John Deere 5200 Problems (Troubleshooting of Problems)

John Deere 5200 is a popular tractor in farming. It comes with the highest performance and stability. Still, the users face some mechanical issues with it, like any other tractor.

So, today I’ll talk about the most happening John Deere 5200 problems.

John Deere 5200 occasionally goes through rough brush-hogging issues along with a malfunctioning motor. Also, the front axle rattle while driving the vehicle, and the transmission shifting hard are quite common. Moreover, users can face overheating and low-power engines as well.  

Only knowing the problems is not enough. You must know the solution to get rid of the situation. Therefore stay with the article to know each detail you need.

John Deere 5200 Motor Problems: Solved

Motor happens to be the most important organ of your tractor. So, first, focus on the motor issues you may have.

Problem	Reason	Symptom	Solution
Motor doesn’t turn over	Having wrong fuel grade or fuel pump having high-pressure.	vehicle won’t start	Replace the fuel grade or, tweak and lower the fuel pressure
Diesel motor not starting	Faulty fuel pump or clogged fuel tank	Fuel tank vent is restricted	Clean the clog
Brush hogging rough	Having inadequate grease	Gazing roughly	Apply enough grease

Problem 1: Motor Doesn’t Turn Over

Motor happens to be the most functional organ of your vehicle. And John Deere 5200 faces motor turning issues quite often. If it happens, your vehicle won’t start.

Symptom:

If the motor of your vehicle is going through turning over issues, you will experience that your vehicle won’t start at all. To fix this issue as soon as necessary. Otherwise, your John Deere 5200 might get a permanent injury.

Reason 1:

If the vehicle cranks when you turn the key, but the motor won’t start. The main reason for this serious issue is the wrong fuel grade.

Solution:

First of all, you should properly examine the fuel grade. If you find it wrong, you should definitely change the fuel grade. There Are no other ways to fix it other than replacing

Reason 2:

Then if your vehicle’s fuel pump is defective and has high-pressure, the motor can’t turn over. Moreover, it can happen due to incorrect timing of the fuel pump. There are the most potential reasons for motor issues.

Solution:

Vehicles can be damaged both short- and long-term by high fuel pressure. You need to tweak and lower the fuel pressure.

Required Tool: Screwdriver

• First, make sure the battery is disconnected.
• Check the fuel rail system of the engine, where you’ll see fuel injectors attached.
• Now, find the pressure relief valve and push it inside the fitting with a screwdriver. It will lower the pressure.

Problem 2: Diesel Motor Not Starting

Fuel is placed into the burning chamber of the engine and burns when the piston compresses the gas to achieve high temperatures.

This diesel fuel causes various problems in John Deere 5200. The diesel motor doesn’t start, one of the serious problems.

Symptom:

If you may notice that the fuel tank vent is restricted. Also, the cold start system might malfunction if you can’t start the diesel motor.

Reason 1:

The main reason for the diesel motor not starting has a faulty fuel pump. The solution to this issue is completely straightforward.

Solution:

If the problem is happening due to having a faulty fuel pump, the solution is a replacement. Depending on the make, model, year, and engine size, replacement pumps are different.

Manufacturers upgrade their designs occasionally so that replacement pumps may look different.

Reason 2:

The reason can be a clogged fuel tank. This is the most potential reason for not diesel motors not starting.

Solution:

To solve the clogging problem of your fuel tank, you need to clean the clog by following a step-wise guide:

• Fill a container with approved fuel and drain the tank.
• Ensure that the top of the fuel tank is free of debris and rust.
• Take the fuel pump out of the tank and discard it.
• The remaining gas and debris should be poured out of the gas tank by swirling it.
• Now, make sure the tank interior is cleaned. You can use a solution of soap and water that has low suds.
• The tank should be cleaned by swirling the cleaning solution inside. Then, run compressed air through the tank and/or dry it with a lint-free cloth.
• At this point, examine the tank visually and ensure its dryness
• Finish the process by refilling the tank with new fuel.

Problem 3: Brush Hogging Rough

The brush hog is used to mow grass paddocks. Hayfields that have become too mature can also be mowed down with them. So, sometimes the hogs of John Deere 5200 work too rough.

Reason:

The main reason the brush hoggers seem rough has inadequate grease. It is easy to understand something when you see a sign.

Symptom:

The brush of hogging isn’t performing well. It’s gazing at roughly normal times. You can easily fix the issue.

Solution:

• Make sure you regularly give enough grease to your brush hoggers.
• To cut closer to the ground might lower the bush hog height. Start with a higher cutting height after attaching the mowing deck to the tractor. Once you’ve done that, go ahead and change it to a medium setting, and so on.
• You’ll also be safer if you go at a slower speed.

John Deere 5200 Transmission Problems: Solved

Problem	Reason	Symptom	Solution
Transmission shifting hard	Low transmission fluid or damaged fluid	Difficult shifting	Apply enough lubricant which is fresh
Lock doesn’t work swiftly	Worn-out clutch	Vibration happens while pressing the clutch	Change the clutch
Front axle to rattle while driving	Having faulty gears	Sharp popping sound	Replace the gears

Problem 1: Transmission Shifting Hard

Transmission is the brain of your John Deere 5200. This transmission usually suffers from hard shifting. This problem can cause severe harm if you don’t solve the issue quickly.

Reason:

Hard shifts are likely to occur in vehicles with low transmission fluid levels or damaged fluid. Transmission problems, including hard shifting, can be caused by inadequate lubrication.

Then the next potential reason can be loosening the shift cover.

Symptom:

The main sign you’ll notice is that the shifting of the transmission is not easy. Also you may listen to some noises as well.

Solution:

First of all, make sure that you’re applying enough lubricant to the linkage. Also, the lubricant should be contamination free.

Then, if your shift cover is loosened up, you need to tighten them properly. You can follow this video to learn the process of tightening the loose shift.

Problem 2: Front Axle to Rattle While Driving

This front axle is situated in the font of your John Deere 5200.  Steering is assisted by this axle, which processes pressure shocks from uneven ground. This front axle can rattle during driving quite often.

Reason:

Having faulty gears is mainly responsible for rattling the front axle. If you find your gears are alright and have issues with them, the next prominent reason has defective ball bearings.

A damaged ball bearing can make the axle rattle frequently.

Symptom:

If the front axle is going through rattling, you may notice sharp popping sounds while running your John Deere 5200.

Solution:

It is impossible to do anything with faulty or damaged gears other than replacing them. On the other hand, if the ball bearing is damaged, it must be replaced.

You can’t fix them with DIY methods. Just go to the professionals to replace the gears and bearing balls.

Problem 3: Differential Lock Doesn’t Work Quickly

Though this problem doesn’t happen quite often in your John Deere 5200. But some of the users are still familiar with the lock not functioning quickly.

Reason:

The reason is quite obvious for this issue. In most cases, this can be attributed to a worn-out clutch.

Symptom:

You’ll notice that there is sponginess, sticking, or vibration when pressing the clutch. When you press down on the pedal, you hear a clicking or groaning sound.

Solution:

The worn-out clutch requires replacement. Clutch components need to be replaced, and it isn’t a repair you can do alone. Removing the transmission assembly is the first step in the job, which is a complex and laborious process.

However, the job of replacing a clutch is best left to an automotive repair professional unless you have the necessary equipment.

John Deere 5200 Engine Issues: Solved

Problem	Reason	Symptom	Solution
Engine overheats regularly	Having low coolant in the cooling system Or, clogged radiator fins	Hood of the vehicle is extremely hot	Add sufficient coolant, and clean the clogs from the radiator fins.
Low engine power	Compression leak	Loss of compression	Replace the head gasket, tighten head screws and glow plug.

Problem 1: Engine Overheats Regularly

Engine of the John Deere 5200 typically overheats fairly frequently. The users complain about this mostly. It’s one of the serious issues. If you don’t consider it, you may face permanent loss.

Symptom:

Overheating of your engine could be caused by the hood of your car being extremely hot. It is a sign of an overly heated engine if you can not keep your hand on the hood for more than 10 seconds.

Reason 1:

There are a variety of reasons that an engine overheats. However, the most accountable reason has less coolant in the cooling system.

Solution:

If it is happening due to not having enough coolant. You need to add enough coolant to the cooling system.

However, water can be temporarily added to your car to make it safer to drive to the garage.

The coolant reservoir can also be filled with a 50/50 mixture of water and antifreeze to keep freezing the engine while you travel to a garage to get it checked out.

Reason 2:

Moreover, the radiator fins can be clogged, which leads your vehicle to get overheated.

Solution:

If the engine is getting overheated due to clogged radiator fins. You can get rid of that by simply following the steps mentioned below.

 Required Tools: Spraying bottle, soft brush, water hose, and a radiator cleaner.

• Prepare all the cleaning materials, including cleaning spray.
• Now it’s time to clean between the radiator fins.
• At this point, spray a great amount of cleaning solution over radiators and ensure they are not dried out.
• Now, clean all of the debris and dirt with the help of the brush that has collected and is responsible for clogging the fins.
• To avoid bending the fins, set the water hose to the lowest setting. Make sure your radiator sparkles when you rinse it gently.

Problem 2: Low Engine Power

John Deere 5200 often goes through low engine power. It’s one of the common issues you can face if you’re a regular user of John Deere 5200.

Reason:

The actual reason behind this issue is having leakage in the compression. This leakage leads the engine to lose power immensely.

Symptom:

The loss of compression occurs when a leak occurs in one or more of the cylinders due to normal engine wear and tear.

Solution:

To fix the issue, you should go replace the head gasket. Then, tighten up the head screws of the cylinder. Then you need to screw up the glow plug. Finally, the nozzle holder needs to be secured.

John Deere 5200 Steering Issues: Solved

Problem	Reason	Solution
Steering not working at all	Stuck sector gears and steering shaft Or, not having enough power steering oil	Replace gears and shaft, and refill power steering oil.
Steering turns in one direction	Air formed in the hydraulic system	Drain out the air from the hydraulic system.

Problem 1: Steering Turns in One Direction

Steering is the key to running your John Deere. If it malfunctions, the driver won’t be able to steer the vehicle. John Deere’s steering turns in one direction is the most common problem that you can face very often.

Reason 1:

The major reason behind this issue is getting stuck in the sector gear and steering shaft. The solution is obvious.

Solution:

If the sector gear and steering shaft are stuck, you need to replace the gear and shaft.

Reason 2:

Having insufficient power steering oil also leads your steering in one direction. It leads to steering in one direction most of the time.

Solution:

The solution is very easy. All you have to do is refill the power steering with the required oil.

Problem 2: Steering Not Working at All

Sometimes steering doesn’t move at all in your John Deere 5200. If you’re a user of this particular tractor, you’ll experience this issue even once throughout its lifetime.

If you can’t move the steering at all, it’s a matter of concern.

Reason:

The hydraulic system may be formed with air which leads to malfunctioning of the steering.

Solution:

The solution is obvious in this issue. You need to drain off the air from the hydraulic system.

Let’s get to know how you can do this:

• You will first need to turn on the bleed valve at the top so that air can get out.
• Keep it open for as long as the hydraulic fluid from the valve circulates smoothly. It symbolizes air freeness.
• Now, fluids that foam should be passed through tissue or refilled with fresh hydraulic fluid.

FAQs

Is John Deere 5200 Underpowered?

No, John Deere 5200 is not underpowered. Rather, its power output is quite impressive. Compared to other versions, it comes with more horsepower. Furthermore, mowing is done in low gear, so power isn’t really an issue.

How Much Horsepower Does a John Deere 5200 Have?

Built in 1997, John Deere 5200 has 45.6 HP (34 KW), packed with a 2.9L 3-cycle diesel engine. This powerhouse of a tractor comes with power steering and hydraulic wet discs for brakes.

What is the Best John Deere Ever Made?

The best John Deere ever made is the 4455 MFWD. It outsold every other JD series by 50% in total sales. It has massive power of 156.9 HP with a 7.6L 6-cycle engine. Made in 1992, it’s still a popular choice among farmers.

Conclusion

This article includes all the possible John Deere 5200 problems. Hopefully, you’ll be able to fix the issue you’re going through since I’ve described the solution as well.

Most of the problems are fixable, but some require professional assistance. And others ask for a replacement.