Trim keeps sometimes keeps going down after hitting the button.

T

The best boat name ever

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Hello!
2004 Regal 1800 I/o with Volvo Penta 4.3 GL and Volvo Penta SX drive. Sometimes after adjusting the trim down, it just keeps on going. It stops only if I start pressing it it up, but even then, it doesn’t go up, it just stays stopped and as soon as stop pressing up, it starts going down again. If I keep holding it and hitting the button several times, eventually it stops and I can use the button as normal. I’m trying to figure out why this happening. I assume it’s something electrical. I did recently remove the connections to the throttle handle to change a control cable and I believe I hooked everything back up correctly. There were 2 wires that connected to identical brown wires and I have mixed up but I don’t know if that even related as the trim button worked even when those were disconnected. I have some more info but figured I start with that and see if anyone has any suggestions right off the bat. Any help is greatly appreciated! 1st boat and just got it a month ago, still trying to work everything out.
 
Scott Danforth

Scott Danforth

Grumpy Vintage Moderator still playing with boats
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Your switch or your relays have arced contacts making them stick.

Use a DVM, do some troubleshooting, replace the defective switch or relay
 
K

kd4pbs

Petty Officer 2nd Class
Joined
Mar 5, 2012
Messages
107
The best boat name ever said:
Hello!
2004 Regal 1800 I/o with Volvo Penta 4.3 GL and Volvo Penta SX drive. Sometimes after adjusting the trim down, it just keeps on going. It stops only if I start pressing it it up, but even then, it doesn’t go up, it just stays stopped and as soon as stop pressing up, it starts going down again. If I keep holding it and hitting the button several times, eventually it stops and I can use the button as normal. I’m trying to figure out why this happening. I assume it’s something electrical. I did recently remove the connections to the throttle handle to change a control cable and I believe I hooked everything back up correctly. There were 2 wires that connected to identical brown wires and I have mixed up but I don’t know if that even related as the trim button worked even when those were disconnected. I have some more info but figured I start with that and see if anyone has any suggestions right off the bat. Any help is greatly appreciated! 1st boat and just got it a month ago, still trying to work everything out.
Click to expand...
The two brown wires are for the neutral safety starter interlock switch. If you got it started, those are hooked up properly.
That "more info" would be much more helpful to remote troubleshooting than less...
 
T

The best boat name ever

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Jul 3, 2025
Messages
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Scott Danforth said:
Your switch or your relays have arced contacts making them stick.

Use a DVM, do some troubleshooting, replace the defective switch or relay
Click to expand...
Thanks for your help on another issue Scott! Haven’t gone to the store and picked up a multimeter yet but I think I found at least part of the problem. Can’t get any pictures to upload but I’ve got a relay with a pretty good bubble of melted plastic coming out of its side in my hand at the moment.
 
T

The best boat name ever

Cadet
Joined
Jul 3, 2025
Messages
16
kd4pbs said:
The two brown wires are for the neutral safety starter interlock switch. If you got it started, those are hooked up properly.
That "more info" would be much more helpful to remote troubleshooting than less...
Click to expand...
I did check the 2 relays that are on the trim hydraulic pump thing (I’m sure that’s not what it’s called) and found one thats got a melted plastic bubble on its side. I’ll get a meter and check it but I assume it’s bad. Thanks for easing my fears on hooking those up wrong and letting me know what they go to. The other info that might be be helpful is it doesn’t seem to be the switch because normally, when I hold the switch down, it will stop automatically when it gets all the way down. When it starts malfunctioning, it just keeps trying to go down even after it’s all the way down which I assume is not good. I was going to add that I changed the battery recently but thinking back, this happened once before I changed the battery so it’s not really relevant.
 
K

kd4pbs

Petty Officer 2nd Class
Joined
Mar 5, 2012
Messages
107
I do remember reading that VP has available some sort of smart control system for the tilt/trim that handles the pump on some newer-than-mine models. Hopefully someone that has worked with one of those can chime in - I would only be making assumptions.
As a side note, the polarity is also not important on those brown wires - you can't even hook them up backwards, so rest assured there.
 
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