How to Reset the Engine Hour counter on the Polaris MFI display (Genesis & Virage)

[K447]

Note: If you have the older oval or round MFD display the reset method can be found in this thread over here.

After some experimenting and general poking around, here is the method for resetting the engine hour counter on the Polaris MFI displays, which are used on the Virage and Genesis models.

There are four different versions of these MFI displays. I expect they all will respond the same, but I have only tested on these part numbers (so far);
3280365 2001-2004 Virage (no electric reverse)
3280371 2001-2004 Genesis (PERC electric reverse)

How to Reset the Engine Hour counter on the Polaris MFI display (Genesis & Virage)
Press and hold top button and bottom buttons (1 and 5) until speedometer needle does full sweep.

Graphical tach shows repeating full sweep animation from 0 to 8000RPM
Message area says 'LOCK ERROR'
Digit 1 shows under oil bars (the depth sensor display area)
Compass pointer continuously sweeps clockwise
Clock shows time with pulsing colon

Release 1 and 5 buttons

Press and hold LOCK button until LCD reboots and speedometer needle does full sweep

Release LOCK button

Wait for display to finish rebooting.

Hour counter should now read 0.0


Notes:
It has been known for years that the engine hour counters on Polaris watercraft could spontaneously reset to 0.0 hours. Often this would occur when the battery was being reconnected after service or extended storage.

In other cases the MFI display would jump the hour counter to 533 hours. I suspect that this occurs during extended storage with battery still connected but gradually weakening over time. At some point the display gets confused by the decreased battery voltage and the hour counter changes itself.

Until now, what was not widely known was how to reset the engine hour counter in these Polaris displays at will, on demand. With the release of this information, obviously a zero or very low hour display is unlikely to reflect the actual engine hours on a Polaris watercraft. This was always true since displays can be swapped between watercraft and spontaneous hour counter resets were and are fairly common.

It is imperative that any prospective purchase of a Polaris watercraft include a thorough inspection of the actual mechanical condition of the engine and everything else.

Do not depend on the hour counter in the display to tell you the actual engine hours.
Do not depend upon the hour number as a proxy for actual engine condition and potential longevity.

[K447]

How to calibrate voltage reading on MFI display (Virage and Genesis)

Important: During this calibration the battery voltage to MFI pin-2 on Red/Purple wire (Red/White on some 2003-2004) must be exactly 14.00 volts DC

If voltage feed to the display is higher or lower than 14.00 volts then the display readings will not be accurate.

To calibrate MFI voltage display
Press and hold top button and bottom button (1/6 and 5/0) until speedometer needle does full sweep. Release buttons.

Graphical tach shows repeating full sweep from 0 to 8000RPM
Message says 'LOCK ERROR'

Press and Hold the DISTANCE RESET (2/7) button until LCD reboots and speedometer needle does full sweep
Release button

Wait for display to finish rebooting.

Voltage display should now read exactly 14.0 volts, and be accurate as voltage is adjusted up or down.

Note that display accuracy appears to decrease above 15 volts or below 10.5 volts.

The LOW BATTERY warning will appear below 10.9 volts, but there is a time delay (about ten seconds) between the voltage first sagging below the 10.9 threshold and the warning message appearing.

There is no red warning lamp for LOW BATTERY condition.

The red warning lamp will flash when the voltage next rises above 10.9 volts.

[K447]

How to adjust speedo needle zero position on MFI displays (Genesis & Virage only)

Note: This is the adjustment for the round dial speedometer.
I do not (yet) know whether or how this affects the digital speed display.

Note: Ignore the black blob in the lower left corner of the LCD. This is a partially damaged unit I was using for testing.

To adjust speedometer needle zero position on MFI displays (Genesis & Virage models only)

Press and hold top button and bottom buttons (1 and 5) until speedometer needle does full sweep.
Release 1 and 5 buttons

Graphical tach shows repeating animation from 0 to 8000RPM
Message area says 'LOCK ERROR'

Digit 1 shows under oil bars (the depth sensor display area)
Compass pointer continuously sweeps clockwise
Clock shows time with pulsing colon

While in this mode, press or hold the 4 button to increment the speedo needle upwards, maximum + 2.5mph approx.
Press or hold the 5 button to increment the speedo needle downwards, max about 1.5mph below 0 mark.

Move the needle as needed.

To lock in the adjusted speedometer zero calibration;

Press 1 (Clock Set button)
Message says 'PRESS 2'

Press 2
Message says 'PRESS 3'

Press 3
Message says 'PRESS 4'

Press 4
Message says 'PRESS 5'

Press 5

Display briefly shows 371 TMF00353
(Although I thought I saw 371 IME00353 at one time)

Short delay, then display says UNLOCKED

Tachometer graphical arc frozen
Clock colon flashing normally, compass pointer not showing
Display looks to be asleep

Press 4 (Display) key.
MFI should wake up as per normal.

Speedometer show show corrected zero calibration

[K447]

Polaris MFI Multifunction Instrument Display modes and warnings

This video demonstrates the MFI modes and warnings for Low Fuel, Low Oil, HOT Overheat, Reverse, and the Ficht only Check Engine.

The display model is from a Virage watercraft with manual reverse, no PERC electric reverse. All versions/years of Genesis and 2000-2001 Virage have electric reverse and the MFI display has an additional FWD-REV dial indicator.