Skip to content

The Major Kubota Zero Turn Mower Problems

With more than a century of manufacturing and supplying garden products, Kubota has been a trusted name. The company has continued to live up to that reputation by producing quality equipment that is built to last.

Kubota Zero-turn lawn mowers are popular for good reason. The modern transmission allows the operator to adjust the speed of the blade depending on the type of grass, thickness, and density.

Despite its versatile capability, a Kubota zero-turn mower is still considered a complex piece of machinery that may require professional maintenance and repair at some point in its life cycle. 

When repairs are needed, it’s important for the owner to be aware of common issues, how to diagnose them, and how to go about fixing them.

Kubota Zero Turn Mowers
Kubota Zero Turn Mowers

Common problems in Kubota Zero Turn

The Kubota Zero-Turn Mowers are quickly becoming the go-to option for lawn care professionals, but they also have some common problems that need to be addressed.

A lot of these problems can be solved by following a few simple steps and taking care of small issues before they become big ones.

The Kubota Zero-Turn Mowers are designed to give you a smooth ride, but if you don’t keep them in good condition, it will make your experience harder than it needs to be.

The most common problem with the Kubota Zero Turn mowers is streaking or uneven cuts. This usually happens when the blade isn’t sharp enough and the grass gets stuck on top of it. 

Another common problem with Kubota Zero Turn mowers is scalping – when you cut off too much grass at one time. 

Overheating is a big problem where the engine overheats due to lack of cooling air flow around it, which causes it to overheat and stop working. This problem happens because the design is not ideal for cooling air flow, which can lead to engine failure if not fixed soon enough.

Streaking Problem

Let’s take a look at each of these causes and how you can correct them:

Dull blades

Dull blades are the most common cause of streaking. Dull blades can also cause uneven cutting, making your lawn look patchy.

Dull Blade of lawn mower
Dull Blade of lawn mower

Streaking is caused by the grass not being cut cleanly. The mower may be cutting the grass, but it isn’t doing so evenly. To fix this problem, sharpen your blade or change it for a new one entirely. 

Worn blades will need to be replaced after several years of use, so make sure to check your blade regularly and swap it out if needed.

Worn Blades

Worn blades will not cut as evenly as new ones do. Check your blade to see how worn it is before you decide whether or not you should replace it or sharpen it again. 

If it looks fine but still leaves a streak, move on to the next step in solving your problem in order. Adjusting your mower’s deck height will eliminate any areas that are left uncut by adjusting how deep the mower cuts into the turf.

Not overlapping cutting rows

Make sure you overlap each row by about 2-4 inches for best results and avoid leaving streaks. Overlapping also helps prevent clogging of grass.

Uneven Cuts

Wavy troughs on the surface after mowing your lawn is an indication that you are experiencing uneven cutting. It can occur many reason, here are some of the reasons:

Improperly leveled deck

If your mower’s deck is not leveled properly, the mower will not be able to cut evenly. Check for proper deck leveling by placing an 8-inch level across the top of the mower’s front and rear wheels. 

The level should rest evenly across both wheels. If it does not, adjust by raising or lowering either wheel assembly to level the deck. If adjusting your deck does not resolve the problem, the problem is most likely with your blades or blade mounting hardware.

Deck is clogged

Uneven cut is one of the most common complaints about a zero-turn mower. The deck is plugged with clippings, is difficult to clean out, and can result in uneven cuts. There are a few possible causes for this problem:

Clogged Deck of a Lawn mower
Clogged Deck of a Lawn mower

The deck is plugged with clippings, is difficult to clean out, and can result in uneven cuts. With this problem, you should clean out the deck with a vacuum attachment. The plugging may be due to an improper deck height setting.

So make sure to make any necessary adjustments. You might also want to change your cutting technique. Rather than cutting in wide circles with your zero-turn mower, try making smaller figure eights. This will help prevent a clogged deck.

Damaged blades

It’s important for your blades to be properly sharpened and balanced. A dull blade that is dragging on the ground can tear up your lawn and cause damage to other parts of your tractor or zero-turn mower. 

A blade that is out of balance could lead to vibration issues that cause damage elsewhere on the machine. If you notice that your blades look worn or damaged, you may want to replace them with a new set of blades before proceeding with any repairs.

Noises

The noise of the machine is not good to hear, but it can be fixed easily. The noise will occur when the cutting deck is going down and lifting up. The main reason for this sound is the grommet which is inside the tank. 

Using this mower for a very long time may deteriorate the grommet and it will suck air. 

The best solution is to take this zero turn mower to your local shop and surely they will check it out and replace the grommet if needed. We hope you will not face this problem again but if you do, then contact your dealer and they will help you out.

Overheating and Stalling Issue

If you are the owner of a zero turn mower, the chances are that at one point you will experience overheating. This is most likely caused by a blocked filter. A blocked filter means you need to replace the filter and clean out the debris inside the engine so it can cool properly. 

When you have too much heat in a small area, it can cause the engine to overheat. This is when your mower will start to stall out or shut off.

If you don’t take care of this problem right away, your mower will continue to overheat until it causes irreversible damage to your engine and radiator. A pinhole leak in the radiator from overheating can easily expand into a full-blown crack or hole.

It renders your mower unusable until you get it fixed. This is why you should always investigate engine problems immediately for safety and long-term effectiveness of your lawnmower.

Transmission Fluid Problem

The fluid is also important which maintains the right lubrication in the transmission. Manual states that you should change the fluid at least once a year.

Transmission fluid change of a lawn mower
Transmission fluid change of a lawn mower

If you need to change the fluid of your mower, then you should ensure that you do it immediately. If the fluid gets old, then it might become very thick and stop the oil from lubricating the system. Old oils tend to get thicker and this will result in friction and heat which might lead to serious damage to your mower.

The main reason for transmission failure is due to improper maintenance or lack of repair. You should check your mower regularly for any issue and fix it at the earliest. That will keep your mower in good condition for a long time.

Conclusion

Kubota zero turn mower is a very popular type of riding mower. Not only because of its big size and powerful engine, but also because it has many useful features. Troubleshooting Kubota zero turn mower problems is not an easy task for an amateur.

However, the good news is that you can troubleshoot those problems by yourself.

There are many problems that you might face with your mower, from minor to major ones, we’ve discussed the most common problems. Some problems might be easy to repair while others need more extensive work done to fix them.

In this guide, we have discussed each Kubota zero turn mower problem, so that you can narrow down the problem and fix it quickly without taking it to a repair shop.

Follow our guide to solve problem, if you can’t solve by yourself, then contact professionals.

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *