Honda Autochoke FAQ

[philman]

Honda pays the dealer 1/2 hour of their published labor rate to do this job under warranty. So, if they charge $60 per hour, they should only charge you $30 in labor costs, but understand Honda has no control over what independent dealers charge for service work.

The parts needed (choke assembly, thermowax) will run about $25 retail price.

Thanks You Robert, Can you give me the part# for the mentioned part number? Sounds like pretty easy to change it for $25.
Many Thanks!
Phil

 

[robert@honda]

Can you tell me if getting this fixed would be covered by warranty?

Model HRR216K9VKAA
Serial # MZCG-9741642
GCV160LAO MY1 R280
GJARA 6663327

Thanks,

Greg

Any defective parts are covered under warranty. Your problem could be a defective choke, or decayed/stale fuel. It's up to the dealer to determine if the problem is due to a failed part or neglect.

For your specific mower, Honda never received a registration card, nor did the original owner register online with Honda. This is important, as it documents the start of the 36 month warranty. If you have any paperwork, reciept, credit-card statement, etc. that would document the date of purchase, Honda can 'reset' the warranty start clock to that date. Without any proof of date of purchase, Honda only has the wholesale date (when Honda sold it to the Home Depot). Home Depot does not keep records of every single mower sale. The good new is your mower was wholesaled to Home Depot on 5/13/2016, and so worst case is the warranty will expire on 5/13/19. But, try and find a 'younger' document that shows actual date of purchase so you can get the full 36 months of coverage.

You can take your Honda mower to ANY Honda dealer for warranty (or regular) service; it's okay you didn't but it there, but understand some dealers do give service preferences to those customers who did buy from them. Use this link to find a local servicing dealer in your area:

Find A Honda Dealer

 

[robert@honda]

Thanks You Robert, Can you give me the part# for the mentioned part number? Sounds like pretty easy to change it for $25.
Many Thanks!
Phil

Drop me a private message with your email Phil, and I'll send you complete instructions and parts lists.

 

[robert@honda]

Hi,
I have HRX2175VKA serial no: MAGA-2446616. It was never used since today. I started nicely, warmed-up, worked for few minutes - no problems, but engine is not starting when hot. After long cool-down time it is back working well but problem comes back. Spark plug is fine, it might be auto-choke issue? Is my mower still on warranty?

Thanks a lot!
Regards

The warranty on your mower expires on 4/1/2022. I'd absolutely get it to a dealer to inspect and evaluate. Warranty covers defective parts only, not things like bent blades or stale gasoline left in the tank. Curious, you list your location as 'Europe' but the serial number shows the owner to be Mr. S.A. of Rochester Hills, MI .....???

Records also show the autochoke was replaced once last month on 4/17 ???? So, the problem many not be with the autochoke, but with something else in the fuel system.

 

[brisbanex2]

Today I spend few hours figuring it out, but it is now running flawlessly. Checked autochoke-OK, carburetor and fuel system-OK. Ignition module was mounted too far from flywheel and at an angle.

It travelled quite a long way from MI USA to Poland Europe
Thanks for help!

Regards

 

[deckeda]

(If you read the original post here I apologize for the rant. With the mower still in the back of my truck, I couldn't see the top deck completely, and MISSED the model/serial plate.)

Last night I picked up a used mower, HRX2173HYA

serial:
MAGA-2057755 (that's outside the range of affected mowers, yet curiously exhibits the same symptom ...)


Owner said the choke sticks open. He typically had to push his finger in between the air cleaner housing and engine cover, pushing against the choke lever, to close the choke. The choke turns off after the engine warms up.

So I suppose the linkage is binding but that the thermowax is OK. I plan on taking the air cleaner cover off today and inspect.

The registration card is missing from the manual. Owner's name is Curtis [something, never got his last name] and currently lives in Franklin, TN. Says he's going to mail me the sales receipt' perhaps that will shed some light about how much warranty might be left.

 

[timlinden]

That's what happened with mine. When I pulled it apart the choke was easy to open/close. Replacing the thermowax was easy:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bxuP0Pv25-I

 

[Jimmbo]

I bought my mower about 4 years ago from a Honda dealer, and it's had EXACTLY this problem all along, and my serial number does match (serial MAGA-22325430, model HRX2174VKA).

I've brought it in for multiple services, and they've never mentioned this issue, charging me for every service.

What do you guys suggest as a next step? My first concern is to have a better-working mower (they've already replaced the thermowax, but not the linkage), and sometimes it starts, sometimes it doesn't.

My second concern is to get some satisfaction for the $$$ I've spent to date on the various servicings. Am I stuck?

 

[wdwalsh56]

I assume my HRX2173HYA MAGA-2083101 with a engine serial #GJRA-2697634 is affected. Thank you for posting on this as for the longest time I did not know what was going on. Always had to use starting fluid to start the engine, which was told by a lawn mower mechanic can damage the cylinder walls and rings. Appreciate the insight however this is Honda's mistake, if the choke will not auto-close.

 

[wdwalsh56]

First, thanks for the info on the auto-choke issue. After getting over Honda design being the fault of my no start issue, I purchased a thermowax plunger and is looking forward to repairing the auto-choke. The two 10mm bolts are torque value 10nm, and suggest you purchase all the gaskets to start fresh. Download a Honda schematic to put the parts in order and start with putting the bolts on the air cleaner first.

Appreciate your info here...