The cursed BEEP - no motor start

[MVPeterP]

So, i take the family out on my first run with my "new to me" boat. go ripping around the lake, stop for a snack, then i put he lanyard back on and....BEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEP........engine wont turn over. No warning lights came on (engine/fuel/etc - typical dash icons).

so now i know what getting a tow back to the dock feels like, i have read up and it says my DESS Key is probably the issue.

Is this something i can just get a key reprogrammed, or do i have to take the boat in as well?

Are there any other simple things i can do before taking it into the dealer in case its a simple fix?

The battery posts, the DESS Key, and the little knob it clicks on its all clean. i checked some of the quick connects to see if that was the issue and it was all good.

The dealership is closed today, and thought i would try a few other things by suggestion on here before i go tomorrow. I will also be buying multiple keys if they will let me .

thanks for any/all unput.

-Peter-

 

[Coastiejoe]

So, i take the family out on my first run with my "new to me" boat. go ripping around the lake, stop for a snack, then i put he lanyard back on and....BEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEP........engine wont turn over. No warning lights came on (engine/fuel/etc - typical dash icons).

so now i know what getting a tow back to the dock feels like, i have read up and it says my DESS Key is probably the issue.

Is this something i can just get a key reprogrammed, or do i have to take the boat in as well?

Are there any other simple things i can do before taking it into the dealer in case its a simple fix?

The battery posts, the DESS Key, and the little knob it clicks on its all clean. i checked some of the quick connects to see if that was the issue and it was all good.

The dealership is closed today, and thought i would try a few other things by suggestion on here before i go tomorrow. I will also be buying multiple keys if they will let me .

thanks for any/all unput.

-Peter-

Generally speaking, a LONG beep is a loss of communication from the lanyard to the MPEM. You can not program it yourself. Either take the boat or the MPEM and the lanyard (you need the lanyard and the MPEM to program a key).

You will want to check all connections especially the grounds. If you have a poor connection or weak voltage it is not uncommon for the MPEM, DESS and other modules to have issues.

 

[MVPeterP]

Thanks!!! odd thing, i go to the boat today, and i get the normal 2 beeps. the issue seems intermittent. which now concerns me. if it works, you cant trouble shoot it very easy as there is nothing to "tweak" to see if it got better.

I will be taking it out again this week for another test run.

Any ideas what would do that? when it was in the water, it had issues, out of the water, i can get it to work no problem. (only my kid can get the single beep, but i think its from her pushing it on really slow).

i quickly checked the connections on the power and see no dirt or anything.

I havent checked the battery levels, but on my GPS/Sonar it has a 12V reading, so i assume the power out is fine....

any other ideas?

 

[MVPeterP]

update:

did power check on the battery, running 12.6V as it should be.

my dealer said that sometimes if its a little low, and it gets hot, the Voltage can drop enough to cause a false reading on the key (computer cant process it properly). anyways, ive tested a bunch of times (20+ times) and no issues now. *shrug*.

so, once the weather is nicer, i will put a trickle charger on the battery to ensure its "topped up", and will hopefully run it this weekend on another test, pending my thru hull installation....thats a different gongshow. LOL.

 

[Coastiejoe]

Do you have two lanyards or just one?

If just one, you should get a second as it may save you a tow one day...

So if it all goes well all through summer, I suggest you pull your MPEM and send your lanyard to [MENTION=41828]Minnetonka4me[/MENTION] and get a second lanyard.

 

[speedster32940]

Just a thought, but a few times when I have gotten a long beep when installing the lanyard, I just pull it off and re-set it, and all was well with the typical ok beeps.

 

[MVPeterP]

Just a thought, but a few times when I have gotten a long beep when installing the lanyard, I just pull it off and re-set it, and all was well with the typical ok beeps.

i have done that with no problems before as well. for some reason, i tried to reset it about 30+ times and resulted in needing a tow in. I am probably going to install a second battery just in case. not right away, later in the season. I will just keep about 40-50 bucks on me just in case. haha.

I am going to look at getting a second lanyard, just in case that is indeed the issue.

thanks for the input guys! really appreciate it!

 

[MVPeterP]

Generally speaking, a LONG beep is a loss of communication from the lanyard to the MPEM. You can not program it yourself. Either take the boat or the MPEM and the lanyard (you need the lanyard and the MPEM to program a key).

You will want to check all connections especially the grounds. If you have a poor connection or weak voltage it is not uncommon for the MPEM, DESS and other modules to have issues.

it seems to only happen after i have driven around for some time. I just took it out again, drove it around, came back to my dock space to test (wasnt gonna be dead inthe middle of the lake again) and sure enough. long beep.

i checked connections, and i have a meter with me, and connections were good, and after it failed, still put out 12.6V. dealer thought maybe battery got hot, but it was cool to the touch.

only thing i can think of is something to do with the DESS/MPEM.

 

[Coastiejoe]

Sounds like a component is getting hot and failing. DESS. Is much cheaper than an MPEM


Repairing and selling iPads, iPhones and Mini iPads.

 

[MVPeterP]

Sounds like a component is getting hot and failing. DESS. Is much cheaper than an MPEM


Repairing and selling iPads, iPhones and Mini iPads.

thats what i am thinking. i might pull the MPEM and get a key programmed, and this one reprogrammed...if that doesn't do it....MPEM i guess.

 

[MVPeterP]

Sounds like a component is getting hot and failing. DESS. Is much cheaper than an MPEM

so i replaced the battery, it worked. twice! then it failed. I checked the Voltage when i left yesterday after 2 runs, and it was at 13V. i came today, its barely at 12. there was no rain or anything to kick on the bilge, and no water inside to trip it of in the first place.

so its going in Tuesday for a diagnostic run to see wtf is the problem. i am charging my old battery hoping to get the boat to start so i can drive it over to the launch space, rather then paddle the 200 yards or so...

oh well. i will keep updated, just in case someone else comes across this disaster.

 

[cheappc]

Though this may not be your problem, and it may not solve your problem, the very first time I took My Speedster out on the lake, the same thing happened to me.. I was so mad, thankfully I had my manual with me, and it said it could be my lanyard key, it could be dirty and it could not be seated correctly, as we'll to make sure I am in neutral.

Funny now it happens to me sometimes, I clean out my key, make extra sure I'm in neutral and voila always works.

Don't spend too much money, get another key first, it could be as simple as that.

 

[Chakane]

I have to agree with cheappc. Whenever my speedster plays up it's because it isn't in neutral. It may look like it but a bit of moving the shift lever around, rest the lanyard and away I go without fail.

 

[MVPeterP]

I have to agree with cheappc. Whenever my speedster plays up it's because it isn't in neutral. It may look like it but a bit of moving the shift lever around, rest the lanyard and away I go without fail.

i have to admit, that i didnt think of that until about the 6th attempt of trying to fix it. Yesterday when i pulled it out, that was when it occured to me, that the neutral might be the issue. I tried resetting quite a few times and it unfortunately didnt resolve the issue.

That being said, it is good to know that this has caused the issue for a few people, and i will try that method again should this situation occur. Right now, my local dealership is working on trying to contact the one in Winnipeg (ENNs Brothers), and getting what seems to be the run around.

crossing my fingers. Im still hoping that maybe it was just some neutral issue, and maybe it is an easier fix. (I HOPE!!!)

thanks for the responses!

-Peter-

 

[MVPeterP]

so, its at the dealer, they were able to get it to reproduce the issue. looks like its either electrical connections, or the harness....

will be in for more work on Tues/Weds.

 

[Chakane]

Great news. My luck the thing would have performed flawlessly and they would have been looking at me like 'what the??'. At least they got to see how it was playing up and can do something about it.

 

[cheappc]

Great news. My luck the thing would have performed flawlessly and they would have been looking at me like 'what the??'. At least they got to see how it was playing up and can do something about it.

What happened?

 

[Chakane]

Mine was only the neutral issue. I was saying my luck would be that the thing would have performed flawlessly if I took it to the dealers

 

[GAlivin]

Sounds like the DESS key POST has gone bad. This happened to me, (although my beep was not functioning). I replaced the post after chasing the theory of a bad DESS key. I have not had the problem since (3yrs ago).

 

[MVPeterP]

Sounds like the DESS key POST has gone bad. This happened to me, (although my beep was not functioning). I replaced the post after chasing the theory of a bad DESS key. I have not had the problem since (3yrs ago).

seems that was the issue. They ended up replacing about 4" of wire or so (not entire post). They also left some stripped wire for me to be able to jump, YES JUMP START IT! so if i get stranded over the next week or so, i will be able to jump it and get back.

So far, i took a 1.5 hour return ride to the North end of my lake and back, checked to see if it would recognize it again, and it did!!! its raining today, so i will probably try it again tomorrow or early next week. I also have 3 keys now (more for if i loose one, or go to the lake without one).

it seems resolved. totally had dealer confused, and they didnt want to replace the module for no reason.

props to my local Seadoo Dealer!!!!

-Peter-

PS: thanks for all your guys input and suggestions!!! was able to help me work with the dealer to solve issues....or at least i didnt look stupid when i talked to them. HAHA> :thumbsup:

 

[Floridan surfer]

seems that was the issue. They ended up replacing about 4" of wire or so (not entire post). They also left some stripped wire for me to be able to jump, YES JUMP START IT! so if i get stranded over the next week or so, i will be able to jump it> :thumbsup:

Could you elaborate on this a little? Maybe post a pic of the wires they replaced and the jumpstart wires you are referring to.

 

[MVPeterP]

Could you elaborate on this a little? Maybe post a pic of the wires they replaced and the jumpstart wires you are referring to.

will do. the weather is crap right now, and im heading out of town Weds, but if the weather warms up tomorrow, ill grab pics for ya for sure!

-Peter-

 

[MVPeterP]

Could you elaborate on this a little? Maybe post a pic of the wires they replaced and the jumpstart wires you are referring to.

i finally got the pics. The jump allows the system to recognize the key. its not a hotwire without the security, just tricks it into reading the key.

 

[Floridan surfer]

Thanks for posting the pics.

I'd really like to do this jumper wire hack for a failsafe should I ever run into this problem. The problem, I don't recognize the wires from the pics. What year and model is your boat? So is using this jumper wire the equivalent to installing the key?