engine trim not working on my Yamaha 300 outboard

[Peter Lawson]

Engine trim on Yamaha 300 not responding on my R27 LE 2023. Engine is stuck in the down position.

 

[Submariner]

Do you hear clicking? Or any sounds when you try to raise it?

 

[DC3]

I have a C32 with F300 Yamahas and have had both tilt/trim units fail this year. Our is a 2022, purchased in Aug 2025. The boat spent the first 3 years in salt water in Pensacola Fl and I am not sure the engines were wash down after use. The first unit required a full assembly replacement. The part alone was $4900. The second unit went out a few months later and only required a new tilt/trim motor at about $790 for the motor not including installation and hallout.
Based on the limited info, I would say to start with troubleshooting the tilt/ trim motor. I used ChatGPT and Youtube to help with ideas for troubleshooting. On the second engine it saved me replacing the full tilt/ trim assembly that MarineMax recommended.

 

[serendipity]

We have a 2023 R27 OB, and have experienced several failures with our F300. I detailed that in another post.

Our dealing with Yamaha to date have been less than lackluster. However, I was finally able to speak with the Yamaha warranty folks: very helpful.

Our F300 was made in April 2021 and married to our R27 in the latter half of 2023. Our F300 has been labeled a “Covid engine” by many in the trade. Apparently it’s a thing given the times and the pressures on supply chains and quality control.

While top part of our F300 seems to work to spec, several of the peripheral components have failed catastrophically.

Yes, we’re under the original warranty and have an extended coverage, too. If it weren’t for the heroic efforts of our dealer and our longtime boatyard, we would have lost two full seasons of cruising and several thousand $$$ of reservations and mooring fees.

Our PTT motor failed after 118 hours and when replaced it only lowers not raises AND the engine makes a humming ping in the upper section. It’s not the switches, as both provide the same result. It’s also not the relay, as we replaced that, too. The leading thought is a loose connection in the wiring harness, a short somewhere, or a something otherwise electrical.

We are hauling out for the season this week. A Yamaha “Yoda” will need to come to the boat and do a full diagnostic. My position is that it will either be repaired or replaced. I believe repair will work, as the top part of the F300 has been working to spec.

Frustrating does not cover things, but at least Yamaha warranty folks were polite, concerned, and supportive. The fact that our F300 sat around for over 2.5 years until assigned to our R27 is a huge red flag. We are the original owners and bought the boat in Spring 2024.

Hopefully, this will all be sorted out this winter: time for back orders to be filled right. We are cruising from NE to Florida and back beginning in Sep 2027.

 

[Peter Lawson]

Do you hear clicking? Or any sounds when you try to raise it?

There is a faint clicking use the manual up/down switch on the motor when I try to raise or lower the engine.
Is that the selenoid trying to respond?
At the helm, the screen showed 3 bars for the tilt position but the engine was in the down position. I reset the calibration to 0 which now showed 1 bar. on the screen. Still no success in tilting the engine from the helm or the motor switch.
Chat GPT said to check the relay or fuse or perhaps there was a loose wire or bad ground.
The boat is has only been in the fresh water of Canada's Great Lakes, Georgian Bay and heated storage in the off season.
The engine has 160 hours.
Where can I check for the relay and fuse?
How do I check the hydralic fluid?
Thanks for your help. Peter

 

[Peter Lawson]

I have a C32 with F300 Yamahas and have had both tilt/trim units fail this year. Our is a 2022, purchased in Aug 2025. The boat spent the first 3 years in salt water in Pensacola Fl and I am not sure the engines were wash down after use. The first unit required a full assembly replacement. The part alone was $4900. The second unit went out a few months later and only required a new tilt/trim motor at about $790 for the motor not including installation and hallout.
Based on the limited info, I would say to start with troubleshooting the tilt/ trim motor. I used ChatGPT and Youtube to help with ideas for troubleshooting. On the second engine it saved me replacing the full tilt/ trim assembly that MarineMax recommended.

Thanks for your reply. You can follow the thread in my response to Submariner or to me with any additional comments. Peter

 

[Peter Lawson]

We have a 2023 R27 OB, and have experienced several failures with our F300. I detailed that in another post.

Our dealing with Yamaha to date have been less than lackluster. However, I was finally able to speak with the Yamaha warranty folks: very helpful.

Our F300 was made in April 2021 and married to our R27 in the latter half of 2023. Our F300 has been labeled a “Covid engine” by many in the trade. Apparently it’s a thing given the times and the pressures on supply chains and quality control.

While top part of our F300 seems to work to spec, several of the peripheral components have failed catastrophically.

Yes, we’re under the original warranty and have an extended coverage, too. If it weren’t for the heroic efforts of our dealer and our longtime boatyard, we would have lost two full seasons of cruising and several thousand $$$ of reservations and mooring fees.

Our PTT motor failed after 118 hours and when replaced it only lowers not raises AND the engine makes a humming ping in the upper section. It’s not the switches, as both provide the same result. It’s also not the relay, as we replaced that, too. The leading thought is a loose connection in the wiring harness, a short somewhere, or a something otherwise electrical.

We are hauling out for the season this week. A Yamaha “Yoda” will need to come to the boat and do a full diagnostic. My position is that it will either be repaired or replaced. I believe repair will work, as the top part of the F300 has been working to spec.

Frustrating does not cover things, but at least Yamaha warranty folks were polite, concerned, and supportive. The fact that our F300 sat around for over 2.5 years until assigned to our R27 is a huge red flag. We are the original owners and bought the boat in Spring 2024.

Hopefully, this will all be sorted out this winter: time for back orders to be filled right. We are cruising from NE to Florida and back beginning in Sep 2027.

Thank you for sharing your past experiences on the Yamaha 300 Engine trim issues. I have also responded to Submariner with updated details of my findings If you wish to follow the progress . You can also respond to me directly with updated info or have additional comments. All help much appreciated. Peter on "Grandview"

 

[Submariner]

There is a faint clicking use the manual up/down switch on the motor when I try to raise or lower the engine.
Is that the selenoid trying to respond?
At the helm, the screen showed 3 bars for the tilt position but the engine was in the down position. I reset the calibration to 0 which now showed 1 bar. on the screen. Still no success in tilting the engine from the helm or the motor switch.
Chat GPT said to check the relay or fuse or perhaps there was a loose wire or bad ground.
The boat is has only been in the fresh water of Canada's Great Lakes, Georgian Bay and heated storage in the off season.
The engine has 160 hours.
Where can I check for the relay and fuse?
How do I check the hydralic fluid?
Thanks for your help. Peter

When I was working on another R27 (replacing his mast, that'd fallen down and broke an atrium window), was putting his boat back to gather. He'd went to lower the motor, got 1/2 way down and it stopped. Wouldn't go up or down. There's a bleed valve on the side of the PTT unit to let the fluid/pressure out so he was able to get the motor down so he could drive it over to the marine shop (he was moored in a wet slip). When trying to raise or lower the outboard, all we got was a clicking sound (relay trying to engage the PTT hydraulic motor to raise/lower). The fix was the "PTT module" (term the Yamaha dealer told the customer), not the entire PTT unit, had to be replaced. (less expensive than replacing the entire PTT unit).

There are fuses on the Yamaha engine (under the cowling) to check related to the PTT unit. Check those to rule them out. Else, you probably need a Yamaha dealer. Especially if your engine still has a Yamaha warranty.