3 Of The Most Common Problems With Craftsman Weed Eaters (According To Users)

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If you want to keep your grass healthy and green, a lawn mower is an essential gardening tool you'll want to have in your arsenal. You'll likely need more than just that, however; even the most powerful electric lawn mower won't be able to fit into every tight spot your yard has. That's where a weed eater can come in handy. Sometimes also referred to as a weed whacker, string trimmer, or something similar, a weed eater is a versatile tool designed for precision trimming grass and weeds in hard-to-reach areas that your lawn mower can't reach. They're ideal for getting into tight spaces like against a concrete slab, near a fence, or under small trees.

Picking up your own weed eater is therefore a good idea for anyone who takes their yardwork seriously. The Craftsman brand, which makes several powered yard tools, is no stranger to the many facets of creating a beautiful landscape. This is evident in the impressive lineup of string trimmers it offers. In fact, Craftsman has a unique collection that appeals to different types of homeowners, from gas-powered models like the 17-inch 25cc 2-Cycle Curved Gas Weedwhacker, available at Ace for $169, to cordless options like the Craftsman V20 String trimmer, which retails at Lowe's for $159.

Generally speaking, Craftsman has made a name for itself by producing string trimmers that are well-liked by users — most of its products have fairly high review ratings on Ace and Lowe's. But that doesn't mean that everything about its weed eaters is praiseworthy. When you scroll through online forums like Reddit, you'll notice that there are several users who have reported subsets of frustrating issues. Here's a list of three of the most common.

Few things are more frustrating than dragging your weed eater out of your garage to trim your yard, pulling the cord, and only to be greeted with silence. Unfortunately, when you explore various online forums, you'll discover that this problem is quite common, as there are a substantial number of users who have complained about this issue. 

For this issue, if you have a gas-powered Craftsman weed eater, users claim that you should first check the basics — sparks, fuel, and air. Most of the time, your weed eater may fail to start because of dirty air filters, a dirty or old spark plug, or stale fuel. That's not to say that they are the only possible culprits, as the issue might also stem from clogged carburetors. If that's the case, cleaning that carb may solve the issue.

If you have a cordless weed eater, it's worth noting that the battery might be the stumbling block. Generally speaking, your weed eater will definitely not start if you're using a discharged or weak battery. However, even with a fully charged battery, your weed eater may sometimes fail to start or unexpectedly stall during use. And while you might often link these issues to a failing Craftsman battery, you'll also want to check the battery terminals themselves, as dirty electrical connections that can't provide a solid contact point for a battery might be to blame.

Beyond starting issues, several Craftsman weed-eater owners have reported trimming head problems as well. One major issue that happens often is a head that keeps flying off when in use. One customer found that that when he first bought his Craftsman WS22000 25cc 2-cycle Weed Eater, it worked just fine at first. However, things changed after a few weeks of use: The trimming head would detach after cutting weeds in the yard for a while, and it would still do so after reassembling.

To fix this issue, experts claim that it's best that you inspect the spool assembly and locking mechanism for damage. You'll also want to make sure that you properly clean the connection points. Additionally, if the head isn't attached properly, you'll want to tighten it per the instructions in the unit's user's manual.

Besides this detaching issue, another problem that users often complain about is a head that stops spinning when in use. One user reported the problem would begin to make itself known at higher RPMs, as the head would begin to slip and slow down as if it had been stripped or if the head was suffering from a bad clutch. When this happens, you may want to send the weed eater in for repair if it's still under warranty. However, if your string trimmer has seen the better part of its life, users recommend that it's wiser, and often simpler, to invest in a new weed trimmer instead.

String-related problems are very common across major weed-eater brands, including Craftsman. In fact, if you dig into Craftsman weed eaters, you'll likely encounter several users from multiple forums complaining that the string often spools out too easily when in use. One customer requesting help noted that the string on their weed eater pulled out far too easily no matter how far they thread it back inside the spool. The result was that the string unwound whenever he used the weed-eater, no matter how slow, or how fast, he revved his device.

Forum responses suggested that the problem might be a result of using the wrong line size and type. Luckily, to choose the correct string for your weed eater, all you need to do is refer to your owner's manual or contact your local Craftsman service center. While still on string-related issues, another customer reported that he had a Craftsman corded electric 14" string trimmer that would encounter string jamming issues while in use. If this happens, you'll want to make sure that the trimmer head is clean and free from dirt, grass clippings, and debris. You'll also want to inspect and replace the bump feed if it is worn or damaged, as all of these issues might cause jamming.

It can be quite frustrating to have your weed eater's functionality impacted by some random issue. However, if you know you're not the only one experiencing these problems, it can be somewhat comforting — especially if you can crowdsource an easy fix or work-around from others who also ran into the same or a similar issue. For these reasons, we relied primarily on feedback offered by real-world customers to compile this list of common problems ailing Craftsman weed eaters. We pored over several online forums like Reddit, Just Answer, and Quora to find real-world user experiences from Craftsman weed eater owners. We looked for repeated issues and claims that customers had, and then expanded our research by exploring various YouTube reviews and professional review sites to gain a more complete understanding of the issues and if there were any ways to correct the problems.