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My lawnmower is angry. I think it is jealous. I took the Prius on a road trip for a week while the green machine sat sulking in the garage. The mower worked perfectly before the trip, mowed lots of grass-like weeds all over the yard. But now, when I need to cut the weeds again, it doesn't cooperate. Sure, it will start and sure, it will move. I can ride it around and around, go forward and go backward, but I can't mow. I've checked the switch that turns on the mower; it's OK. If it isn't jealously or the mower switch, then it must be a faulty safety switch. The green machine has three. I have to remain seated; that one works OK. I cannot have the brake depressed; that one works OK. I can't be going in reverse. I don't know if that one works OK. I can't find it. What? Look at the manual you say? I don't have one, not a service manual, not the one that will have nice pictures of how things work (or not work) and not the one with nice troubleshooting guides. I found parts lists and diagrams online at johndeere.com, but they don't show the location of the reverse safety switch. All I learned from googling the problem is that the reverse swtch is on the right side of the mower. And that in addition to the reverse safety switch, there is a possibility the problem is a faulty relay. OK, I can check that; which one is it? Finally, I remembered that my brother-in-law had a copy of the service manual stashed away in a file cabinet. Oops, I was too late; he loaned it out several years ago and he can't remember who borrowed it. He can't remember where the reverse safety switch is located either. I can order a service manual. The hard copy will cost $130. Pricey. Still, it will be cheaper and faster than getting it repaired by appointment at the John Deere dealer. Probably a month wait. A cd version of the manual is available for a paltry $70. The green maching is approaching ten years old. It's likely to start having some major problems. OK, I'll spring for the cd version so the next problem will be quicker and easier to solve and it would be nice to know the location of the reverse safety switch before the end of summer. Unfortunately, delivery of the cd will take 7-10 days. Tweedle-dee, tweedle-dum. The grass-like weeds are growing taller. I'm too old to use a push mower (I was too old for that about 50 years ago). Tomorrow morning, early, I'm taking that ******* green machine apart. I won't stop until I've located that ******* safety switch. |
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