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I'm back. Now that my starter is changed I need to deal with another problem. My boat is a 1997 Horizon 240 with a 7.4L Volvo Penta engine. My boat is equipped with a trim position indicator on the dash, a thumb switch on the throttle and a trailer switch on the bulkhead just behind and below the throttle. What happened was 3 different issues happened at once.
1. The trim indicator bottomed out and then went to the top and stayed there
2. The thumb switch failed to work and I had to use the trailer switch to get the drive up or down
3. Even when the drive is all the way up or down the motor continues to run until you release the trailer switch

I have checked the wiring (3 wire) and it all is good. What I think it might be is the trim module
(switch) located on the bulkhead aft of the engine. Has anyone had this issue and what caused it? Thanks for any help you can provide.

I had an issue a couple weeks ago, My trim would not go up , it worked going down. open the engine compartment and look on the starboard side on top the engine, there should be a round black connector. pull it apart and put it back together. Mine came loose. zip ties came loose and a choppy day wiggled it loose. As far as the needle working in erratic way, Welcome to the VDO gauges. Mine will do the same. Mine works 99% of the time it's just sometimes the dash has a mind of it own. Others will verify that they have the same problem if they have the VDO cluster. There is a sensor mounted on the outdrive, starboard side, check the wires. sometimes the white wire will break or corrode here, it should be the top one. as far at the black plug, I put a hose clamp on mine and snugged it up and re zip tied it. Good luck .. Let us know how it comes.

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1997 Horizon RS 180
5.7 GL Volvo Penta /SX drive. (1.60)
2018 Ford F-150 super crew 4x4

Thanks for the quick reply. I did check the black plug. I took it ap0art. checked it and then re-connected. The rest of the wiring was fine as well. My outdrive will trim up and down put only when the trailer switch is engaged. AQs far as the gauge goes, it doesn't work at all. It stays above the full up position. Is anybody familiar with the trim module that is located in the engine compartment at the top of the rear bulkhead? Thanks for the help.

Sometimes the cables corrode/ break off , but even if they don't the trim sender will fail internally eventually. True whether it's a 2 or 3 wire sender.

In the case of a 2 wire sender, no big deal, the trim gauge stops working, In the case of the 3 wire sensor, the trim control unit relies on input from the trim sender. No input, no response, no input to the trim gauge.. Not difficult to understand why they discontinued it !

I don't have the 3 wire system, but I would think it is normal for the motor to run the whole time a trailer switch is pushed. In a two wire system, the motor runs as long as the tilt/trim button is pushed. You hear a squeal sound when it hits the end of travel as the pump pushes against an internal pressure relief valve.

I would think your system would be back to normal after changing the trim sender.

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"Knot Easy" 2000 Horizon 240 Volvo 5.7GS /SX
tow: 2017 Honda PILOT EXL-AWD
prev. boats:
'87 Chaparral 198CXL 4.3 OMC Cobra
'69 Jetstar 16ft Ski Boat, 115hp Yamaha
'68 Aluminum Jon Boat, 3hp Sears
'64 Water Wings