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This is a stupid question but has anyone else had a problem with MTH's DCS suddenly not working? I immediately put new batteries in it but it still says things like 'OUT OF RANGE',  'OUT OF RF RANGE', 'CHECK ENGINE', MAINTENANCE NEEDED' or ENGINE NOT ON TRACK'. I'm holding the hand held (with new batteries) right next to the TIU and the engine is right there no more than several inches away.  Sometimes the frustration brought on by these modern locos is enough to make one run screaming back to the old postwar and MPC because they ran. No surprise issues when you least expect it. 

Is the issue with my hand held unit? or the TIU?  Neither one has been dropped or stored in a hot (or cold) place and they have been functioning very well until now? They randomly do this now with a few of my other MTH engines, I just checked. Any suggestions?

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you could have a transmitter problem if the transmitter board in the tiu becomes dislodged the dcs won't work or if the transmitter in the remote that will also stop the dcs from working! first thing you want to try is connect a phone cord between the remote and tiu and then hit the read button on the remote and see if it finds the tiu! have you checked the fuses inside the tiu!

Alan 

Okay, I used the phone cord and the hand held communicated much better with the TIU.  I was able to take the remote apart after watching the video from Ron. It did take patience but I finally got it apart and yes, the board was loose so I re-seated it and placed a rectangular piece of soft rubber on it to hold the board and re-assembled it. I placed two DCS locomotives on the track and the remote did seem to communicate better with each locomotive but it would still say "ENGINE NOT ON TRACK' or 'CHECK TRACK' even though it did communicate better than recently before. When I would change directions or ring the bell however, the remote didn't communicate very well and I could not stop the bell or change the direction until I held the remote at a certain angle with the TIU.  Now Alan said something about fuses. I have changed fuses in the TIU before using the exact kind MTH recommends and the TIU has worked for many years after that. Could there be another bad fuse? I'll go into the TIU in a bit but just brain storming here a little.

It seems like it is a signal issue. I had a blown fuse before but that resulted in a dead unit with no power to the rails at all.  I went to Auto Zone and bought a small box of replacement fuses. I wish that was the issue.  The TIU and Remote are from 2003. They have never been serviced or repaired (except for the fuse replacement). I wish I understood electronics better. 

There is a real easy way to check and see if the remote is reading the TIU.  You do not need any engine on the track to do this.  Proceed as follows:        From the menu go to:  System,  TIU setup, TIU version:  If you get (?)  the remote is not in communication with the TIU and your transceiver in the remote is not seated properly.    WARNING  -  do NOT take the cover off the remote unless you know how to do it.  Proper removal instruction is covered in Barry's book, Remote section.

Bruce

There is a real easy way to check and see if the remote is reading the TIU.  You do not need any engine on the track to do this.  Proceed as follows:        From the menu go to:  System,  TIU setup, TIU version:  If you get (?)  the remote is not in communication with the TIU and your transceiver in the remote is not seated properly.    WARNING  -  do NOT take the cover off the remote unless you know how to do it.  Proper removal instruction is covered in Barry's book, Remote section.

Bruce

wouldn't just pressing "read" be the easiest way to tell?

The Read button is primarily to find locomotives.  Yes, it does give the TIU's, gives their number, BUT -  that screen only stays up for the blink of an eye.  It disappears very fast.  Using the procedure I stated the screen display stays up until you change it.

Bruce

what if you shut the power off to your TIU and then press read? Just wondering what happens?

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