The John Deere Company manufactured and marketed a series of riding lawn mowers under the Scotts Company brand for several years, but ceased doing so in 2002. The family of gasoline powered and bright red riding lawn mowers use John Deere design and engine technology and bear the Scotts and Deere branded logos. Though the mowers are out of production, parts, operations manuals and detailed product support can be found at JohnDeere.com. A link to the Scotts mowers section of the Deere site is provided under Resources.
Automatic Transmission Models
Video of the Day
Step 1
Disengage the PTO drive lever by placing it in the "Off" position, lock the parking brake and depress the brake pedal. On foot pedal controlled models, do not press either foot pedal.
Video of the Day
Step 2
Place the drive throttle lever in the "Choke" or "Fast" position, depending on your model.
Step 3
Turn the ignition key to "Start/On" and crank the ignition for up to five seconds until it starts, then release the key to the "Run" position. Should the engine fail to start, release the key to the "Run" position, wait for 10 seconds, then repeat the starting procedure.
Step 4
Allow the engine to idle and warm up for two to five minutes--make it at least five minutes in colder weather--to allow the engine oil to reach ideal operating viscosity. Release the parking brake.
Step 5
Move the throttle control to "Fast" or push the "Choke" knob in slowly until it is fully depressed and the mower is advancing smoothly at full speed.
Gear Shift Models
Step 1
Place the transmission gear shift in "N" (neutral), engage the parking brake and depress the clutch. Move the throttle lever to "Fast" and pull out the choke knob.
Step 2
Turn the ignition key to the "Start/On" position and crank the engine for up to five seconds to engage it. Release the key to the "Run" position once the engines starts. If the engine fails to start, let the key fall back to the "Run" position and wait for 10 seconds before repeating the starting procedure.
Step 3
Allow the engine to idle and warm up for two to five minutes--waiting at least five minutes in colder weather conditions--to allow the engine oil to reach ideal operating viscosity. Release the parking brake.
Step 4
Place the shift lever in a "Forward" gear and press the shifter ahead slowly to increase the mower's advance speed.
For mowers with foot controls, simply depress the forward pedal slowly and evenly until you reach the desired speed.
Parking and Turning off Your Scotts Mower
Step 1
Park the mower on level ground--never on a slope. Lift the disengage lever to retract the cutting blades and lower any attachments to the ground so the unit is stable.
Step 2
Engage the parking brake and stop the engine by turning the ignition key to the "Off" position. Remove the key from the ignition.
Step 3
Allow the engine and all moving parts to come to a complete standstill before dismounting the mower.