# Mercury... Beware - they could care less...



## iFishy (Mar 31, 2014)

Have an issue with part of the propulsion & control system (I'm being careful here).

I won't name dealer.

Been having the problem for a month or so, with many calls to them (dealer) -* I *finally figured it out last week and called the dealer. They say they are waiting for the troubleshooting / repair steps from Mercury - they say Merc has no clue...

I called Mercury customer service, they said the only option is to work with dealer where I bought it or go somewhere else. They have no "ombudsman" nor could care less...

If I go to another dealer where I didn't buy it - been there done that - its May...

So, I'm kinda screwed here and pissed for what I paid, I really can't fish with the way it is. If they see this, they will know who I am and the issue - but I'm pissed.

AnyOne recommend a really good outboard shop? I had GREAT service from Trouts for a I/O...


----------



## Bottomfeeder (Jan 1, 2006)

iFishy said:


> Have an issue with part of the propulsion & control system (I'm being careful here).
> 
> I won't name dealer.
> 
> ...




Took my 1986 75HP to Damark for a new stator and switch box, was very satisfied with their customer service and repair.
Hope it's not who you have been dealing with.
Good luck.


----------



## iFishy (Mar 31, 2014)

I've dealt with Damark for a Yammy - very - very happy...


----------



## bowhunter426 (Oct 20, 2010)

Problem with DTS?


----------



## Quack attack (Nov 9, 2015)

Personalized Marine Maintenance. (313)838-8387
They perform mercury warranty repairs and have all the equipment needed to perform any repair. They also are very quick about getting you back on the water. Good luck.


----------



## Hot Bite (Aug 25, 2012)

Boaters value. Duane. He is busy though.


----------



## Lago (Nov 8, 2015)

In my neck of the woods (Just south of the border) there's Brenner marine. They are merc guys. 419 729 1676


----------



## scubajay (Jun 9, 2003)

"Mercury... Beware - they could care less..." 

Look at the bright side, at least you're not getting their worst care.


----------



## bullpup (May 23, 2013)

Damark in Gibraltar gets my vote.


----------



## tonya (Jan 12, 2017)

So what's wrong with the motor, your post is very vague. ...


----------



## iFishy (Mar 31, 2014)

tonya said:


> So what's wrong with the motor, your post is very vague. ...


Power steering pump runs continuously draining the "house" battery which in turn means no power steering - that 250 with only manual steering trying to dock in the wind or a busy launch is a real workout. 



Quack attack said:


> Personalized Marine Maintenance. (313)838-8387
> They perform mercury warranty repairs and have all the equipment needed to perform any repair. They also are very quick about getting you back on the water. Good luck.


Thanks - I'm guessing he's a mobile guy - I'll give him a call later today.



bullpup said:


> Damark in Gibraltar gets my vote.


Are they Merc certified? I'll call later on and talk to them - I would go there with out hesitation based on my past experience.

Thanks everyone


----------



## steveh27 (Oct 23, 2000)

I use Michigan Marine Gear, St Clair Shores.


----------



## tonya (Jan 12, 2017)

I'm still confused, you're saying mercury could care less! yet you have talked with them on the phone and they are working with the dealer where you bought it to resolve the issue?!?


----------



## iFishy (Mar 31, 2014)

tonya said:


> I'm still confused, you're saying mercury could care less! yet you have talked with them on the phone and they are working with the dealer where you bought it to resolve the issue?!?


They are not... Dealer says Merc is giving him the run around, Merc says the last contact was 3/29 - someone isn't telling the truth. Mercury said my only options were to go somewhere else or use this guy. I asked if there was a customer ombudsman or anything to get this figured out or escalate, nope - talk to your dealer and that was it.


----------



## OUTFISHED (Apr 28, 2018)

I feel bad for you, I bought a new boat motor and trailer this year, I must say I was a little nervous due to "new tech" not being user friendly to the back yard mechanic. I had my last boat, a Lund Tyee, Evinrude powered for 22 years with no serious issues. Good luck iFishy!


----------



## sullyxlh (Oct 28, 2004)

Warranty issue?

If your having issues with your dealer I wouldn't be so quick to berate Merc over it.


----------



## iFishy (Mar 31, 2014)

sullyxlh said:


> Warranty issue?
> 
> If your having issues with your dealer I wouldn't be so quick to berate Merc over it.


Yes, warranty issues.. When the dealer is telling me merc is giving him the run around and merc is saying he hasn't contacted them - someone isn't telling the truth. Bottom line, mercury has their name on the engine and needs to either work better with their dealer network or make sure they have a dealer network that represents them to what ever standard they feel should represent Mercury Marine.


----------



## tonya (Jan 12, 2017)

Sounds like the dealer is to blame, not mercury. And it sucks being that dealers are busy right now. I highly recommend northbay marine in Fairhaven. Michigan marine gear is ok. Duane is great at boaters value. There's a great mercury forum on bassboat central, I will post a link for you. I am assuming you have a verado?!?


----------



## tonya (Jan 12, 2017)

http://www.bbcboards.net/forumdisplay.php?f=203


----------



## Slimshady (Apr 4, 2002)

scubajay said:


> "Mercury... Beware - they could care less..."
> 
> Look at the bright side, at least you're not getting their worst care.


LOL. That is one of my pet peeves as well. ... No, they COULDN’T, care less. Most people say it wrong. 

Others on the list:

Irregardless 
Anyways
Aks
“In the rears”. Vs “in arrears”, as in payment 
“I’m so over it”, then they keep complaining about it for another 30 mins. No you may be “sick of it”, but certainly not “over it”.

Others?


----------



## tonya (Jan 12, 2017)

Looking for "advise" 
Center "council"
"Chime" walk
Blah, blah, blah....


----------



## Gradyfish (Jan 30, 2015)

Slimshady said:


> LOL. That is one of my pet peeves as well. ... No, they COULDN’T, care less. Most people say it wrong.
> 
> Others on the list:
> 
> ...


Breast Bay, Bowls Harbor, Luna Peir, Stoney Point.


----------



## sullyxlh (Oct 28, 2004)

iFishy said:


> ...I won't name dealer...


Ok without dropping names, would it be a dealer on the east side of Tele south of Goddard and north of Northline?..


----------



## Lago (Nov 8, 2015)

I don't think the normal every day guy knows what the marina/dealership guys go through in the spring. They've got you, and every other guy that hasn't looked at their boat since november, going in and needing service. Tis the season to shake down the problems and get em fixed just like every other person that owns a boat.


----------



## tonya (Jan 12, 2017)

That doesn't make it right for a dealer to flat out lie to a customer....


----------



## SBE (Oct 15, 2004)

I had always taken my Mercury Optimax to John at Trouts Marina and when I need something done on my Verado I will take that to him. He has been around a long time and he knows his stuff.


----------



## jbaandm (Feb 7, 2014)

scubajay said:


> "Mercury... Beware - they could care less..."
> 
> Look at the bright side, at least you're not getting their worst care.


Classic


----------



## marty59 (Jul 17, 2007)

Remember there is a special "Verado" certification for mercury mechanics. NOT all mercury mechanics are Verado certified!

Marty


----------



## piketroller (Oct 24, 2016)

Gradyfish said:


> Breast Bay, Bowls Harbor, Luna Peir, Stoney Point.


That Breast Bay sounds like a fantastic place. Anyone know how to get there? I’m guessing it must be a bit north of the Hot Hole?


----------



## Willie Tippit (Mar 4, 2007)

THIS TO ME IS SIMPLE Find NEW DEALER YOUR DEALER SUCKS ASS


----------



## Big Kahuna59 (Jan 28, 2013)

iFishy said:


> Power steering pump runs continuously draining the "house" battery which in turn means no power steering - that 250 with only manual steering trying to dock in the wind or a busy launch is a real workout.
> 
> 
> Thanks - I'm guessing he's a mobile guy - I'll give him a call later today.
> ...


not an outboard guy but sounds like a relay is sticking or a bad sensor jmo


----------



## Sharkbait11 (Apr 7, 2017)

Big Kahuna59 said:


> not an outboard guy but sounds like a relay is sticking or a bad sensor jmo


Thats what I was thinking but the dealer should be able to handle that easily. 

Sucks to hear the boat is out of commission hope you get er fixed soon!


----------



## iFishy (Mar 31, 2014)

Big Kahuna59 said:


> not an outboard guy but sounds like a relay is sticking or a bad sensor jmo





Sharkbait11 said:


> Thats what I was thinking but the dealer should be able to handle that easily.
> 
> Sucks to hear the boat is out of commission hope you get er fixed soon!


Yea, you would think - but he keeps saying there is no troubleshooting protocol and they are waiting for one from Merc.


----------



## Shoeman (Aug 26, 2000)

Not sure why anyone buys into the Mercury thing, although with many boats you’re stuck with the brand!

Whaler is a prime example. Awesome boat.... but with a welfare motor......


----------



## knowhowiroll (Mar 30, 2007)

Quack attack said:


> Personalized Marine Maintenance. (313)838-8387
> They perform mercury warranty repairs and have all the equipment needed to perform any repair. They also are very quick about getting you back on the water. Good luck.



This. Bill and Dave are some good ole boys. Been using them for years when I can't do it myself due to to time constraints or software issues where it is propriatary. He has a full machine shop and is very adept at marine service.


----------



## Gradyfish (Jan 30, 2015)

iFishy said:


> Yea, you would think - but he keeps saying there is no troubleshooting protocol and they are waiting for one from Merc.


I would call that incompetent, problems like this are exactly why the service manual has a complete wiring diagram in them. It is really not that tough if the tech has a clue.
I’d bet the control circuit has a relay that is ground side switched, a few simple tests and they could narrow it down.
Most places just won’t pay a decent wage for a skilled tech. And then they blame the OEM for the problem. 
If I read your description correctly, it was fine in the past but not now. If this is the case, now there is a power supplied that wasn’t before or very possible a ground and a simple examination of the schematic would tell them which direction to pursue. 
The very first part of the puzzle is to listen to the customer and narrow the search. Was it good last year and now this spring it’s not? Was anything added or modified over the winter? Could easily be that something has rubbed thru a ground and turned on the relay.


----------



## iFishy (Mar 31, 2014)

Gradyfish said:


> I would call that incompetent, problems like this are exactly why the service manual has a complete wiring diagram in them. It is really not that tough if the tech has a clue.
> I’d bet the control circuit has a relay that is ground side switched, a few simple tests and they could narrow it down.
> Most places just won’t pay a decent wage for a skilled tech. And then they blame the OEM for the problem.
> If I read your description correctly, it was fine in the past but not now. If this is the case, now there is a power supplied that wasn’t before or very possible a ground and a simple examination of the schematic would tell them which direction to pursue.
> The very first part of the puzzle is to listen to the customer and narrow the search. Was it good last year and now this spring it’s not? Was anything added or modified over the winter? Could easily be that something has rubbed thru a ground and turned on the relay.


Let me start by saying, I'm pretty mechanically dis-inclined 

That being said, I did have an issue last year (sharkbait11 - remember the jump at the dock?) where my battery would die before each trip and the main engine would need to be jumped - I started carrying a jump box. I reported this several times to dealer - they got it in and "figured" out the battery isolation was wrong prior to the season starting. They even replaced the AGM battery which is the "house" battery. Again, I don't claim to know much, but at this point, my guess is that because both batteries were wired together it masked the real issue where the pump was continuously running - the pump is really quiet and it was a fluke that I was able to hear it while trolling and then confirm via feeling the hose. You talking about a ground side wire - I was hooking up the charger after my last trip and noticed a ground that wasn't connected - I have no way of testing if this was it - but I put it back in place, figured it had to be hooked up either way - I can't get out until the 18th due to a move. The wiring in that battery compartment is a complete CLUSTER - I had asked the dealer to put in a bus bar at my expense, but they didn't for what ever reason.

My real point with this thread is this - if Mercury (or any manufacturer) really cared about its customers (me), they would have a mechanism in place to deal with these kinds of situations - Mercury doesn't. I don't know how or if others do - but you really don't have to look too hard to find Mercury bashing and Honda / Yammy adulation. If this is the business model they have chosen, that's fine, but the reputation in theirs to lose.


----------



## bowhunter426 (Oct 20, 2010)

iFishy said:


> Let me start by saying, I'm pretty mechanically dis-inclined
> 
> That being said, I did have an issue last year (sharkbait11 - remember the jump at the dock?) where my battery would die before each trip and the main engine would need to be jumped - I started carrying a jump box. I reported this several times to dealer - they got it in and "figured" out the battery isolation was wrong prior to the season starting. They even replaced the AGM battery which is the "house" battery. Again, I don't claim to know much, but at this point, my guess is that because both batteries were wired together it masked the real issue where the pump was continuously running - the pump is really quiet and it was a fluke that I was able to hear it while trolling and then confirm via feeling the hose. You talking about a ground side wire - I was hooking up the charger after my last trip and noticed a ground that wasn't connected - I have no way of testing if this was it - but I put it back in place, figured it had to be hooked up either way - I can't get out until the 18th due to a move. The wiring in that battery compartment is a complete CLUSTER - I had asked the dealer to put in a bus bar at my expense, but they didn't for what ever reason.
> 
> My real point with this thread is this - if Mercury (or any manufacturer) really cared about its customers (me), they would have a mechanism in place to deal with these kinds of situations - Mercury doesn't. I don't know how or if others do - but you really don't have to look too hard to find Mercury bashing and Honda / Yammy adulation. If this is the business model they have chosen, that's fine, but the reputation in theirs to lose.


 Not trying to defend Mercury, but this sounds like a dealer and rigging problem. Is your boat setup with a kicker?


----------



## iFishy (Mar 31, 2014)

bowhunter426 said:


> Not trying to defend Mercury, but this sounds like a dealer and rigging problem. Is your boat setup with a kicker?


Yes


----------



## Gradyfish (Jan 30, 2015)

Steve,
When I say ground side switching I am talking about the way most relays and components are controlled in a 12v system. A ground is supplied or removed to turn the device on/off, this is much easier on the device as compared to using the power side because of less arcing.
Some of the questions I think your dealer should have might include, does the issue happen when trolling with the bow mount or just when using the kicker? And does the pump come on as soon as you turn on the battery switch or only when the key is turned on?
The reason I believe these questions are important are, is your kicker a 9.9 or a 15? If it happens when running on the bow mount this shouldn’t matter, but if it happens when running on the kicker I know Mercury runs the pump if the kicker is steered off your main motor. In this case there is plenty of documented discussions saying the charging system on the 9.9 doesn’t keep up with the draw of the PS pump and other components that are tied to that battery.
When you find a good tech, the more info you supply him the easier his/her job will be.
As far as the wiring being a cluster, I hear you. Most of the boat manufacturers wiring is a joke. One of them even goes as far as bragging about their wiring being custom made in their own facility and when I look at it I think I wouldn’t be telling anyone that if that was the best I could do. When you look at the wiring supplied by the OEM as compared to the stuff supplied by the boat manufacturers it’s like comparing apples to oranges


----------



## ESOX (Nov 20, 2000)

*Mercury... Beware - they could care less...*

Mercury turned me off when they wouldn't stand behind that POS they called the Optimax when it first came out and was blowing up left and right. I was left with a very expensive anchor. Screw Mercury. I'll take anything but a Merc. Thank you.


----------



## iFishy (Mar 31, 2014)

When I troll, I use the kicker for speed and MotorGuide (TM) for steering, so yes, they both run concurrently, but I set the kicker and main straight so as not to fight the TM, even here, the PS pump runs. The kicker and main are tied together via an arm (I forget what its called). I think I need to double check on the kicker key, if turning it to the "on" position starts up the pump - but my recollection is that the kicker itself has to be running.

15HP kicker

Pump is only on when either motor is running.

TM is a 36v system independent of the "house" or cranking battery as far as I know. Supposedly, the kicker is supposed to charge the battery as it runs, but since it runs at such a low idle, the charge is very minimal - I'll start up the main once in a while to add some extra juice.

I'm an info machine  I have asked - what can I do to get you the right info?? Pictures, tests, etc... I'm an IT guy, I do a lot of troubleshooting and problem solving - I don't expect my users to understand (or even care) what the system is doing and why, all that matters to them is that they can do their job, and its my job to make sure they can.


----------



## Gradyfish (Jan 30, 2015)

If you have a 15hp kicker and the battery is being drained while it is running all day, I might suspect it being a charge issue. Possibly nothing wrong with the PS pump, but rather the battery is not getting charged because of wiring back to that battery or the charging system on the kicker not working properly.
If you have a remote kicker tied to your main on a Verado with PS it is supposed to run when the kicker is running, but that kicker should supply enough current to run the pump and charge that battery.


----------



## FREEPOP (Apr 11, 2002)

At one time Mercury was the motor to have............and then they bought Force........


----------



## iFishy (Mar 31, 2014)

Gradyfish said:


> If you have a 15hp kicker and the battery is being drained while it is running all day, I might suspect it being a charge issue. Possibly nothing wrong with the PS pump, but rather the battery is not getting charged because of wiring back to that battery or the charging system on the kicker not working properly.
> If you have a remote kicker tied to your main on a Verado with PS it is supposed to run when the kicker is running, but that kicker should supply enough current to run the pump and charge that battery.


The PS pump is continuously running in that - I can hear and feel fluid (flow and heat) being pumped even when no steering is taking place. Its my understanding that its an on-demand system.


----------



## Offfishn (Nov 12, 2017)

Gradyfish said:


> Breast Bay, Bowls Harbor, Luna Peir, Stoney Point.


.
Raisin River


----------



## bowhunter426 (Oct 20, 2010)

iFishy said:


> When I troll, I use the kicker for speed and MotorGuide (TM) for steering, so yes, they both run concurrently, but I set the kicker and main straight so as not to fight the TM, even here, the PS pump runs. The kicker and main are tied together via an arm (I forget what its called). I think I need to double check on the kicker key, if turning it to the "on" position starts up the pump - but my recollection is that the kicker itself has to be running.
> 
> 15HP kicker
> 
> ...


you are rigged incorrectly. If you are using the TM for steering the kicker should be independent of the Power steering and not even connected to the main. you are setup for a linkage between the main and kicker which for what you are doing is wrong.


----------



## bowhunter426 (Oct 20, 2010)

Gradyfish said:


> If you have a 15hp kicker and the battery is being drained while it is running all day, I might suspect it being a charge issue. Possibly nothing wrong with the PS pump, but rather the battery is not getting charged because of wiring back to that battery or the charging system on the kicker not working properly.
> If you have a remote kicker tied to your main on a Verado with PS it is supposed to run when the kicker is running, but that kicker should supply enough current to run the pump and charge that battery.


The Verado PS pump at no load uses more power than a kicker can put out. When the kicker is tied to the main you need a massive house AGM battery to power the steering while running the kicker.


----------



## bowhunter426 (Oct 20, 2010)

ESOX said:


> *Mercury... Beware - they could care less...*
> 
> Mercury turned me off when they wouldn't stand behind that POS they called the Optimax when it first came out and was blowing up left and right. I was left with a very expensive anchor. Screw Mercury. I'll take anything but a Merc. Thank you.


They all have problems. Between mid section corrosion, corroded thermostat housing bolts, fly wheel replacements every 80 hours of operation at an RPM range, HDPI big blocks and harmonic dampers, I personally will never go back to Yamaha Marine after many years of loyalty.


----------



## iFishy (Mar 31, 2014)

bowhunter426 said:


> you are rigged incorrectly. If you are using the TM for steering the kicker should be independent of the Power steering and not even connected to the main. you are setup for a linkage between the main and kicker which for what you are doing is wrong.


Maybe I described it wrong, what I do is use the Kicker for speed only. The TM is used for steering only, there is no linkage at all between the kicker and the TM besides me and my key fob  I literally set the kicker straight, put it in gear, use my iTroll to speed up or down as needed.

There is a massive AGM as well... Here is a picture I took to show them it was fully charged prior to heading out... Nice wiring huh?


----------



## Gradyfish (Jan 30, 2015)

I agree that if you are just leaving the kicker locked straight you don’t need the PS pump running. But, if the factory rigged a remote kicker with a tie, they will have the pump come on because not everyone has or uses a bow mount to steer.
And if you check with Mercury, that 15 hp kicker should have sufficient charging to maintain the battery. They are the ones that say the 9.9hp doesn’t have enough for the pump.

Is that wiring factory? Or did the dealer rig your kicker and accessories. Cuz that looks like a mess.


----------



## iFishy (Mar 31, 2014)

Gradyfish said:


> I agree that if you are just leaving the kicker locked straight you don’t need the PS pump running. But, if the factory rigged a remote kicker with a tie, they will have the pump come on because not everyone has or uses a bow mount to steer.
> And if you check with Mercury, that 15 hp kicker should have sufficient charging to maintain the battery. They are the ones that say the 9.9hp doesn’t have enough for the pump.
> 
> Is that wiring factory? Or did the dealer rig your kicker and accessories. Cuz that looks like a mess.


They say factory - it was a factory demo unit 

Plus it was rigged with a TM.


----------



## Gradyfish (Jan 30, 2015)

I hear you on the TM, but I think the standard set up is to have the pump run so you can troll without the bow mount if needed/wanted. You could always put a switch inline to the pump so it would run if steering off the main, then you could turn off when steering with the TM.
But, that option doesn’t fix the problem you have now. A quick call to Lund would verify if they wire it to run with the kicker running. If so, I think you are looking at a charge issue. I have had good luck with Lund’s tech support in the past.


----------



## bowhunter426 (Oct 20, 2010)

Find a new dealer based on that picture alone. That is mess. You described it correctly as to what you do. The dealer wired it incorrectly. Kicker applications that are tied to the main for steering need to run the PS pump and require the large house battery. Your kicker needs to be wired independent of the PS and it most likely is not.


----------



## sullyxlh (Oct 28, 2004)

iFishy said:


> Maybe I described it wrong, what I do is use the Kicker for speed only. The TM is used for steering only, there is no linkage at all between the kicker and the TM besides me and my key fob  I literally set the kicker straight, put it in gear, use my iTroll to speed up or down as needed.
> 
> There is a massive AGM as well... Here is a picture I took to show them it was fully charged prior to heading out... Nice wiring huh?
> View attachment 311385


Whomever did that wiring needs to be hung by their nuts and if a dealer did it they need to be called out..
And fwiw Merc recommends a wet cell battery for starting(min 1050CCA) and to stay away from AGM, Maintenance Free or Deep-Cycle Batteries(for starting).
You should have a single battery for starting a single for electronics and how many ever what your TM calls for..


----------



## tonya (Jan 12, 2017)

Wrong sully....
http://www.bbcboards.net/showthread.php?t=20671


----------



## tonya (Jan 12, 2017)

ifishy, where did you buy this boat? Would be nice to know so nobody else has to go through this crap with a incompetent dealer/service.....


----------



## iFishy (Mar 31, 2014)

sullyxlh said:


> Whomever did that wiring needs to be hung by their nuts and if a dealer did it they need to be called out..
> And fwiw Merc recommends a wet cell battery for starting(min 1050CCA) and to stay away from AGM, Maintenance Free or Deep-Cycle Batteries(for starting).
> You should have a single battery for starting a single for electronics and how many ever what your TM calls for..


In the picture, the left side is a wet cell, deep cycle - that is the starting battery, the black one is a AGM "house"

Thanks Grady - thats a good idea since it was a Lund Demo - maybe they can help somehow.


----------



## iFishy (Mar 31, 2014)

tonya said:


> ifishy, where did you buy this boat? Would be nice to know so nobody else has to go through this crap with a incompetent dealer/service.....


I may be a 1 off with this issue and I don't want to get into that mess with a local guy - others in other threads with issues have called out dealers, I won't - thats just me.

My biggest point was that with as big as Mercury is, I would have thought there would be some kind of dispute resolution process / way they could lean on their dealers besides what I received.


----------



## sullyxlh (Oct 28, 2004)

tonya said:


> Wrong sully....
> http://www.bbcboards.net/showthread.php?t=20671


Verado motor?
Then I stand corrected
Was looking at info on the standard 4s models..
Thanks


----------



## tonya (Jan 12, 2017)

Wasn't trying to be a di?k, but there is some great info on bassboat central in the mercury forums. There are 3 or 4 mercury master mechanics who help people out. It's a very helpful and informative site.


----------



## Sharkbait11 (Apr 7, 2017)

iFishy said:


> Let me start by saying, I'm pretty mechanically dis-inclined
> 
> That being said, I did have an issue last year (sharkbait11 - remember the jump at the dock?) where my battery would die before each trip and the main engine would need to be jumped - I started carrying a jump box. I reported this several times to dealer - they got it in and "figured" out the battery isolation was wrong prior to the season starting. They even replaced the AGM battery which is the "house" battery. Again, I don't claim to know much, but at this point, my guess is that because both batteries were wired together it masked the real issue where the pump was continuously running - the pump is really quiet and it was a fluke that I was able to hear it while trolling and then confirm via feeling the hose. You talking about a ground side wire - I was hooking up the charger after my last trip and noticed a ground that wasn't connected - I have no way of testing if this was it - but I put it back in place, figured it had to be hooked up either way - I can't get out until the 18th due to a move. The wiring in that battery compartment is a complete CLUSTER - I had asked the dealer to put in a bus bar at my expense, but they didn't for what ever reason.
> 
> My real point with this thread is this - if Mercury (or any manufacturer) really cared about its customers (me), they would have a mechanism in place to deal with these kinds of situations - Mercury doesn't. I don't know how or if others do - but you really don't have to look too hard to find Mercury bashing and Honda / Yammy adulation. If this is the business model they have chosen, that's fine, but the reputation in theirs to lose.


Maybe that damn mouse is back lol


----------



## Sharkbait11 (Apr 7, 2017)

iFishy said:


> I may be a 1 off with this issue and I don't want to get into that mess with a local guy - others in other threads with issues have called out dealers, I won't - thats just me.
> 
> My biggest point was that with as big as Mercury is, I would have thought there would be some kind of dispute resolution process / way they could lean on their dealers besides what I received.


For what its worth my brother was having a hell of a time with his seadoo at the dealership getting the run around. He talked to the general manager and threatened a bad google review if they didnt fix his problem asap. They ended up taking over 400$ off his bill. Might be the right time to drop some heat on them. Could always call Merc while at the dealer and put them on speakerphone with the dealers manager to set the record straight. Time for guerrilla warfare tactics IMO.


----------



## brigeton (Feb 12, 2004)

I don't understand why someone won't name a bad dealer who clearly isn't doing their job. They need to be named to keep other people from getting into the same situation. Businesses that treat customers badly don't need to be in business.


----------



## iFishy (Mar 31, 2014)

brigeton said:


> I don't understand why someone won't name a bad dealer who clearly isn't doing their job. They need to be named to keep other people from getting into the same situation. Businesses that treat customers badly don't need to be in business.


There have been other issues where I was treated more than fairly I feel - not engine related but with the boat.


----------



## iFishy (Mar 31, 2014)

iFishy said:


> Have an issue with part of the propulsion & control system (I'm being careful here).
> 
> I won't name dealer.
> 
> ...


So.... I think the problem has been solved.

I maintain Mercury could care less - had a conference call with dealer and Mercury Tech - she said the system isn't designed such that you can have power steering while only running the trolling motor - wrong. The pump was pumping and running down the battery. She did say it was NOT a on-demand system, so I give her that...

The ultimate fix was a redesigned battery isolator - what was happening was the power steering pump was running down the battery (house, not cranking). When I was running the big motor (250 Verado) it still wasn't charging the house battery - nor was the trolling motor (has a much smaller alternator) while it was running.

The kicker is that Mercury knew this issue was out there - redesigned their part but didn't notify its dealers or customers that there was a potential issue. My dealer spent untold hours on this, I made at least 4 round trips of 60-ish miles to drop off and or pick up boat - I even put a second AGM battery in hoping this would help - do you think Mercury cares... Well, I asked the dealer to talk to his rep about some kind of compensation, he laughed... He said he would but don't hold my breath.

I'm glad this problem is fixed. I fear the next problem. I had hoped this would be my last boat in my life - but if I buy again, I will NOT buy a Mercury - period.


----------



## Waif (Oct 27, 2013)

iFishy said:


> So.... I think the problem has been solved.
> 
> I maintain Mercury could care less - had a conference call with dealer and Mercury Tech - she said the system isn't designed such that you can have power steering while only running the trolling motor - wrong. The pump was pumping and running down the battery. She did say it was NOT a on-demand system, so I give her that...
> 
> ...


Bummer.
I have a 95 ,25h.p. Merc that has been quite agreeable.
Never had to interact with Merc Tech though...........

Don't quote me ,but it was the next years model (around 96(?)) that they added oil injection.
Oil injection failed on enough of them that owners (those who did not have systems fail yet just in case) were pulling the oil injection system and going to pre-mix .
I don't know what Merc did about posting service bulletins and contacting registered owners ,or what they did for those owners who experienced failures.
It did make me gunshy around those years models when shopping second hand motors if they had oil injection though.


----------



## Sasquatch Lives (May 23, 2011)

Man that wiring job is a friggin joke! Reminds me of something I ate at olive garden.


----------

