Why Did My Mower Stop While Mowing? Why Does My Lawn Mower Stall While Cutting Grass?

A lawn mower may stop while mowing for a few reasons. Most often, minor fuel problems caused by bad gasoline will stall a mower when cutting. Fuel starts breaking down after 30 days. After that time, gas quality drops as compounds separate.

Another common reason is that the engine gets too much fuel and too little air. This happens if the air filter is dirty or the carburetor needs adjusting. There are a few signs your mower will stall soon. Listen for the engine revving up or down suddenly. Also watch for smoke from the engine or odd sounds while running.

When mowing very overgrown or wet grass, strain on the mower can also cause stalling. Mowers have safety features to prevent engine damage if overloaded. Try mowing tall grass in multiple passes, starting with the mower deck set to highest setting. Then lower for subsequent cuts. This avoids overworking the engine.

You can often fix stalling issues yourself without a specialist. Consider inexpensive and easy solutions first when troubleshooting. This saves time and money. For example, try cleaning the carburetor or air filter before other repairs. Proper regular maintenance like blade sharpening and debris removal also prevents many problems.


A lawn mower may stop while mowing for a few reasons. Most often, minor fuel problems caused by bad gasoline will stall a mower when cutting. Fuel starts breaking down after 30 days. After that time, gas quality drops as compounds separate. Another common reason is that the engine gets too much fuel and too little air. This happens if the air filter is dirty or the carburetor needs adjusting. There are a few signs your mower will stall soon. Listen for the engine revving up or down suddenly. Also watch for smoke from the engine or odd sounds while running.

When mowing very overgrown or wet grass, strain on the mower can also cause stalling. Mowers have safety features to prevent engine damage if overloaded. Try mowing tall grass in multiple passes, starting with the mower deck set to highest setting. Then lower for subsequent cuts. This avoids overworking the engine.

You can often fix stalling issues yourself without a specialist. Consider inexpensive and easy solutions first when troubleshooting. This saves time and money. For example, try cleaning the carburetor or air filter before other repairs. Proper regular maintenance like blade sharpening and debris removal also prevents many problems.


A lawn mower may stop while mowing because it is not getting the correct air and fuel the engine requires to keep running. A dirty carburetor, plugged air filter, bad fuel or faulty fuel cap can all be causes of your lawn mower shutting off.

The loss of air flow to the engine caused by too tall or too thick grass or a dirty air filter is often the reason a mower engine stalls. When you try to mow on overgrown lawn, you end up clogging the air filter and shutting off air to the engine.

One of the most common reasons that a lawn mower might stall while cutting grass is that it is being overworked. This is a mechanism that is intentionally incorporated into the mower to prevent the motor from being blown.

Air leaks cause an engine to pull in too much outside air, which throws off the gasoline-to-air ratio. As the engine heats, parts expand, and all tiny gaps become larger. The result is a poorly running engine and one that eventually stops.

Issues with the carburetor, fuel pump, ignition system, or compression reading can also lead to a mower dying while mowing. Taking the necessary steps to address these potential issues can get your lawn mower up and running again in no time.

Of course, to prevent your lawn mower from encountering this kind of breakdown too often, it is imperative to carry out a regular maintenance of your device. After each mowing of your lawn, you will need to perform a cleaning your lawn mower. At the end of the season, a more complete cleaning and more is needed: winterizing your lawn mower. If you follow these maintenance steps well, you will avoid many breakdowns to your machine.

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