Trim not working – the drive won't go up or down
Distinguish a trim motor that doesn't run from a motor that runs without the drive moving. Check fuses, battery, trim fluid, manual valve and trim gauge.
Manuals
Check step by step
Select your engine on its model page to see the relevant steps and part numbers.
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Check whether the trim has simply stopped at a built-in limit: end position, rpm limit or water pressure.
Volvo Penta's Power Trim has an automatic stop that cuts power at the end position and resets when you trim down. On EVC drives, the drive cannot be tilted above a certain rpm. Mercury's DTS system limits trimming up above 3500 rpm. Yamaha writes that the trim angle can be difficult to change under way due to water pressure.
Action: First trim down a little and then up again. Reduce speed and shift to neutral before changing the trim angle on an outboard.
- Volvo Penta D4, D6, owner's manual 7745861 (external link) · page 15
- Volvo Penta D4, D6, owner's manual 7745861 (external link) · page 46
- Mercury MerCruiser 4.5/6.2 MPI, Operation & Maintenance 8M0113921 (external link) · page 17
- Yamaha F9.9H/F15C/F20B, owner's manual (6AG-28199-77-E0) (external link) · page 47
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Can't hear the trim motor at all? Check the fuses, circuit breaker and trim relays.
Mercury lists a blown fuse as the first cause when the trim motor does not run. Fuses can be located at the trim switch on the dashboard, on the trim pump and in the red positive cable near the main battery switch. Volvo Penta GXi engines have up and down trim relays, a 10 A fuse for the trim control and a 40 A circuit breaker for the trim pump. Yamaha's power tilt has a 20 A fuse.
Action: Replace a blown fuse with one of the same amperage, or reset the circuit breaker. If the trim motor has stopped mid-tilt: release the button and let the thermal overload protection cool down; it resets itself. Never replace a fuse with wire or a higher-rated fuse. If the new fuse blows immediately: workshop.
- Mercury MerCruiser 4.5/6.2 MPI, Operation & Maintenance 8M0113921 (external link) · page 102
- Mercury MerCruiser 4.5/6.2 MPI, Operation & Maintenance 8M0113921 (external link) · page 19
- Volvo Penta 5.0/5.7 GXi, owner's manual 47702420 (external link) · page 64
- Volvo Penta 5.0/5.7 GXi, owner's manual 47702420 (external link) · page 69
- Yamaha F9.9H/F15C/F20B, owner's manual (6AG-28199-77-E0) (external link) · page 79
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Check the battery charge and the cable connections to the trim pump.
Mercury cites loose or dirty connections and damaged cables, especially the battery cables, as the cause when the trim motor does not run. Yamaha mentions a discharged battery as a reason for power tilt to stop working.
Action: Charge the battery. Switch off the main power and clean and tighten the battery terminals and the trim pump connections. Damaged cables must be repaired or replaced.
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Engine runs but the drive doesn't move? Check the oil level in the trim pump.
Mercury cites low oil level in the trim pump as the cause when the motor runs but the drive does not move, and also that the drive may bind in the gimbal ring. Volvo Penta states that the oil level should be between MAX and MIN with the drive fully trimmed in. On the GXi the trim system is sealed and only needs checking when the trim is not working properly.
Action: Trim the drive fully down and read the level on the reservoir. Top up with the oil the manual specifies: Mercury's Power Trim and Steering Fluid (or 10W-30 if unavailable), or ATF on Volvo Penta D4/D6. Keep dirt out. If the system has been drained, trim out and in 6–10 times to bleed it and check the level again. Also check whether anything is obstructing the drive in the gimbal ring.
- Mercury MerCruiser 4.5/6.2 MPI, Operation & Maintenance 8M0113921 (external link) · page 103
- Mercury MerCruiser 4.5/6.2 MPI, Operation & Maintenance 8M0113921 (external link) · page 55
- Volvo Penta D4, D6, owner's manual 7745861 (external link) · page 89
- Volvo Penta 5.0/5.7 GXi, owner's manual 47702420 (external link) · page 89
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Outboard: look for oil leaks on the power tilt unit and watch how the tilt rod moves.
Yamaha's pre-start check consists of looking for oil leaks on the tilt unit, testing all tilt switches, and making sure the tilt rod extends fully, moves smoothly and is free of corrosion.
Action: Try each tilt switch separately, both in the boat and on the engine cowling. If the unit leaks oil, or the tilt rod is corroded or binding, take the engine to a Yamaha dealer.
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Must the drive or engine be moved anyway? Use the manual valve or emergency trim.
Yamaha describes a manual valve screw. Loosened anticlockwise to the stop, it lets the engine be tilted by hand when power tilt does not work. On Volvo Penta EVC drives you can trim manually with the N button if the trim panel does not work.
Action: Yamaha: turn the manual valve screw counterclockwise to the stop, set the engine in the desired position and retighten the screw clockwise. Volvo Penta EVC: hold down the N button on the panel and trim with the trim panel. The automatic end-position stop does not work then, so do not trim outside the trim range.
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Does the drive move but the trim gauge reads wrong? Separate the sender and the gauge from the hydraulics.
On Volvo Penta EVC drives, the trim gauge shows the drive position via a trim angle sensor connected to the drive's wiring harness. The trim pump has its own connection. If the drive moves when you trim, the pump and oil are not the problem. On EVC, trim system faults appear as fault code 2.7.3 (”Fault in PowerTrim system”).
Action: Watch the drive while someone operates the trim. If it moves without the gauge changing, the workshop should troubleshoot the sender, gauge and wiring. Read out any fault code and bring it to the workshop.
- Workshop
Does the trim motor still not run despite intact fuses, a charged battery and clean connections?
According to Volvo Penta, fuses and circuit breakers that trip repeatedly indicate a fault that must be fixed immediately. Yamaha refers you to the dealer if a new fuse blows immediately, and when the power tilt unit is faulty.
Action: Take it to a workshop. There the trim switch, relays, trim motor and pump are tested with measuring equipment.
When to call a workshop
Call a workshop if the fuse blows again immediately, if the trim pump leaks oil or the level keeps dropping, or if the trim motor does not run despite intact fuses and a charged battery. Senders, gauges and trim motor are diagnosed with workshop equipment.
Frequently asked questions
The trim motor won't run – what's wrong?
Start with the fuses. On a Mercury drive they may be at the trim button, on the trim pump and in the red positive cable near the main switch. Then check the battery and cable connections. If the motor stopped mid-tilt, the thermal overload protection may have tripped. It resets itself once the motor has cooled.
Yamaha trim motor not working – how do I tilt the engine up?
Yamaha power tilt engines have a manual valve screw. Turn it counterclockwise to the stop, and the engine can be tilted by hand. Set the engine in the desired position and retighten the screw clockwise. The power tilt fuse sits in a holder with a spare fuse next to it.
What oil should be used in the trim pump?
Mercury specifies its Power Trim and Steering Fluid and allows SAE 10W-30 engine oil if it is not available. Volvo Penta specifies ATF (Dexron II, III) for Power Trim on D4/D6. Check the level with the drive fully trimmed down.
Volvo Penta trim gauge reads wrong – is it the trim motor?
Not if the drive moves when you trim. The gauge shows the drive position via a trim angle sender, so if the drive moves up and down but the needle stays still, the fault is in the sender, the gauge or the wiring. On EVC systems, trim faults are logged as fault code 2.7.3.