Malibu Touch Command Problems??

[Wakehopper]

Hey Guys!

I just received a call from my local Malibu Dealer.

He told me that the Malibu Touch Command displays from the 2011 boats are starting to cause troubles.

In his believe it´s only a matter of time that mine will f**k up too.

Has anyone of you discovered some problems with the MTC system on his 2011 boat? If so, what caused the problems.

Edited May 26, 2011 by Wakehopper

[jrz1]

The original screen on my 2011 247 did not work well. Not responsive, frequently froze up and once didn't accept my ignition code. The dealer replaced it with a screen out of another 2011 they had in inventory and the new one seems to be working fine.

[martinarcher]

I wondered how long it would take for a thread to pop up like this.

The MTC is pretty slick, but personally, I'm glad I've got a ignition switch!

[Wakehopper]

I was out with my boat yesterday and had no problems at all.

I´m just curious, if more people had problems with the MTC we could maybe figure out what the weak point is. So I could buy the part in advance to avoid standing time of my boat during the summer months.

As I life in Europe it always takes a lifetime to get spare parts, especially from warranty claims.

[Tims]

Mine will usually freeze up once an outing where I have to cut power and reset. Then it will work fine. Tends to be un-responsive at times. At night is when the fun starts. Navigation and running lights will turn themselves off and the wedge will continually deploy and retract until you get a fault. Have a call in to my dealer to address, but I am debating holding off until the summer is over as I can see this turning into a cluster f#$% to fix.

[nyryan2001]

zero issues...works great at 19hrs...

[jrz1]

Mine will usually freeze up once an outing where I have to cut power and reset. Then it will work fine. Tends to be un-responsive at times. At night is when the fun starts. Navigation and running lights will turn themselves off and the wedge will continually deploy and retract until you get a fault. Have a call in to my dealer to address, but I am debating holding off until the summer is over as I can see this turning into a cluster f#$% to fix.

They simply swapped out my touch screen at my dock. Think it was pretty straight forward. I had similar problems to you and hated that stupid screen. Now that they replaced it, the screen works great and I've had no further problems.

[cbmalibu98]

I know technology is a good thing but I like having a key to turn vs a computer chip that I am sure I could screw up. I have had no problems with the key on my 98 VLX.

CB

[bcoppess23]

I believe I first reported on this issue back in December, shortly after I picked my boat up. Check it out Here. Then Later, more discussion from someone else started Here.

In solving my touch problem, the dealer and Medallion first replaced the MTC. It still froze. Then my dealer replaced the modules under the dash and the MTC. I have since put 10 + hours on the boat, several "tests" and have not had a problem. I know it does not work well with "wet" fingers.

For the people having a problem and who want to test - make sure you have enough battery. Then turn the boat on, enter your code and let sit for about 10 minutes (Sometimes you can skip the sitting for 10 minutes). Come back to the screen and then start pressing different buttons in any order turning lights on and off the MLS pumps, switches. Do this for about 2-3 minutes then be sure to hit the "All Off" button and leave the screen on the MLS. Now do not touch the screen for 30-45 minutes. After this period of time, the screen would then lock. I did this several times, as well as my dealer. This was the quickest way to retest the problem.

Below is a short video I captured of the screen "frozen" and the gauges to show I have enough battery. I had it plugged into my iPod cable so, when I turned the boat off, it ended the video.

All in all - This is a great product and I have no complaints. When you put technology in boats, you have to expect there will be hick-ups along the way. But I chose Malibu for several reasons but in a time like this, I know they will stand behind their product and make it right.

[Slayer]

I wondered how long it would take for a thread to pop up like this.

The MTC is pretty slick, but personally, I'm glad I've got a ignition switch!

I'm with you on that note....now.....if the weather would cooperate, I may actually be able to turn the key!

[Tims]

They simply swapped out my touch screen at my dock. Think it was pretty straight forward. I had similar problems to you and hated that stupid screen. Now that they replaced it, the screen works great and I've had no further problems.

Thanks for the info. I am going to try and get it fixed next week.

[cbmalibu98]

Everything is ready to go for the weekend, but mother nature has our lake 20 feet above normal height with rain in the forcast. I have Freebird playing on the boat speekers in the shop come heck or the high water we already have I am going anyway

CB

[Fman]

After 18 hours of use, I have only had it lock up one time at around 6.5 hours.... strangly enough the Maliview was also frozen up.... I turned it off and on and it has been fine ever since. Other than this it has been great, I really like the MLS screen and how it allows you to fill and drain tanks easily. I am sure there will be an occasional hick-up, I still wish they would have installed a manual over ride to at least start the boat if your computer ever takes a dump on you.

The real test will be over this entire season, and after everyone stores there boat in the wid-west in freezing conditions, computers dont like freezing weather.

I often wonder how the Tige Touch is working on the new Tige's.... very similar to the MTC.

Edited May 27, 2011 by Fman

[Fman]

Hey Guys!

I just received a call from my local Malibu Dealer.

He told me that the Malibu Touch Command displays from the 2011 boats are starting to cause troubles.

In his believe it´s only a matter of time that mine will f**k up too.

Has anyone of you discovered some problems with the MTC system on his 2011 boat? If so, what caused the problems.

That seems kind of strange your dealer would call you and tell you your boats going to have a problem???????????? Wow, they must have a lot of time on there hands. Are you having problems? how many hours are on your boat?

Edited May 27, 2011 by Fman

[Wakehopper]

Sorry for the delayed answer, I was kind of busy competing in our wakeboard nationals this week.

As I buy a new boat every year from my dealer we developed kind of a friendship. I also help him delivering boats and do test runs with customers.

I think he just wanted to give me a heads up in advance that there might be problems with the MTC.

Until now I had absolutely no problems, no freezing up and it is responsive as on day one (not like an iPad but its a boat, not an entertainment computer)

The boat has 35 hours so far.

Ps: The wakeboard nationals I competed in where pulled by a Mastercraft X2 and once more got to feel the malibu difference. The boat was completely crowded by judges and photographers, plus additional water ballast in the front and in the back but the wake didn't even come close to my vlx with stock ballast and the wedge deployed!

Edited June 6, 2011 by Wakehopper

[Fman]

Sorry for the delayed answer, I was kind of busy competing in our wakeboard nationals this week.

As I buy a new boat every year from my dealer we developed kind of a friendship. I also help him delivering boats and do test runs with customers.

I think he just wanted to give me a heads up in advance that there might be problems with the MTC.

Until now I had absolutely no problems, no freezing up and it is responsive as on day one (not like an iPad but its a boat, not an entertainment computer)

The boat has 35 hours so far.

Ps: The wakeboard nationals I competed in where pulled by a Mastercraft X2 and once more got to feel the malibu difference. The boat was completely crowded by judges and photographers, plus additional water ballast in the front and in the back but the wake didn't even come close to my vlx with stock ballast and the wedge deployed!

That is good to hear, hopefully you will have no problems. Someone did post up a new MTC version that can be uploaded into your MTC with a thumb drive. Apparently there is a USB cable under the dash you can plug in to and upgrade very easily.

I really like the VLX wake, with full MLS filled and the wedge a couple clicks up it will launch even the most demanding riders.... We had an advanced rider go out with us a couple weeks ago and he was pulling inverts, tantrums, etc... Fun to watch, he rides behind an MB 07, and was really diggin the VLX wake.

[NuBuGuy2011]

Have had 2 lockups in first 14hrs so far - had to turn ignition off & back on - first time w/ ballast all drain & yesterday would not take code

[Malibuzer]

Mine locked up tonight in the garage playing with the new stereo. I am sure the dealers will have the upgrade for us.

[Tims]

Problem on mine is apparently the MTC control box. New one is on the way.

[wschanback]

My VTX had the problem around 20 hours and would not reset when the power was turned off. I had to be towed back to port. The dealer replaced the MTCS screen but I had two more incidents when the screen became unresponsive. On both of those occasions it did reset when I turned the power off at the battery switch. The problem seemed to occur on mornings that had dew. The glass on all of the other screens had moisture behind them until several hours later it evaporated. While it may not be the MTCS itself, it seems to have some relationship with high humidity (not that you would expect low humidity on a boat).

At the end of the season, the dealer will be checking a number of other connections since it is unlikely that two MTCS could be bad. In the one instance I could not restart, I really would have liked to have had a key override. When I asked the dealer, he told me there was no retrofit package available from the manufacturer.

I am pretty upset that I spent a bundle on a quality boat and now they are not able to deliver the product I paid for. I love my VTX, but that is no way to conduct business.

Has anyone found a "silver bullet" solution yet?

[malibu.c.c]

35 hours on boat and 2 time it has frozen, whenever i turn ignition on and off it resets..just hope it doesnt leave me out at sea one day ....

also had a humidity spot on maliview that dissapeared after 3-4 hours..

this is on a 2011 vlx by the way,

apart from that love the boat ,love the wakes., just need screen fixed or replaced .... nothing better then a vlx

Edited October 30, 2011 by malibu.c.c

[wschanback]

It happened again yesterday. I turned the power on, entered my start engine code and then checked all the stuff on the boat while I waited for the crew to show up. After the blower shut off on time out, I attempted to start the engine with no success. Resetting at the dash power off allowed the MTCS to reset and away I went. Still not happy to have to deal with it on a boat that costs more than most cars!

[blagrata]

The MTC was a headache for me this summer. I have a 2011 VTX. From nearly the beginning the MTC would lock up or be slow to respond after the boat had been on for a while. The power "button" seemed to be the biggest problem... and I would often have to turn the main power off with the blue button. The system always came up fine after doing that. It was just an annoyance. It never left me stranded. Unfortunately my closest dealer is 2 hours away. So halfway through the summer I finally took it in. They ordered a new touch screen (which took Malibu 3 weeks to ship... they should be express mailing those things out the next day if they're going to stake their future on them). So when the screen showed up the dealer put it in... and said that now it was deploying the power wedge on its own and sometimes when you hit the 1 key it input a 2. When the dealer queried malibu about this they said... "check the power wedge control box".... which made absolutely no sense to the dealer... or me. The dealer said he couldn't actually get someone on the phone or email who really knew how everything worked. I told him to just stick the original screen in and we'd deal with at the end of the season. So a couple weeks ago the dealer ordered another screen (another 2.5 weeks to ship). The dealer said he tested the new screen and it worked fine. I haven't had a chance to test it yet.

My biggest irritation with this is Malibu's lack of support for the boat. We'll see if the screen works in the spring. What I'm really concerned about is what is going to happen in 5 years. There's no way that Malibu is going to have the same screens... and these probably won't be available. With that touch command the boat is just a fun platform to swim off of with a damn nice stereo.

[nyryan2001]

Guys I feel your pain, dont get me started. Had lots of problems all over this year.

Better not complain on here too much or you'll be labeled one of those "rich guys" who dont care to be bothered with the problems of life. Seriously, yep it happened. Reccomend you focus your comments to asking folks if they've had similiar problems and how they fixed them.

Blagrata, did you buy your boat at that dealer?

[kayakwv]

Never tried the Malibu ignition code system. Tried a Nautique, and thought it would be awesome to never have to remember to bring a key, but found it was kind of a pain to keep putting a code in every time I would swing around to pick up a kid and wanted to kill the engine. Seems much simpler to use a key.