How to Hot Wire a Riding Lawn Mower

Riding lawn mowers can have frequent starting problems. A lot of times these problems are related to the ignition coil or the solenoid but may also be related to bad wiring, damaged wiring, a bad battery or a number of other things. The problem is what do you do when you can't get your lawn mower started, the lawn needs to be mowed and you don't have a parts store readily available? Learning to hot wire your riding lawn mower can allow you to keep your lawn looking fabulous even when you can't fix it right away.

6-inch piece of heavy gauge wire

Rubber handled vice grips

Leather gloves

Bend your length of wire into a U- or V-shape using your vice grips.

Locate the solenoid on your riding lawn mower. It will generally have two bolts on top and two on bottom. Wires from the battery will connect directly to the solenoid. It may be under the seat or under the hood.

Hold your bent length of wire in your vice grips, and lock them into place. Put on your leather gloves.

Put the riding lawn mower in neutral.

Touch one end of your wire to one of the bolts on the bottom of the solenoid, and hold it there.

Touch the other end of your wire to the other bolt on the bottom of the solenoid.

Adjust your choke and or throttle until the mower starts.

Remove your wire from the bolts on the solenoid. Your mower should now stay running. If it does not, contact a small engine mechanic as something else may be wrong.

If your mower still does not start, contact your local small engine mechanic.

Never hotwire a lawn mower that isn't yours.

Never hotwire a lawn mower using tools that do not have rubber-coated handles as serious injury can result.