Throttle will not get back to neutral

[mdauth]

Hi, my Utopia 185 2003 will sometime have problems coming back in the neutral position. Will be going at idle and try to put it in neutral and just won't go. I stop the motor and still won't go. I keep playing with it up and down and a bit of force and finally lets me go to neutral position. Doesn't seem to have a binding problem with the gate. Should I change the throttle cable. Thx, Mike

 

[dblackstone]

My first thought is to remove the screws on the plate that holds Throttle and Gear shift. Make sure there isn't something binding underneath it.

 

[Dr Honda]

There's a lockout in the throttle lever itself. It keeps you from slamming it into reverse if the throttle is up. I would take the handles up out of the hull, and make sure everything is clean and working.