oil YAMAHA VX CRUISER 2017 Owners Manual

Table of contents
General and important labels ........... 1
Identification numbers .................... 1
Primary Identification (PRI-ID)
number............................................ 1
Craft Identification Number (CIN) ....... 1
Engine serial number.......................... 1
Manufactured date label .................... 2
Model information ........................... 2
Builder’s plate .................................... 2
Important labels .............................. 4
Warning labels.................................... 5
Other labels ........................................ 8
Safety information ........................... 10
Limitations on who may operate
the watercraft ............................. 10
Cruising limitations ........................ 11
Operation requirements ................ 12
Recommended equipment ........... 14
Hazard information........................ 15
Watercraft characteristics ............. 15
Wakeboarding and water-skiing ... 17
Safe boating rules ......................... 18
Enjoy your watercraft
responsibly ................................. 19
Description....................................... 20
Watercraft glossary ....................... 20
Location of main components ...... 21
Control function operation ............. 25
Watercraft control functions ......... 25
Remote control transmitter
(VX Deluxe / VX Cruiser /
VX Limited) .................................... 25
Yamaha Security System
(VX Deluxe / VX Cruiser /
VX Limited) .................................... 26
Engine stop switch .......................... 27
Engine shut-off switch .................... 27
Start switch ..................................... 27
Throttle lever .................................... 28
RiDE lever ........................................ 28Steering system................................ 28
Cooling water pilot outlet ................. 29
Water separator................................ 29
Watercraft operation ...................... 31
Watercraft operation functions ..... 31
Shift system ..................................... 31
Watercraft operation modes ......... 33
Low RPM Mode (VX Deluxe /
VX Cruiser / VX Limited) ................ 33
No-wake mode (VX Deluxe /
VX Cruiser / VX Limited) ................ 34
Cruise assist (VX Deluxe /
VX Cruiser / VX Limited) ................ 36
Instrument operation ...................... 38
Multifunction information center ... 38
Information display ........................... 38
Hour meter ....................................... 42
Voltmeter .......................................... 42
Equipment operation ...................... 43
Equipment..................................... 43
Seats ................................................ 43
Handgrip........................................... 44
Reboarding step ............................... 44
Bow eye............................................ 45
Stern eyes ........................................ 45
Cleat ................................................. 45
Pull-up cleats (VX Limited) ............... 46
Storage compartments .................... 46
Fire extinguisher holder and cover ... 48
Operation and handling
requirements ................................... 50
Fuel requirements ......................... 50
Fuel................................................... 50
Engine oil requirements ................ 52
Engine oil .......................................... 52
Draining the bilge water ................ 54
Draining the bilge water on land....... 54
Draining the bilge water on water .... 54
UF4G71E0.book Page 1 Wednesday, July 27, 2016 9:32 AM

Table of contents
Transporting on a trailer ................ 55
First-time operation ........................ 56
Engine break-in ............................. 56
Pre-operation checks ..................... 57
Pre-operation checklist .................... 57
Pre-operation check points........... 59
Pre-launch checks ........................... 59
Post-launch checks ......................... 65
Operation ......................................... 67
Operating your watercraft ............. 67
Getting to know your watercraft ...... 67
Learning to operate your
watercraft ...................................... 67
Riding position ................................. 68
Launching the watercraft ................. 68
Starting the engine on water ............ 68
Stopping the engine ......................... 69
Leaving the watercraft...................... 69
Operating the watercraft .................. 69
Turning the watercraft ...................... 70
Stopping the watercraft ................... 71
Operating the watercraft in reverse
or neutral....................................... 72
Boarding the watercraft ................... 73
Starting off........................................ 75
Capsized watercraft ......................... 76
Beaching and docking the
watercraft ...................................... 77
Operating in weeded areas .............. 77
After removing the watercraft from
the water ....................................... 78
Care and storage............................. 79
Post-operation care ...................... 79
Flushing the cooling water
passages....................................... 79
Cleaning the watercraft .................... 80
Battery care ...................................... 80
Long-term storage ........................ 83
Cleaning ........................................... 83
Lubrication ....................................... 83Rustproofing ..................................... 83
Maintenance .................................... 85
Maintenance ................................. 85
Tool kit.............................................. 85
Periodic maintenance chart ............. 86
Engine oil and oil filter ...................... 88
Specifications .................................. 89
Specifications ............................... 89
Trouble recovery ............................. 90
Troubleshooting ............................ 90
Troubleshooting chart ...................... 90
Emergency procedures ................ 93
Cleaning the jet intake and
impeller ......................................... 93
Raising the reverse gate .................. 94
Jumping the battery ......................... 94
Towing the watercraft....................... 95
Submerged watercraft ..................... 95
Index................................................. 97
UF4G71E0.book Page 2 Wednesday, July 27, 2016 9:32 AM

Safety information
15
EJU43620
Hazard information
Never start the engine or let it run for any
length of time in an enclosed area. Exhaust
fumes contain carbon monoxide, a color-
less, odorless gas that may cause loss of
consciousness and death within a short
time. Always operate the watercraft in an
open area.
Do not touch the hot oil tank, muffler, or en-
gine during or immediately after engine op-
eration; they can cause serious burns.
Do not place magnets or objects with a
strong magnetic force near the throttle le-
ver or RiDE lever. The electronic throttle
mechanism of the levers can be adversely
affected, which could cause loss of control.
In addition, do not place objects suscepti-
ble to magnetic forces (i.e., credit cards,
watches, etc.) close to the throttle lever or
RiDE lever.
EJU42414
Watercraft characteristics
Jet thrust turns the watercraft. Releasing
the throttle lever completely produces only
minimum thrust. If you are traveling at
speeds above trolling, you will have rapidly
decreasing ability to steer without throttle.
This model is equipped with the Yamaha
Engine Management System (YEMS) that
includes an off-throttle steering (OTS) sys-
tem. It will activate at planing speeds
should you attempt to steer the watercraft
after releasing the throttle lever. The OTS
system assists in turning by continuing to
supply some thrust while the watercraft is
decelerating, but you can turn more sharp-
ly if you apply throttle while turning the han-
dlebars.
The OTS system does not function below
planing speeds or when the engine is off.
Once the engine slows down, the water-
craft will no longer turn in response to han-
dlebar input until you apply throttle again or
you reach trolling speed.
Practice turning in an open area without
obstacles until you have a good feel for this
maneuver.
This watercraft is water-jet propelled. The
jet pump is directly connected to the en-
gine. This means that jet thrust will produce
some movement whenever the engine is
running and the “F” (forward) or “R” (re-
verse) shift indicator is displayed in the
multifunction display. When the “N” (neu-
tral) shift indicator is displayed, the forward
and reverse thrust are balanced to help
keep the watercraft from moving in either
UF4G71E0.book Page 15 Wednesday, July 27, 2016 9:32 AM

Safety information
19
EJU30992
Enjoy your watercraft
responsibly
You share the areas you enjoy when riding
your watercraft with others and with nature.
So your enjoyment includes a responsibility
to treat these other people, and the lands,
waters, and wildlife with respect and courte-
sy.
Whenever and wherever you ride, think of
yourself as the guest of those around you.
Remember, for example, that the sound of
your watercraft may be music to you, but it
could be just noise to others. And the exciting
splash of your wake can make waves others
won’t enjoy.
Avoid riding close to shoreline homes and
waterfowl nesting areas or other wildlife ar-
eas, and keep a respectful distance from fish-
ermen, other boats, swimmers, and
populated beaches. When travel in areas like
these is unavoidable, ride slowly and obey all
laws.
Proper maintenance is necessary to ensure
that the exhaust emission and sound levels of
your watercraft will continue to be within reg-
ulated limits. You have the responsibility to
make sure that the recommended mainte-
nance in this owner’s/operator’s manual is
carried out.
Remember, pollution can be harmful to the
environment. Do not refuel or add oil where a
spill could cause damage to nature. Remove
your watercraft from the water and move it
away from the shoreline before refueling. Dis-
pose of water and any fuel and oil residue in
the engine compartment according to local
regulations. And keep your surroundings
pleasant for the people and wildlife that share
the waterways: don’t litter.When you ride responsibly, with respect and
courtesy for others, you help ensure that our
waterways stay open for the enjoyment of a
variety of recreational opportunities.
UF4G71E0.book Page 19 Wednesday, July 27, 2016 9:32 AM

Description
24
Engine compartment
1
6
7
10 2
345
89
1Fuse box
2Air filter case
3Spark plug/Ignition coil
4Oil tank
5Removable watertight storage compart-
ment (page 48)
6Water separator (page 29)
7Fuel tank
8Flushing hose connector
9Oil tank filler cap/Dipstick
10Battery (page 60)
UF4G71E0.book Page 24 Wednesday, July 27, 2016 9:32 AM

Instrument operation
38
EJU43760
Multifunction information
center
The multifunction information center displays
various watercraft information.
Multifunction information center initial op-
eration
When the multifunction information center is
activated, all of the display segments come
on. After 2 seconds, the warning indicators in
the information display go off, and then the
center starts to operate normally.
If only the multifunction information center is
activated, the “WARNING” indicator light
blinks once.
TIP:
VX Deluxe / VX Cruiser / VX Limited: The
“UNLOCK” indicator light also comes on as
part of the initial operation.
The “UNLOCK” indicator light will go off
when the engine is started.
Multifunction information center standby
state
If the multifunction information center does
not receive any operation input within 25 sec-
onds after the engine stops, the center willturn off and enter a standby state. When the
engine is started again, the displays return to
their state before the center turned off, and
then the center starts to operate normally.
EJU35027Information display
The information display shows watercraft op-
erating conditions.
EJU43831Speedometer
The speedometer shows the watercraft
speed against water.
By switching the display units, the speed can
be shown in kilometers per hour “km/h” or
miles per hour “MPH”.
1“UNLOCK” indicator light (VX Deluxe /
VX Cruiser / VX Limited)
2Information display
3“L-MODE” indicator light (VX Deluxe /
VX Cruiser / VX Limited)
4“WARNING” indicator light
123
4
1Tachometer
2Speedometer
3Oil pressure warning indicator
4Engine overheat warning indicator
5Check engine warning indicator
6Shift indicator
7Fuel level warning indicator
8Fuel level meter
12
345768
UF4G71E0.book Page 38 Wednesday, July 27, 2016 9:32 AM

Instrument operation
41
If the fuel level warning is activated, refill the
fuel tank as soon as possible. (See page 50
for information on filling the fuel tank.)
After the fuel tank is refilled, the warning sig-
nals will be cleared when the engine is re-
started.
EJU43720Oil pressure warning
If the oil pressure drops significantly, the oil
pressure warning indicator, the check engine
warning indicator, and the “WARNING” indi-
cator light blink, and the buzzer sounds inter-
mittently for 30 seconds. At the same time,
the maximum engine speed is limited.
If the oil pressure warning is activated, imme-
diately reduce the engine speed, return to
shore, and then check the engine oil level.
(See page 52 for information on checking the
engine oil level.) If the oil level is sufficient,
have a Yamaha dealer check the watercraft.
EJU43901Engine overheat warning
If the engine temperature rises significantly,
the engine overheat warning indicator, the
check engine warning indicator, and the
“WARNING” indicator light blink, and the
buzzer sounds intermittently. After 5 sec-
onds, the engine overheat warning indicator
and the “WARNING” indicator light stop
blinking and remain on, and the buzzer
sounds continuously. After 30 seconds, the
buzzer stops. While the engine overheatwarning is activated, the maximum engine
speed is limited.
If the engine overheat warning is activated,
immediately reduce the engine speed, return
to shore, and then make sure that water is
being discharged from the cooling water pilot
outlet while the engine is running. If there is
no discharge of water, stop the engine, and
then check the jet intake for clogging. (See
page 93 for information on the jet intake.)
NOTICE: If you cannot locate and correct
the cause of the overheating, consult a
Yamaha dealer. Continuing to operate at
higher speeds could result in severe en-
gine damage.
[ECJ00042]
EJU43731
Check engine warning
If a sensor malfunction or a short circuit is de-
tected, the check engine warning indicator
and the “WARNING” indicator light blink, and
the buzzer sounds intermittently for 30 sec-
onds.
UF4G71E0.book Page 41 Wednesday, July 27, 2016 9:32 AM

Operation and handling requirements
52
curely closed before using the water-
craft.
(11) Securely install the seats in their original
positions.EJU40291
Engine oil requirementsEJU43950Engine oil
NOTICE
ECJ00282
Use only 4-stroke engine oil. Usage of 2-
stroke engine oil could result in severe en-
gine damage.
Checking the engine oil level
WARNING
EWJ00341
Engine oil is extremely hot immediately af-
ter the engine is turned off. Coming in con-
tact with or getting any engine oil on your
clothes could result in burns.
NOTICE
ECJ00392
Do not run the engine with too much or
not enough oil in the oil tank, otherwise
the engine could be damaged.
Make sure that debris and water do not
enter the oil tank filler hole. Debris and
water in the engine oil can cause serious
engine damage.
TIP:
When checking the engine oil level on land,
the engine must be running while water is
being supplied to the cooling water pas-
sages. (See “Flushing the cooling water
passages” on page 79 for information on
supplying water.)
When checking the engine oil level on wa-
ter, moor the watercraft so that it will not
drift away.
Recommended engine oil type:
SAE 10W-30, 10W-40, 20W-40,
20W-50
Recommended engine oil grade:
API SG, SH, SJ, SL
UF4G71E0.book Page 52 Wednesday, July 27, 2016 9:32 AM

Operation and handling requirements
53
To check the engine oil level:
(1) With the engine stopped, place the wa-
tercraft in a precisely level position on
land or launch the watercraft.
(2) Look in all directions, and then start the
engine. (See page 68 for information on
starting the engine.)
(3) Run the engine at idling speed for 6 mi-
nutes or more. Run the engine an addi-
tional 5 minutes if the ambient
temperature is 20 °C (68 °F) or less.
(4) Stop the engine.
(5) Remove the seats. (See page 43 for seat
removal and installation procedures.)
(6) Loosen the oil tank filler cap and remove
it, and then wipe the attached dipstick
clean.
(7) Screw the oil tank filler cap into the filler
hole until it stops. Remove the oil tank
filler cap again and make sure that theengine oil level is between the minimum
and maximum level marks.
(8) If the engine oil level is significantly
above the maximum level mark, consult
a Yamaha dealer. If the engine oil level is
below the minimum level mark, slowly
add engine oil.
(9) Repeat steps 6–8 until the engine oil is at
the proper level.
(10) Securely install the oil tank filler cap and
turn it until it stops.
(11) Securely install the seats in their original
positions.
1Oil tank filler cap/Dipstick
1
1Dipstick
2Maximum level mark
3Minimum level mark
FL
213
UF4G71E0.book Page 53 Wednesday, July 27, 2016 9:32 AM

First-time operation
56
EJU32786
Engine break-in
NOTICE
ECJ00432
Failure to perform the engine break-in
could result in reduced engine life or even
severe engine damage.
The engine break-in is essential to allow the
various components of the engine to wear
and polish themselves to the correct operat-
ing clearances. This ensures proper perfor-
mance and promotes longer component life.
To perform the engine break-in:
(1) Check the engine oil level. (See page 52
for information on checking the engine
oil level.)
(2) Launch the watercraft and start the en-
gine. (See page 68 for information on
starting the engine.)
(3) For the first 5 minutes, operate with the
engine at idling speed.
(4) For the next 30 minutes, operate with the
engine speed below 5000 r/min.
(5) For the next 1 hour, operate with the en-
gine speed below 6500 r/min.
After the engine break-in is complete, the wa-
tercraft can be operated normally.
UF4G71E0.book Page 56 Wednesday, July 27, 2016 9:32 AM