Zero Radius ZD21 only clicks when you turn key

JWT601

New member
Apr 25, 2015
2
0
0
Jackson MS
My ZD21 diesel mower will not Turn over when I turn the key. I checked the seat switch and it is ok. The battery is good even under load. Can anyone give my a few suggestions before I have to take it to the dealer. Thanks in advance, Jim
 

CaveCreekRay

Well-known member
Lifetime Member

Equipment
L3800 HST, KingKutter box scraper, KingKutter 66" rake, County Pride Subsoiler
Jul 11, 2014
2,631
93
48
Cave Creek, AZ
Jim,

Don't have one but I know Kubota LOVES safety interconnect switches!

My tractor had a seat switch that was so sensitive that it loved turning off the tractor when I leaned over to the right. Bent it so it makes better contact with the seat and that problem is history.

Later, I had a problem similar to yours and it turned out to be a contact switch in the HST FWD/REV pedal. It was hanging up slightly, indicating that the machine was not in the STOP mode. Because of the worry about it starting and moving, the interconnect prevents you from starting it. Perhaps yours has one too.

Lastly, and probably not an issue with yours, I had my PTO switch jiggle ON and that cuts off your ability to start the machine. Do you have any PTO function on your machine. Any limit switches that would shut it down under way? A low-oil shutoff perhaps?

Most of us are tractor people but there are a few members who also have mowers. Hopefully someone with more experience than I will show up...

Good luck.

Ray
 

Daren Todd

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Lifetime Member

Equipment
Massey Ferguson 1825E, Kubota Z121S, Box blade, Rotary Cutter
May 18, 2014
8,964
4,350
113
Vilonia, Arkansas
Are there safety switches on the two control arms? I've used a couple of other brands and one had a safety switch on the arm out of adjustment. Arm might not be in the nuetral position
 

Mbarrette

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Kubota U55, Kubota SVL75, Kubota B3030, Kubota L6060, Kubota ZG21, Kubota L4760
Mar 8, 2015
31
1
6
Creston, BC, Canada
Had the same problem Daren just mentioned. One of the switches on one arm needed adjustment. My zero turn (Kubota) would just click when the key was turned.
 

tcrote5516

New member

Equipment
BX1860, FEL, 50" Front Blower, Heated Cab, 6' blade, 3pt carry all, 3pt hitch
Sep 2, 2014
482
2
0
Southern New Hampshire
They all love safety interconnect switches now...it's getting crazy. Whatever happened to natural selection:D? The Cub Cadet I just bought has all kinds of safety features. Get this, there's a contactor in the harness going to the seat switch that detects if it has been unplugged from the switch itself. Even if you bypass the seat switch with a jumper, there is a micro switch in the connector that breaks the circuit.

Turns out it works. I want to bypass the switch because I'm too lazy to set the parking brake each time I get up. That same laziness prevents me from doing the extra work of bypassing the micro switch so I guess this safety feature works!
 

skeets

Well-known member

Equipment
BX 2360 /B2601
Oct 2, 2009
14,094
2,756
113
SW Pa
Sad thing is they could give two hoots about your safety, it's all product liability and the lack of common sense in the consumer and taking responsibility for your own actions, and sleaze ball lawyers ! Just MHO you understand
 

tcrote5516

New member

Equipment
BX1860, FEL, 50" Front Blower, Heated Cab, 6' blade, 3pt carry all, 3pt hitch
Sep 2, 2014
482
2
0
Southern New Hampshire
Sad thing is they could give two hoots about your safety, it's all product liability and the lack of common sense in the consumer and taking responsibility for your own actions, and sleaze ball lawyers ! Just MHO you understand
I'm with you Skeets....if your dumb enough to be killed by a lawnmower without a seat safety switch it would have just been a matter of time before you found a way to be crushed by a clock radio anyway. :D
 

Adman1100

New member

Equipment
L2250 Loader woodsplitter Snowblower
Apr 12, 2015
19
1
1
Gorham NH
My ZD21 diesel mower will not Turn over when I turn the key. I checked the seat switch and it is ok. The battery is good even under load. Can anyone give my a few suggestions before I have to take it to the dealer. Thanks in advance, Jim
If your starter is doing the clicking and not some relay try doing your load test with the positive lead on the battery post and the neg. lead on the frame, not the neg post. If it fails the test or falls flat you have a bad connection with your cables. If it is a relay clicking it could be a bad safety swtch as stated above.
Good luck. Adman