my YTA24V48 rolled off the truck today

[MitchellB]

Here's an update on the mower. Today my wife was mowing with it (I am recovering from a surgery) and suddenly it refused to stop when she took her foot off the go pedal. She ran over a landscape timber with the front wheels and got stuck before she could stop. She came and got me. I'm heavier than her, so it easily got enough traction to pop back up over the small round 3" log the front wheels were stuck over. However like her, the mower would not stop moving in reverse after I released the reverse pedal until I pressed the brake pedal down. Mash down the forward pedal and it continues to go forward until the brake pedal is held down. I'm guessing there is a problem with the linkage again, but at least it will move. When this happened before, the go and reverse pedals flopped around and did nothing. I also noted the freewheel pull pin on the back would not stay out when I tried to release it.

At any rate, the mower is luckily still under the Lowes extended warranty that we purchased so I called the number for service. It has 45.9 hours on it now. The lady was nice enough on the phone and I was soon emailed back by BTTW Warranty Service saying when someone would look at the mower; a full 14 days from today!!!!!!!!!! I email then back, for all the good it will do, saying that my grass can grow pretty tall in two weeks. Plus two weeks is only when they pick it up for repairs, not when I can expect it back. I can only conclude that they are so backlogged with crappy mowers that keep needing repairs that it takes two weeks before my number is called.

 

[John Fitzgerald]

I have almost zero confidence in mower warranties unless they are purchased from a dealer who has on site repair facilities. Buy from a big box store, fix it yourself.

 

[Gem99ultra]

I have the very same experience with Lowe's and their extended warranty. One and only time I needed a repair back in '03 ended up with a 4 month ordeal. I have a file folder documenting the 20+ conversations with them about replacing a brake cable. Finally ended up visiting with the District Manager to get the problem resolved.

Morale of that story is don't EVER buy a mower (or anything else) from anyone other than a dealer. Big Box Stores should be forbidden to even display equipment such as mowers.

 

[MitchellB]

Well 4 days later and I get a call yesterday saying they cannot find a repair facility near me (I live in the 2nd or 3rd largest city in NC), that is not backed up to a minimum of 12 weeks turn around time. That is hard to believe anyone would wait 3 months to get their mower repaired. My grass is about ready to stop growing by then. She says she will keep looking and call back today. If not for my recent surgery, I'd raise the mower up and get under it myself as I am pretty sure it is a linkage problem.

 

[MitchellB]

Strickland's 42 South Mower (Husqvarna dealer) from 32 miles away in Asheboro NC, just loaded up my mower to take to their shop. They were the same dealer that repaired the mower (free) when it was almost new when the transmission linkage became disengaged and the peddles flopped around. It had to be winched on their trailer then. Now at least it will drive on it's own power, but just will not stop without pressing the brake peddle. I'm not sure if my problem now has anything to do with their previous linkage repair (kinda doubt it), as it has lasted almost 2 years (and about 40 hours on the meter) without any more problems until now.

 

[John Fitzgerald]

I have the very same experience with Lowe's and their extended warranty. One and only time I needed a repair back in '03 ended up with a 4 month ordeal. I have a file folder documenting the 20+ conversations with them about replacing a brake cable. Finally ended up visiting with the District Manager to get the problem resolved.

Morale of that story is don't EVER buy a mower (or anything else) from anyone other than a dealer. Big Box Stores should be forbidden to even display equipment such as mowers.

I agree. If you don't have the shop facilities to fix it yourself, don't buy there. Their warranties are only good if you could exchange the mower for a new one, and they will only do that for maybe 30 days. I hope word gets around on the slow turnaround time. Sounds like the state attorney general could get involved for the unreasonable turnaround times.

 

[MitchellB]

I got an email from BTTW Warranty that reads as follows:

"I have spoken with the shop and they have sent your transmission out for inspection. I will let you know once I have more information. pdejonge on 2018-07-30 12:48:47"

So, looks like I'm waiting a little longer. I guess I gonna have to attach my 5' finish mower to the tractor so I can at least mow the big ground.

 

[MitchellB]

My repaired mower was delivered last night at 9pm on a dark and rainy night. I did not notice until he left that my left side bumper cap was missing. The guy that delivered it told some scary stories about how crappy those General Transmissions were. (as opposed to a couple years ago when he said how great they were) Hard to get to; made of plastic; he has had to work on alot of them. He said Husqvarna is phasing them out because of so much trouble with them. (lucky me) He said he had to install about $300 worth of parts (whew still under warranty) including an upgrade shield kit to prevent debris from getting around the pulley shaft causing to to bind (part of my problem). Too wet to mow, but I got to get them to find or replace my missing bumper cap now.

 

[MitchellB]

The mower is still going strong, but after nearly 3 weeks and several phone calls to Strickland's to replace my rubber bumper end cap that they lost, I finally called Lowes Customer Service yesterday to file a damage claim. Strickland's was a dead end. They kept trying to insinuate I either lost it after they delivered it, it was never on there when they got it or he just has too many customers to talk with me when I call. The local Lowes store called back and they will have a new bumper cap in the mail to me and should arrive within a week.

 

[MitchellB]

Just to show what I'm talking about. The front on the mower with the missing cap when it was returned after repairs. Such a minor item, but I bought the bumper extra for the mower, as it did not come on the mower when we bought it. The cap should not be very expensive for them to replace, or so difficult for the repair shop to step up and admit they somehow lost it.