Honda HRX217AA, Owner'S Manual

10

Wet Grass

Wet grass is slippery and can make you lose your footing. Also, wet 
grass clippings will clog the mower deck and collect in clumps on the 
lawn. Always wait for wet grass to dry before mowing.

Fallen Leaves 

When equipped with the grass bag, your mower can be used to pick 
up fallen leaves for disposal. If using the mower to bag large amounts 
of fallen leaves, and not for mowing, set the cutting height adjustment 
levers so the front of the mower deck is one or two settings higher 
than the rear. 
If you want to mulch fallen leaves into your lawn, don’t let the leaf 
cover get too deep before you begin. For best results, start mulching 
while grass still shows through the leaf cover. In places where fallen 
leaves completely cover the grass, remove the leaves by raking, or 
install a grass bag, so your mower can pick them up for disposal. 
Collecting leaves while they are damp will help to control dust and 
result in more effective mulching of the leaves. You can also shred 
leaves using the Clip Director; see 

page 5

 for details.

Clogged Mower Deck 

Before clearing a clogged mower deck, stop the engine and turn the 
fuel valve to the OFF position. With the spark plug cap disconnected, 
tilt the mower so the carburetor side is up.
Clear a clogged deck with a stick, not your hands.

Mowing Patterns 

Your Honda mower will work most efficiently if you use the following 
mowing patterns as much as possible. Mower deck and equipment 
design, and the direction in which the blade rotates, cause these 
mowing patterns to provide the best results.

Mulching

Use a counterclockwise mowing 
pattern. If the lawn has an 
irregular shape, or many 
obstacles, divide it into sections 
where you can use 
counterclockwise patterns.

Bagging

Use a clockwise mowing pattern. 
This will give the best bagging 
performance, leaving the least 
amount of clippings on the lawn.

SERVICING YOUR MOWER

Proper maintenance is essential for safe, economical, and 

trouble-free operation. It also helps reduce air pollution.

To help you properly care for your mower, the following pages include 
a maintenance schedule, routine inspection procedures, and simple 
maintenance procedures using basic hand tools. Other service tasks 
that are more difficult or require special tools are best handled by 
professionals and are normally performed by a Honda technician or 
other qualified mechanic.

The maintenance schedule applies to normal operating conditions. If 

you operate your mower under severe conditions, such as sustained 

high load, high temperature, or unusually wet or dusty conditions, 

consult your servicing dealer for recommendations applicable to your 

individual needs and use.
Remember that an authorized Honda servicing dealer knows your 

mower best and is fully equipped to maintain and repair it. To ensure 

the best quality and reliability, use only new, Honda Genuine parts or 

their equivalents for repair and replacement.

Maintenance, replacement, or repair of the emission control 

devices and systems may be performed by any engine repair 

establishment or individual, using parts that are “certified” to 

EPA standards

.

Maintenance Safety

Some of the most important safety precautions follow. However, we 

cannot warn you of every conceivable hazard that can arise in 

performing maintenance. Only you can decide whether or not you 

should perform a given task.

Safety Precautions

 • Make sure the engine is off before you begin any maintenance or 

repairs. This will eliminate several potential hazards:

–

Carbon monoxide poisoning from engine exhaust.

Be sure there is adequate ventilation whenever you operate

the engine.

–

Burns from hot parts.

Let the engine and exhaust system cool before touching.

–

Injury from moving parts.

Do not run the engine unless instructed to do so.

 • Read the instructions before you begin, and make sure you have 

the tools and skills required.

 • To reduce the possibility of fire or explosion, be careful when 

working around gasoline. Use only a nonflammable solvent, not 

gasoline, to clean parts. Keep cigarettes, sparks, and flames away 

from all fuel-related parts.

MULCHING PATTERN

BAGGING PATTERN



 WARNING

Improper maintenance, or failure to correct a problem 

before operation, can cause a serious malfunction.
Some malfunctions can seriously hurt or kill you.
Always follow the inspection and maintenance 

recommendations and schedules in this owner’s 

manual.



 WARNING

Improper maintenance can cause an unsafe condition.
Failure to properly follow maintenance instructions and 

precautions can cause you to be seriously hurt or killed.
Always follow the procedures and precautions in this 

manual.