Won’t start...

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Bsarno

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Hello,

I have a 1997 Sea-Doo GTX. When I put the lanyard key on it usually brings power to the display on the dashboard. But now when I put the key on there is no power going to the dashboard. I can still get one beep when I put the key on or press start. But it will not turn over, nothing.
I would really love to get this fixed ASAP. Can anyone help me?

Thank you
 
When you put the lanyard on do you get 2 beeps and the gauges come on? If not, but the gauges come on pressing the start/stop button and give you one beep, you can test the DESS post with a DMM (meter). You should see it close (short) when you stick the lanyard on the post. You can trace the continuity back into MPEM where the barrel connectors are.

Ck all fuses, but it is possible to have them all be good and the DESS post test good and still have a bad MPEM. But check the DESS post connectivity going to the MPEM first It is also possible the older a lanyard key is the ohms get higher and it becomes not as reliable. I've tested new lanyards at 6-7ohms and old ones over 19-20 ohms. I'm told anything over 10 ohms is iffy.
 
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OK thank you. This is helpful. So I borrowed a friend of mine‘s lanyard and put it on and then it beeped once. When I put my lanyard on I hit start and then it does the same thing… It beeps once and the display lights up with the time. But it won’t start. There’s no power turning the engine over. Any ideas? Can you please explain a little bit more to me about what the DESS post is?
 
I checked the fuses Inside the white box in the front cargo area. They were good. I don’t know where any other fuses are
 
1 beep means the mpem doesn't recognize the key. When a recognized key is installed you will get 2 beeps. So I would clean the key and the dess post for starters and try your key again. Sounds like it recognized your friends key as being wrong but not yours at all. Or you could try to put your key on friends ski and see if it acts the same as it does on yours if so your key is bad.
 
OK thank you. This is helpful. So I borrowed a friend of mine‘s lanyard and put it on and then it beeped once. When I put my lanyard on I hit start and then it does the same thing… It beeps once and the display lights up with the time. But it won’t start. There’s no power turning the engine over. Any ideas? Can you please explain a little bit more to me about what the DESS post is?

The lanyard or key is programmed to the MPEM, your friends key wouldn't work, it would need to be programmed to the ski. The DESS is an encoding system or anti theft. It was introduced in 96'. Are you using the same key you've always used?
 
Thank you both. This is very helpful. I do now understand that when I’m using my friends key the reason it’s beeping at me right away it’s because it’s telling me that his key is not programmed for my machine. When I use my key, the one that I use all the time that usually runs the seadoo, Nothing automatically happens. But if I hit the start button it will beep at me one time and then the display will put the time on the dashboard.
 
Also, I scheduled an appointment for this Friday with a Sea-Doo company near me to sell me a new key and program it to my machine.
 
Could someone please tell me where the MPEM is?

Grey box up front, open it up and do a continuity test going to the DESS post. Sounds like this could be your problem, lanyards don't un-program themselves from the MPEM. This is a starting point before you get a another lanyard programmed and it doesn't work.
 
OK, I have been suspicious that it could be the MPEM as well.

When I do the continuity test am I putting the black wire on the MPM and the red wire on the DESS post? Or how do I do a continuity test?

To the other reply… Thank you. Yes I have tested the battery with a meter and got 12.5 V
 
Could you please tell me what exactly the MPEM is? I see the light gray/white box upfront. Is that entire thing the MPEM? Or is the MPEM something inside that box?
 
I couldn’t find the Thread where are you showed me where the MPEM was. I still need help locating exactly what the MPEM is
 
its inside the front storage take out the storage box and look on the side beside the fuel tank its a grey plastic box the mpem is in there .
 
OK good news. I now understand that the MPEM is in the light gray/white box up in the front. I’m going to use the wisdom You have given me to test and see if it’s the DESS or the MPEM. Have I told you guys what a blessing you are in my life. Thank you so much for your help
 
Where’s the best place to buy a new MPEM and DESS?

Cross that bridge only when you need to, many checks to do before throwing down $400 plus for another MPEM. We'll steer you in the right direction, just resist the urge to start throwing parts at it.
 
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