Dead Ulterra from the start

**M R Dux** · 05-25-2019, 04:47 AM

I tried to check out my brand new RipTide Ulterra yesterday before taking the new Bay Pro for its maiden voyage. I checked everything and tried to get the motor to deploy but all I get is an error message "Motor Error" on the remote. I read every word of every piece of paper that came with the motor, read every word I could find on the internet, watched every video I could find , and tried every fix I could come up with including trying to do the manual stow procedure thinking it might be bound up somewhere. Still "Motor Error"!!!!!! This motor has never been deployed, was installed according to the instructions, has 36 volts at the plug, and otherwise appears to be a brand new motor. This is infuriating me to say the least. I have a spare Terrova I-Pilot RipTide that is going to be installed very shortly if I can't fix the Ulterra. Sad part is I avoided buying an Ulterra until well after all the initial bugs were worked out. Hope I didn't buy an expensive box full of bugs!

Any ideas? I'm up to anything that doesn't involve a sledge hammer on this holiday weekend.

**Buzzsaw** · 05-25-2019, 06:07 AM

Saw this on BBC:

Ulterra won’t Deploy

**M R Dux** · 05-25-2019, 06:09 PM

I probably tried a dozen different fixes on the Ulterra. I slept on it after being furious last night (older age will do that). I was hoping the thing would fix itself if I left it alone long enough. I went back at it this afternoon after a nice trip with Mike58 and his beautiful daughter (fishing was S_L_O_W!). I went back thru some of the diagnostics, no luck. I pulled the side overs off and checked every wire I could reach to see if they were tight. While I had the covers off, I tried a manual stow procedure, no luck. Before I put it back together I decided to just shake the crap out of everything I could make move. I tried to push and pull the shaft, I really got as rough as I dared. I then put the covers back on and turned it on. Same deal. I turned the remote on and it said "Motor Stowed" instead of "Motor Error". I swung for the fences and hit Deploy and things started moving like they should! Up-Down-Left-Right-Fast-Slow---everything worked!! Apparently it had been bound up either in shipping or installation. Fingers crossed that whatever it was, it won't show up again. The sledge hammer remains unused.

**bflowers** · 05-26-2019, 09:18 AM

I am glad you got it working, I have one on order. Now I know what to do if mine wont deploy.
Thanks for the info.

**Redge** · 05-26-2019, 10:47 AM

That sledge probably came pretty close to getting a workout huh!
Glad you got it going

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**Cane Pole** · 05-28-2019, 03:15 PM

Just curious, did u try the electronic reset option? POWER DOWN, then power up wait for green light ON, then push power button three times within 2 seconds. This should restore to normal.

**M R Dux** · 05-29-2019, 10:12 AM

Originally Posted by Cane Pole

Just curious, did u try the electronic reset option? POWER DOWN, then power up wait for green light ON, then push power button three times within 2 seconds. This should restore to normal.

I tried that reset no less than a dozen times. The motor would power up but all the resets were ignored. I honestly think a switch was not in the right place and a good shaking moved it around. Motor works great now.

**sinkermaker** · 06-02-2019, 02:21 PM

Had the same thing happen to my 24 volt and found out I had pinched a wire to the magnets and that was the problem. corrected that and it has worked every since. This happened during installation.

**artcarney_agr** · 06-07-2019, 08:29 AM

Originally Posted by M R Dux

I tried that reset no less than a dozen times. The motor would power up but all the resets were ignored. I honestly think a switch was not in the right place and a good shaking moved it around. Motor works great now.

I got a new Terrova a few weeks ago, I will say that it seems Minn Kota's assembly is a bit shoddy. A little bit of blue thread locker during assembly would help out tremendously....have already had a few machine screws fall out and had to put them back in. I haven't used it but 5 or 6 times yet.

With that being said, your issue is about par for course.

**M R Dux** · 06-07-2019, 08:44 AM

I’ve used mine a dozen or more times with zero issues. I think it got banged around in shipping. The box had been taped up. That is one heavy and tall box for UPS.

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