CONTINUOUSWAVE

I have a 2013 200 DAUNTLESS--which I love--with a Mercury VERADO 200-HP engine. During August 2022, when the engine throttle setting is for low engine speed, the electronic remote controls for the VERADO change into THROTTLE ONLY MODE all by themselves.

If the remote shift and throttle control is then moved to NEUTRAL and then the throttle-shift lever is pushed forward, the VERADO engine will shift back into [forward] gear.

I contacted my local Mercury service dealer; the dealer cannot find anything wrong.

I called the Mercury service team; the Mercury service teams says they have never heard of anything like what I'm experiencing.

Q1: what is causing the behavior I described above?

Q2: what is a remedy for the behavior I described above?

--Bob

Q3: what procedure is normally required to be performed with the Mercury digital throttle and shift (DTS) controls to initiate a shift to THROTTLE ONLY mode from the NORMAL MODE (with control of both throttle and shift) with the single DTS lever?

I ask you that specific question because the most reasonable basis for the DTS controls to change mode is that the DTS controls are getting a false signal that mimics the required signal that must be exhibited in order to change modes.

I cannot offer any more detailed advice specific to the DTS controls. You seem to have already contacted the appropriate technical support people who SHOULD be the most informed and the MOST LIKELY to be able to offer help.

I am only able to offer advice based on 45-years of working on modern electronic systems of all kinds, but zero hours of working on a Mercury DTS system.

Have you had the diagnostic reader hooked up to the engine and the codes read?

Have you disconnected/reconnected power to the network?

Can you replicate the problem? If it is infrequent there will not be any solution until you/they can duplicate the event. Document what you can before having a factory trained Verado technician look at the engine.

A total reboot of all the electrical/electronic systems by removing the battery's ground for a few moments may also be useful.