Motorguide Xi3 Problems 

Hi Anthony, I too run the Motorguide but only 12V. I've had this happen a few times. Most have been from some sort of contact to the head with a punch weight (after pulling free from cover) or maybe something else hard, like a rod or my anchor pole. Seems to hate being hit on the head! I've had it randomly just take off without control only once up on Lake Don Pedro. I would disconnect it from power and reconnect and it would work fine. Then after a bit it'd go crazy again. After a few cycles like this I turned it off, stowed it and fished using the paddle. That was on a different battery system and have since moved to Lithium - I also rewired my plugs and cabling. This hasn't happened since. The hitting it on the head sensitivity has happened a few times since though. Don't know the root cause of the random crazy behavior, but it hasn't happened since that day. Was thinking it was something about battery power spike or a short in the line/plugs? Good luck!

In the video at the 2:30 mark you had the boat coasting and hit the anchor mode. It will go crazy every time you do that to get back to the spot where you were when you hit the anchor mode. You have to wait to be somewhat stationary to engage that mode or it will go crazy trying to find it. I had the same issue when I first bought mine getting used to it. The other points where it just took off on you I haven't had that issue on mine.

I have not used my Xi3 12v for months. First time I was out with it, it went crazy like yours. I thought it was the remote. Well I slipped on a wet ramp second time out and got soaked along with the POS remote which took on water and failed thus ruining my day. MG was great and sent a new remote and I bought a second one since without one that works you are SOL. Monday I went out after months with two new remotes. Happened again on both. Very disturbing. I’m surprised there hasn’t been a recall. If the motor whacks out at the wrong time it could put you into a serious collision causing great bodily harm or death. As for a fix, I read that in addition to calibrating the gps by doing circles, there is an alignment calibration that can be done, but both are best done after putting all back to factory settings. So, it seems that if a proper calibration is not done these crazy issues arise.

I have had constant and non stop issues with my Xi3. Even when it “works” the steering turns the wrong way sometimes, heading lock jumps all over the place, auto pilot with my HDS 9 doesn’t work at all. Sometimes it beeps when I turn off the prop but it stays on. I can’t wait to buy a non motor guide product and take the thing to scrap metal

Thanks for your answer! I pushed the loose power cable into the shaft and covered it with some aluminum foil also. Since I did that it works fine (till now)…

Thats some bullshit right there, I had an Xi5 and returned it for it constantly losing its GPS connection. Then got a Motorguide Tour Pro, while investigating the issues I had with the Xi5 i came across a bunch of people who had the same problem on boats with their motors going berserk, cracked ribs, fell out of the boat etc…From the people that had theirs fixed it ended up being a bad motherboard. I believe Motorguide has addressed some of these issues on their RU-vid channel and recommended disconnecting power every time you get off the lake. I know you already do that, I’ve done that with my Tour Pro and I’ve only had maybe 2 instances where it had a gps signal issue in 18 months. Raising and lowering my motor took care of it though. Sucks you spend that much on stuff and these known issues continue to happen.

Only time it does this for me is if i spot lock under a bridge or near a rock wall.. the unit hunts for a gps lock. Are you on spot lock when this happens? If so, then the gps controller in the head unit needs to be replaced. My issue now is the motor overcorrecting for heading corrections. The only fix ive found for this is to switch to spot lock and back to heading quickly on the remote.

I was getting ready to order one for my pwr129, but now got me gun shy. What did you end up figuring out?

I don't need to get tossed out on Lake Superior!!!! Minn Kota for me!!

Not sure if you fixed it, but check the power wires in the head that they are ziptied neatly away from the gps module.

did u try reprogramming the remote?

My xi3 won’t turn or respond to the remote. Does this ever happen to you?

Have you tried calibrating it? Hood m mash 1 three times and do a couple tight circles. Helped the salt water version but it didn’t get this bad. Hope you get it figured out

Hello friend, I have the same problem with my xi3 It rotates around itself and does not anchor. I isolated the power cables on the head by moving them away from the GPS module, and there is no problem for now. Mine was rambling more in windy weather, I hope it has been solved.

are you in a remote area where cell service is not great? ive heard of people having issues with the gps losing satalite connection near bridges and other structures and in places that are remote...

I found this video because mine is doing the EXACT same thing and I too am looking for answers. I've had it out 3 times, it's practically brand new and the second and third time I took the motor out, this is exactly how it behaved. Also, when coming out of spotlock by hitting "M" the arrow keys just completely stop working and I can't control the motor until I unplug it and do a reset. Last time I was out, the reset wouldn't even fix it. Now I have no control with the remote at all.

This doesn't seem to be your situation, but when mine did this and almost tossed me out of my pa 12 I had to pull the power plug to get it to stop. Long story short, it ended up being bad batteries in the remote. That is what motor guide told me. I carry two remotes and change the batteries out every so often, especially on cold days. That being said, i have not had the problem again with the standard remote the unit came with. BUT the gps remote stopped working all together (2nd one). Been using my Lowarce to use spot lock via nmea2000 network. That worked fine but now i have a garmin unit and thinking about getting a minnkota. I have talked to several guys with the same problem, some have no problem at all. And motorguide is not much help, their answer is to take it to a dealer because what I'm explaining doesn't make any sense....Good Luck.

Read the comments I was a few days of ordering one but not now I don’t want to get Tyrone from my kayak

Hello, did you finally fix it? Got a brand new 70lbs Xi3 on my yak and I m having the same issues 🤷🏻‍♂️

My walmart spot lock anchor never goes berserk.

Damn, guess I won't be getting an xi3, that thing would throw my fat ass out of the kayak 😂

Too much thrust on a kayak. You can move a 4000 lb boat with that motor.

Best way to fix an xi3 is to throw in the trash and buy a Minn Kota!

Anyone ever figure this out? I haven’t had a single issue with my Xi3. 🤷🏻‍♂️

You need a new top gps board.