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Bought the above model, about 5 - 6 hours use, electric start and pull cord won't turn engine over. Dealer says camshaft is bad, not the first he's seen. Also says parts are currently backordered. Sent an email to Honda expressing my no-holds barred feelings, we'll see what happens with that. Anyone else out here have this problem?

Getting parts is an ongoing problem here too from all OEMs. It just factories haven't caught back up with the demand so inventories are very low on replacement parts. Plus with all the countries causing problem or trying to cause like Russia, North Korea, Iran, and others does not help. I had couple machines that parts are on extreme B/Os. One is a Stihl brush cutter that the drive shaft has been B/O since April and a Poulan pole saw (less than a year old) that needs a throttle cable which is on B/O until April next year. A lot of the parts that my distributors don't have is taking up to several months to get now. Meanwhile new problems shows up in the equipment awaiting final repairs. I even had a six month old kid's atv that the parts were put on NLA status so the kid is riding it around with no brakes.

Oh I get all kind of excuses as to why they are not getting the parts to me. At first I could accept those answers but they are getting to be routine excuses. I getting to a point of just throwing in the towel and quit.

On top that the workers are now giving a lot problems by simply not doing their jobs. I recently had one my distibutor's salemen to tell me they had the transaxle in stock so I ordered it. Then I get an email next day saying it was on B/O for over 30 days. Well after some rather pointed emails they actually had it in stock and I got it now. Just was trying to get an extra $150 out of me for shipping on something that was UPSable instead having to be LTL shipped factory direct. But I have been having problem with that vendor since June last year. It took seven month just to get them to put me ACH Codis payments. But they have setup their access to only accept credit payments. Which was trying my line of credit. Can't the parts when the vendor has you a $1000 limit and you having to wait for two weeks plus for check payments to be processed. I couldn't even buy a large mower engine if needed. Maybe that got straighten out yesterday.

Now my local CU is a being a problem source as they are dragging their feet on making the payments causing me to hit my credit limits at the vendors. I can't even get the two CU to send money between themselves electronically which is also delays in getting payments process. My MasterCard has been max several times lately which shuts down my business just payments are not being process timely.

I am carrying my camping gear Monday to the local CU to see I can something done about one vendor's payments that is taking over two weeks to them paid. The vendor gave their ACH payment info yesterday so I going to try to get that straighten out but rather doubt I can. Just can't grow my business when the banks are putting the brakes on it everytime I turn around. They gladly take my money just not willing to turn it a loose when I need to done.

I had a similar problem on my HRX217HYA. Will the engine turn over if you pull the cord hard enough? For me it was an issue with the camshaft and more specifically, the compression release on the cam gear. The engine was incredibly hard to turn over through the compression stroke.

My dealer replaced the part and after 1-2 more hours of use, it failed again. Symptoms were that it was incredibly hard to turn the engine over and the cord would snap back out of my hand. I could get it to start if I was able to pull the cord with the engine “between” the compression and exhaust strokes, but it was a bitch and felt dangerous. After the second failure, the dealer gave me a new mower.

I made a thread about it on another forum. I can DM you the link if you’d like.

Electric start would lock up, pulling the rope really hard, figured I'd break something, rope or handle if I kept it up.

Here's reply from American Honda PE Customer Relations:
Thank you for contacting American Honda Power Equipment Customer Relations. We are sorry to hear that you are experiencing trouble with your Honda HRX Honda recommends contacting an authorized Honda Power Equipment dealership to make arrangements for further assistance. You may use this Dealer Locator Tool to locate service dealers in your area. Be sure to check the “Service” box when you are searching for dealerships so only authorized service dealerships (Honda Premier Service) are displayed as results.
Sincerely,
American Honda Motor Co., Inc.
Power Equipment Customer Relations

As expected a totally useless response

activelife92 said:

I had a similar problem on my HRX217HYA. Will the engine turn over if you pull the cord hard enough? For me it was an issue with the camshaft and more specifically, the compression release on the cam gear. The engine was incredibly hard to turn over through the compression stroke.

My dealer replaced the part and after 1-2 more hours of use, it failed again. Symptoms were that it was incredibly hard to turn the engine over and the cord would snap back out of my hand. I could get it to start if I was able to pull the cord with the engine “between” the compression and exhaust strokes, but it was a bitch and felt dangerous. After the second failure, the dealer gave me a new mower.

I made a thread about it on another forum. I can DM you the link if you’d like.

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activelife92 said:

I had a similar problem on my HRX217HYA. Will the engine turn over if you pull the cord hard enough? For me it was an issue with the camshaft and more specifically, the compression release on the cam gear. The engine was incredibly hard to turn over through the compression stroke.

My dealer replaced the part and after 1-2 more hours of use, it failed again. Symptoms were that it was incredibly hard to turn the engine over and the cord would snap back out of my hand. I could get it to start if I was able to pull the cord with the engine “between” the compression and exhaust strokes, but it was a bitch and felt dangerous. After the second failure, the dealer gave me a new mower

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I checked out your thread, my dealer told me they've repaired maybe 6 mowers with bad camshafts. All have turned out well. He didn't have any more new ones, would have swapped out if so. Dealer said he thinks maybe they changed suppliers on the camshafts, not sure though. Hopefully I'll get it back soon.

activelife92 said:

I made a thread about it on another forum. I can DM you the link if you’d like.

Click to expand...

nationalwheel said:

Here's reply from American Honda PE Customer Relations:
Thank you for contacting American Honda Power Equipment Customer Relations. We are sorry to hear that you are experiencing trouble with your Honda HRX Honda recommends contacting an authorized Honda Power Equipment dealership to make arrangements for further assistance. You may use this Dealer Locator Tool to locate service dealers in your area. Be sure to check the “Service” box when you are searching for dealerships so only authorized service dealerships (Honda Premier Service) are displayed as results.
Sincerely,
American Honda Motor Co., Inc.
Power Equipment Customer Relations

As expected a totally useless response

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Emails like is when I send back a reply that I have been working mower for 40 yrs don't need to go to the dealer just need a little info as I had already tried the dealer and they are lost too.

StarTech said:

Emails like is when I send back a reply that I have been working mower for 40 yrs don't need to go to the dealer just need a little info as I had already tried the dealer and they are lost too.

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They won’t care… they have zero incentive to. Take it to the dealer, don’t waste your time with Honda corporate. They are a $40+bn company. Your local dealer has more of an ability and desire to help you.

nationalwheel said:

Bought the above model, about 5 - 6 hours use, electric start and pull cord won't turn engine over. Dealer says camshaft is bad, not the first he's seen. Also says parts are currently backordered. Sent an email to Honda expressing my no-holds barred feelings, we'll see what happens with that. Anyone else out here have this problem?

Click to expand...

I am having the same issue... Its new, only 10 minutes run time and now its in the shop, parts back ordered... Sure am glad I spent $1318.89 for this mower.

I’m on my second mower, now having the same issue. Dealer replaced the mower after the issue wasn’t solved with the repair. Taking it back this week for a repair.

I had the exact same issue with two brand new mowers in a row over the last couple of weeks. Mowed the first time perfectly, 4 days later went to start for 2nd mow and no go. Drove it back to dealer and yep cam shaft issue (I think it isn't allowing the automatic compression release to function properly). Dealer was awesome and gave me a brand new mower. Part 2, mowed perfectly day 1. Ironically 4 days later I went to start mower and it wouldn't start. Drove it back and said just give me a refund because if I have to worry about an $1100 lawn mower starting I don't want it. They were great and gave me a refund. I have to say it was the most disappointing purchase in my 55 years. It cut my lawn beautifully but holy crap its clear there is a problem. Go to the Honda website and look at the 1 star reviews and similar stories can be found so this is a systemic issue.

Thank you for the heads up.
The techs here are well aware that there is a problem with the cam
Shame Honda decided to play secret squirrel and not come clean months ago
people do understand that when there is a parts supply problem it can take a while to sort out
People do not appreciate beeing treated like gunea pigs and kept in the dark
Most would be much happier putting off the purchase for a few months than buying the mower now and taking it back several times for replacement or repairs then eventually demanding a refund
That makes people very angry and turns them off the brand forever .

I wrote on another post on this site that I have the very same issue with my HRX217K6, dealer cannot do anything, will not reimburse me, Honda Canada is just stone walling me with their so sorry your having problems line.So I have sent a registered letter to the CEO of Honda Canada, will post his reply to me if I get anything at all. Not holding my breath

Robertog said:

I wrote on another post on this site that I have the very same issue with my HRX217K6, dealer cannot do anything, will not reimburse me, Honda Canada is just stone walling me with their so sorry your having problems line.So I have sent a registered letter to the CEO of Honda Canada, will post his reply to me if I get anything at all. Not holding my breath

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Try a different dealer. There is a TSB about this. Honda has released a redesigned camshaft to correct.

I am in Canada dealerships up here are few and far between, stuck with what we have unfortunately

I joined here just to add a bit of information. So I purchased a “new” (returned) HRX217HYAA mower from one of those guys that gets pallets of Home Depot returns with the cam issue. It was a good price and I knew I could easily install a new cam to solve the compression release issue. Now parts are on back order however, I found that if you pull the cord with the blade engaged, the momentum of the blades will overcome the compression backlash and the mower easily starts. I’ll keep running this way until the part is readily available and fix it when it’s convenient. I hope this might help someone.