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2006 Seadoo Sportster 4Tec (155) One Long Beep (instead of two short beeps) when DESS keys put on DESS Post

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jeffreykujawa@windstream.

jeffreykujawa@windstream.

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I have a 2006 Seadoo Sportster with the 4Tec 155 hp engine. I probably put 20 hours on it this summer. So altogether it probably has 250 hours on it now. Its been running like a sewing machine. I have had the boat for about a year and it hasn't given me any problems until now. I was in the process of winterizing it this weekend. I changed the oil, oil filter, plugs and flushed the cooling system filling it with new coolant mix. Prior to changing the oil I ran it for about 30 seconds and pulled the DESS key off to kill the engine. While removing the oil I did disconnect the coil packs and spun the starter over for a few seconds to remove all the oil I could get (as per owners manual). I performed all the maintenance listed above just like I had done the year prior when I bought it. Now, when I place the DESS key on the DESS post I get one long beep and the starter button doesn't engage the starter. If I leave the dess key on I get 4 quick beeps after about 10 seconds which repeats (every 10 seconds) until I take the key off. I read the forums and tried many things. I have three DESS keys and tried them all with the same results. I checked all the fuses I could find to include the ones in the wiring harnesses, but no change. I pulled the DESS post and checked for continuity (thinking stuck reed switch) but it checked out. I pulled the push button starter switch and it also checked out. I pulled the neutral safety switch and it also checked out. I disconnected and reconnected any electrical plug I could find. The boat has never seen salt water and is in excellent condition. My next step would be to drag the boat to the shop where they can hook it up to the computer to see if there are any codes. Anybody have any ideas??? Did I do something wrong with my maintenance methods? Please help!!!
 
"If you have the single long beep verses the 2 short beeps, this signals that your lanyard is no longer being recognized by your DESS post and/or MPEM, EMS or ECU."

I found the above quote from another post and it makes the most sense to me...but how does that happen??? How is it possible that my DESS keys are no longer keyed to the computer???

If I don't receive any ideas on here I'll have to take it to a Seadoo dealer and have em slap it on the computer to see if there are any codes or confirm the keys are no longer recognized by the computer. In any event, I will post the solution once I get it sorted out.
 
The thing is, I always have that long beep. I might get the four beeps right after I connect the DESS to the post maybe 8-9 times. Each time, I struggle with the key, rotate it around the post, wiggle it from side to side and disconnect it. Then, I reconnect the stupid thing and voilà, I get the two beeps…. Doesn’t feel right to me that this should be so random. It isn’t that I mind playing with it so much, but i’m afraid that one day, when I just landed on a beach to chill, the seadoo won’t start again when I want to ride back home.
 
This problem was the reason I bought a Candoo scanner. With its purchase you get access to their forums, which has lots of trouble shooting tips. Now this is for my 07 Speedster 155 NA. The one beep would happen once in awhile when starting (or not starting), then progressed to shutting down while operating going to the one beep error. The consensus on the Candoo forums was in this order:
Check for corrosion in all the plug/jacks
Lanyard
DESS post
VCM module
ECM module
The wiring was easy to check, I pulled the entire wiring harness out of the boat and cleaned and greased everything. I have several keys and they all did it. The DESS post OHM'd correctly. On my boat the DESS goes through the VCM (behind the dash) I thought for sure that was the problem, wrong. That cost a pretty penny. Was my VCM. The only error the Candoo noted was 12 volt low on the DESS. This was 2 years ago and after I changed the VCM the boat works prefect. It was expense to fix.
 
Before I would buy any parts I would clean the wiring/OHM the DESS post. If the problem persists I would then have it scanned.
 
Saltie said:
The thing is, I always have that long beep. I might get the four beeps right after I connect the DESS to the post maybe 8-9 times. Each time, I struggle with the key, rotate it around the post, wiggle it from side to side and disconnect it. Then, I reconnect the stupid thing and voilà, I get the two beeps…. Doesn’t feel right to me that this should be so random. It isn’t that I mind playing with it so much, but i’m afraid that one day, when I just landed on a beach to chill, the seadoo won’t start again when I want to ride back home.
Click to expand...

Mister Magoo said:
Before I would buy any parts I would clean the wiring/OHM the DESS post. If the problem persists I would then have it scanned.
Click to expand...
That's exactly what I have planned to do...I just don't get it...pulled the DESS key off to kill the engine and then all this started...glad I wasn't on the water! I really enjoy that little boat, so I try and take care of it...
 
make sure you don't have a dime jammed in the dess key and sand the post with fine sand paper (tip and ring)
 
No, no dime in the DESS key... The battery is less than a year old and I keep it charged with a battery tender when not in use. I have three keys and all of them result in the same symptoms. I have to work all weekend but I'll be able to mess with the boat Monday or Tuesday...plan on cleaning all connectors & grounds and will report back afterwards...I appreciate all the ideas...feel free to keep any suggestions coming!
 
So I spent today cleaning all electrical connectors, cleaning ground connectors, checking fuses again and also tested DESS post again...same symptoms...one long beep....uugghhh...I found the same three inline fuses by the battery, two in-line fuses by the starter solenoid and the rest are in the two computer boxes...did I miss any? I guess I'm going to have to take it to the Seadoo shop and see if the computer can tell me anything...I appreciate the past suggestions...
 
So I received the replacement 3-wire DESS post from Nick three days after I ordered it! I haven't had any time until today to mess with the boat. I installed the replacement DESS post and same symptoms with all three keys...ok, time to move on to the next possible culprit...the ECU and the MPEM...will call Nick tomorrow and send them to him this week...to see what they can tell him...
 
Spoke with Nick and he offered to refund me back the cost of the DESS post, if I send it back with the ECU and keys for testing, since that wasn't the issue. He didn't have to do that...now that is customer service! We just rotated to working nights and I've only had one day off at a time here recently, so I am just about ready to send Nick my ECU and Keys for testing....
 
So I sent my keys and ECU to Nick at Westside Power Sports in MN. The package was delivered on Wednesday afternoon and he called me Thursday morning! I don't think the man sleeps! He tested the ECU and told me it was operating as it should. He did say that there were some codes thrown but nothing major... Nothing that would manifest the issue I'm experiencing. As accommodating as Nick is, he asked me to send my MPEM and the other black box to him. He is going to wire them into a harness to test them and see if they are working. He said that he has been meaning to set up a harness for just this reason, as he gets a few cases like mine every year and wants to have the ability to test them for correct operation. I will probably wind up sending them tomorrow. He said it may be a few weeks until he gets the time to set up the harness but boating season is over for me at the moment anyway. So it may be a few weeks before I post on this thread again. I'm working nights now and all of the above was the best recollection I have of our conversation that morning.
 
So I received my ECM and the two fuse blocks back from Nick. He had tested the ECM and said it was working fine and the three DESS keys were still linked to the ECM. So now I suspect that my issue is with one of the fuse blocks (the manual refers to them as fuse blocks not as MPEMs) I sent him. He wasn't able to test those anytime soon so I had him send them back to me. I reinstalled everything again and still have the same problem. I went through and replaced all the fuses and tested them with a multimeter and they all check out fine. I then located the engine ground points at the front of the engine and cleaned up all the connections. That was a sight to be seen fitting my 260 pound big ass in that engine compartment so I could see what I was doing. I am still recuperating from that task. Nick sent me a different DESS post which I swapped out and still no change. I have conceded defeat and will take it to a shop here in Macon Georgia (D&A Cycles) to have them see if the can fix my issue. It has to be one of the fuse blocks. I am guessing its the fuse block in the engine compartment but we shall see. I will post the solution once I get it figured out. Gotta get this bad boy running again cause my boating partner bought a new bikini!!!
 
Assuming you disconeccted the battery a million times by now. The funny thing my08 155ski did when I unhook the plugs to crank it over to check for spark , the display would no longer work, and it wouldn't start. It didn't like having the plugs just hanging to check for spark. I was in a panic because I just bought it , first day, and I thought I messed up the computer checking the plugs for spark because it had a miss firing plug. So I disconnect the batt. for a few minutes, hooked it back up, and everything was fine, it started, and I had my display back, Whew.
 
I have disconnected the battery a lot while working on my boat. I even grounded the two power cables together to possibly drain any capacitors that might be in the system. Still no luck. I dropped off the boat at D&A Cycles this afternoon and spoke with the owner. He appeared very knowledgeable about the SeaDoos. He told me it would be about three weeks before they could get to it but seemed confident that he would get it back in working order again. The only thing that I can think that might have caused the whole issue was when I was cranking over the engine with the spark plug coil packs disconnected while doing an oil change. I have been told by a few people that they didn't think that would harm anything. Hopefully in three weeks I'll have the solution and post it here to help anybody else with the same issue.
 
I work on cars for a living, and the only other thing I've seen is when a plug gets re connected, one of the pins get bent over inside the plug, and you didn't see it. Maybe that could explain why it checked out ok when you send the ecu to be checked, maybe a pin on the harness, or coil pack is bent? Or maybe the coil pack wire got messed up in the plug itself.
 
So I just got my boat back today from D & A Cycles in Macon, Georgia and its back in working order. They had to replace the ECU...and we know those aren't cheap! I am guessing that I somehow damaged the ECU when I had the wires disconnected from the plug coils. I was changing the oil and cranking over the engine to get as much oil out as I could. The manual says to manually manipulate the throttle body to full open which will put the system into "drown mode" thereby not allowing the plugs to fire and start the engine. I didn't do this but had disconnected the connectors to the coils. I am guessing this resulted in the damaged ECU...someone smarter than me might be able to chime in and prove or disprove that theory. Maybe by posting this I can prevent someone from having an an unnecessary expense. Anyway, I'm back on the water!!!
 
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