Suzuki DF175 year: 2013. Tilt goes up to stop limit without touching control button!

Rushton231

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Joined
Oct 23, 2024
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The boat is normally on my lift behind my house. When the hurricanes came through I pulled the boat and trailered it to safety with the engine down. I noticed the engine was in the up position when I put the boat in a safe place. I cycled the engine up and down a couple of times, seemed normal, left it down. Then brought the boat back home and the engine was up again. This time the tilt would only go down for a second, once the limit switch was engaged the engine went right back up.
So it started as an intermittent problem and is now a permanent problem.

I have replaced the Tilt/Trim relay, did not help.

Started measuring voltage at the engine and found 12V on light blue wires that goes to relay (these are the up wires connected to the limit switch, relay and up switch at engine).
Disconnected the up down buttons on both the remote and the engine side.
Still had voltage on light blue at engine.
Found 12v on blue/Lt.blue and green/red wires at the remote wiring when disconnected from the up-down switch. These wires go back to the engine harness and are pretty much lost by the time they get to the engine. See attached photos voltage is on lower set on wires when disconnected.
Something went bad and I have looked at the wiring diagram and can find no reason for voltage to be on the blue wires.
I hope someone can help me.
 

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Rushton231

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Joined
Oct 23, 2024
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has to be a short in the cable/harness
You are most probably right. I measured 12v on one of the 3 wires that connects to the remote tilt trim switch so, I went under the console and started cutting cable ties, found another connector with 3 wires, so disconnected and found voltage, but not quite 12v, cut more cable wraps and the voltage went away.
I don't know where the short is, but I also can't find it now.
So I buttoned up everything leaving most cable ties off.
Put cover back on engine and tilt trim works as normal.
I'll see if I can trust it going forward, hope it doesn't start going up while on a plane.
If it acts up on the water, I will discount the trim limit switch. That will allow the motor to go down only and I won't be stranded on the water.
 

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Rushton231

Recruit
Joined
Oct 23, 2024
Messages
4
You are most probably right. I measured 12v on one of the 3 wires that connects to the remote tilt trim switch so, I went under the console and started cutting cable ties, found another connector with 3 wires, so disconnected and found voltage, but not quite 12v, cut more cable wraps and the voltage went away.
I don't know where the short is, but I also can't find it now.
So I buttoned up everything leaving most cable ties off.
Put cover back on engine and tilt trim works as normal.
I'll see if I can trust it going forward, hope it doesn't start going up while on a plane.
If it acts up on the water, I will discount the trim limit switch. That will allow the motor to go down only and I won't be stranded on the water.
That didn't last long, the motor tilted all the way up over night.
Back to unwrapping all that cabling under the console. If that's where the problem is???
 

Rushton231

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Joined
Oct 23, 2024
Messages
4
That didn't last long, the motor tilted all the way up over night.
Back to unwrapping all that cabling under the console. If that's where the problem is???
So I disconnected the remote tilt trim 3 pin plug and found 12V on the light blue wire that goes into the wiring bundle that goes down the raceway to the motor. I undid the cable ties, no change. Cut the black tape from the wires until it goes down the race way, no change.
So I left the remote switch unplugged and the motor tilts up and down fine at switch on the side of the motor. I'll have to live with this until I can figure out where the wire goes once it gets in the motor, then maybe run a new wire. If anyone can point me to a complete wiring diagram/ schematic for this engine, I would appreciate it. I have the wiring diagram for the tilt trim relay and switches, but that doesn't help.
 
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