new POS 2018 Yam 242x. Reliability nope.

[NORCAL-GAS]

First time post from new member. Been lurking for a year. I just bought a new 2018 Yamaha 242x from West Coast Boat Center in Rocklin Ca. After 2 times out on the water I started getting alarms. After 3 weeks I dropped it off with many issues. The dealer has had it a week without any end in sight. I’ve contacted Yamaha customer relations who’s dealing with the dealer who does nott seem to care much. (To be honest, I should have purchased somewhere else. Not exactly warm and friendly anyway).

Here’s the problems-
1- alarm “check seacock obstruction” for the ballast tanks not empty. They were fully empty.
2- alarm “check keypad CAN” communication error
3- horn stopped working
4- seems to be an unusually large amount of water in main drain plug when pulling out. Even after being in the water for 3 hrs.
5- stereo stopped working. No sound but everything else looks ok. One of the wetsounds amps is flashing red.
6-also the anchor light bracket broke, wtf? Seriously how?

So how much sh!t should I be raising? I’m left boatless on my 4 day holiday weekend. The boat is less than a month old. It has under 15 hrs. I just finished the 10 hr service. What kind of compensation should I request? One of the reasons I bought a Yamaha was to try and avoid a lemon from the get go.

I did absolutely love the boat. I’d prefer keeping it for 12-15 years, but starting like this isn’t good. Looking forward to years on the forum.

 

[Frank Marshall]

I know it's a ways, but I found Redding Yamaha to be helpful and knowledgeable. You might give them a try. https://www.rysonline.com/
Good Luck. Sounds frustrating.

 

[NORCAL-GAS]

I know it a ways, but I found Redding Yamaha to be helpful and knowledgeable. You might give them a try. https://www.rysonline.com/
Good Luck. Sounds frustrating.

Thank you. If I could go back and purchase somewhere else I would. Closest other dealer is in Tracy. But still, for purchasing a new boat, West cost boat center..... well, I’d keep looking.

 

[Mainah]

For issues 1,2,3, and 5 it would be worthwhile making sure the battery connections are tight and that the batteries are in good health/charged. Also key is that the tiny black wire from the DVSR needs to be connected to ground. This is something that is easy to miss when the dealer installs the batteries and a few dealers have missed connecting it. If the small black wire is not connected then your house battery is not being charged and would cause exactly what you are seeing. The can bus system and amps can’t fall much below 12 volts before they fail due to low voltage and would certainly cause that pump message to come up where the ballast pumps are connected to the house battery along with the horn.

If connext is saying the voltage is fine also keep in mind there are issues with certain years where both readings were coming from the house battery that they solved starting in 2017 with another small wire that also needs to be connected to the batteries.

If the small black wire is the issue this is part of what the dealer charged you “dealer prep” for.

As for the bilge water issue there don’t let the dealer tell you they all leak or that is is normal. After redoing every through hull connection, replacing a bunch of hoses/clamps in that bilge area including cupholder drain lines, and getting a thicker o-ring for the plug I now no longer leak. Of course none of that was the dealers fault but rather poor QC at the factory.

Good luck

 

[NORCAL-GAS]

For issues 1,2,3, and 5 it would be worthwhile making sure the battery connections are tight and that the batteries are in good health/charged. Also key is that the tiny black wire from the DVSR needs to be connected to ground. This is something that is easy to miss when the dealer installs the batteries and a few dealers have missed connecting it. If the small black wire is not connected then your house battery is not being charged and would cause exactly what you are seeing. The can bus system and amps can’t fall much below 12 volts before they fail due to low voltage and would certainly cause that pump message to come up where the ballast pumps are connected to the house battery along with the horn.

If connext is saying the voltage is fine also keep in mind there are issues with certain years where both readings were coming from the house battery that they solved starting in 2017 with another small wire that also needs to be connected to the batteries.

If the small black wire is the issue this is part of what the dealer charged you “dealer prep” for.

As for the bilge water issue there don’t let the dealer tell you they all leak or that is is normal. After redoing every through hull connection, replacing a bunch of hoses/clamps in that bilge area including cupholder drain lines, and getting a thicker o-ring for the plug I now no longer leak. Of course none of that was the dealers fault but rather poor QC at the factory.

Good luck

Well you’re correct. They just called. I stand by my previous assessment, West Coast Boat center in Rocklin sucks. The owner Jerrod does not seem to care either. Cocky and rude sales staff.

The DVSR wire was not connected. That issue solved everything you described. Thanks for the help. I’m heading out today to check the water issue from the drain plug. Other than the issues in this thread....love the new boat.

 

[Bluewater272]

I had a similar concern about my bilge, drained more water than I liked even after a calm outing. Put a different o-ring on my plug that was a little chunkier, bilge was bone dry even after some watersports yesterday.

 

[NORCAL-GAS]

I had a similar concern about my bilge, drained more water than I liked even after a calm outing. Put a different o-ring on my plug that was a little chunkier, bilge was bone dry even after some watersports yesterday.

I don’t have time to get one before the day today, trying a little yamalube on there today until I can get a better O ring. Glad to hear it may be something so simple. Yamaha failed on that calculation.

 

[robert843]

I had a similar concern about my bilge, drained more water than I liked even after a calm outing. Put a different o-ring on my plug that was a little chunkier, bilge was bone dry even after some watersports yesterday.

You got a link to this better O ring I want to replace my crappy one as well. Did you just pull the old one off and slide the new one on?

 

[McMark]

I just put a little spit on the o-ring and that does the trick. No water.

 

[Bluewater272]

You got a link to this better O ring I want to replace my crappy one as well. Did you just pull the old one off and slide the new one on?

Sorry, I don't. Just took my plug to the hardware store with me and found one that fit well. It was in those random parts bins so I don't even have a package to show ya.

 

[Julian]

I also found that taking a hose and flushing out all the crap in the bilge helps to prevent a bad seal on the drain plug. They always leave a bunch of shavings in there which messes up the seal.

The Dealer competence when setting these boats up makes a huge difference. They charge a setup fee - they should do it right. My dealer (Chatlee) called me before I went to pick it up to tell me they'd found some issues and were fixing them....they have great service there!

@NORCAL-GAS Hope you are on the water and enjoying the boat soon!

 

[Betik]

........ What kind of compensation should I request? ..........

keep dreaming my friend.....

welcome onboard and hope to see you next year once you iron out all the little issues on your boat.

 

[hamsammy]

The solution to the communication error is really simple. Make sure your key is in the on position at all times (or at least turned to the on position prior to turning your batteries on). The error has to do with the connext system searching for a mode (at least that is how it was explained to me). Since I've left the key in the on position, I haven't had this issue.

 

[NORCAL-GAS]

Got the boat back just in time to spend the day out yesterday. All electrical issues were resolved.

 

[zelone]

Glad to hear. All the horrible things I keep reading would make me think twice about buying a newer Yamaha, but glad some of the issues are simple to fix.

 

[Advance]

For issues 1,2,3, and 5 it would be worthwhile making sure the battery connections are tight and that the batteries are in good health/charged. Also key is that the tiny black wire from the DVSR needs to be connected to ground. This is something that is easy to miss when the dealer installs the batteries and a few dealers have missed connecting it. If the small black wire is not connected then your house battery is not being charged and would cause exactly what you are seeing. The can bus system and amps can’t fall much below 12 volts before they fail due to low voltage and would certainly cause that pump message to come up where the ballast pumps are connected to the house battery along with the horn.

If connext is saying the voltage is fine also keep in mind there are issues with certain years where both readings were coming from the house battery that they solved starting in 2017 with another small wire that also needs to be connected to the batteries.

If the small black wire is the issue this is part of what the dealer charged you “dealer prep” for.

As for the bilge water issue there don’t let the dealer tell you they all leak or that is is normal. After redoing every through hull connection, replacing a bunch of hoses/clamps in that bilge area including cupholder drain lines, and getting a thicker o-ring for the plug I now no longer leak. Of course none of that was the dealers fault but rather poor QC at the factory.

Good luck

Any pictures on the 'tiny black wire from the DVSR' is and what it looks like properly installed? I have yet to take this new boat out (242 Limited S E-Series). Would getting a full charge on the house battery once in the water and using possibly have the most annoying beeping noise ever to stop? I am going out there now to see if I see anything unusual in the battery compartment.

 

[Weeb]

I don’t have a picture but the dvsr is your battery on off switches. There should be a thin black wire running from that to the ground on the battery. Just look for the black wire coming out of the dvsr and follow it.

 

[gmtech16450yz]

I gotta tell you guys something I learned. When I got my '17 212 LS I was shocked at the shoddy build quality. I've been in the auto industry for like 4 decades. The build quality of cars and trucks is pretty darn good these days. The stuff they missed on the Yamaha boat assembly was disappointing. Just dumb stuff that the guys putting them together shouldn't have missed or done wrong.

Then we bought a new motorhome. Lol. You guys have NO IDEA what shoddy build quality is. It would take 5 forum pages for me to start to tell you how much stuff I've had to fix or completely rebuild on a brand new RV. It would shock and horrify all of you, many of the things they screwed up would have resulted in fires, catastrophic failures while driving or just plain death. How about 30 amp 110 volt AC service lines laying over the leaf springs next to the rear wheels? Yeah, that's one of hundreds of issues.

So my point is, this shoddy workmanship is what America has come to. Our assembly quality of things like boats or RV's is far below China at this point. But as far as these Yamaha boats specifically, count yourself lucky. It's really not that bad and is infinitely better than ANY new RV on the road, regardless of price or manufacturer. If you're bored, google search on "Elkhart Indiana and Worker Shortages" or "Problems in the RV Industry". What's happening in Elkhart is crazy.

 

[UpNorth]

Any pictures on the 'tiny black wire from the DVSR' is and what it looks like properly installed? I have yet to take this new boat out (242 Limited S E-Series). Would getting a full charge on the house battery once in the water and using possibly have the most annoying beeping noise ever to stop? I am going out there now to see if I see anything unusual in the battery compartment.

 

[Advance]

Thanks for the picture. The black wire from the DVSR is there and secure to the 'Start' battery. Took boat out yesterday with sporadic issues of the error and the beeping. There appears to be no consistency on why it's happening or how it stops. I turn off boat, shut batteries off, turn back on and hope it doesn't reoccur. Still searching for a solution. If anyone has a thought for fixing, please let me know. Is your black wire hooked up to the 'Start' battery or the 'House' battery? Maybe doesn't matter?