Last weekend my Minn Kota trolling motor gave me problems AGAIN.  We were on a TM only lake and were just about as far from the ramp as we could get when the forward speeds stopped working.  (Thank goodness the reverse speeds still worked otherwise it would have been midnight before we made it back to the ramp-if ever).  Anyway, upon closer examination, I can SOMETIMES get the forward speeds to work but only SOMETIMES.  It doesn't seem "loose" like the LAST time the switch broke.  I am wondering if carbon is building up on the contact points.  Of course the switch is sealed so I would have to drill a hole in the switch housing and squirt in some contact cleaner but has anyone else ever experienced such a problem as this before?  Or could it be the brushes on the motor?  (I suspect not because it works fine in reverse).  Any thoughts (besides switching to Motor Guide)?

What motor 

1 hour ago, slonezp said:

What motor 

If I recall correctly, it's a "Vector" but I'm at work and it's at home.  

I ALSO more recently noticed that the motor seemed to have lost an appreciable degree of power.  Would that not also indicate that dirty contact points were limiting power to the motor?  I KNOW I could just buy another switch and install it but I'm getting sick of replacing cheapo (crappy) parts.  Getting sick of Minn Kota, actually.

p.s., I apologize if this was supposed to go under electronics.

How old is this motor?  It's been a while since they made Vectors, no?

Just buy a Motorguide and be done with it 

22 hours ago, Further North said:

How old is this motor?  It's been a while since they made Vectors, no?

The motor is about 6 years old but I've replaced that switch, I think, 3 times already.  Oh, and most of their transom mounted motors use the same switch.

22 minutes ago, Ratherbfishing said:

The motor is about 6 years old but I've replaced that switch, I think, 3 times already.  Oh, and most of their transom mounted motors use the same switch.

Then I understand your frustration...I'd be a little cranky too.

I have learned to keep 3 things with me at all times on my electric rig powered by a 55 lb. Minn kota Traxxis. A spare prop, a few spare shear pins, and an extra speed control switch. 

2 weeks ago, all my 5 forward speeds of my Minn Kota endura 30 suddenly stopped working while I was on a small lake.  So I reversed connected the trolling motor battery cables to the battery, and turned the handle to reverse and actually was able to get home going forward in my boat.  So I knew it was a switch problem.  I replaced the switch and the motor was like brand new.  However, on my third time boating with the new switch, suddenly I could not reverse on any one of the 3 speeds.  This means the new switch is broken again but this time with the reverse speeds.  Does an old motor (2004 model) cause a switch failure more often?  Could one add a fuse and prevent frequent switch failure?

Switches could indeed be all of the problem  but make sure that you are using the correct recommended wire size as too light a wire increases the amount of heat in the wiring and reduces the amount of current available. That will work all of the parts mighty hard and if there is a component that isn't up to it, well you know it will be replacement time soon.