Electric steer motorguide

Just purchased a 24 volt model. Put it on and it didn't work properly. When I put the foot in the water it rotated back and forth constantly. Called motorguide. They said to send it in for repairs. It wasn't 2 hours old. In talking with the service rep. I get the impression this isn't the first one they have had this problem with. I don't intend to send in a new motor for repairs. Fortunately, I purchased it at Cabelas and will just return it for a refund. Trying to decide whether to keep the $1100 and get a differnt model or try the electric steer one more time. Anyone else had problems with the motorguide electric steer motors?

I'd take the 1100 bucks and buy a Minn Kota, but that's just me.

I would NOT go back to the electric steer Motor Guide if you got the impresion that this wasn't the only one. Just asking for more heart ache. IMO

I've had a MG 24v electric steer model with 82 pounds thrust for over 18 months and had no problems short of tripping the thermal breaker a time or two when running wide open. If my unit is near the center setting, it will oscillate back and forth just a little if my foot is on the control. I take my foot off the control and it will stop.

Did you calibrate the foot control?

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Originally Posted by PanMan_VA

I've had a MG 24v electric steer model with 82 pounds thrust for over 18 months and had no problems short of tripping the thermal breaker a time or two when running wide open. If my unit is near the center setting, it will oscillate back and forth just a little if my foot is on the control. I take my foot off the control and it will stop.

Did you calibrate the foot control?

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The first thing the service rep. did was to go through the calibration process with me. It didn't correct the problem and that is when he said it needed to come in for repair. He did mention that the oscillation you describe is normal but the oscillation I was getting was very radical and made the motor uncontrollable.

I am glad to hear you have had no major problems with your motor. What do you have to do to reset the thermal breaker? Is it a breaker b uilt into the motor or a breaker installed in your boat wiring system?

I will probably give it one more try and order another motor. I want a motor I can control remotely to troll with out of the back of the boat that will fit in the motorguide bracket already installed on my boat and have the flexibility of switching back and forth between the electric steer and cable driven motors.

I would sure like to hear from some others about their experiences with the electric steer motors.

I highly reccomend you getting a MINNKOTA and add the autopilot feature also! These are much better trolling motors and the service is second to none. With the autopilot you just point it in a direction and set your speed while trolling. You only have negoitate turns. It will greatly increase catch ratio do to your hands and eyes being free to land fish or tie hooks.

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Originally Posted by crappielimits

I highly reccomend you getting a MINNKOTA and add the autopilot feature also! These are much better trolling motors and the service is second to none. With the autopilot you just point it in a direction and set your speed while trolling. You only have negoitate turns. It will greatly increase catch ratio do to your hands and eyes being free to land fish or tie hooks.

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I have an 18 ft. jon boat that I recently installed a minnkota terrova on with autopilot and like you, I love it for trolling. However, as I said, on my bass boat I already have a cable driven motorguide so I was hoping to be able to add the electric steer motorguide to the existing mount and use the cable steer motor for a backup or for when I fish around docks. My bass boat stays on a lift at Lake of the Ozarks and we do a lot of dock fishing as well as trolling. I think the cable steer motors are more responsive and easier to control in tight spots.

I sure hope to hear from others that I just got a lemon and that most of the electric steer motorguides have been reliable.

Minnkotas now have holes that line up with motorguide holes. I agree when shooting docks I like a cable drive. I just would rather own a minnkota, especially for $ 1100 . And motoguide doesn`t have an autopilot. We put removable minnkota mounts and can switch motors in minutes.

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Originally Posted by mr. baker

... What do you have to do to reset the thermal breaker? Is it a breaker b uilt into the motor or a breaker installed in your boat wiring system?...

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The breaker is installed near the battery. It resets itself once the temperature drops below the limit. I have learned not to run the motor wide open for more than a short period of time. I can run it almost wide open for as long as the batteries hold out.

Panman sounds like you need bigger cables.

Mr.Baker.....I'm with crappielimits. Get a minn-kota with autopilot and spend your savings on other fishing gear. I don't think that you'll regret it.

Motorguide left a $600+ very bad taste in my mouth once with
a Lazer 52RF... ONCE :mad:

maybe the new ones are better, but I'm lovin
my Terrova :D

I own a service center and can tell you that Minn-Kota motors are far better than Motorguide motors. Plus the people at Minn-Kota are much easier to deal with than the people at Motorguide.

Thanks for all the feedback. Will probably just get the refund.