Ryobi Ryobi RY401018 40V 20 in. Brushless Push Mower BLADE STOPS Error Fix: Blade Stops Spinning in Thick Grass

Error code BLADE STOPS on the Ryobi Ryobi RY401018 40V 20 in. Brushless Push Mower means: Blade Stops Spinning in Thick Grass. The mower blade slows down and stops when entering thick or tall grass, even though the motor continues running briefly before overload protection shuts it down. This is a common experience with battery-powered mowers when the grass is very thick, wet, or overgrown. Solutions: Raise the cutting height — mow tall grass in two passes, taking the top half first at a higher setting, then lowering the deck for the second pass. Mow when the grass is dry — wet grass clumps and creates significantly more resistance. Slow your walking pace — moving too fast pushes more grass into the blade than the motor can handle. Keep the blade sharp — a dull blade requires more energy to cut and is more likely to cause the motor to overload. Using a higher-capacity battery (6.0Ah or higher) provides more sustained current delivery and can reduce stalling. If the blade stops under normal conditions (dry grass at standard cutting height), the blade may be damaged, the motor may be failing, or the battery cannot deliver adequate current — try a different battery first.

The most successful fix is "Replace Damaged Blade or Test Motor and Battery" (medium difficulty, ~45 minutes). Estimated DIY cost: $20-$40. HomeMD has 2 community-ranked fixes for this error.

This error is rated warning severity. It is generally not urgent and can often be resolved with a simple DIY fix.

Yes — the top-ranked community fix ("Replace Damaged Blade or Test Motor and Battery") is rated medium difficulty and takes about 45 minutes. Tools needed: Wrench, Multimeter, Torque wrench.

DIY cost: $20-$40. Professional repair typically costs $150-$220. Many homeowners save money by trying the top-ranked community fix first.

The Ryobi Ryobi RY401018 40V 20 in. Brushless Push Mower has 8 other known error codes, including: BATT ALL BLINK (Battery Fault — All 4 LEDs Blinking), BATT COLD (Battery Too Cold to Operate or Charge), BATT DEPLETED (Battery Fully Depleted — No LEDs Lit), BATT OVERHEAT (Battery Over-Temperature — Tool Shuts Down), CHARGER RED-GREEN (Charger Alternating Red/Green — Defective Battery), and 3 more.

Error code BLADE STOPS also appears on 1 other Ryobi model: Ryobi RY401110 40V HP Brushless 21 in. CrossCut Push Mower. The fix may vary by model, so check each model's specific page for tailored repair steps.