Grasshopper 321D - Switch interlock module failure/fire

[Tobster117]

Hey All,

Mother-inlaw's Grasshopper 321D had a little fire a few weeks ago, it'd just come back from a service, seen a few hours use been cleaned out as per usual then the next day I believe the the interlock module caught fire (see picture).

Thankfully she got the fire extinguisher and put out the fire, but not before it could wreck a bunch of wires nearby and almost burn through the fuel line.

My main question would be has anyone seen or heard this issue happen before?

Now the million questions after incase there's another issue.

Is there a way to test if it was just a faulty interlock module or if something cause it to go bad, can I test the fuel solenoid in some way? Even though the 15A "main" fuse had blown why did the module still catch fire?

Or am I just chasing a module fault when it could have potentially been something with the starter or fuel solenoid I only assume those 2 because that's all downstream of the module. Any help is much appreciated as it's probably gonna be a few weeks before I can get a new module and I need to repair the wiring too.

Cheers,
Toby

 

[mechanic mark]

GRASSHOPPER MOWER PART 184220 - Google Search

 

[MKing]

Hey All,

Mother-inlaw's Grasshopper 321D had a little fire a few weeks ago, it'd just come back from a service, seen a few hours use been cleaned out as per usual then the next day I believe the the interlock module caught fire (see picture).

Thankfully she got the fire extinguisher and put out the fire, but not before it could wreck a bunch of wires nearby and almost burn through the fuel line.

My main question would be has anyone seen or heard this issue happen before?

Now the million questions after incase there's another issue.

Is there a way to test if it was just a faulty interlock module or if something cause it to go bad, can I test the fuel solenoid in some way? Even though the 15A "main" fuse had blown why did the module still catch fire?

Or am I just chasing a module fault when it could have potentially been something with the starter or fuel solenoid I only assume those 2 because that's all downstream of the module. Any help is much appreciated as it's probably gonna be a few weeks before I can get a new module and I need to repair the wiring too.

Cheers,
Toby

I have an 09 725D with 500 hours. The shut off solenoid stopped working. When I took it off it was locked up, so I bought a new one from the dealer. I installed it yesterday, and it still wouldn’t shut off. I checked the solenoid fuse, it was blown, which made sense since the old solenoid was locked up. I replaced the fuse, it still wouldn’t shut down, I watched the solenoid during the on/off cycle, it never moved. So I’m sitting on the mower looking up the interlock module location, checking the price, part number. Etc. Suddenly I smell smoke, jumped off the seat, looked in the engine compartment, smoke is BOILING off the new solenoid. I pulled the positive battery cable, unplugged the solenoid, and removed it. Had to hold on to it with channel locks it was so hot, the rubber boots had started to melt. I started checking things over, the 15 amp solenoid fuse was NOT blown. How did that happen?? Anyone have this happen?

 

[MKing]

UPDATE:
Dealer gave me done test to do on this 2009 725D. After running a ready sequence, I found that the Interlock Module is bad (part # 184217).
It’s a bear to get to and if you’ve ever opened the instrument cluster, that’s exactly what it is, a cluster. Grasshopper makes good machine, but some things are the pits to work on. I think the design of this fuel shut off is poor! If this module fails, it takes out $110 solenoid and if I hadn’t been in the shop at the time could have burned the shop down.