Mercury Verado 150 - No gauges or beep when I turn key

JoeHarley13

Cadet
Joined
Mar 15, 2021
Messages
7
So, I have a 2014 Mercury Verado 150 outboard on my Harris Tritoon. The problem is when I turn the key to accessory or on, nothing happens (almost). Normally, I would have the gages come on (fuel, trim, speedo & tach would sweep, hour meter come on, etc), but none of this happens. The only thing that DOES happen is I can hear the fuel pump spin up for a few seconds.
Troubleshooting I have done:
1) Batteries are fine, 12.68 v, battery selector switch is fine. 50a main fuse next to battery is good, 5v fuse providing "clean power" to the ECU is good.
2) All of the accessories driven off of the battery that runs off the fuse panel below the steering helm work, ie.. the horn, radio, dock lights, courtesy lights, etc. These accessories do not require the key to be turned on in any way, just that the battery be turned on at the battery.
3) No loose or corroded connections anywhere that I can see.
4) The motor trim controls at the motor work with no problems, I've trimmed up and down the motor several times with no issue.
5) The motor trim controls on the throttle do not work.
6) On this boat, even if the safety switch or neutral switch failed, the gauges should still energize - I confirmed this on my friends boat which is the same make and model (2 years newer). Regardless, I tested the safety switch and it is functioning properly.
7) I have tested the ignition switch and I get connections, 0 ohms, between the red and the corresponding pins when in the acc, and on positions, and in the start position.
8) I have confirmed there is 12v at the red wire at the ignition switch.
9) I have checked all 5 fuses at the motor and all are good and have power when the key is turned on. The fuses are: ECM, Ign Coils, Fuel, Diagnostic, and Inj. Pwr.
10) Fuel pump spins up when I turn the key in the on position.

The only other bit of relevant information is that the last time it ran was 5 weeks ago when I picked it up from the marina from having the 300 hour service performed (oil, lower unit oil, water pump impeller, spark plugs, etc). I drove it 20 minutes across the lake from the marina. Parked it for 6 weeks (with battery tender on), but now it doesn't work. Don't know if they could have done something that would fail the next time I attempted to take it out.

Does anyone know what the 5 relays are that are in a block on the back of the engine. They do not indicate what each is for and I haven't been able to find out any information about them.

Any suggestions would be appreciated.
 

paulswagelock

Petty Officer 2nd Class
Joined
Jan 10, 2018
Messages
100
Symptoms are the same as clean power 5v fuse bad. Did you just look at that fuse or actually verify continuity? Did you remove the clean power connections on the battery and clean them?Did you check the clean power junctions (unplug the plugs) and look for corrosion or poor connections? I would ring out that clean power and make sure it makes it to the motor.
Top 2 relays are trim up and down. Let me see if I can find the rest on my iPad.
 
Last edited:

paulswagelock

Petty Officer 2nd Class
Joined
Jan 10, 2018
Messages
100
Relays 26 is top working down.
23 - Starter relay
24 - Main power relay
25 - Trim down relay
26 - Trim up relay
 

JoeHarley13

Cadet
Joined
Mar 15, 2021
Messages
7
Sounds like neutral safety in control box has a problem...
Thanks for the suggestion.. See item #6. Ruled that out. Gauges should have still energized regardless of position of throttle as verified on neighbor's boat (same make and model).
 

JoeHarley13

Cadet
Joined
Mar 15, 2021
Messages
7
Symptoms are the same as clean power 5v fuse bad. Did you just look at that fuse or actually verify continuity? Did you remove the clean power connections on the battery and clean them?Did you check the clean power junctions (unplug the plugs) and look for corrosion or poor connections? I would ring out that clean power and make sure it makes it to the motor.
Top 2 relays are trim up and down. Let me see if I can find the rest on my iPad.
With the 5amp "clean power" fuse in place, I verified that the little tabs at the top of the fuse both had 12v power. I pulled the fuse and confirmed continuity between the two prongs (fuse not blown). No corrosion of the clean power lead wire to the battery. Not sure where that power connects at the motor end to verify?

I will add that I do have the Mercury Vessel view accessory (had it for 2 years now) which plugs into the ECU. The vessel view accessory is not getting power from the ECU, so I couldn't connect to the device with my app. I have removed the vessel view device and re-installed the yellow terminator plug. Still no progress.
 

JoeHarley13

Cadet
Joined
Mar 15, 2021
Messages
7
PROBLEM SOLVED!

The 5 amp clean power fuse on the battery was not blown. I checked the connections and they seemed solid, no signs of corrosion, but I cleaned the ring connectors that connect the harness to the battery anyway. No change. Still not working... so..

3 weeks later, I decided to test the voltage at the motor end of the clean power harness. I took apart the connector inside the motor housing, and when I measured across the 2 pins on the connector on the side going to the battery, there was NO voltage. I then check the red wire in the connector and used a ground on the motor frame and I had +12 v. I then tested black ground wire in the connector by using it and the main +12 next to the fuse box. I didn't get any voltage. It appears that the ground wire in the 2 wire clean power harness has a broken wire in it somewhere between the battery and the connector in the engine.

I ran jumper wires to +12 and ground to the motor side of the connector, and when I turned the key, everything worked! It seems quite odd that the ground wire would break somewhere in the harness. The harness is secured about every 8" with the big bundle of harnesses that go from the boat to the engine, so, not clear how this could have happened. So, now just got to figure out how I want to repair it, try to run a new factory harness, or just some wire in a protective sheath.

Thanks to all that contributed to ideas!
 

paulswagelock

Petty Officer 2nd Class
Joined
Jan 10, 2018
Messages
100
Glad you found it and posted back. Always good to hear the fix for the next time the problem is reported. I did suggest doing this on March 24.....

....Symptoms are the same as clean power 5v fuse bad. Did you just look at that fuse or actually verify continuity? Did you remove the clean power connections on the battery and clean them?Did you check the clean power junctions (unplug the plugs) and look for corrosion or poor connections? I would ring out that clean power and make sure it makes it to the motor.
Top 2 relays are trim up and down. Let me see if I can find the rest on my iPad.
 

JoeHarley13

Cadet
Joined
Mar 15, 2021
Messages
7
Glad you found it and posted back. Always good to hear the fix for the next time the problem is reported. I did suggest doing this on March 24.....

....Symptoms are the same as clean power 5v fuse bad. Did you just look at that fuse or actually verify continuity? Did you remove the clean power connections on the battery and clean them?Did you check the clean power junctions (unplug the plugs) and look for corrosion or poor connections? I would ring out that clean power and make sure it makes it to the motor.
Top 2 relays are trim up and down. Let me see if I can find the rest on my iPad.
Yep, my bad for not completing all the steps listed. Did everything you listed except for the part you highlighted. At the time I didn't know where it went into the motor. I watched this video on rigging a Verado engine, and thru the video, found out where the clean power connector was inside the motor housing.


Thanks.
 
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