The first step, if you want to diagnose and fix this yourself, is to carefully remove the battery, and charge it. If it won't take a charge, then you will need a new battery, and its necessary to find the cause, so the new battery lasts longer than one season. There could be a problem with the charging function, in the wiring, the alternator, or the voltage regulator. If the charging system checks out OK, then it could be a wiring fault that causes the battery to drain when the mower is turned off. When everything is working right, a battery should last 5 years, at the minimum. Sometimes they go for 10 years with no problem.

It may be dead for a few reasons. It may have been sitting at the dealer for some time. It may have been started a few times at the dealer for demo it to customers (you never know). Or it may just be a bad battery. JD should replace it for you if it cannot be charged. Get yourself a battery tender and charge it up. Most likeley there is nothing wrong with anything.

Should be covered by warranty. As with all products, there will be lemons. Probably just a bad battery.

How does one check a battery?

And as to warranty I bought it from Home Depot. Don't remember getting a warranty but I suppose I need to check. Why oh why didn't I buy it from the local dealer? I'm sure they had a similar deal for buying on credit?

Just standing there with their big sign about the sale price, having a HD card I succumbed.

"When everything is working right, a battery should last 5 years, at the minimum. Sometimes they go for 10 years with no problem."

sorry, but you are in for major disappointment. the vibrations from riding around in a mower will kill a battery long before then. 3 years is avg, any longer than that and you are blessed.

as to warranty, your deere dealer carries the warranty on it. i doubt the battery is still covered, but you can call and ask.

I tried taking the key out when shut off. Odd that should work. At least I think so as the last time I used it it started right up. Could be that it sat idle for a shorter time than other times when it wouldn't start.

Fingers crossed!

I'm glad to hear your mower is starting up and running OK. Removing the key after shutdown sounds like a good idea, that way there is less chance of draining the battery when the machine is sitting in the garage.

I grew up in Sun Prairie!

I thinkk the problem with my JD is something stupid. Today while using it and after stopping it wouldn't start. Then I pushed down harder on the clutch and then it did. Probably why I've had this problem.

There could be a "fail-safe" device on your clutch mechanism, that prevents the mower from starting, if the clutch is engaged. When you step on the clutch pedal, you disengage the clutch, and you operate an electric switch, that allows the engine to start.

I forgot, the first time it failed to start, I charged the battery and then it started using the same way I had been using to start it. In other words the same pressure on the clutch. So there is something going on with it.

There seems to be a lot of hidden stuff in that creature. The first time I used it I ran over a tomato cage my wife had discarded in the bushes. It shut it down and wouldn't start. My local lawn mower repairman came and with his starting battery got it going. I can't figure that but there must be a hidden switch that turns things off when something stalls it. Then apparently automatically turns it on after the incident.

You may have bent the kill switch for the "clutch" when you hit the cage. Get under the mower and see where the pedal hits when pushed down, there should be a switch somewhere and chances are it is bent a bit causing it to not fully engage. I would be more specific, but I don't know what model you have.

Painted on the hood is: LA105

We have all hit stuff that was hidden in the grass. First time that I have heard of somebody running over a tomato cage, though. Must have been some tall grass! Since that episode caused the engine to quit, and since it took a service call to get it going again, my guess is that there is still something that needs to be fixed, as a result of that incident. You can either crawl under the mower and look around yourself, or pay someone else to do it. If you decide to crawl under yourself, I would advise that you jack up and block the tractor in a fashion that is secure and not able to settle or shift. Take the key out, and put it in your pocket, so no one is able to turn over the engine when you are underneath the deck.

I have the same problem with my LA105!! It started right up the first time after being in the garage for the winter. Then, if you turn the engine off, it is completely dead. I jump it with the car and it starts right up. How do you check the charging system?

Is this a problem with this model?

For the last poster--go buy a new battery! From a good local parts store. buy the best one. Saves a lot of ink!

Your battery will be lucky to get through two winters if you leave the battery exposed to the cold. Get yourself a good battery charger and leave it on the maintain setting all winter or give it a shot of charge once a month. I learned this the hard way.