8 Most Common Kobalt 80V Trimmer Problems

A grass trimmer is important for every garden as it helps maintain the grass by cutting out the rough edges. These trimmers help make the garden appear tidy and neat by removing unwanted weeds and shrubs.

Having said that, Kobalt 80V is the most reliable option as it removes the rough edges, weeds, and shrubs without damaging the healthier parts of the grass. However, it still has problems, which you should be careful about.

Fixing Kobalt 80V Trimmer Problems

1. Kobalt 80V Trimmer Won’t Start

Kobalt 80V is designed with a battery, and when the trimmer stops working, it’s likely to be a fault with the battery. In most cases, the battery isn’t properly secured to the plugs or has a charging issue.

For this reason, it’s suggested that you charge the battery to see if it starts up. In fact, you can take the battery to an electric store as they have special fast-charging battery chargers.

However, if charging doesn’t work, you need to open the battery compartment and check its connections. Make sure that the battery of your trimmer is secured to the battery compartment’s latches as it’s essential to secure a connection.

On the other hand, if both these steps don’t work, there are high chances that the Kobalt trimmer’s battery is damaged and needs to be replaced.

The battery has an approximate lifespan of over two to three years, and if you haven’t replaced the trimmer’s battery in a few years, change the battery to resume its function.

Lastly, you need to get its motor checked as well. This is because the motor is a primary component of the trimmer that operates different parts of the unit to perform the trimming function. So, get the motor checked, and if it appears damaged, get it replaced.

2. Trimmer Won’t Stay Running

When the Kobalt 80V starts but performs intermittently, you need to check the filters. The trimmers are designed with filters to contain the cut parts of the grass, and with regular use, the filters can get clogged.

The filters are pretty easy to clean because you only need to take out the filter, empty them, and install them again. However, you can read the manual to get a step-by-step graphical interpretation. The filters must be cleaned thoroughly, and if some filters look damaged, it’s best to replace them.

Secondly, you need to inspect the spark arrest screens. This is because if this screen is clogged, it doesn’t let the hot air pass through the trimmer, resulting in overheating.

As a result, the trimmer shows functionality errors. So, you need to inspect the spark arrest screens and clean them. Since these screens hold the debris, you will need a blow torch to burn off the debris properly.

Lastly, the trimmer doesn’t work consistently when it’s overheated, so make sure that you turn it off for a few minutes after every one hour to let it cool down.

3. The Trimmer Head Does Not Spin

A trimmer head needs to spin in different directions to cut the grass. The trimmer is integrated with a clutch that handles the head-spinning, which is attached to a trimmer head through a driveshaft.

The clutch produces a centrifugal force that’s responsible for faster spinning of the head – faster spinning is important to ensure efficient cutting of the grass.

So, when the driveshaft and/or clutch are damaged, the head won’t be able to spin at a high speed. In either case, you have to replace the damaged components because repairing them is not possible. Also, you must hire a professional to install a new clutch or driveshaft to ensure proper connections.

4. Trimmer Line Won’t Cut

If the Kobalt trimmer is working properly but it is unable to cut out the weed and shrubs, it’s likely because of a trimmer line. You have to disable the trimmer, take out its battery, and inspect a trimmer line to determine if it’s the culprit.

In most cases, a trimmer line becomes short and doesn’t reach the weed or shrubs to cut them down. So, if a trimmer line seems short, you’ve to get it replaced. The line can be purchased from a hardware store.

The second potential issue is the line being stuck. You have to check the surrounding area of the line to clear the obstructions and blockages to make sure your trimmer line can move freely. However, be careful while removing the blockages, so you don’t end up breaking the line.

5. Trimmer Is Smoking

It can be alarming when you are trimming the grass and the unit starts exhausting smoke. The smoke issue is the result of electric component damage.

If your trimmer starts smoking, you need to shut down the trimmer immediately to prevent further damage to the electrical components and get it checked by an electrician.

6. The Trimmer Head Is Not Advancing The Line

The trimmer head is responsible for directing the line out of the trimmer for cutting the shrubs and weeds. So, when the head stops advancing the line, it simply means that the shrubs and weeds won’t be cut down.

There are four potential reasons behind it. First of all, the trimmer head or motor shaft could be bound with the grass. The solution is pretty simple as you have to switch off the Kobalt trimmer, take out the battery, and remove the stuck grass, and the line will start advancing.

The second reason is the insufficient amount of line in the spool. For this problem, you need to remove the battery and add a new spool with enough line.

Many people just wrap more line on the spool but since it doesn’t connect with the old line, the line will remain short or break in the middle. So, just get your hands on a new spool and install it in the trimmer.

The third reason is the dirty trimmer head and spool. With excessive trimming, the debris or grass can get stuck in the spool and head, resulting in line issues. Again, you need to remove the battery and clean all the clogging from the head and spool to make sure there are no hindrances where the line has to move.

Last but not least, the line could be tangled on the spool and the only solution is to remove the spool, unwind the line to remove tangles and wind it up again.

Also, make sure that you are using the correct size of the line because if the line is too thin or too thick, it won’t advance out of the trimmer head. You can check the Kobalt 80V’s manual to determine the right size of the line.

7. The Line Is Not Cutting Properly

The trimmer head is designed with a guard that has cutting blades on it to cut out the unwanted parts of the grass. However, with regular use, the cutting blade can get rough, resulting in inefficient cutting.

The only solution to this problem is to sharpen the blade with the blade file. On the other hand, if the blade seems damaged and has cuts, it’s suggested that you install a new blade.

8. The Head Doesn’t Stop Spinning

The clutch is responsible for handling the movement of the trimmer head, and if the head has gone out of control, there are chances that the clutch is damaged. This is because the clutch engages the trimmer’s clutch pads to spin the head.

So, if the clutch assembly gets damaged, the clutch won’t disengage and the trimmer head will keep spinning. The optimal solution is to replace your damaged clutch assembly.

Conclusion

Kobalt 80V is a feature-rich grass trimmer, but like other electrical equipment, it can lead to functionality issues but they can be resolved pretty easily. Knowing the potential problems can help you troubleshoot the unit to streamline its performance.

Also, this trimmer comes with a five-year warranty, so you can always get the repairs done for free.