2018 Yamaha 242 Limited S E-Series Communication Error / Check Engine Stop BCU

[NickBayes1]

During our final cruise of vacation last night our depth transducer showed a fault but all other systems were fine and operating. Right at critical anchoring activity the throttles went unresponsive and buckets locked into reverse. I quickly shut everything down and secured the boat.

After getting all the ladies to land I went back and shut down both house and engine system batteries for a feeble attempt at a reset. No luck-

Looking for any advice as all local dealers are 2-3 weeks out and this is prime summer boating in the Pacific Northwest-

Thanks all for any help you can provide!

 

[Kevin-yyz]

Did you try the manual override switches for the buckets?

 

[Plpbecks]

This might be a long shot, but I see that your house battery is at 12.1V, which is pretty low. I think like 20-30% of capacity. The connext systems are really sensitive to low voltage, and many on this forum have reported similar issues to yours (multiple errors) with low-ish voltage. How diligent are you about charging between trips? I try to make sure I never let my batteries get below 12.2...

 

[NickBayes1]

Did you try the manual override switches for the buckets?

Hello Kevin,

I did have to place the buckets in manual and force them up in the water. After multiple resets and battery disconnects I was able to get the BCU and subsequent P & S Engine codes to clear. Went boating yesterday with no further issues minus the depth / temp transducer still being INOP.

Thanks for the feedback-

 

[NickBayes1]

This might be a long shot, but I see that your house battery is at 12.1V, which is pretty low. I think like 20-30% of capacity. The connext systems are really sensitive to low voltage, and many on this forum have reported similar issues to yours (multiple errors) with low-ish voltage. How diligent are you about charging between trips? I try to make sure I never let my batteries get below 12.2...

Hello Plpbecks,

Thanks for the reply... as for voltage this was after my return trip and running the stereo for extended period while washing the boat / trailer. I am very diligent in maintaining the batteries and have even notice a .2 to .3 discrepancy in what the Connext screen shows and what a direct battery reading shows meaning the batteries test at ~12.7 when fully disconnected and stabilized.

Based on my diagnostics I think at this point I simply have a bad depth / temp transducer. As for the BCU issue it has since cleared itself and I went boating yesterday afternoon with no further issues. I did not however try to make it fail by placing it in a hard reverse steer and shutting the engines down.... based on some of what I have read that might be the culprit of the BCU alerts. I will say that in over 100 hours and 2 years of boating this is the first time I have had this issue... I did however just add thrust vectors and lateral thrusters so I am suspect of the effects this might have on the sensitivity of the BCU.

 

[tomthebomb690]

During our final cruise of vacation last night our depth transducer showed a fault but all other systems were fine and operating. Right at critical anchoring activity the throttles went unresponsive and buckets locked into reverse. I quickly shut everything down and secured the boat.

After getting all the ladies to land I went back and shut down both house and engine system batteries for a feeble attempt at a reset. No luck-

Looking for any advice as all local dealers are 2-3 weeks out and this is prime summer boating in the Pacific Northwest-

Thanks all for any help you can provide!View attachment 126260View attachment 126261View attachment 126262

mine just had same problem ..it was wire that had to much srink wrap on connection at the connection for the dual batteries ..

 

[Plpbecks]

@NickBayes1, @WildCatFan54 reported on another thread that the dealer adjusted his steering cables as the fix for the reverse error. He also reported there was a connext-out dealer firmware update that fixes a number of other electrical gremlins.

 

[zuwenhe]

Did you try the manual override switches for the buckets?

new to yamaha boat. i have the similar issues, but my batteries are totally fine regarding voltage. what is buckets?

 

[Lion]

Hey buddy, how do you put buckets on manual override on connext system? 2018 242 s e and just now got same Bcu check engine light.
Buckets are currently in up position.

 

[Lion]

Forgot to mention, starboard side motor throttles up... port side does nothing and it's the one giving the check engine light. But both are in the up position.

 

[Scott Senter]

Forgot to mention, starboard side motor throttles up... port side does nothing and it's the one giving the check engine light. But both are in the up position.

Lion,

I just had the same issue... exactly the same issue. What did you do to get it fixed?

 

[Lion]

Lion,

I just had the same issue... exactly the same issue. What did you do to get it fixed?

So I found out my issue was do to oprrator error, me putting the shift cable backwards when I was replacing my impellers.
Once I reversed it, it fixed my problem.

 

[Lion]

So I found out my issue was do to oprrator error, me putting the shift cable backwards when I was replacing my impellers.
Once I reversed it, it fixed my problem.

The ball socket that the shift cable connects to should be facing down. I had it pointing up with cable sitting on the top side.

 

[Scott Senter]

I believe my port side control cable is so corroded that it is hard for the control unit to actuate it while in electric mode. I tried to move the cabel while in manual mode and it is completely different than the starboard side control cable/ bucket.

 

[Lion]

I believe my port side control cable is so corroded that it is hard for the control unit to actuate it while in electric mode. I tried to move the cabel while in manual mode and it is completely different than the starboard side control cable/ bucket.

Try this.. Hopefully this helps