3 Steps For Troubleshooting Lowrance Elite 5 HDI Problems

Lowrance Elite 5 HDI is an incredible unit by Lowrance that brings the same high-end features at a much affordable price.

It has a 5-inch screen and fits perfectly on a smaller boat.

The smaller size of this unit doesn’t impact the functionality in any way, and the only issue is that you will have to try harder to interpret the information when you’re standing far from the unit.

Other than that, you can access all the sonar features from this unit, including down and side imaging.

It is true that Lowrance has been in the market with its reliable products for many years. But from time to time, these products can run into some minor issues.

So, let’s cover some common Elite 5 issues.

Lowrance Elite 5 HDI Troubleshooting

1. Power Issues

One of the most common problems that people face with the Lowrance Elite 5 HDI unit is that the unit won’t turn on after the boat is stored over the winter.

It can be quite annoying as the sonar units are relatively expensive, and anglers rely on the sonar information to plan out their fishing trip.

So, if you’re in a similar situation and the device is not turning on, there are a few things that you can check to fix the device.

As long as the device is not physically damaged, you should get yourself an external power source and plug the battery with the power source.

Make sure that the output from the power source is optimal to charge the battery, and don’t try to use the boat charger for this purpose.

Once the power source is hooked up with the unit and you’re sure that there are 12 volts of power in the system, try turning on the display unit.

Everything should work perfectly, and the unit should turn on within a few moments.

2. Display Problems

The display problems in the Lowrance unit can be most commonly traced back to faulty configurations on the unit.

If you’re in a similar situation and the display is not working properly then you should start by checking the wiring connections.

Make sure that none of the wires are damaged, and the connection points are secured firmly.

If there is any rust or corrosion on the connection points, make sure to clear that out before managing the configurations on your unit.

After fixing the wiring setup behind the unit, you need to access the main panel to manage configurations.

Bring the backlighting levels and other parameters to the preferred level. That will make it easier for you to view the information even when you’re not standing close to the unit.

If you’re unsure about how to manage configuration, then using the owner’s manual should help you take the necessary actions. 

Other than that, you can also reach out to Lowrance support if you’re stuck at a particular step.

They will help you with complete instructions and also eliminate any other configuration issues that you might be having with the Lowrance Elite 5 HDI unit on your boat.

3. No Response from Buttons

Another issue that you will often notice users talk about is no response from the buttons. Most of the time, this issue is not that severe, and you can fix it by performing a soft reset.

The best thing about the soft reset is that you won’t be losing any of the waypoints or configurations that you’ve set in the unit.

So, just follow the instructions given on the owner’s manual to soft reset the device, and the buttons should start working.

If you’re still unable to get the device to work, then there is a good chance that your device is defective.

In this situation, you will have to reach out to Lowrance customer support and explain the situation to them. 

Depending upon the warranty status of your unit, you can easily claim a replacement. So, you shouldn’t open the device at all unless you’re instructed to do so by the professionals working at Lowrance.

These were some of the common issues that you can expect with the Lowrance Elite 5 HDI.

Most of the time, these issues won’t be as severe, and you will be able to get the device working again by managing the power supply. So, get an external source and hook it up with the Lowrance unit.

4. Audio Issues

Audio issues with the system are just as common, and can mostly be linked to the configuration side of things.

Anglers often forget or mistakenly switch the audio mode to mute. You won’t be able to get anything out of the system when the audio is on mute.

To fix this, you will have to open up the system menu and then browse over to the settings.

From there, you can select mute and toggle that off. It will not take more than 10 seconds to follow through with all of these features. 

If you’re sure that the hardware is in good shape, the problem will always be with the programming.

However, if you’re not that sure about the hardware, the problem can be fairly challenging. You will not be able to fix hardware issues by following these basic methods.

Instead, you will have to rely on an expert to help you through the problem. So, when you’re stuck or can’t seem to fix the problem on your end, just be sure to reach out.

Hopefully, you will have an amazing time when it comes to getting help from the officials. 

5. Configurations Not Updating

The problems with the configurations not updating or the settings not saving are pretty annoying as they won’t let you personalize the Lowrance Elite 5 HDI.

Luckily, fixing these issues is not that hard and you will have to focus more on the basic methods like power cycling the unit or resetting the unit.

While the reset might wipe away all the settings from your system, the power cycle routine is pretty mild and won’t alter the existing configuration.

So, we suggest that you start out with the power cycle routine. All that you have to do is to remove the power from the system and then power it up again.

You will have to remove all the power from the system and then keep the power removed for about 20 minutes.

From there, you can reconnect the battery terminals and then check up on the response from the Lowrance system. It will surely save your setting this time around.

On the other side of things if you’re not that lucky and the problem is still persistent then you will have to reset the Lowrance unit.

Sadly, there are no other methods left and you will have to set up the system from scratch after this point.

6. Hardware Issues

Lastly, you might also run into issues with the hardware.

While these issues are not that common when compared with the other problems listed here, there is still a chance that you will run into these problems.

If you do, the only reasonable mode of action is to call the official support team and have them give you a fresh piece.

You can’t try to repair or fix the unit yourself as that might void the warranty. Instead, you gotta let the officials take charge of the situation. 

The first thing that you gotta do right away is to call up the dealer and forward a claim.

He will verify things on his end and ask for more details to clear up the situation. Once the verification is completed, you can expect to get a fresh piece within the same week.

The upside here is that Lowrance support is pretty responsive to these claims.

You won’t have to worry about getting stuck with a damaged unit and the Lowrance support will be more than happy to help you with a fresh piece in due time. So, let them take charge of the situation. 

The Takeaway

The Lowrance Elite 5 HDI is undoubtedly one of the best pieces on the market, but that doesn’t mean that you will always have an amazing and phenomenal experience.

It will still serve you well to be aware of the common problems and how to fix them when using the Lowrance Elite 5 HDI.

Most of the time, basic fixes will be all that you need to fix these errors. You will not have to rely on any extensive methods or routines to fix up your system.

All that you gotta do is to make sure that the hardware is in good shape, and you’ll have complete control of the situation.

On the other side of things, when you’re not that sure about the hardware, fixing the system can be next to impossible.

You will not be able to get any response out of the system when the hardware is damaged or defective. So, be sure to get help from the dealer if that is the case.

You can’t rely on any DIY solutions when the hardware is damaged, and you will have to get a new one from the dealer.