How to Start Your Lawn Mower-For the Beginner: A Step-By-Step Guide
Updated: Sep 10
Whether it's brand new from the store, purchased second-hand, or inherited from previous homeowners, all walk-behind lawn mowers generally follow the same procedure for safe starting.
Please remember that this general guide does not replace the information in your machine's user manual, which provides the proper startup and operating procedures to safely and efficiently use your machine!
This guide assumes the machine is mechanically sound and capable of starting. Make sure the machine's oil is filled to the proper level! Refer to this post to determine if in fact your unit is a four-stroke and has an oil level dipstick: Learn these Simple Steps to Start Most ANY Small Engine Confidently!
Follow these reference guidelines as a general starting point, to start your machine:
Step 1: Ensure the gas tank is filled with relatively fresh gas, and add some to a cold machine if necessary in a well-ventilated area. The gas tank will have a gas cap with a recognizable and universal gasoline symbol. For more information, check out this post: Why Won't My Push Mower Start? Solution: Mind your Gas!
Step 2: Determine which type of priming device your unit has. It will either have a primer bulb (which looks like a button and may be transparent so you can see gas drawn into it when pressed) located near the gas tank and carburetor. It should be near some kind of decal indicating its function and possibly how many presses are required to effectively prime the engine. If your unit has an auto choke function (and thus no primer bulb), all the operator has to do is pull the starter rope (we will get to that part later). The important thing is to determine if you have a primer bulb. If so, you must prime the unit by pressing it the specified number of times before proceeding to the next step.
Pro Tip: Avoid excessive priming; 2-3 presses are usually sufficient for a healthy unit. Too many presses may flood your unit. Refer to our No Start Fixer Guide: Maverick Mowers No Start Fixer to remedy this situation.
Step 3: Once your lawn mower is primed and ready to start, look for a safety engagement bar. It must be depressed and held in the depressed position before you attempt to pull the starter rope. This feature acts as an operator safety device to prevent unintended starts in unsafe positions. Never operate a lawn mower with the safety mechanism bypassed.
Step 4: Pull the starter rope while simultaneously holding the safety blade engagement bar. With all these conditions met, a mechanically sound mower should start within three pulls.
Step 5: Continue to hold the safety blade engagement bar down for the duration you want the engine to run and the blade to spin. Releasing the bar should immediately stop the engine (grounds out the kill switch). Never operate a lawn mower where the blade engagement bar, when released, fails to stop the engine. It should do so within three seconds of being released.
Keep Your Mower Running Like New
Getting your lawn mower started is just the beginning. Regular maintenance can help your mower start easier, run better, and last longer.
Want to know exactly what your mower needs—and when it needs it? Get The Ultimate Lawn Mower Maintenance Guide, a practical eBook packed with straightforward maintenance tips, schedules, troubleshooting advice, and essential care information.
Stop guessing. Start maintaining. Get The Ultimate Lawn Mower Maintenance Guide today and keep your mower ready for the next cut.
Pro Tip: After the engine has started, allow it to run for a few seconds and slowly move the choke to the open position, allowing the unit to reach top running RPM and operating temperature. This step is applicable to lawn mowers equipped with manually controlled choke levers. Otherwise, with regards to auto-choke lawn mowers, the choke plate is moved automatically without operator intervention.
For more information on choke operation check out this post: How to use a Choke: Mastering the Choke Function in Small Engine Operation
Never the Norm!
For people considering alternatives to traditional walk-behind equipment, a Remote Control Mower can also be an interesting option, particularly when operator control and maneuverability are important. Regardless of the type of Lawn mower you use, understanding the machine and following proper operating and safety procedures should always come first.