Lowrance problems

[MrChickyBaBa]

I have a Lowrance in dash mounted model # LMS-332. My problem is three things, first the unit itself will come on by itself rather the boat is being used or just sitting in the garage, I can turn it back off and it will still continually come back on over and over again. Second, the GPS will not acquire its position so I am not able to use the mapping part of the unit. Third the sonar does not work consistantly, for the most part it does'nt work. Now if I only had one of these problems I could believe it was a wiring or other issue, but with all these it seems to be a unit problem. Has anyone else ever seen any of these problems? I have had the unit out of the dash and all connections are good and the wiring looks good as well, the boats only an 06 model. The only way I can keep the unit turned off is to pull the fuse for the electronics. I am going to call Lowrance today and see if i can send the unit to them and get this taken caree of.

[Basswipe]

I used to have a 332 that had the same problem with power coming on by itself. It's something in the switches used back then.

I called Lowrance and they sent me a new unit

[MrChickyBaBa]

Just talked to them. If I send it in it cost minumum of 62 bucks to have looked at. If theres a problem it will cost 362 to replace the unit with a newer model since they do not make or have any of the same in stock. The newer models is around 650 new they said nut will be a different size then what i already have, which is the problem because its mounted in the dash. They did not seem very willing to want ot work with me on troubleshooting but wanted to try a find a bunch of other problems besides the unit.

[jdw174]

Had the same problem with a 334ci mounted at the console. It would come on while setting in the garage. If it stayed on too long before I caught it, it sometimes screwed up the whole thing to where I had to reboot the unit. I recently moved it from the console to the front deck and installed a new HB 898si at the console. The HB doesn't turn itself on and the 334 hasn't come on since it's been moved. Poltergeists maybe?

[MrChickyBaBa]

I think my boat is crazy. I just went out there too put the fuse back in to allow me to upload some new updates to the unit and I have no power to that unit, the one on the front deck, horn don't work, radio will not come on trim will not work from the front ddeck but does from the console and on the motor, and aerator or bilge pump will not come on. Now this sounds like a different issue of wiring to me but it worked the last time the boat was out this fall and has been in the garage ever since covered up. I have kept my boats in this garage since 03 with no problems, I hoping that I have not become the victim of mice chewing thru some of the wires to the front dech and other accesories.

[LJP]

That wouldn't be good

[R19]

If nothing eletrical works it may be because something was on and drained the battery. Around 8-9 years ago I pushed the on button for my flasher and the button stuck in the on position. To fix my problem I unhooked the battery and cut the hot wire going to my flasher and installed a toggle switch. I routed new wire so the switch is just hanging out of the way barley under my dash; I then reconnected my battery wire. The switch is easy to reach but still not visiable.The on button has been stuck on for years but I can still turn my unit off.


The 332's had issues with turing themself on. A lot of people sent them in for repair under warranty but once the warranty expired all Lowrance would do is offer an upgrade at a reduced price. With the massive problem they had they sould have recalled the unit or fix any unit with the defective key pad regardless of age.

[MrChickyBaBa]

I can rule the battery out as I have an onboard charger that was hooked up showing al batteries fully charged. I have pulled both panels out where the switches are located and all connections are good. I am going to start checking circuit breakers next. After that the only thing left that I can figure is possibly a wire being chewed thru by mice, wwhich is my worst nitemare.