problem starting new tc40da

chuck1975 · Mar 3, 2006

Does anyone have any information on the New Hollands having neutral switch problems?

My new tractor of just a few months let me down today, it would not start. After checking all of the normal things, parking brake, in neutral, weight / body on seat, no sound, no cranking and of course no fire. So my mechanic friend said lets' check the starter. He pulls off the plug / connection gets a piece of copper wire, sticks it in the plug and has me turn the key. Fires immediately. Now we let it run for a few minutes and I lean forward, safety switch (seat) kicks in and the tractor dies. No problem. Just hit the starter because it was only a fluke that it didn't work before, Wrong. Jump the starter as before and it fires on the first crank again just like before. He states that he had heard that NH had a problem with their neutral safety switches.
Any truth to this comment?
I called the NH dealer and he checked and said there is no bulletins on the neutral switch.
What make me so darn mad is unless I jumper the seat safety switch (disable it) it will take 2 people to start this tractor.
The good news is of course it's under warranty the bad news is the timing, I want to work.
How new is the tractor, 50.7 hrs. on the meter. When I had it delivered I think it had 3 or maybe 4 hrs on it. Can't get any newer than that. I just can't believe that a switch has went out all ready.
Can there be anything else that would give these symtoms and also have the same results with "jumping" the starter?
Thanks for the help,
chuck1975

dqdave1 · Mar 4, 2006

check all the fuses ; they are known for #2 fuse (7.5 amp) to blow; under dash i think; most replace with 10 amp.

PineRidge · Mar 4, 2006

Don't know of any known recalls for that issue but I will ad this. Lately on our 2002 TC40D have noticed that once in a while the engine tries to stall for no apparent reason, just like if I were to lift my weight off the seat with the rig in gear. I have adjusted the spring finger that depresses the safety switch under the seat but I suspect that the switch itself might be on its way out. Am I going to replace it? Most likely it will just get jumped and I'll worry about that as I go to sell it, this rigs got way to many safety's to suit me anyway.

Heck I might even get really wild and drill holes in the ROPS too, just because I can......

jinman · Mar 4, 2006

Chuck, your problem is not the seat switch. The seat switch and the parking brake switch will not stop the engine from turning over. They just cause the fuel solenoid to shut off. The fact that youir tractor works as long as you sit in the seat and dies when you stand up should have told you that the switch was working properly. I suspect your parking brake switch is also okay.

This problem is one of three things:

1: The neutral safety switch on the transmission is out of adjustment, has a loose connection, or is broken.

2. The PTO safety switch is out of adjustment or the PTO is engaged.

3. The 40 amp main circuit breaker is blown.

My guess is probably it's #1, as you stated in your post. The hi-neutral-lo range lever should put the neutral safety switch in neutral. This switch is on the left side of the transmission housing. You can see it by looking up under the platform. The switch is actuated from inside the transmission. It is just a rouund cylinder with two leads coming out of it and a hex head at it's base. To bypass this switch for testing, all you need to do is jumper across the leads (connected or disconnected).

The PTO safety switch is a litlle harder to get to because it's up higher. Move your PTO lever and watch/follow the arms under the platform and you can see the switch. It may be easier to see looking from the rear beside the wheel. Of course, a helper to move the lever is a big aid.

I think yoiu will find a loose connection rather than a bad switch. There is a remote chance that you have a relay problem, but that assembly is under the cowling in front of the operator on each side of the steering column. If it turns out to be a relay, you may be best to leave it to your dealer to find that problem.

Good luck! /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif

chuck1975 · Mar 4, 2006

Thanks for the suggestions. I know one will be right!

PineRidge I absolutely agree about the over use of saftey switches on this tractor. Esp the seat switch. That also is going to be disabled on my unit very soon.

dgdave thanks for the suggestion on the fuse. I had thought of that originally. I just didn't follow thru with the thought since I didn't see the fuse block (sign of age my wife tells me). I found my books on the tractor and now I'm on my way out to see what works.

jinman I was only trying to state that as I leaned forward to look at the starter the seat safety kicked in and killed the tractor. Seat safety works perfectly correct, only too sensitive for my tastes. Neutral switch was checked yesterday by my friend and seems to be perfect, not even dirty! PTO of course is in neutral. Dash lights, gauges and as far as I can tell all electrical working fine, (except it doesn't start).
I'm thinking it has to be a fuse. So after finding the fuse information in the book how do you get to the fuse block behind the dash on this tractor. Maybe it will be common sense once I get out there and look at it. The book doesn't seem to show it.
Thanks for the help it is very appreciated,
chuck1975
/forums/images/graemlins/cool.gif

chuck1975 · Mar 4, 2006

Update just got back in and after checking tractor. all fuses = ok. Darn (add any adjective instead of "Darn" /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif Next crawled under tractor to check safety switches and any and all wiring, = all wiring seems fine no loose connections reseated all plugins. Safety switches that can be seen were checked to make sure contact is made = it is.
Still will only start if jumping starter.
Dealer is trying to send out mechanic this week to check machine and fix problem. My salesman would've come out and picked up the machine, he has in the past. But he left NH after over 20yrs. He had a job offer fall in his lap that he couldn't refuse. After talking with him I told him I would have done the same thing. More $, less hours, better benefits, home every night and never works any weekends. Then I told him to be careful. He asked why? I told him that I've been looking for that type of job /forums/images/graemlins/laugh.gif We both just laughed. /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif
chuck1975

chuck1975 · Mar 4, 2006

Jinman after rereading your post and checking everything again (I'm not a mechanic) I totally agree (at least hope so) with your post suggestion #1 .
Called my friend and if weather is nice will attack it early this week. By the way with the fuse block under the dash did NH ever get any complaints about ease of getting at. I couldn't believe it wasn't out in the open. Where it is you have to take the instrument panel out to get to it. My thoughts are what a terrible design, but I'd like to understand there reasoning. I hope they had a reason that is!
Thanks again for the help
chuck1975

jinman · Mar 4, 2006

Chuck, I've been out tractoring all afternoon and just now saw your posts.

I'd like to make one other suggestion. The transmission neutral safety switch is closed from inside the transmission. I mis-spoke this morning when I said it might be out of adjustment. If it's in the transmission, that's all there is to it. What I would do now is remove the two connectors and put a jumper between them. Then try the starter. Do the same thing with the PTO safety switch. There is no danger of frying anything. All the switches do is make contact between the wires. The circuit is simple to bypass.

If you jumper around both of these and the tractor does not start, then I'd check the ignition switch next. Earlier I also mentioned the 40 amp main fuse. That's not it either. That fuse gone would make everything on the tractor dead, not just the starting circuit. If it were bad, you could not jumpstart your tractor and keep it running.

After the ignition, I'd go for a bad relay. Relay K1 is the neutral start relay and K2 is the PTO safety start relay. Either of those could be causing a problem.

Did you say you have an owner's manual? In my manual on page 3-36, is the start of the electrical diagrams. Much of what I've been saying comes right from that diagram. My owner's manual also says where the fuses are, but you do have to read every word to find it. You'd think they would show a simple diagram of how to remove the instrument panel to get to them.

I guess you could have a broken wire somewhere, but that is also something to be fixed at the dealer.

I wish I could be more help. Every time my tractor started today, I felt a little guilty. /forums/images/graemlins/blush.gif

chuck1975 · Mar 4, 2006

Jinman it's always great to be outside on the tractor /forums/images/graemlins/tongue.gif. Instead of inside doing paper work mgmt work or the worst ((quickbooks and other CPA type chores))! I only wish I could've been doing the same tractoring around here.
Thanks and yes I've been reading the manual and will now try some of your new suggestions tomorrow. /forums/images/graemlins/laugh.gif
Chuck1975
ps are you still working on your pond? I haven't seen any new posts or pictures on the silt removal. Is it finished?

jinman · Mar 5, 2006

Chuck, my silt removal is complete on my pond and now I'm moving to the final terrace work. I would have liked to remove another 20 or 30 yards of silt, but we got a couple of inches of rain and now there is over a foot of water in the bottom. I haven't done much this weekend because I'm getting over a cold and sinus infection. What I did outside yesterday was all I could handle. I plowed a 1/4 acre garden spot that hasn't been plowed in over 15 years.

One thing I forgot to mention on the PTO safety switch. If the light on your instrument panel is lit, then it may be your problem. If you can engage and disengage it and the light goes on and off, then the switch is probably working correctly and you don't need to jumper around it.

Dqdave mentioned fuse #2 earlier. If it blows, the PTO light will come on and stay on no matter where the handle is. You said you checked all fuses, so I think that's not your problem.

I'm with you on doing tractor work. Any day on the tractor is far better than a day in the office. /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif