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My 425 was working fine a month ago. Went to start it and nothing. It was as if the battery was completely dead. I charged the battery and still nothing. When I turn the key, no lights, no sounds. I checked the battery connections and they seem fine. I'm getting 12 volts at the starting coil. Would this be my key switch gone bad? Or should I be looking somewhere else for the problem?
Thanks for any helpful advice.

Here's a "quickie" list, many can be disregarded, BUT... it could one of these items !

12 volts is too low. Even though they're called 12 volt batteries, they're more like 13 volt batteries. Typically it needs to be over 12.5 volts to actuate the starter solenoid. So you may have a bad battery. I'd clean up the connections, even if they look good, and check any fuses first and try again, but I think you probably need a new battery.

Darryl G
I was actually getting 12.9 volts. Are are there any hidden fuses on these things which I might not be seeing?

Lauren said:

Darryl G
I was actually getting 12.9 volts. Are are there any hidden fuses on these things which I might not be seeing?

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Yeah, 12.9v should be plenty. There probably are fuses, but I'm not familiar with where they are on your machine. It could also be a safety switch such as for the parking brake or clutch. And speaking of clutches, if it has an electric blade clutch make sure the PTO switch is pushed in. I'd also check for rodent damage. It's been a huge problem lately in my area with rodents stripping wires on all sorts of vehicles and equipment.

Take a look at the (red) wire from the battery to key switch there maybe a 25 Amp circuit breaker in line.

THIS is a JD Manual ! see section number 5, better get your reading glasses and a BIG comfy chair ! I would "SAVE" this on your puter or a "Flash-Drive...... keep us posted on your progress....... Boo

http://www.mytractorforum.com/images/reference/JOHNDEERE425445455.pdf

DISREGARD the E-Bay junk .... scroll down, or click on items in the LEFT side navigation pane !

Almost all the wiring after the solenoid runs inside and enclosed wring harness jacket so I don't see any fuses along a red line.

It could be a safety switch but the reason I don't think it so is because I had a problem with my seat safety switch a while back and although it would not start then, I believe the lights on the dash would illuminate when I turned the key. Same if I had the PTO switch engaged while trying to start (there would at least be a light that comes on the dash. Now nothing...

Check to see if there is power at (B) on the key switch, if not the F1 Fusible Link on page 262 from the download above post, the two red wires (201 200) coming from the Lt Org (205) which is coming from the (B) on M1 Starting Motor is "open"

And while I know it is nicer to be told stuff by people.
The JD manual you should have downloaded by now is the best on the planet.
It lays out everything to do
IN A CORRECT & LOGICAL SEQUENCE, tells you exactly where every part is on the mower and exactly how to test it and where all the controls need to be when you test it and what the results mean.

Just note that JD have a habbit of changing the colour of wires on either side of a switch and like to give the wire a different name on each side of a switch.

Over winter critters decide your mower is a member of the Hilton chain and set up residence then pay you back by chewing through the wires.
Also over winter moisture will start corrosion everywhere that 2 or more different metal parts are in contact or backwards up the heavy power & ground wires from the battery.

I have combed over the JD manual. It shows an F1 Fusible link in the schematic just before the starting motor. Does this mean there is supposed to be a fuse there which I can check? Because I cannot find any fuses there, Just wires that join together in a protective jacket. Or when it says, "Fusible link", does that just imply a some type of connection of wires but no fuse there?

Lauren said:

I have combed over the JD manual. It shows an F1 Fusible link in the schematic just before the starting motor. Does this mean there is supposed to be a fuse there which I can check? Because I cannot find any fuses there, Just wires that join together in a protective jacket. Or when it says, "Fusible link", does that just imply a some type of connection of wires but no fuse there?

Click to expand...

A fusible link has NO fuse, it is a wire in the system that melts or "breaks" the connection if overloaded, as long as it's good, there should be continuity at end to end of the wire (they rarely go out unless of a "spike" or significant overload on the circuit it's protecting,) when bad, it must be cut out and re-sliced with the same type/size wire fusible link, some are even marked as a fusible link.

Boobala said:

A fusible link has NO fuse, it is a wire in the system that melts or "breaks" the connection if overloaded, as long as it's good, there should be continuity at end to end of the wire (they rarely go out unless of a "spike" or significant overload on the circuit it's protecting,) when bad, it must be cut out and re-sliced with the same type/size wire fusible link, some are even marked as a fusible link.

Click to expand...

Not quite right there Boo.
The fusable link is exactly what it says it is............. A FUSE.
It is nothing more than a length of wire one or two sizes smaller than the rest of the wiring.
IT IS USED TO OVERCOME SPIKES WHICH WOULD USUALLY BLOW A STD FUSE.

Fuses like everything else are rated differently in the USA to the rest of the world.
Thus a 20A Pommie fuse is a 30A USA fuse.

Personally, I replace them with a std breaker which will also handle spikes better than an standard fuse.