2012 HRX217EHYA about to go for free on Craigslist! About had it.

Hi Folks, new here, I have a 2012 HRX217EHYA I bought at Home Depot in June of 2012. I mow a 50x75 lot with it, pretty level nothing too challenging.

It mowed perfectly the first year and into August of 2013 when it started really showing problems. I should add that I changed the spark plug and air cleaner before the '13 season along with newly sharpened blades.

I also emptied the gas in Fall of 2012 (as I did in Fall of 2013) and let it run until it quit then stored it in a 65-70 degree drive-in basement.


Getting to August of 2013, the mower started showing an issue of sputtering and bucking and usually dying when the blades were engaged. After it would die, it might take 20 pulls until it would finally pop sputter and belch until it would smooth out. Usually after that if you tried to re-engage the blades it would kill the engine again. Somehow with all this we'd manage to get the lawn finished. Gas never older than 2-3 weeks, stored in a self-venting safety container.

Took it under warranty to a Honda power products dealer and gave them $55 for the priviledge of giving me a new spark plug and air filter which I had changed a few months earlier. They pronounced it 'fixed' and got one lawn mowing out of it till it was back to it's old tricks.

Drained the gas at the end of the season and put it away.

This Spring 2014, no new spark plug or air filter since I had run it about an hour with the ones the shop replaced. Right away same thing, sputtering, bucking, dying when the blades are engaged. I'm sick of it, and I'm ready to put it on Craigslist to the first person that will take it.

Here are some examples:

Cold start:


Anyone have any thoughts or ideas? Going back they are insisting changing the filter and plug before doing anything. Pointless as I had one mowing with them We've been borrowing the next door Murray walmart mower this year.

Damn Dirty Ape said:

Hi Folks, new here, I have a 2012 HRX217...

Anyone have any thoughts or ideas?

Click to expand...

First, it's a great mower, you know that from when you first used it.

Second, it's fixable, but sure sounds like your dealer has not figured that out yet.

Third, this is an autochoke model, and for best performance, the engine needs to fully warm up for at least 2+ minutes before you engage the blade. Wondering if, when new, you were able to start and engage the blade < 40 seconds with no running issues?

Finally, some answers; you can try:

(a) Get it to a better dealer; here's a link to find one in your ZIP code: Find A Honda Dealer

(b) Contact Honda's Customer Relations to help, um, "motivate" the current dealer to do a proper repair on the mower: 770-497-6400.

(c) DIY, if you'd like to get your hands dirty, it may just be a clogged carburetor or other fuel-delivery issue. Let me know if you want to go this route, and I can share some troubleshooting details.

Man I hate that crap I would husqvarna I bought brand new last year did the same exact thing when I went to use it this year, this is what I did to fix it in this exact order.
(1) Locate sledge hammer
(2) Build up all your anger and channel it through sledge hammer on top of mower say 15x's
(3) Ship back with a note saying "try again"

Works every time, sometimes... Never... You will feel great though

Another suggestion would be maybe trying a different gas station. If where you buy your gas is middle-eastern owned it might be the culprit. Ask any tanker delivery guy about the tricks that some of these station owners pull! I buy my gas from an american owned BP and have never had any problems with their fuel. I would not give up yet, you still have plenty of warranty left.

You have what I think is the best residential mower on the market. Plenty of folks will say thank you very much and come running if you want to give it away.

Robert is right. Find another dealer. I had a problem with my carb and dealer I went to did lousy job. I ended up putting new carb on with Roberts help and now it runs like the $700 mower it should.

Honda prices their carbs so low it's easy and cheap fix.

I have the older model with manual choke. I can get away engaging blade so soon only if I leave choke on. But yours is obviously got a problem and you will be happy once fixed.

Your carb needs cleaned up. If you don't know how or are un comfortable doing it take it to a shop or replace

I'm sorry you are having problems and I can't help as I don't have any Honda models as new as yours (all of mine have the manual choke which works fine, thank you). I'd suggest using only alcohol-free gas once you get it going again (check Ethanol-free gas stations in the U.S. and Canada for a station near you) to miminize any problems with the fuel system.


[on soapbox] Can someone please explain to me how having to 'warm up' a lawn mower for a minimum of two minutes before engaging the blade is considered acceptable? This sounds like something straight out of a 1940s owner's manual. I used "auto-choke" Briggs & Stratton engines during the 1970s and 80s and they were able to start mowing immediately after starting.

Why does this auto-choke seem to be such a problem in 2014? Does it have to do with emissions regulations?

redmondjp said:

[on soapbox] Can someone please explain to me how having to 'warm up' a lawn mower for a minimum of two minutes before engaging the blade is considered acceptable?

Click to expand...

For Honda's autochoke, there can be a problem if you start the engine, then stop it, and try a restart before it has fully warmed up. So really, in practice, you can start it, let it warm up for less than 30-40 seconds and start mowing. Just don't stop and try a restart unless it has fully warmed up.

redmondjp said:

Why does this auto-choke seem to be such a problem in 2014?

Click to expand...

There has been more online awareness of autochoke issues, particularly on Honda models, since early this spring, when Honda issued a service bulletin to update the autochoke linkage (both Honda mowers as well as Honda-powered mowers from other brands). Hard starting problems usually occurred when the linkage would bind causing the choke plate to stay open. Revised tolerance specs and new parts were sent out to all the dealers, expedited service training materials were made ready, and to date, the vast bulk of the affected units have been inspected and updated. And, all current production mowers and engines built after Late January have the revised spec parts fitted.

redmondjp said:

Does it have to do with emissions regulations?

Click to expand...

While I'm not aware of any official rules from the EPA requiring an automatic choke for improved emissions, I do know the subject has been discussed, and most industry opinion and the EPA agree end-users often do not properly operate a manual choke. Typically, the carburetor may be slightly clogged, and the customer notices the engine runs smoother when the choke ON, but this causes the engine to exceed emissions levels. So, a device like autochoke works toward reducing the emissions problems, simplifies operation, reduces parts and service, etc.