Making sure you get the best out of your STIHL iMOW® is important to us whether you installed it yourself or it was installed by a STIHL Approved Dealer. That’s why we have a list of Frequently Asked Questions to help guide you through any questions you may have. If you still can’t find the answer and need more assistance, please consult the user manual supplied with your iMOW®, or contact the STIHL Customer Support team on 01276 20202 or by email to enquiries@stihl.co.uk
How do I know when my iMOW® robotic lawn mower should be serviced?
As soon as the annual service is due, a service message will be shown on the STIHL iMOW® display. Your nearest STIHL Approved Dealer will be able to service your iMOW® for you and you can find your nearest one here.
Does the STIHL iMOW® mow the lawn in the rain?
Yes, it can mow in the rain if you want it to, but it can damage the roots of your grass if you mow in the rain regularly. The iMOW® is fitted with a rain sensor and it’s up to you to choose how sensitive you want the sensor to be. You can set it so that the iMOW® continues working normally in the rain, or that it only mows in mainly dry conditions, depending on what suits you best.
What happens to the grass cuttings?
The STIHL iMOW® is a mulching mower, which means that the clippings are cut into fine pieces and dropped back into the lawn to act as a natural fertiliser, which will gradually improve your lawn over time. You can find out more about the benefits of mulching here.
My iMOW® does not mow after calling the commands “Start mowing” or “Start mowing with a time delay”. What can I do?
There are several possible causes of this.
| Possible cause | Remedy |
| iMOW® or smartphone do not have an internet connection
| Check the mobile signal at the top right of the smartphone and iMOW® display |
| Insufficient battery charge | Charge the battery by placing the iMOW® in the docking station. Always deactivate the iMOW® before picking it up |
| Rain detected
| Adjust the rain sensor setting to allow the iMOW® to mow in all weathers |
| 4 series: protective flap that covers the control display is not closed or missing 6 series: Control screen is not properly fitted in the iMOW® | Carefully fold the flap downwards and allow to engage
Insert the control screen. You will feel the unit click into place |
| A message is active on the iMOW® screen | iMOW® will not mow with a fault or information message present on screen. Address displayed fault and confirm message with “OK” to resume operation |
| Home call at the docking station has been activated | Home call stops any mowing in the current active time. Stop home call by pressing the button on the docking station twice again, alternatively wait for the iMOW® to dock and re-call the command |
Where can the docking station be positioned?
The STIHL iMOW® docking station should be positioned on a level area of ground near to the power socket, and ideally in a shaded location. We recommend not having any obstacles or no-go areas within 2m around the docking station.
The front of the dock must not be more than 8 cm higher or 2cm lower than the back and any unevenness under the ground plate should be levelled out so it is fully in contact with the ground. Never bend the ground plate either.
Metal, iron oxides and magnetic or electrically conductive materials as well as old perimeter wire installations can interfere with the mower’s operation. We recommend that you remove these sources of interference before positioning the iMOW®.
When do I have to change the mower blade?
The mowing blade on the iMOW® has a service life of 200 operating hours. At that time, a message will appear on the iMOW® display saying “Replace mower blade”. It is really important to pay attention to this message as a worn blade will reduce the quality of the cut. Your nearest STIHL Approved Dealer can replace the blade for you, but if you want to change it yourself, you can find instructions in this video.
Is it OK for people to be on the lawn whilst the iMOW® is mowing?
Although iMOW® features an impact sensor, you should not let the automatic mower work whilst animals or people (particularly children) are on the mowing surface. You can set your active mowing times on the iMOW® to avoid times when animals and people are likely to be on the lawn.
How can I find out the active mowing times?
You can find the active mowing times by going to the Main Menu, then Mowing Plan, then Active Times on the iMOW® display.
During active times, the robotic lawn mower is allowed to leave the docking station and mow the lawn at any time but it doesn’t mean that it will be mowing for that whole time. Mowing, charging and rest periods can all happen during the active times and the iMOW® automatically works out when it needs to mow over the available time windows.
How can I set the mowing duration in the STIHL iMOW® app?
To set the mowing duration in the iMOW® app, first select your iMOW® model in the overview. Then select “Smart” and then “Mowing duration”. Here, you can adapt the time according to growth or change the mowing duration manually.
The iMOW® is not receiving any GPS signal. What can I do?
There are several possible causes for this. Firstly, the connection to the satellite may still need to be established or there may be 3 or fewer satellites within range. If this is the case, it can take a few minutes to establish the connection so leave it a bit longer and it should connect.
It may also be that the iMOW® is in a dead spot. In rare cases a GPS signal is not possible, particularly in mountainous or hilly areas.
If my STIHL iMOW® encounters a problem will I receive a notification via the iMOW® app?
Any issues that affect the normal operation of the iMOW® are reported to the iMOW® app. After the message is sent, the robotic mower switches to standby and the mobile radio connection is disabled to preserve the life of the battery.
The impact sensor is not activated when my iMOW® hits an obstacle. What can I do?
It could be that the obstacle is low to the ground. If it has a height of less than 8cm, the impact sensor may not be activated. Alternatively, the obstacle may not be firmly attached to the ground. To fix this, you should either remove the obstacle completely or use perimeter wire to block it off as a no-go area.
What should I do if a “recommendation” appears on the status screen?
A recommendation will appear in the status screen alternately with the text “iMOW® ready for op”. If this happens, the iMOW® can still be used and the automatic operation continues. Recommendations either have the priority “Low” or “Info”.
What should I do if a “fault” occurs on the iMOW®?
Once you have acknowledged the fault on the display of your iMOW® robotic lawn mower, the iMOW® can continue working as normal, however you should take action to rectify the fault. Instructions will be given on the iMOW® display, alternatively consult the user manual for more information in remedying the fault.
What should I do if an error message appears?
If the text “Contact your specialist dealer” appears on the iMOW® display, this means there is a high priority error that needs to be fixed. It can only be operated again once the error has been rectified by a STIHL Approved dealer.
What should I do with my iMOW® in the winter?
During winter when the grass is no longer growing, the STIHL iMOW® does not need to mow the lawn and we recommend putting it into storage over winter. Low temperatures and extremes of weather can damage the electronics in the iMOW®. We recommend taking the following steps once the grass has stopped growing:
- Fully charge the iMOW® battery. This helps to extend the life of the battery.
- Turn off the automatic mowing schedule and make sure that the highest safety level is set. Activate the device lock by holding down the STOP button on your robotic lawn mower. You can also activate the device lock from the automatic mower menu. To do this, select the entry “Lock iMOW®” in the Commands menu item and confirm your selection with the OK button. This means that the device does not accidentally start on its own.
- If you own a C-model iMOW® (e.g. the STIHL RMI 632 PC), you should also activate the ECO energy mode ECO. This can be found on your iMOW® display under Settings > Energy Mode > ECO. When using ECO power mode, radio traffic is disabled during rest periods to save battery power. Note: If the ECO power mode is activated, your iMOW® can only be controlled with the iMOW® app during active times.
- Check the iMOW® for wear or damage. A STIHL Approved Dealer can also carry out the annual service now.
- Clean the iMOW® – you can find out more about caring for and cleaning your iMOW in our maintenance video here.
- Store in a dry and lockable room, such as your garage, where temperatures don’t fall below 5°C.
- Do not place items on the robotic lawn mower and store it in the normal position.
- The docking station can remain on the lawn during the winter, but we do recommend covering it to protect the electronics. To do this, disconnect the power supply from the power supply and store it in a cable box, for example. Place a suitable bucket or box over the station and fix it in place.
What security levels does the iMOW® offer?
The STIHL iMOW® robotic mower has 4 different security levels, which give different levels of protection:
- None: The iMOW® robotic lawn mower is unprotected
- Low: The anti-theft alarm is active. In this case, a PIN code must be entered to reset the machine to the default settings and to re-link the iMOW® and docking station.
- Medium: This gives the same protection as the “Low” level, but the time lock is also active. This means the PIN code will be required to make changes after a set time of inactivity.
- High: This gives the same protection as “Medium”, but all settings can only be changed following entry of the PIN code.
Is the iMOW® fitted with an anti-theft alarm?
Yes, it is. When the anti-theft alarm is activated, an alarm signal sounds one minute after the robotic mower is lifted. This can be prevented or stopped by entering the PIN code. C models also offer GPS protection. When GPS protection is activated, the owner of the machine is notified if the machine is operated outside the home area via SMS and e-mail. The PIN code is also requested on the display. We recommend always activating the GPS protection.
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