Have Negative Effects on Your EGO
Water can cause your lawn mower to short out and not start. Read more about the effects of using your electric mower in the rain with my article Can You Use an Electric Mower in the Rain?