Humminbird Ice 45 Problem

[ice dawg]

I had a Micronar FL8 that I bought used in about 1980. I bought an Fl18 when they hit the market and gave the Micronar to my son and he is still using it. I haven't had a problem with either of them. I also have an LX5 to play with.

[captain54]

How you doing Dawg?  No ice here in Pa. Got plenty of deer meat ,just waiting for ice!

[ice dawg]

How you doing Dawg?  No ice here in Pa. Got plenty of deer meat ,just waiting for ice!

Doin well capt. We have about 8" on the local lakes and more 50 miles to the east. I hear a few nuts are driving on it over there, but I'll wait a while.  I have been trying to get a buddy (newby) on the ice, but he doesn't trust walking on 8" so maybe I'll do some Christmas shopping today.

[bassackwards]

Jeez, now ya want me to go to North Dakota. Well, I can't find the crank for my Model T and it is forty miles to the border. Mind if I borrow yer Lear so I can go Mach 1 with my hair on fire? I might want to borrow yer flasher too in case I want to boil a bit of water while on the way. 

I didn't figure a guy like you could actually be from SD......way to saveee (enunciate the "EEE')......so you must be a ND guy in·cog·ni·to (with a  Antonio Banderas accent). Boy, you back woods old guys are difficult 

Sorry, I didn't mean to say ND, just forgot that there was a SD.....but I know that they have ice now too 

I would love 8 solid inches................ of ice......perverts 

[5watchman5]

Bluffcountry, 

In a perfect world, Deborah at Hummingbird hearing about and addressing your problem would be legitimate.  I hope she is who shesays she is.  If she is great!  I'm just saying you had better make sure before you put your unit in a box and ship it off never to see it again.  The fact that she is a rookie and only has 4 posts sends up a redflag.  They do it on Craigslist, so why not on here.  I hope I'm totally wrong, but maybe I'm not.5Watchman5

[ice dawg]

I didn't figure a guy like you could actually be from SD......way to saveee (enunciate the "EEE')......so you must be a ND guy in·cog·ni·to (with a  Antonio Banderas accent). Boy, you back woods old guys are difficult 

Sorry, I didn't mean to say ND, just forgot that there was a SD.....but I know that they have ice now too 

I would love 8 solid inches................ of ice......perverts 

I actually moved down here to the banana belt from ND before you were a twinkle in yer Dad's eye. Now that ya know I'm a southern gentleman, get up a bit earlier and keep tryin. 

[jaysun23]

My 35 just did the same thing, ran fine for about an hour and then a "crack" followed by a loud grinding noise.  no lights and when the motor runs, it simply grinds against a now stationary dial.  Was told $100 to fix what now looks to be a common problem.

[Rootmeister]

I just bought an ICE 45 bird...  I am sure that with todays technology that any brand new unit regardless of who makes it will work if not defective.  P:eople who cant find bottom with a new unit might want to do some reading..Pray for cold and ice

[throwbackjack]

Last trip, last year ( April ) my ice 55 made a loud noise for 5 seconds and then nothing. Turned out the motor seized and the surge blew two transistors. So a new motor, two transistors and $90.00 the unit works great. Tech said it has a better motor put in.  Have had it out five times now and my battery lasts all day instead of switching batteries during the day. It is a 2008 model and I would estimate I have used it about 65 times.

[rowos]

I bought a Humminbird ICE 45 the 2nd year they were out. I haven't used it a lot, but I was satisfied with it and I did catch fish when I did use it. My last trip this year, I turned the flasher on, it displayed the depth, but the flasher didn't light up. I thought bad battery and tried several different batteries without success. When I got home, I checked the symptoms online and others have had the same problem - a broken hub on the flasher disk. I tore mine apart and the hub was broken. They had used a spring clamp to secure the hub to the motor and it basically just crushed the plastic. I sent an e-mail to Humminbird to see if I could order the disk. Their reply was "You voided your warranty, but send us your flasher with $174.45 and we will fix it!" I told them I would take the $174.45 and put it towards another vendors flasher. They responded, "Thank you for contacting Humminbird. We appreciate your interest in our products. I'm sorry you feel that way sir. We value you as a customer!" Yeah right! The only authorized service center for Humminbird equipment is Humminbird. What I'm saying, if you are in the market for a flasher or a fish locator, check into where it can be serviced before you buy it. It is ridiculous to spend close to half the cost of the unit to replace a poorly designed plastic part.

[Knoodles]

I had a recent post about my ice 55 doing the same thing this year.  I too emailed humminbird who told me it would cost 175 bucks to fix.  I told them if they thought I was spending another 200 bucks on this unit they were crazy and that they had lost a customer.  I had problems with my 55 since I bought it 5 years ago.  I told them it was the laughing stock of the ice and they had also lost business from the 5 or 6 guys I regularly fish with.  I asked they pass my concerns on to a manager that cared about the quality and reputation of humminbird.  Low and behold I received and email saying they would repair my unit for 61 bucks.  I decided to send it in as 61 dollars isn't bad.  I too had disc that quit spinning.  It is a joke that humminbird knows they have an issue with these units and is making people pay to fix their poor craftsmanship; an absolute joke.  I just got my 55 back and it seems to be running right although I have not put it in the water yet, but guess what, I checked my credit card and they did not charge my 61 dollars but a 139!!! I again emailed the company and asked they remedy this asap.  I will dispute the charge if I do not hear back right away as I have the email correspondence guaranteeing the 61 dollar charge.  This ice 55 I bought has really turned into a joke.  whish I wouldn't have sold my vex to my buddy who is still running it issue free!!!!!

[Da_Roc]

I fish with hundreds of guys on the tournament trail all over the ice nation.  None of them use hummingbirds during a tournament because the units are very very unreliable.  For all those folks viewing this please buy a Marcum or a Vexilar.  You will have  the fun on the ice you plan for and  pay good money  for.  Humming bird is not a good ice product at all.  its sad but they are 20 years behind and do not  make a good sonar.  Its just like all the stuff ht makes.  Sub par and maybe will last you 1 or 2 ice seasons.  Its sad there is so much overseas crap they try to sell the ice guys.  Just a darn shame. 
  Tight lines
  Da-Roc