Scagg TigerCat

[gmccall]

FYI

My 23 month old Scagg Tiger Cat (52") has been in the two Repair shops all but about a few weeks +- since mid January.

Mower was great for the first mow season, other than a small oil leak and back fire when I cut the engine off.

Then in January ( mower was 19 months old with low residential mow hours) trouble started.
First time in (mid January) was to repair a safety switch, fix the oil leak and back fire that mower had from day one. Took that dealer repair shop, same dealer I purchased the mower from, 6 weeks to return my mower (all warranty work). The safety switch on the seat was the start problem.

Get the mower back and I mow several hours (1 time). Stop the mower (mower engine backfires) to take a break and 30 minutes later mower will not start. No sound from mower when I turn the key just like the first time. Finally got the mower to start and put it on my trailer to haul to the shop for repair.

I decided to not go back to the first shop and dealer that I purchased the mower from....ever, so take the mower to another dealer/shop.

That second shop finds that another safety switch near the key switch has failed and agrees to repair the switch and the backfire. The following week the shop calls tells me that the back fire is from a solenoid connected to the carb. and they have to order another carb. Seems warranty will not allow just the solenoid to be replaced. 4 weeks latter I get the mower back.

I mowed with it for about 30 minutes before the engine started surging and then died. @#$@
I was able to start the engine again and it surged its way onto my trailer.

Mower is back at the second shop for repair.

 

[devildog1]

Hate to say it but seems you have a lemon, maybe trade or sell and cut your loss and walk away? I see you have a Kubota Tractor, why not a Zero Turn?
DevilDog

 

[bilrus61]

My Scag Cheetah has 180 hours on it and it is giving all sorts of issues. The plan right now is to trade it in on a Grasshopper. I think Scag's quality has really gone to pot for some reason recently.Mostly engine and electrical issues (Chinese outsourcing?). I think that trying to stay close to the Badboy pricepoint has forced some of the "bigs" in the lawncare industry to "cut" corners and Scag isn't what they used to be unfortunatly.

 

[MESSMAKER]

My Scag Cheetah has 180 hours on it and it is giving all sorts of issues. The plan right now is to trade it in on a Grasshopper. I think Scag's quality has really gone to pot for some reason recently.Mostly engine and electrical issues (Chinese outsourcing?). I think that trying to stay close to the Badboy pricepoint has forced some of the "bigs" in the lawncare industry to "cut" corners and Scag isn't what they used to be unfortunatly.

First I have heard that one. I still hear they are what everyone else are judged against. May be a lemon but I am not sure the whole line is a bust.

 

[Coyote machine]

To the OP, welcome to TBN. Sorry to hear you are having so many problems fixing what ought top be easy fixes. Seat switches and such should take no time. A carb, maybe a while to get but it seems it did not fix the problem. there could be internal engine damage to a valve that has gone on since day 1 and hasn't been addressed yet on your machine. Forget the reputation slam that's being thrown your way- ignore it.
Instead, get on the phone and contact your current dealer and ask for the name and number of the zone rep from Scag. Contact that person and explain what has gone on and find out what they will do to get your situation taken care of. Get their email and write it to them too.
Don't give up until it's fixed right and don't take it back until you verify it's working properly at the dealers.
Post back as it goes, keep us up to date.:thumbsup:

 

[gmccall]

Got the mower back home yesterday about 12.30 am.

Shop said there was debris in the carburetor, and they don’t know how it could have gotten there.
Also, to check the mower out, they had a guy mow the ROW in front of the building to see if everything work.
All worked good at that time.

Anyway I got the back yard almost finished and stopped the mower to talk to my neighbor in the back.
Mower is running great.

About 15 minutes later I got back on the mower and turned the key……………nothing happens. Nothing I tell ya.

After looking and wiggling all the safety switches I could find, I still get nothing. Finally, by jiggling the key and just keep trying
the switch, the mower starts. Well.. I decide to finish mowing and after about 2 minutes the mower dies anyway. Well that tank was out
of gas so I switch tanks and add gas to the empty tank for the future. Dumb _ _ _ _ luck. Now if the mower will only start again. I Turn key……. And turn key…..
finally the engine kicks over and starts. I begin to mow again and the engine starts surging again. That was the reason I took it in the second time. Anyway, I kept
it running long enough to drive it right on the trailer. ( I never removed the trailer ramps) I am not making this up.

I had the mower right back at the Shop by 3:15 pm.
I ask them about a lemmon policy and they said unfortunately there was no such thing.

Mower is in the shop.
I don't know when this will end.

 

[Coyote machine]

That sux, BUT it also says they have not yet found the problem, obviously, and they need to properly troubleshoot the mower from stem to stern. I'm leaning toward a bad wiring harness or component attached to same, like electronic ignition item. It seems to be apparent when the mower has been running for some time, yes?
What was happening when you turned the key, AFTER filling the tanks with gas? Was there any sound or again nothing like earlier?
It seems like the ignition key switch could be bad too, from what you described. In the meantime I strongly urge you to follow what I advised in my prior post: contact Scag's zone rep right away. You must involve a higher authority to document exactly what is and has happened with your mower. They are an American Co., and need to hear about your plight, and find a way to make you whole. This is not a slam on your first or current dealer, BUT it is past time and patience for you to keep going through this nightmare. A zone rep can do things a dealer can't on their own to solve problems like yours. But they can't help you if you don't bring it to their attention.
I don't know about the laws of your state, but you can contact your Attorneys General's office or your state's consumer protection agency to find out more while you wait for the mower to hopefully be fixed once and for all, sooner than later.
BTW, the carb debris could only get there after passing through the fuel filter on it's way to the carb from the tank. What are they saying the debris consisted of? Metal, dirt, water? No neighborhood kid sabotage of your gas tanks, right? How much do you have tied up in this mower?

 

[gmccall]

All good questions Coyote,

No sound after filling tank,

The shop was able to make the starter work by pushing down on the key at the same time they turned it.

The debris was a small plant stem stuck in the carb some where. Only way that got there was when the carb was replaced.

 

[Coyote machine]

All good questions Coyote,

No sound after filling tank,

The shop was able to make the starter work by pushing down on the key at the same time they turned it.

The debris was a small plant stem stuck in the carb some where. Only way that got there was when the carb was replaced.

If the key switch 'push and turn' to engage the starter is a new find since you dropped the unit back at the dealer progress may be occurring.
The plant stem and carb is wierd. Were the using the new carb to plow the back 40?!
Where are you at with the overall situation currently?

 

[gmccall]

If the key switch 'push and turn' to engage the starter is a new find since you dropped the unit back at the dealer progress may be occurring.
The plant stem and carb is wierd. Were the using the new carb to plow the back 40?!
Where are you at with the overall situation currently?

Well, I drove to pick the mower up today. (It was ready last Wednesday but I was out of town)
When I got there the mechanic was off today, but mower was ready for pickup......or it was supposed to be ready.
Also I have contacted the area rep for Scagg and they are supposed to help the local shop doing my repairs.

Anyway, today while driving the mower onto my trailer it nearly died. I drive the mower back off the trailer and drove it around the shop yard.
It was difficult too idle and when I throttled the engine up and moved forward it would nearly die. The mower had no torque when moving forward. Engaging the blades would surely have killed the engine. I drove it back in the shop and had the mechanic that was there look at it. He agreed, something was still deadly wrong.

Mower is still in the shop. I have lost track of how many times I have driven to the repair shop.
Anyone following this post is probably finding all the trouble I am having with the mower will find it hard to believe. I know I would.