Suzuki electronics.

[Striker]

Hi,

My 2010 DF150 multifunctional displays intermittently read blank.

The small dial flickers and sometimes goes off all together and the data displayed changes from a reading to zero.

The large dial just reads zeros. It did read when I bought the boat ( only used her 4 times).

Any pointers on where to start?

Do they get damp in the nmea connectors or is there a module that I need to check?

Unfortunately she is stored 100 miles away, so I could do with a plan when I visit.

Picture attached to show what type of display they are, but power is off.

Regards,

Phill

[paintman]

Good start is to check all connections are clean, dry & in good order.

A 'wiggle test can sometimes point up particular issues, just grip the wire each side of a connection & give it a gentle wiggle.

[Pikey Dave]

Have you got any other displays connected e.g. Plotters etc. It could either be a fault with the gauge or its T piece, or the engine interface. If you have another display connected & it has the same problem with loss of data, it would point to an issue with the interface, if the other display is ok; could be the gauge or t piece. Try swapping the t pieces for starters

[Striker]

Thanks guys, what’s your thoughts on adding a little contact grease on the ‘t’ piece terminals? Can it do any harm?

Yes the chart plotter is linked but I haven’t tried looking for engine data on it. I’ll give that a go next time I’m down at the yard. Is it fairly common for the interface to fail?

[Pikey Dave]

Originally Posted by Striker

Thanks guys, what’s your thoughts on adding a little contact grease on the ‘t’ piece terminals? Can it do any harm?

Yes the chart plotter is linked but I haven’t tried looking for engine data on it. I’ll give that a go next time I’m down at the yard. Is it fairly common for the interface to fail?

Not common, but if the wrong version of the interface is used for a particular year engine, it can cause problems. The interface is plugged into the wiring loom at the helm end. The other end connects to the diagnostic port on the port side of the engine. Could be a poor connection somewhere. What year is the engine? & what version is the interface? You can find this out by going into the "devices" list in the setup menu on the gauge, click on the " engine" interface & it will give you the version number.

[Striker]

Originally Posted by Pikey Dave

Not common, but if the wrong version of the interface is used for a particular year engine, it can cause problems. The interface is plugged into the wiring loom at the helm end. The other end connects to the diagnostic port on the port side of the engine. Could be a poor connection somewhere. What year is the engine? & what version is the interface? You can find this out by going into the "devices" list in the setup menu on the gauge, click on the " engine" interface & it will give you the version number.

It’s a 2010. Thanks for the advice, I’ll have a look when I can.

It’s time like this I wish she was stored at home.

[Pikey Dave]

Software version for 2010 is V2.9 iirc

[Erin]

I’m just experiencing something similar with my DF200. I get no readings at all now and the SMIS interface isn’t showing up on the network. Likely culprit will be the engine interface module which will be the second one to fail in 9 years. I don’t rate these Lowrance units [emoji853]

[Striker]

Thanks Gents,

I been down to the yard today to dig a little deeper.
I totally dismantled the backbone and reassembled adding a thin smear of electrical grease. Checked that it’s getting a supply voltage then started narrowing the fault down.

I think it’s the interface. Instrument power on ignition off and I get three bars where the RPM should be, ignition on and these change to zeros. Unplug the interface and the zeros flash. Looks like it’s doing everything except passing the data on.

Any recommendations on a decent online Suzuki agent? - I need delivery.

Also the 2 inch gauge lit up but was totally blank today, in the past it has flickered, but nothing- even whilst wiggling wires. These look expensive- can they be repaired?

Pikey Dave, thank for the tips about the settings, I’m running V2.0 will the new interface change this or do I need a software update?

Regards Phill

[Pikey Dave]

That's the gauge software version, not the interface. You need to go into "bus devices" & find "engine interface" & highlight it. I can get you some photos tomorrow

[Pikey Dave]

Originally Posted by Pikey Dave

That's the gauge software version, not the interface. You need to go into "bus devices" & find "engine interface" & highlight it. I can get you some photos tomorrow

Looks like I might have been giving duff info
If you go into “bus devices” the engine interface should show as a device, if not there’s definitely summat wrong. It could be in the cabling between the engine & the interface, the interface itself, or the backbone. If the interface shows up on the gauge, you should be able to highlight it, I thought that this would give you the software version, but I’m wrong, it doesn’t. You need a Lowrance/simrad plotter on the network to see the details. My bad.
If the interface shows on the network, you should be able to highlight it & this will show a set of options to either:- “reset, configure, calibrate” etc. The first step is to see if the network is seeing the interface & go from there.

[Pikey Dave]

[Pikey Dave]

[Striker]

Thanks all.

I finally got back to the RIB this weekend and fitted a new engine interface which fixed the issue - also had a great run along the Menai Straights and around to Dulas bay. I still have the issue with the intermittent display on the 2” gauge, but when it does come on it is reporting data.

Can you have these fixed? Or is it new only?

Any recommendations on where to buy them? I’m struggling with Suzuki agents - it was not easy getting the interface!

It’s a Suzuki badged Lawrence LMF200.

Cheers

Phill

[Pikey Dave]

If you've changed the interface you may need to upgrade the firmware of the gauges to match the interface. What version of interface do you have?

[Striker]

Not sure Dave, I wonder it 2.8.0 means anything from the box?

I’ll run through it next weekend. I confess to just plugging and playing as I succumbed to pressure to get launched with the Wife and kids being there!

Regards,

Phill

[Pikey Dave]

2.8.0 is the firmware version of the interface. It "should" work with a 2010 engine. The firmware was updated to 2.9.0 to iron out some bugs. You can upgrade the firmware if you have a Lowrance/Simrad MFD on your network