Well I bought the 5403 new in 2007, it was the 94th one built. Most of my issues are assembly problems. The Hyd line under the seat failed at 17 hours, Then the rocker arms broke at attach point while tilling a garden? That spot has broke 4 times now, and I have had to use a different set up to keep it working ( John Deere changed set up right after i bought mine to fix issues). Battery was dead all the time, Found wires where not correctly done and it stayed hot even when the tractor was shut off. ( SB). When They fixed the batter hot issue they ( JD )Service did not hook up Fuel Pump, but because it was under a cap it still made contact and ran till I was in the middle of the back fields late at night bush hogging and died ..... so I had to fix it in the field in 110 degree heat, only after i made a jumper wire to the fuel pump did I find the problem... Next my starter would only work after i Taped on it. I still only had about 25 hours on tractor at this point. (JD Service was to busy to mess with me, and i brought the starter in, and waited two weeks to get it back and was told there was nothing wrong with it ( total BS) I am now out of planting season, and was not able to put anything in the ground. I Put on the Overhauled starter, and it was no good ... it just so happened that JD was dropping off my zero turn , and witnessed my starter only working after i tapped on it. I had a new starter 2 days later and they where trying to charge me for it! This is the point when i changed service centers... I have still had some issues , (Lift arms will not come up twice, but not for the same reasons.... JD gave me another full year of full warranty...But I work full time as an airline Mechanic and travel a lot. i don't have time to farm after i work on my tractor every time! This is why I bought new. So I have not had any luck so far, I have not had any Power train issues, but i still am tired of fixing my tractor so i can use it, and spending good money at problem after problem...
