Troubleshooting - 906 Engineering
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Troubleshooting

This page may assist you with information if your 906 Engineering snowplow controller isn’t working properly. It also includes some helpful tips to keep your snowplow running properly season after season.

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OEM (Original Equipment Manufacturer) refers to (in this article) parts made by the actual snowplow companies like Boss, Meyer, Hiniker, Western and others.

906 (906 Engineering Corporation) refers to our company that makes aftermarket snowplow controls (and other parts) but is in no way affiliated with the OEM companies that our controls replace.

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Quick links to the Connector Pinning Layout Charts at the bottom of this page:

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Western/Fisher
Meyer
Blizzard
Hiniker
Boss, SnowEx, Curtis
Airflo, Universal

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YOUR 906 CONTROL NOT WORKING PROPERLY?

Let’s see if we can figure this out.

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CHECK THE GROUND (-)

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All of the 906 Engineering snowplow controllers (handhelds & joysticks) need a ground to work. But, not all OEM controllers require a ground to work. If your old OEM control works, then you try the 906 controller and it won’t turn ON, chances are there is no ground to the control. This is by far the biggest issue we hear about with our aftermarket controllers when they won’t power up.

To fix this you have to get a ground to the 906 control.

A. See the Connector Pinning Chart below to find out which PIN # is the ground on your control.

B. Look at the mating control connector on the vehicle’s snowplow wire harness and see if there is a wire in that same PIN#.

  • If not, you would need to add a wire (16 or18 AWG) and ground it to a proper ground on the vehicle.
  • If there is a wire present in that PIN#, you should inspect that wire and make sure it is grounded properly (even if a wire is present, it may not be providing a proper ground). Use a test light to check that the wire is providing a proper ground. See test light instructions or instructions on-line for proper use of a test light.

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Test Light is a quick, easy and inexpensive way to test for ground and power. The internet has a ton of instructional videos on proper use.

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NOTE: We recommend all grounds on your snowplow’s electrical system be inspected/cleaned every season. And, if an electrical issue arises, always check your grounds.

NOTE: We recommend applying dielectric grease to all of the electrical connections of your snowplow every season. This will help to keep a strong connection and help to prevent corrosion.

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CHECK THE POWER (+)

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If your 906 control will not turn ON and the grounds are properly hooked up, it has to be the power (+) wire. Use a multimeter to test for proper amperage at the snowplow’s vehicle side control connector. Note: If you are not comfortable using a multimeter, see your local snowplow dealer for assistance or look for information on-line about proper multimeter use. If power is present at the snowplow’s vehicle side control connector and the control will not turn ON, it could be a short in that connector.

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Multimeters test for volts, amps and ohms, they are a little complicated but the internet has many, many videos on proper use.

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CHECK THE FUSES (Ignition Switched)

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Your snowplow control typically gets its power through a fuse under the dash (see your snowplows owners manual) or it taps into a wire that is getting power from a vehicle fuse. Check to make sure the fuse is good (not blown) and know that it should be an “ignition switched fuse” that will only allow the snowplow control to turn ON if the vehicle ignition is ON. Most OEM vehicle harnesses will have their own in-line fuse on the control power wire that connects the control to the vehicle’s fuse (under the dash), make sure that fuse is good (not blown) also.

Note: If your snowplow control can be turned ON even if the vehicle’s ignition is OFF, you should tap into a vehicle fuse that is not always ON. See your vehicles owner’s manual or your snowplow’s installation manual for assistance in choosing the correct fuse to tap into.

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Typical fuse tap used to connect the snowplow control to the power source in vehicle’s fuse box.
Typical in-line fuse covers (fuse inside) that may be used on a snowplow’s OEM wire harness connecting the control to vehicle’s fuse box. Wire color will vary.

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SHORT IN CONNECTOR

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If you have proper amperage to the vehicle side control connector but the control is not working, you may have a short or a bad connection. Try plugging the control in and turning it ON. Wiggle or shake the control connector connection and watch to see if the control turns ON & OFF quickly (keypad LED’s will light up). Try twisting the connection and look for any wire terminals that may have been pushed out of the connectors. Inspect the terminals of the OEM vehicle side harness, over time some female terminals lose the ability to spring closed after being plugged over and over. If it appears that the female power terminal (or any terminal) may have permanently opened up, use a pick tool to manually bend the terminal back to a more closed position (to provide a better connection to the male terminal). If there is short in the control connector connection, you may need to replace the terminals of the OEM vehicle harness connector to get a reliable connection.

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HAS THE WIRE HARNESS BEEN ALTERED/MODIFIED?

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906 Engineering sells cost affective snowplow controls for nearly every snowplow out there. Our controls are made to just Plug-N-Plow (a few of our controls are not Plug-N-Plow) to the OEM’s snowplow electrical system. Normally they work great when you plug them in, unless that system has been installed incorrectly, is altered/modified in some way or has an issue within that existing electrical system. Here at 906 Engineering we have no way to know the history of the electrical system of your snowplow.

Typically, our controls work flawlessly with a one owner installed OEM snowplows. But, a good amount of our customers have just purchased a used truck with a snowplow or they are putting an older used snowplow on their truck and using electrical that may have been unknowingly altered by a previous owner. In snowplowing, at times, alterations are made to keep the plow on the road any way possible, these modifications could contribute to why the controller is not working correctly.

In this situations, it is hard for us at 906 Engineering to figure out the issue without being able to see the electrical setup in person. Our advice would be to consult your OEM service manual and analyze any changes that might have been made to the plows electrical system.

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UNKNOWN ISSUE ON THE SNOWPLOW, NOT THE CONTROL

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We also sell our aftermarket controls to replace deflective OEM controllers. At times, our customers may assume that their OEM control became defective, but actually the problem is not the control. If this is the case, the 906 control will have the same issue as the OEM control if the problem is not control related.

In this situations, it is hard for us at 906 Engineering to figure out the issue without being able to see the snowplow in person. Our advice would be to consult your OEM service manual in order to locate the issue on the snowplow.

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DO YOU HAVE THE CORRECT CONTROL?

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If your ground & power are good to the controller and it still won’t turn ON or is not operating properly, there may be an issue with the control. Use the Connector Plugging Chart below to verify that the 906 control you have is plugged to the configuration shown in the chart (the chart shows the colors of the 906 control harness, not the OEM colors). Also, take a little time to investigate whether the 906 controller is the correct model for your snowplow. Some manufactures have several plow models that utilize the same connector, they will plug in, but they will not function correctly. With some brands, ordering the proper control can be confusing.

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YOUR SNOWPLOW IS A NEWER MODEL

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Here at 906 Engineering, we try to keep up with the latest products of all of the snowplow manufactures, but at times we may miss some new stuff. It is possible that a manufacturer may have made a change to their control that we are not aware of. So if a manufacturer comes out with a new “series” using the same control connector, it may appear that our 906 control should work, but it may not. It is also possible that a manufacturer could add new features to their control that we may not be aware of, which would make it seem that the 906 control is not working properly. Changes like this are possible.

If you suspect this could be an issue with our 906 controller, if possible, contact us and let us know. We strive to keep our controls up to date and we may be able to update our control quickly to the new changes. But also please understand, there are some changes that could require a significant amount of time to be made.

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IT MAY BE THE CONTROL

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At 906 Engineering, we test every single control that leaves the building, and they work when we send them. But, it is possible that perhaps the control was damaged internally (PCB) in shipping. And, there are a few scenarios where we could have programmed the controller to a different model then the control ordered (because of our testing procedure, there are only a few instances where that could happen).

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If you have checked all of the above suggestions and you still can’t get power to the control, you should contact us. We will do everything we can to resolve the issue quickly.

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THE CONTROL WAS WORKING, BUT NOW HAS AN ISSUE

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If your 906 Engineering control was working great, then over time has developed an issue or stopped working all together, the troubleshooting gets a little tougher. If it has stopped working, you should go back to the top of this list and check the Grounds, the Power, the Fuses (both, fuses on the plows harness and the vehicle’s fuses) and also check for a short in all the wire connector connections throughout the plow. Other issues can be control related, but in a lot of cases the issue could be related to other aspects of the snowplow. For example:

  • low hydraulic fluid
  • hydraulic leak (hoses or seals)
  • dirt in a valve
  • clogged hydraulic filter
  • weak battery
  • broken wire
  • bad connection
  • bad coil
  • bad solenoid
  • corrosion on electrical connections
  • have we mentioned ground issues (very important)
  • and many more…

For these kind of issues, we recommend consulting your snowplow’s owners manual or going on-line. Most manufactures have their own troubleshooting page and they are very detailed and specific to your exact snowplow. Looking up plow issue fixes on-line is really nice when your in the comfort of your shop or garage, but most issues don’t start in the garage. For that reason, maybe the best advice we can give you is to be prepared for a snowplow breakdown out in the field. If your miles from home and your 3000 pound plow won’t raise, you have to detach it & leave it in order to get the tools/parts you may need. All snowplows vary in design, so get to know your plow and know how to lift it and secure it in the UP position (to transport it) if the raise stops working out in the field.

On chain lift plows, in most cases you can push a disabled blade up a snow bank, then shorten the chain manually to lock it into an up position. Non-chain plows, you may need to use a ratchet strap to hold the plow up. As always, be safe when doing any work on a snowplow, but being able to get the plow to a safe, warm, dry location will make diagnosing an issue a lot easier. The point being, be prepared.

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Note: When transferring a snowplow from one location to another, always turn the snowplow control’s power OFF to prevent an unintended activation of the snowplow when driving.

Note: Having a box of common spare plow parts and tools in your truck, including a spare cost effective 906 Engineering aftermarket plow controller (makes a great backup) is a good idea. Other items we suggest you should have in your vehicle are:

  • Fuses
  • Relays (if your plow has replacement relays)
  • Hydraulic Hoses
  • Solenoid
  • Trip Spring
  • Tool Kit
  • Ratchet Straps
  • Towing Strap
  • Jumper Cables
  • Flares
  • Flashlight
  • Shovel
  • Scrapper/Snow Brush
  • Sand or Salt Bags
  • Extra Wiper Fluid
  • Lock De-Icer
  • First Aid Kit
  • Blanket

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CONNECTOR PINNING LAYOUT CHARTS

Use the connector chart below to find your snowplow controller. The wire colors given in the diagrams below are the colors of the wires of the 906 controller, not the OEM controllers or the OEM vehicle side wire harnesses. Use your snowplow’s owners manual for a wire color schematic of the OEM’s electrical system if needed. The function section of the diagrams below will match up with the OEM’s electrical system as shown in the plow’s owners manual.

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Western/Fisher Pinning Layout

Meyer/Diamond Pinning Layout

Blizzard Pinning Layout

Hiniker Pinning Layout

Boss, SnowEx & Curtis Pinning Layout

Airflo & Universal Pinning Chart

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DISCLAIMER: The use of the names of manufacturers is for the assistance of our customers in identifying replacement parts which we manufacture or which may be manufactured for 906 Engineering Corp. It is not implied that any part listed is the product of these manufacturers.