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OK guys let me know what you think. I have the motorguide 2003 82 Lbs thrust tour edition motor. The first year I had it, it was sent to be fixed under warranty 3 different times. It had a problem with the spindle in the foot control coming apart the first time, then issues with the foot where the prop is attached (internal). This all happened in 2004. Now I am having problems out of it again. I am not really sure whether its still under warranty or not but what it was doing is I was moving alont with it at about 1/3 speed and had my foot on the button. Well it just stopped. I realized it and lifted it out of the water, it hit the edge of the gator mount and started working again. Went for about an hour it did it again, lifted it out of the water and it hit the mount and started working. Well I did this several times through out the day and it was shorter and shorter of time then it just quit. It was almost acting like one there was water in the foot or two a short. What should I do? I basically want to know what I should do to send it in. I dont think I should be spending money on a motor that is obviously a lemon and I know what kind of hassle they are going to put me through. I think that I deserve a new motor because this makes the 4th time in 2.5 years that it has been in the shop for something terminal. Any suggestions will be appreciated. Thanks

SkeeterZX,
Not sure if there is anyway you can go without some hassle...but I'd contact MG.

I had a new 82lb 2006 digital steer..1st time out started spinning around and left to right like the head on that girl that played in the Exorcist...it went beserk.

Got it replaced with another one....it worked ok but was a pain lifting up and down (had a 54 lb brute MG for 10 yrs...no problems ever)....got rid of it too and now use a MinnKota...have had it 6 months or so...easy up and down..no problems...the way things are these days the most important thing is the people you buy from anyway....too old to wait for customer service to pick up and answer...much too old to wait for a call back
Good luck and if they won't replace it....switch.
PM

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PeanutMan

get rid of it.

Get a 80 lb Minnkota maxxum pro with lift asist. You will be amazed at the differeance.

I can get you prices if you want.

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One tequila, two tequila, three tequila, floor.....

Skeeterzx I had the same exact problem with the same exact motor. Since I am capable of troubleshooting this problem I found the there is a board in the head that has a small trasistor the went out. Called motorguide and they said they can not do anything to fix it. They do not sell the parts anymore and that the only way to fix it was to upgrade it to a digital system. I ask how much and they told me $380 or something like that.

The board in the head of the trolling motor is 2 inches by 3 inches or so. Found that the transistor is just a protection circuit for the relay which is the 1 inch square black box on the circuit board. The transistor goes out and the relay will not engage to send power to the motor. I soldered the relay shut so it is always on. The power does not go to the motor unless you push the foot control anyway. Everything still works like it is supposed to, speed control, bypass, etc.... I am going to run this darn thing till it dies and then get a Minkota.

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Dan the bass man !!
803-528-6652

I will buy this motor from you if you want to sell it...Send me an email to timmcneal@bellsouth.net