MinnKota Auto pilot Complaint

Who all has had problems with MinnKota?
1. Trying to get them to answer the phone in service.
2. Problems with your autopilot powerdrive spinning.
I am on my third one over several years. When it doesn’t spin around on me it is the best thing ever and it doesn’t do it very often. But it has just broken the transducer wire/cable for the second time. Over the last three years I have tried to call thier service department 4 different times and have never been able to speak to anyone and have also never had a return call from messages I have left. Three different times I have just ended up driving to Mankato and walking through the doorand then they will take care of your problem. Since everyone I know that has a autopilot has thiers spin on occasion I thought I would take a poll. Since they will not answer the phone or return a message I’m getting ready to drive over once again and I like to show them what others think of thier service.

I have given up. I have been getting just a standard Power Drive, and running a Co-Pilot with the cord. I have not had good luck with the wireless either.
AP’s have had those issues from Day 1.
Good luck! I feel for ya!

Once I stopped in they gave me a new compass for my autopilot (I had an earlier version) after the install I never had the head unit never spun again in the almost 2 years I had it. There is something they can adjust in the autopilot too, I once brought it in for service and the said they adjust both “pot” back to 1 volt… whatever that means, eventually the issue returned and I replaced the compass.I always got awesome service from them, I just call the 800 number and they have taken care of me, I have however stopped in a couple times too.

Overall I ended up just running an ice ducer upfront so I’d never have transducer and cable issues again.

Call, wait and talk to a real person, I gotta believe they’ll help you out somehow, though I prefer the dropping in option myself. Just so you know they moved to a new spot, so don’t go to the old place, like I did

I recommend taking it to Marine Electronics in Bloomington 952-884-5291 for a checkup. They can look it over, replace the pivot pads and likely address your issues. They have done a great job for me over the years. My 1998 auto pilot still works very good.

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I have been getting just a standard Power Drive, and running a Co-Pilot with the cord.

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I had problems with this last year and had a minnkota repair shop in Des Moines Iowa fix mine for free under warranty. I believe they had to replace the compass.
Nate

I have owned 4 Minkota auto pilots They all spin out of control. I have had one without built in sonar and it to pulled my Transducer cord apart .I think minnkota should share the cost of the repairs its there software problem and compass issues. I have had all mine in for repairs accept my current one I bought last summer it has only spun once. If it spins again I wil be visiting Minkota again, I dont think I will be as nice this time. GOOD LUCK.