Seat safety switch has never worked, even when brand new.

[Alex Ethridge]

Husqvarna RZ3016 (zero turn)

When this mower was about two months old (in about 2016), I had a harrowing experience, ran off an eighteen-inch retaining wall. My butt slid off the seat down onto the foot pad area and the mower didn't even slow down, ran into and destroyed $6000+ worth of AC unit and finally stopped when it ran over an eight-inch concrete block.

It should have stopped when I came off the seat.

Fast forward to this week and while working to figure out a no-crank-no-click problem, I got that fixed and checked the seat safety switch. It doesn't work so I replaced it with a brand new OEM switch -- doesn't work either.

The mower has been mostly in storage since new, even looks new, doesn't have more than five hours running time on it and the seat could be put in a new box and sold for new, perfect condition.

Ideas?

 

[Bertrrr]

Better look at the wiring , test the switch with an Ohm meter , if it opens / closes the circuit it's either the wiring or a safety relay.
Do any of the safeties work ? if so, swap the relays and see what happens

 

[StarTech]

Sounds like someone should gotten a lawyer involved because was new at the time. But that is a mute point now.

Check all the involved switches and wiring. You have an open circuit somewhere.

 

[Alex Ethridge]

Better look at the wiring , test the switch with an Ohm meter , if it opens / closes the circuit it's either the wiring or a safety relay.
Do any of the safeties work ? if so, swap the relays and see what happens

Thanks for the reply.

Relay? I word-searched both the operator manual and engine parts manual and that word is not in it.

In the process of diagnosing all the safety switches last week when solving a deck/blade safety switch problem, I determined all safety switches function correctly. I checked both the old and new seat safety switch with a continuity meter. Both the old and new safety switches work the same, normally closed, open when pressed.

So what is the relay you wrote about?

 

[Alex Ethridge]

Sounds like someone should gotten a lawyer involved because was new at the time. But that is a mute point now.

Check all the involved switches and wiring. You have an open circuit somewhere.

View attachment 66407

Agreed about the lawyer but at the time I had a son who owned an HVAC company and he could have replaced the whole unit with new for $1570 and having homeowner's insurance with $1000 deductible, I decided to not risk an increase in my homeowner's insurance premium. They ALWAYS increase the rate after a claim, any claim.

I have checked all safety switches as best I can by replacing them all one at a time with new OEM switches when diagnosing another safety switch problem a few days ago. I actually bought one of every kind of switch and subbed them one-by-one. I have just yesterday checked all wiring and can find none damaged. I may have to do my own jury-rigging to that seat switch because I'm at my wit's end and weary of these safety switch problems.

Sorry, the wiring diagram is haywire to me. That's why I bought all new OEM switches when diagnosing my previous safety switch problem.