How I found the electrical issue on my John Deere S240, and a look at all of the safety switches 

Thank you Mike. Checking the harness connections helped me to solve my starting issue. Unfortunately the problem was me. I got stuck at the bottom of a slope and had to pull my tractor out. After getting it back on the driveway it wouldn't start, so I looked it up on RU-vid (NATURALLY). Convinced that my problem was the solenoid I ordered a new one and switched it out. Same issue!! Must be a faulty Chinese solenoid, so I returned it and ordered another one. Thank God for Amazon. Still same issue . Found your video and went out to check on the various wiring connections. Turns out that because I didn't shut down the machine as usual I didn't disengage the mower. Pushed in the mower switch and the baby fired right up.. So, to all my fellow knuckleheads.....you're not alone. 😀

Thanks for the ideas.. I didn't know anything about the electrical systems on these, but after about a week of researching / trying different things- I've learned a WHOLE lot lol. The 12 volt through the kill wire is a nice tip.. And didn't think about checking reverse switch either.

I just bought one of these tractors (2020) and I love it. I also do stuff like this video when I find problems with machines. I just wanted to say thank you for putting this kind of video out there. It might be a few years before someone sees this and needs it, but you probably just saved them several hundred of dollars and a ton of frustration.

Just had the safety switch for the blade engage break off the cheap plastic mounting. It went from running well to no start. I by passed the safety with a piece of wire then wrapped it all up with electrical tape

Hey Mike, great video! Just what I needed. I was asked to "resurrect" D100 lawnmower with exactly the same symptom, and your troubleshooting sequence certainly saves me a lot of time on figuring what is what and where. Thanks!

Thank you for posting this. I have the same issue with my S240 and bought a new PTO, solenoid and key switch just to CYA.

Thanks for pointing out the switch locations. For my D130 it was a blown 20 amp fuse.

Wow thanks for a great video. I know i have a safety issue also but now watching this video i have more knowledge now on what to look for and where to look.i have a j.d.102a and recently replaced the starter, switch, and solenoid Now 3 months later i turn the switch on i get nothing.On my next off day i'm gonna work on it step by step like you showed. I'll give you an update. Thanks again...

You definitely did a lot of investigating/trouble shooting your problem. You did excellent work. I too have a s240 mower. Bought it new. As of 10/30/23 only have 8 hours by the computer. I too have a maintenance plan, and wonder now, when maintenance is done are these switches checked. Thanks this helps.

Best video for troubleshooting electrical on John Deere riding mower. Excellent. can't try to try a few of your ideas tomorrow. The purple wire explanation is huge. Thank you!

Excellent video. I have a neighbor that is giving me a2015 X300JD that doesn't start. I will be following all your tips Thanks for sharing

I had the same issue with my harness. The pins corroded. I took the purple wire pins out and replaced them. Easy fix

Great video, thanks for running through all the switches that can fail & need fixing.

Thank you! I too experienced the click of nothing at 34 hours. Immediately, I blamed a dead battery and did a charge thinking because I hadn't used the machine for two months that was it. However, it made no difference. I did not get any more serious into the machine and turned if over to Agpro. Agpro said it was the battery which I had replaced. I haven't had any issue with the electrics since. With your video I feel better to take some additional steps when and if it happens again.

Thanks for posting, great information!

Saving this for future electrical troubleshooting (for my BF who does all that lol). I'm trying to figure out why my blades won't engage. I had disengaged the blades with the PTO switch, put on the brake, left the tractor running to go speak to someone. When I returned a few minutes later and tried to engage the blades using the PTO switch, nothing. Maybe tomorrow I'll get brave and pull the switch out and try testing it with the mulitimeter I don't know how to use "yet" :) Have only had this JD S240 tractor a few months but bought second hand so no warranty sadly.

I had trouble with a PTO switch . When you wiggled the connector plug , it would start . I bought an aftermarket connector with leads . I took out the PTO switch , and soldered the new connector plug leads , directly to the pins . Then I cut off the old plug ,and soldered the other half of the new plugs leads to those input wires , then just plugged it back together . That worked . It would only work , if the switch was healthy , which I checked with a continuity meter .

I wish I could have seen this video before. I found the simplest fix after a few new parts was that the clutch/brake switch popped out of the braket.

Excellent video my friend. Easy to understand and thanks for showing the rest of the switches as well.

Wait till you have to change the drive belt for the tufftorq. Standing the tractor up vertically in a wheelie helps🤘 good video

Thank you so much! I changed the fuse and it started. YAY!

Great video. I have a 240 just about as old as yours and my PTO switch stopped working coincidentally with me removing the seat to see about recovering it. Put the seat back on, plugged the seat sensor back in, all was good, started right up but now the PTO switch won't engage the deck. I ordered a new PTO switch but can't believe the PTO failure happened at the very same time that the seat switch was unplugged. We'll see. Thanks for doing the video.

Thanks for your video! Solved my problem in 10 minutes. Same problem you had!

I have a 2015 S240 that has intermittanly been doing the same thing for several years. At one point, I thought I had it fixed but it started screwing up again. I had the PTO switch short out to where it melted part of the socket that it plugs into. I also suspect a problem with the PTO clutch itself but have not tested it yet. I replaced the ignition switch and the PTO switch(dirt dauber wasp related) and the problem cleared up for about two years. I worked on it today and it would start about six times straight and then quit working. It is not getting 3.1 volt on the purple start solenoid and I suspect the reverse switch because it is the only one I haven't tested or it could be a broken/chewed wire somewhere. I momentarily jumpered 12 volts to the starter lug on the solenoid and mower will run but once you shut it off the no start condition is still there. I almost ordered a front main wiring harness but backed out.($100-$165) so I found the tech repair manual online for $30 dollars in PDF format and downloaded it. It has wiring diagrams and everything and you can download multiple copies in a predetermined amount of time. I bought a Gravely 52 in. zero turn 3 years ago but still like to use my S240.

Seems like a good idea to bypass all those switches.

666 is the sign of the devil.....Friday the 13th and a full moon are always trouble. Thanks for the video, I've had my JD 125 for 15yers now and it's just lately been causing me trouble. So since I can afford to buy a new one I watch many videos like yours and fix everything myself. I would just like to share something I've learned that some of you may not know. When buying parts for your JD tractor engine (Briggs and Stratton) Buy the actual parts from a B&S dealer or online as they are MUCH cheaper than from the JD dealer or box store that sold the Tractor. ex. fuel pump JD is $86 cnd or Same fuel pump from B&S is $36. Good video 😊

Thank you for that. I have just about all the same symptoms. Will check out when the weather warms up a bit. (Pretty much what I guessed, though.)

Great Vid. I just took my JD mower it would not start just clicking from solenoid hopefully when they repair they will explain to me if the switch went bad. I replace the solenoid battery, sprk plugs, new starter on my own still nothing. just the clicks when try to start the mower on my E120 So it must be a bad switch somewhere. Thanks for the vid.

At 7:55 in the vid, underneath is seen the transmission pully under the fan. Do you know the best way to access that? I need to replace mine. I think the teeth on the factory one are worn down. Thanks if you have an answer. I also have the same S240.

Since May, I put 12 hours on since I made this video. Have not had any issues, but only 12 hours because it rained nearly every day this entire past summer and early autumn.

Great video

Having trouble with a 277LX starting I changed the solenoid and i think it roasted the ignition switch or the board

How did you use your multimeter to check the wires in the wire harnesses?

Seriously I'll never get this time back good job of talking nonsense and making people listen

I am at 62.5 hours on my 2018 John Deere S240. Three weeks ago I started noticing the PTO (mower deck switch) started being intermittent. I'd pull it a few times and would eventually go. This week it finally totally fails to engage the mower deck clutch! The motor starts fine, but I have no voltage going to the clutch or to my lights?? I've tested and bypassed seat switch & reverse switch and confirmed starter switch is operating properly in all positions. Did you ever find the final culprit in your 12V in / 0.3V out issue. I'm certain I'm seeing the same thing, but can't locate the issue!

Thank you so much

Need to know how to do a brake switch on an LX 188 well I release the brakes it cuts off

I think my solenoid "trigger" has 12.3 volts. I think I have headlight wires broken.

I’m having the exact same issue. No sound when trying to crank it. I think it’s electrical. Can you share a link and description to the part please?

I've got a L110 and it's been perfect for nearly twenty years and now the safety sensors are going crazy, won't go into reverse when the blades are engaged, won't start with the key, have to jump the selenoid to start it. I'm too old to fix all of this but thank you.

I have the same problem off and on from brand new. The plug keeps coming loose..

Thanks, very helpful knowing all the switched. My issue is different, it has no power, the LED display, what you call computer is out too. The battery is new and tried recharging, tried jumping, nothing. Anyone have any ideas?

Sooo...you can take the purple wire off the solenoid and put a 12 v 'hotwire' there and bypass all the safety crap!?

Can the pto switch next to the ignition key be bypassed? This has become a problem for me.

The wiring harness keeps popping off the new PTO switch. How do I fix this?

Very good job in explaining where the switches were located. Is the ignitions hot wire also purple as to the cellaniord wire hit(is the purple wire to hot for both). Having exactly the same issue as u. Would this lack of amperage stop the fuel from flowing ,if not cranking as it should

Great job!!

Follow the power until there is no power and see what is not getting power first.

No the electric clutch is going out and over heating wire harness and connectors

So far NO videos on RU-vid with a melted fuse holder....I guess I’ll have to do it on scag freedom z

It’s hard to get to safety switch on these HF load tester is cheap to Cheaper than battery

Any Updates on this when you plugged in the new PTO Switch?

Prevention would be to clean all electrical with CRC electrical spray.

But those are buttons any mower i get all that gets tooken off all the way to each relay box and bridge the relays together that i don't need anymore so then each is then wired to the ignition relay so then instead of it having only one has 3 to 4 extras Mine will start in reverse or forward or in neutral without pressing the brake pedal i can stand to the side and start mine up but thats how i like it wired up i don't like all those safety buttons It could be better for the owner if john deere made them with inline fuses for each safety button so then we would know what button is blown out by seeing the burnt out fuse if it could work that way

U can just unplug the seat it's a normally closed switch but is also tied to blade turn on

Pretty pathetic of john deere to have so many failures with so little hours, sounds like a recall issue

666 yeah weird