Common Problems With Craftsman's Riding Mowers (According To Owners)

Craftsman placed in the upper half of SlashGear's ranking of major lawn brands in 2024. In 2025, Craftsman riding lawn mowers generally receive favorable reviews at retailers like Lowe's for example. The highest rated Craftsman riding mower at Lowe's, the Z5200 42-inch 20-horsepower Zero-Turn, holds a 4.2-star rating with 568 reviews to date. Most Craftsman riding mowers on the Lowe's website are rated at 3.8 stars, resulting in an average of 3.9 stars across the five offerings.

Users on the r/lawnmowers subreddit say older Craftsman lawn mowers, produced before it became one of the tool brands owned by Stanley Black and Decker in 2017, are superior to newer models. Some claim that Craftsman mowers are simply rebranded models from other manufacturers, a claim supported by a link to MTD spare parts on Craftsman's website for troubleshooting its riding mowers. 

In the same Reddit thread, ReadComprehensive822 asks why her husband's Craftsman is constantly breaking belts. Users frequently report other problems with Craftsman riding mowers, including failure to start, transmission issues, and blades that won't engage.

Similar to its rebranding of lawn mowers, Craftsman doesn't make its lawn mower engines either. Instead, they come from notable engine suppliers such as Briggs & Stratton, Kohler, and Kawasaki. That's a good thing as it makes replacement parts easy to find.

One of the most common problems with Craftsman riding mowers, is a failure to start. If the engine won't crank, or if you hear a click when trying to start it, the battery likely needs to be charged or replaced if it won't hold a charge. If your lawn mower engine turns over but won't start, there are other issues. If it has sat for a long period, the carburetor and air filter likely need to be cleaned. Another common solution is replacing the spark plug or fuel solenoid.

Craftsman riding mower transmission issues can stem from problems with the drive belt or shifting linkage. To find and fix the problem you'll need to raise the mower so you can access underneath. For safety's sake be sure to securely block underneath the mower to prevent it from falling.

Troubleshooting the failure to engage blades is complex because it involves more moving parts and electrical solenoids. There could be something physically preventing the engagement process, the switch could be bad, or the belt could be off. another Redditor recommends removing the mower deck for troubleshooting if the cause isn't visible with it in place.