FAQs

FAQs

Frequently Asked Questions on products, warranty, storage and maintenance.

Frequently Asked Questions

Categories

• Certified Pre-Owned
• Electrical
• Fuel & Fuel Systems
• Gauge & Display
• MerCruiser Corrosion
• MerCruiser Maintenance
• MerCruiser Storage
• Mercury Major Assembly Protection
• Oils & Lubricants
• Outboard Care
• Outboard Model Year
• Outboard Storage
• Parts & Accessories
• Product Protection
• Propellers
• Repower Financing
• Warranty

Certified Pre-Owned

Are there added benefits to purchasing CPO?

Yes, the plan provides up to $200 toward hoist/haul out on all boats 26ft or longer and up to $200 for on the water tow-in fees for approved repairs on covered product.

I currently own a Mercury engine. Can I have my engine Certified and purchase the plan?

No, only engines that have been traded into an authorized Mercury Dealer that have no current warranty are eligible.

Is CPO renewable or transferable?

CPO is not renewable and is not transferable to subsequent owners, or from one product to another.

Is there a deductible?

MPP has a $50 deductible per claim.

Yes, there is a $50 deductible per claim.

What does CPO cover?

CPO covers a wide variety of mechanical and electrical parts and systems that fail as a result of a defect in material or workmanship. Parts and labor are covered on approved claims.

What is Mercury Certified Pre-Owned?

The Mercury Certified Pre-Owned (CPO) Plan is the only factory-backed and administered plan for used engines. There are two types of engines that qualify for coverage - Dealer Certified and Factory Certified:

DEALER CPO: Refers to a used engine that has been traded into an Authorized Mercury Dealer, has no existing warranty, and has been certified by the dealership according to the contract. One or two year contracts are available on eligible Dealer CPO products.

FACTORY CPO: Refers to a used engine that has been inspected and certified at a Mercury Marine facility and receives a one year Parts & Accessories warranty upon resale. On Factory CPO products, one or two year contracts are available beyond the one year Parts & Accessories warranty for total coverage of up to three years.

When can I purchase the plan?

On Dealer CPO products, the plan must be purchased at the time of retail sale as recorded by Mercury from the information submitted by the selling dealer. On Factory CPO products, the plan must be purchased within the one year Parts & Accessories warranty.

Who will work on my engine if I have a problem?

The contract is between you and Mercury Marine, so you can have your engine serviced at any of more than 4,300 Authorized Mercury dealers in the United States or Canada. At the Authorized Mercury service center, a qualified Mercury Service Technician will assess the failure and process the claim through Mercury Marine.

MotorGuide Trolling Motors need to be delivered to an Authorized MotorGuide Servicing dealer.

Electrical

I accidentally reversed the battery connections when I reinstalled the battery. What potential damage could I have caused?

We strongly recommend that you have an authorized dealer inspect the vessel before returning it into service. The potential damage will vary from model to model. Although we try to design in protection for each component, limitations do exist.

The first item to check is the fuse or fuseable link. Most models have some type of protection in the circuits. You can replace the fuse with the correct size and test the system. If the fuse fails again, dealer involvement is recommended.

Other items on the engine that may be damaged include, but are not limited to the following: voltage regulators, rectifiers, tachometers, Electronic Control Module, isolation diodes and melted wiring. Boat-related items may include the following: radios, radar, lights, wiring, etc.

Fuel & Fuel Systems

Are older fuel lines prone to failure from ethanol-based fuels? What about gaskets?

During the 1980s, many rubber components for use in fuel systems were developed to withstand exposure to fuels containing ethanol. If rubber components in a fuel system are suspected to be of this vintage or older it may be advisable to replace them with newer ethanol-safe components before using fuels containing ethanol. Check with the manufacturer for advice or frequently inspect these fuel-system components for signs of swelling or deterioration and replace if problems are noted.

Are there any additives that can allow the phase-separated mixture to remix when added to the fuel tank?

No, the only way to avoid further problems is to remove the water, dispose of the depleted fuel, clean the tank and start with a fresh, dry load of fuel.

Can ethanol-blended fuels affect the performance of traditional carbureted two-stroke outboards?

Two-stroke outboards should experience little or no decrease in performance due to gasoline fuels containing up to 10-percent ethanol when operated according to Mercury's standard recommendations. When gasoline with ethanol is used for the first time after a fuel changeover from MTBE, the tank must be completely free of water prior to introduction of gasoline with ethanol. Otherwise, phase separation could occur that could cause filter plugging or damage to the engine. (It is probably better for a boat owner to fill the fuel tanks with ethanol fuel for the first time when the tank is low on fuel, but that is not critical. There should be no difficulties if the tank is clean and free from water. If the tank is not free from water, a partial load of fuel will more easily phase separate because with less ethanol in place it takes less water to cause phase separation. The important thing for boaters to concern themselves with is the presence of water in their tanks.)

If an engine is a 1990 or older model, frequent inspections of all fuel-system components are advised to identify any signs of leakage, softening, hardening, swelling or corrosion. If any sign of leakage or deterioration is observed, replacement of the affected components is required before further operation.

Ethanol is replacing MTBE in my region - what should I do?

Before gasoline with ethanol is introduced to your fuel tank, ask your boat manufacturer if any special precautions should be considered with the use of fuel containing ethanol. Check for the presence of water in the fuel tank. If any is found, remove all water and dry the tank completely. As a precaution, it is advisable to carry a few extra filters in case filter plugging becomes a problem during boating.

How does ethanol affect my fiberglass fuel tank?

Fiberglass tanks manufactured prior to 1991 may not be compatible with gasoline containing ethanol. It has been reported that, in the presence of ethanol, some resins may be drawn out of fiberglass and carried into the engine where severe damage could occur. If an older fiberglass tank is used, check with the manufacturer to determine if gasoline with ethanol can be safely used.

Is an additive available that can prevent phase separation?

There is no practical additive that can prevent phase separation from occurring. The only practical solution is to keep water from accumulating in the tank in the first place.

Is there a simple solution to water condensation in the tank as a result of ethanol?

It is best to maintain a full tank of fuel when the engine is not in use. This will reduce the void space above the fuel and will reduce the flow of air in and out of the tank with changes in temperature. This will reduce condensation on the internal walls of the tank and will limit exposure of the ethanol in the fuel to humidity and condensation.

Should I add an additional fine-micron filter to the system to prevent debris from entering the engine?

The addition of another filter to the system will create another possible flow restriction that can starve the engine of fuel. Mercury already provides the appropriate level of fi