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Honda HRR2168VKA manual needed/mower will not start

May 13, 2014#1

K

kate maine

Hi. I am new to this forum. I have an HRR2168VKA mower. It ran fine last year but will now not start. I can not find my owners manual to try to figure things out. I am also new to dealing with small engine stuff and need some advice on where to get a new manul and/or what might be wrong with the darn mower.

Thanks,
Kate

May 13, 2014#2

C

cpresoz

Kate,
The manuals are here: Honda HRR216VKA Model Info | 21" Walk Behind Mower | Honda Lawn Mowers
You'll need your serial number.

May 13, 2014#3

K

kate maine

cpresoz said:
Kate,
The manuals are here: Honda HRR216VKA Model Info | 21" Walk Behind Mower | Honda Lawn Mowers
You'll need your serial number.

Thank you for your reply. Will the manul for the HRR216VKA work for the HRR2168VKA? Where on the mower might I find the serial number?

May 14, 2014#4

robert@honda

kate maine said:
Thank you for your reply. Will the manul for the HRR216VKA work for the HRR2168VKA? Where on the mower might I find the serial number?

Kate, the serial number is on a sticker on the rear of the mower deck; looks like this:

Honda recently issued a Service Bulletin that may help; the issue is on some mowers, including the HRR2168VKA, the automatic choke (crucial to start the engine) may be binding up, making starting nearly impossible. Honda has improved the design of the choke and your mower may benefit from this new part. If a Honda dealer confirms this is the problem, and your mower is less than 3 years old, it will likely be covered under warranty. I can confirm how much warranty you have left if you'll share that serial number with me.

When taking your mower in for service, be sure to clearly communicate with the service manager if/when you will approve for any work to be done ahead of time, just in case the problem is NOT covered under warranty (for example, stale gasoline in the fuel tank)

Here's the link to find a Honda dealer in your area that can offer service; just select Lawn Mowers, check off Service and enter your ZIP code for a list:

Find A Honda Dealer

May 14, 2014#5

K

kate maine

robert@honda said:
Kate, the serial number is on a sticker on the rear of the mower deck; looks like this:

Honda recently issued a Service Bulletin that may help; the issue is on some mowers, including the HRR2168VKA, the automatic choke (crucial to start the engine) may be binding up, making starting nearly impossible. Honda has improved the design of the choke and your mower may benefit from this new part. If a Honda dealer confirms this is the problem, and your mower is less than 3 years old, it will likely be covered under warranty. I can confirm how much warranty you have left if you'll share that serial number with me.

When taking your mower in for service, be sure to clearly communicate with the service manager if/when you will approve for any work to be done ahead of time, just in case the problem is NOT covered under warranty (for example, stale gasoline in the fuel tank)

Here's the link to find a Honda dealer in your area that can offer service; just select Lawn Mowers, check off Service and enter your ZIP code for a list:

Find A Honda Dealer

OH my goodness! Thank you, Robert for your help; with your help I have found the service manual!

The serial number is: MZCG-8583097

May 14, 2014#6

robert@honda

kate maine said:
OH my goodness! Thank you, Robert for your help; with your help I have found the service manual!

The serial number is: MZCG-8583097

Okay, your mower IS in the affected range of units that may benefit from the improved autochoke control assembly. Records at Honda indicate it was purchased at Home Depot, but never registered, so the official start date of the 36 month warranty is 7/30/2012.

Here's what to do:

1. Contact your nearest Honda dealer, and tell them you have a mower that is part of Service Bulletin #100, and would like to have it inspected and checked for the starting problem.
2. Some dealers may charge a fee to troubleshoot a mower, but will not bill you for it if the problem is verified to be a factory defect and payable under warranty. Double-check your dealer's policy BEFORE you take the mower in, and be sure to let them know to get your authorization before performing any repairs.
3. Please understand this time of year is the most busy season for mower repairs, so keep that in mind.
4. If you have the mower repaired at Honda dealer, please ask them to register the mower so Honda can contact you in the unlikely event of any recalls or updates in the future.

May 14, 2014#7

K

kate maine

robert@honda said:
Okay, your mower IS in the affected range of units that may benefit from the improved autochoke control assembly. Records at Honda indicate it was purchased at Home Depot, but never registered, so the official start date of the 36 month warranty is 7/30/2012.

Here's what to do:

1. Contact your nearest Honda dealer, and tell them you have a mower that is part of Service Bulletin #100, and would like to have it inspected and checked for the starting problem.
2. Some dealers may charge a fee to troubleshoot a mower, but will not bill you for it if the problem is verified to be a factory defect and payable under warranty. Double-check your dealer's policy BEFORE you take the mower in, and be sure to let them know to get your authorization before performing any repairs.
3. Please understand this time of year is the most busy season for mower repairs, so keep that in mind.
4. If you have the mower repaired at Honda dealer, please ask them to register the mower so Honda can contact you in the unlikely event of any recalls or updates in the future.

Wow, that's a lot of info, Robert. Thank you for giving so much time to my issue.

Question. Are you saying that Honda is replacing all of the autochoke assemblies for free if I take my mower to them? Or, are you saying, if I ask them to look at the autochoke assembly and they say mine is fine....then I will be charged simply because they spent time looking at it?

May 15, 2014#8

robert@honda

kate maine said:
Question. Are you saying that Honda is replacing all of the autochoke assemblies for free if I take my mower to them?

No. Honda is replacing the autochoke on the affected range of mowers that exhibit the problems described in the bulletin and are still under warranty. Not all mowers in the affected range will require a new autochoke.

kate maine said:
...if I ask them to look at the autochoke assembly and they say mine is fine....then I will be charged simply because they spent time looking at it?

All Honda dealers are all independent businesses and set their own policies. I know some dealers charge a troubleshooting fee up front. If the only work they do is covered under Honda's warranty, there should be no charge to you at all. It is best to ask in advance, before taking the mower to their shop. While I suspect the problem may be related to the autochoke, it could of course be something else, and if the problem is determined to be a factory defect, repairs are normally covered by Honda.

If the problem is determined not to be a factory defect then you may be charged a troubleshooting and/or repair fees. Again, discuss with the dealer up front.

May 15, 2014#9

R

Rouillier

I have a Honda HRX2173HYA serial number MAGA 2055007 do you know if it was part of the auto choke service recall. It starts but it runs very rough.

May 16, 2014#10

K

kate maine

robert@honda said:
No. Honda is replacing the autochoke on the affected range of mowers that exhibit the problems described in the bulletin and are still under warranty. Not all mowers in the affected range will require a new autochoke.

All Honda dealers are all independent businesses and set their own policies. I know some dealers charge a troubleshooting fee up front. If the only work they do is covered under Honda's warranty, there should be no charge to you at all. It is best to ask in advance, before taking the mower to their shop. While I suspect the problem may be related to the autochoke, it could of course be something else, and if the problem is determined to be a factory defect, repairs are normally covered by Honda.

If the problem is determined not to be a factory defect then you may be charged a troubleshooting and/or repair fees. Again, discuss with the dealer up front.

Thanks for the clarificaiton, Robert. I have been looking at video on how to change spark plug, air filter, and clean the carborater. I will do these first. If they are all set, and it still does not start, I would think the autochock thing might be what is wrong, don't you? What else do you suggest I clean, replace, etc?

May 18, 2014#11

exotion

The auto choke issue is 1) it gets sticky and the butterfly the connecting rod sits in gets stuck when dirty. 2) pita to restart if you fail to warm up all the way before stopping engine. I'm guessing dirty carb

Jun 10, 2014#12

D

davidjlynch

robert -- i think i have this problem on my honda, which has suddenly become impossible to start. (changed spark plug and air filter, which improved situation for two cuts. now won't start again.) anyway, is there any way to check online whether i'm still covered under warranty? thanks for your help.

robert@honda said:
Okay, your mower IS in the affected range of units that may benefit from the improved autochoke control assembly. Records at Honda indicate it was purchased at Home Depot, but never registered, so the official start date of the 36 month warranty is 7/30/2012.

Here's what to do:

1. Contact your nearest Honda dealer, and tell them you have a mower that is part of Service Bulletin #100, and would like to have it inspected and checked for the starting problem.
2. Some dealers may charge a fee to troubleshoot a mower, but will not bill you for it if the problem is verified to be a factory defect and payable under warranty. Double-check your dealer's policy BEFORE you take the mower in, and be sure to let them know to get your authorization before performing any repairs.
3. Please understand this time of year is the most busy season for mower repairs, so keep that in mind.
4. If you have the mower repaired at Honda dealer, please ask them to register the mower so Honda can contact you in the unlikely event of any recalls or updates in the future.

Jun 10, 2014#13

robert@honda

davidjlynch said:
robert -- i think i have this problem on my honda, which has suddenly become impossible to start. (changed spark plug and air filter, which improved situation for two cuts. now won't start again.) anyway, is there any way to check online whether i'm still covered under warranty? thanks for your help.

I can see if there is any factory warranty remaining on your mower; just get me the serial number off the back of the mower deck:

Keep in mind the warranty covers factory defects, and if your no-start is due to decayed gasoline, for example, repairs are not usually covered under warranty. But, if it has a sticking Autochoke, and is within the affected range of mowers, pretty good chance repairs to the autochoke would be covered if you have warranty remaining.

Jun 10, 2014#14

D

davidjlynch

robert -- thanks very much. serial # is MZCG - 8518377.

appreciate any help.

robert@honda said:
I can see if there is any factory warranty remaining on your mower; just get me the serial number off the back of the mower deck:

Keep in mind the warranty covers factory defects, and if your no-start is due to decayed gasoline, for example, repairs are not usually covered under warranty. But, if it has a sticking Autochoke, and is within the affected range of mowers, pretty good chance repairs to the autochoke would be covered if you have warranty remaining.

Jun 10, 2014#15

robert@honda

davidjlynch said:
robert -- thanks very much. serial # is MZCG - 8518377.

appreciate any help.

Okay, that mower was never registered by the first owner, so the warranty clock starting date is when the mower was invoiced to the dealer from Honda, 3/3/2012. With a 3-year warranty, it will expire on 3/2/2015, so plenty of time left. That serial number also tells me your mower is in the affected range of mowers that may have a sticking autochoke. Note if you are the original owner, and have paperwork showing the date of purchase to be after 3/2/2012, a Honda dealer can update the records in the Honda system and reset your warranty to the date on the paperwork + 3 years.

The first thing to do is to determine if the no-start is actually caused by the a sticking autochoke. Your Honda dealer can do this, but if it is determined not to be sticking autochoke, nor any kind of factory defect, any repairs you authorized will be out of your pocket. Please note some dealers might charge a diagnostic fee to troubleshoot this kind of problem, others will not. All Honda dealers will cancel any diagnostic fee for repairs covered under warranty. Be sure to discuss the options with your dealer and tell them not to do any billable work without your prior authorization. Be aware this is a very busy time of the year for most mower dealers, so it make take a few days before they can make progress.

You can locate the nearest Honda dealer at this link; be sure to check on SERVICE and LAWN MOWERS then type in your ZIP code:

Find A Honda Dealer

It is best to get this problem resolved by a dealer, especially as it sounds like it may be covered under warranty. I don't recommend DIY for this job, as it is kind of involved to remove the air cleaner, carburetor, all the guides, gaskets, springs and linkage rods, then extract the thermowax cylinder from the engine block, etc. Not for the faint of heart. :confused2:

Jun 10, 2014#16

D

davidjlynch

robert -- first, thanks very much for taking the time to look this up. big help and much appreciated. second, changing the spark plug was the outer limit of my DIY capability. so i will definitely take it to a dealer. best, dave

robert@honda said:
Okay, that mower was never registered by the first owner, so the warranty clock starting date is when the mower was invoiced to the dealer from Honda, 3/3/2012. With a 3-year warranty, it will expire on 3/2/2015, so plenty of time left. That serial number also tells me your mower is in the affected range of mowers that may have a sticking autochoke. Note if you are the original owner, and have paperwork showing the date of purchase to be after 3/2/2012, a Honda dealer can update the records in the Honda system and reset your warranty to the date on the paperwork + 3 years.

The first thing to do is to determine if the no-start is actually caused by the a sticking autochoke. Your Honda dealer can do this, but if it is determined not to be sticking autochoke, nor any kind of factory defect, any repairs you authorized will be out of your pocket. Please note some dealers might charge a diagnostic fee to troubleshoot this kind of problem, others will not. All Honda dealers will cancel any diagnostic fee for repairs covered under warranty. Be sure to discuss the options with your dealer and tell them not to do any billable work without your prior authorization. Be aware this is a very busy time of the year for most mower dealers, so it make take a few days before they can make progress.

You can locate the nearest Honda dealer at this link; be sure to check on SERVICE and LAWN MOWERS then type in your ZIP code:

Find A Honda Dealer

It is best to get this problem resolved by a dealer, especially as it sounds like it may be covered under warranty. I don't recommend DIY for this job, as it is kind of involved to remove the air cleaner, carburetor, all the guides, gaskets, springs and linkage rods, then extract the thermowax cylinder from the engine block, etc. Not for the faint of heart. :confused2:

Aug 4, 2014#17

E

Ed62

Hello Robert, I have a Honda HRR216VKA serial number MZCG-8467009 with the same hard to start symptoms. I am pretty sure it suffers the auto choke (hard to start) problem. Do you know if it is still under warrantee and if the serial number falls into the range of affected serial numbers? Thanks

Aug 4, 2014#18

robert@honda

Ed62 said:
Hello Robert, I have a Honda HRR216VKA serial number MZCG-8467009 with the same hard to start symptoms. I am pretty sure it suffers the auto choke (hard to start) problem. Do you know if it is still under warrantee and if the serial number falls into the range of affected serial numbers? Thanks

That serial number shows the mower was wholesaled by Honda on 2/29/2012. This would be the start date for the 36 month warranty, as Honda never received the registration card from the original owner. If you have proof-of-purchase, a Honda dealer can reset the warranty start date for you.

That serial number is in the possible affected range of mowers that may have a defective autochoke. If you are having hard starting problems, best to have a Honda dealer inspect the mower and find the cause of the problem. If the autochoke is defective, the mower is still under warranty, so repairs to replace the autochoke should be at no cost.

You can find a Honda dealer in your area using this link: Find A Honda Dealer

Sep 4, 2014#19

J

jaimiez

robert@honda said:
That serial number shows the mower was wholesaled by Honda on 2/29/2012. This would be the start date for the 36 month warranty, as Honda never received the registration card from the original owner. If you have proof-of-purchase, a Honda dealer can reset the warranty start date for you.

That serial number is in the possible affected range of mowers that may have a defective autochoke. If you are having hard starting problems, best to have a Honda dealer inspect the mower and find the cause of the problem. If the autochoke is defective, the mower is still under warranty, so repairs to replace the autochoke should be at no cost.

You can find a Honda dealer in your area using this link: Find A Honda Dealer

Hi Robert! Can you help me too?!?! I'm wondering when my warrenty is up as well. model # HRR2168vka, serial no- MZCG-8597705. Can you tell me what year this came out? 2012?
Thanks!

Sep 5, 2014#20

robert@honda

jaimiez said:
Hi Robert! Can you help me too?!?! I'm wondering when my warrenty is up as well. model # HRR2168vka, serial no- MZCG-8597705. Can you tell me what year this came out? 2012?

That HRR2168VKA was wholesaled by Honda to [Home Depot?] on 7/13/2012. Honda did not receive any registration information from the original retail customer, so the 3-year warranty clock start date is also 7/13/2012. This mower was manufactured, including engine casting and machining, at the Honda plant in Swepsonville, NC, probably in early 2012, late 2011. Note Honda mowers do not have "model years" like cars, but use a K-number, which is like a version number, to document running changes and updates. The HRR has been built for many years, starting with K0, and yours is a K8; new ones built now are K9.

If you are the original owner, and have proof-of-purchase, the warranty start date can be reset and this unit registered into the Honda warranty system by any Honda Dealer. Find a dealer near you using this link:

Find A Honda Dealer

If you are not the original owner, Honda would still very much like to get your name and address in the system for this mower, in the unlikely event there's ever a product safety recall on the unit. Drop me a PM with your name and address, and I can update it for you.

Sep 14, 2014#21

W

woodbelly

Hi Robert,

Could you tell me if my Honda mower is part of the Autochoke TSB and whether or not it is covered under warranty?
Model: HRR2168VKA
Serial: MZCG - 8511703

Thanks!
-Brad

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Honda HRR2168VKA manual needed/mower will not start

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