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Yamaha digital gauges not working

Discussion in 'Technical Discussion' started by Rdl65, Jun 3, 2016.

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  1. Rdl65

    Rdl65 New Member

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    I have a 1996 Yamaha 115, the tach and speed digital gauges don't work. I turn key on and both gauges are blank.
  2. Pascal

    Pascal Senior Member

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    Well start by checking for power to the gauges. Chance are a wire got loose or corroded. Unlikely they both failed at th same time
  3. Norseman

    Norseman Senior Member

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    Same thing happened to me yesterday: All 3 Yamaha gauges are blank.
    (Engines started right up however, display only problem)

    Dealer says there is an inline fuse under the dash for gauge power.
    Been searching, did not find it yet. Too much wire spaghetti and laying on the floor looking up into a small opening with a flash light in my mouth gets old really fast.
    Also a bunch of snap on connectors in the hole, will check each one today, last trip on the boat was a rough crossing from the Bahamas, maybe something got knocked loose, in addition to my teeth fillings. :eek:
  4. Rdl65

    Rdl65 New Member

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    What color wire is the power,I have a yellow and red coming off switch up to the gauges
  5. Norseman

    Norseman Senior Member

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    Looks like yellow on the picture I got.
    Let me know if you find an in-line fuse..?
  6. HaveADay

    HaveADay Member

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    Check your ground too. I recently had a similar issue in my dinghy with an F25 on it that turned out to be bad ground to the gauges.
  7. Fishtigua

    Fishtigua Senior Member

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    Yam and Suzuki fuses are sometimes at the battery power end of the loom.
  8. Rdl65

    Rdl65 New Member

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    I will check power and ground,thanks
  9. Norseman

    Norseman Senior Member

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    Found the fuse holder and fuse as directed by the Service Manager at my dealer.
    The fuse checks ok and I measured 12.75 Volts going to the fuse holder on the hot side. (Unable to check the other side, too tight up there)
    Either a grounding problem or a loose connection on the load side.
    Will let the tech come and fix it Monday, boat and motors under warranty, too much troubleshooting cuts into my beer time. :cool:
  10. Norseman

    Norseman Senior Member

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    Not a fuse problem.
    Service tech came this morning and concluded all 3 gauges had gone bad.
    Must be a corrosion problem or a power spike problem then...?
    (I did get a bunch of salt water over the dash 4 weeks ago, freak wave, but one should think boat gauges would be splash proof and made for boats not for a country kitchen:rolleyes:)

    So, he went looking for new gauges, is the engine info, hours, fuel burn, etc stored in the gauges, OR in a little central control box somewhere?
  11. Fishtigua

    Fishtigua Senior Member

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    It should be stored on your ECM on the engine.
  12. Norseman

    Norseman Senior Member

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    Cool thx.

    New gauges on order.
    Tried to hook up Yamaha to Garmin in the meantime as my Garmin 1040 has a "Gauge Page", but no cigar. Something is wrong downline.. image.jpeg
  13. olderboater

    olderboater Senior Member

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    All three at the same time? If so, then he should have identified why or it would just happen again. Seems to me it's far more likely it's something other than the gauges themselves. Guess replacing them will be the proof.
  14. Norseman

    Norseman Senior Member

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    Yup, agreed.
    They can't believe all 3 gauges went bad, but there is power coming to the gauges. The dealer found 1 gauge on the shelf and plugged it in on my boat.
    It works but not with full info.
    They are scratching their heads.
    Not my problem, full warranty but I was thinking Bimini this Friday, hopefully they get it sorted out before then. Not going across on partial panel.
  15. Capt J

    Capt J Senior Member

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    Sounds like a ground issue or a harness issue.
  16. olderboater

    olderboater Senior Member

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    So actually is your problem since it might cancel your trip.
  17. HaveADay

    HaveADay Member

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    Yep, still betting bad ground.
  18. Norseman

    Norseman Senior Member

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    Yeah, kind of..

    Problem found and repaired:
    Not only was all 3 Yamaha gauges dead, but so was both Electronic Control Units.
    Only two things could have caused the mayhem according to Yamaha: Lightning strike or batteries hooked up wrong.
    No work on the batteries since March, nor any lighting strike, that I know about anyways..:oops:

    No Bimini trip Friday, my co-pilot chickened out due to rainy forecast.
    Too lazy and too social to go solo.
    (Will re-consider if any Yachtforums bikini girl (s) want to go for a good time on a short notice. :D)