What To Do If Your Echo Weed Eater Won't Start

Echo is one of the country's leading weed eater brands, with gas-powered models that are among the best on the market according to reviews and cordless alternatives that are quiet and easy to control. Unfortunately, they do go wrong occasionally. So here's what to do if your Echo weed eater won't start.

To get it going, a gas-powered Echo weed eater motor needs fuel and a spark to ignite it. Gasoline can go off, so if it's the first time you've tried the tool since winter, drain and refill it. Next, check the fuel filter. It stops crud from getting into the carburetor, but it can get blocked. Some can be cleaned, but replacing it is easier and relatively inexpensive (Fuel Filter Replacement for Echo Stihl String Trimmer Edger). Check there are no leaks in the fuel line and clean the air filter, too. Reassemble the weed eater and try it. If it starts, great. If not, remove the spark plug. If this is dirty, use a small wire brush and plug cleaner to freshen it up. If it looks worn or chipped, replace it.

If the Echo weed eater still doesn't start, it could be a carburetor's fault. For those who lack experience, it's probably time to take the tool to a professional. Incidentally, people sometimes think using a weed eater at an angle can cause fuel flow problems, but most are designed to do that. Even if you're using it upside down as an edger, it shouldn't impact performance.

Echo's battery-powered weed eaters are a lot simpler than their gas-powered counterparts. Yes, they have complicated electronic motors, but they are virtually maintenance-free externally. There is very little to go wrong. If a cordless Echo weed eater won't start, it's likely to be the battery or a fault with the charger. Conveniently, Echo eForce batteries have a charge indicator right on the front, so you can quickly check the status. If it's flat, then hopefully, a recharge is all that's needed. If that doesn't work, you can try another battery if you have one, but it's difficult to tell if a battery or charger is faulty unless you have a multimeter to check the voltage. Problems aren't common, but a replacement could be the only solution.

Hopefully, the problem with your Echo weed eater not starting won't prove difficult to resolve. Before you get back out in the yard, this is the perfect opportunity to check if the string is running out. Some people swap in a replacement spool, but buying the string and winding it yourself can be much cheaper (like Maxpower Premium Twisted Trimmer Line. It's not a difficult job, and the way you restring a weed eater can make a big difference to the cutting performance.