Honda HRN216VKA

Fatty Lumpkin

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Hi all,

I purchased the Honda HRN216VKA Walk Behind with the Smart Drive at the begging of this season. My old toro had finally pooped out and I thought It would be a nice upgrade to get that Smart Drive, shaved an hour off of my mow time. But yesterday when I was mowing, the Smart Drive Control got tight and some smoke started to come out from underneath the deck. Then the Smart Drive Control got very lose and the Smart Drive stopped working. When I flipped it over the drive belt was completely shredded. I have replaced a drive belt before, but I have never seen one get shredded like that. Is this something that happens? I have only used it a few times. Maybe 4 or 5. Is this something that can be fixed by just replacing the belt or this there something wrong with the machine itself?

Thanks for any help!
 

dfbrown

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sorry to hear about your Honda hrn216. very rare for that to happen. Mi would take it to the dealer and see if it will be covered under warranty. For me personally I would want to find the smoking gun. Aka. What actually caused it to happen because it is rare. That way you know and also so it doesn’t happen again. Let me know how you make out. best of luck.
 

HurstGN

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Your mower is less than a year old, have Honda address the issue under warranty.
 

Briantii

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Yep, make Honda fix that. It’s their issue, but I have not seen others complain of the same, so hopefully isolated.
 

Chalice

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Hi all,

I purchased the Honda HRN216VKA Walk Behind with the Smart Drive at the begging of this season. My old toro had finally pooped out and I thought It would be a nice upgrade to get that Smart Drive, shaved an hour off of my mow time. But yesterday when I was mowing, the Smart Drive Control got tight and some smoke started to come out from underneath the deck. Then the Smart Drive Control got very lose and the Smart Drive stopped working. When I flipped it over the drive belt was completely shredded. I have replaced a drive belt before, but I have never seen one get shredded like that. Is this something that happens? I have only used it a few times. Maybe 4 or 5. Is this something that can be fixed by just replacing the belt or this there something wrong with the machine itself?

Thanks for any help!
I too purchased a Honda HRN216VKA Walk Behind with the Smart Drive on 4.9.21. I used it 2x and the Smart Drive Control got tight and some smoke started to come out from underneath the deck. Same as Fatty Lumpkin stated in his July 14, 2020 comments. I took it to the Certified Honda Center at Honda's recommendation for its repair. That was on 5.28.21. Today's date is 6.29.21 and the mower is not fixed due to backorder on the drive belt. I called Honda Corp. 6.29 requesting some help with getting this part. They said I should hear back by July 2 on a disposition to this issue. Here's the deal, Honda has experienced this issue (use new mower several times and drive belt craps out) since Fatty Lumpkin issued his complaint - maybe longer, who knows. I thought I would add my story as this is an issue that may affect a consumer's decision to buy this Honda model - think twice!
 

EnjoyTheMow-BHM

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After a good 8 years with a Craftsman lawnmower with a Briggs and Stratton engine that I bought at Sears, I needed to replace my mower. Everyone said, “buy a Honda!” I drive a drive one so I thought, why not.
This past winter I purchased a HRN216VKA at my local HD, and the mower was fine until this afternoon when I too experienced smoke and then the belt shredded. I am beyond disappointed that this $400+ mower could not make it though the beginning of the season where my zoysia really starts to grow. Seeing the earlier posts, I am a little concerned that this model is a lemon!
 

Chalice

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I too purchased a Honda HRN216VKA Walk Behind with the Smart Drive on 4.9.21. I used it 2x and the Smart Drive Control got tight and some smoke started to come out from underneath the deck. Same as Fatty Lumpkin stated in his July 14, 2020 comments. I took it to the Certified Honda Center at Honda's recommendation for its repair. That was on 5.28.21. Today's date is 6.29.21 and the mower is not fixed due to backorder on the drive belt. I called Honda Corp. 6.29 requesting some help with getting this part. They said I should hear back by July 2 on a disposition to this issue. Here's the deal, Honda has experienced this issue (use new mower several times and drive belt craps out) since Fatty Lumpkin issued his complaint - maybe longer, who knows. I thought I would add my story as this is an issue that may affect a consumer's decision to buy this Honda model - think twice!
Honda fixed the issue at their cost. The fix was replacing the belt with a new one. It took weeks to get the new belt since there seems to be a huge backlog on these. I have cut the lawn 1x so still a concern if this issue will occur again over the next several lawn cuts. I will respond to this blog if it does.
 

bob555

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I see Chalice got Honda to cover, seeing if anyone else was successful getting Honda to cover the belt. I also bought from HD in April 2021. Used it a few times and belt totally shredded. I have a case with Honda but it does not look like they are going to cover it. Honda said the dealer will have to determine what caused the belt to shred. Pully needs adjusted, a loose cable, not sure yet. I can't see a path where Honda will cover.
 
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Dirty

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I also purchased the Honda HRN216VKA Walk Behind in November of 2021. I used the mower for only the fourth time today. I was able to cut my front yard before the Drive Smart thumb controller became stiff. After mowing for a minute or two thumb controller went limp and I lost Smart Drive. Smoke and smell of burning rubber. Reading this thread only minutes later. New to Honda and wish I had gone in another direction. Such a bummer.

 
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