simrad tiller controller gone crazy

[TSailors]

hi. I have a simrad tp-22 tiller pilot and a raymarine chart plotter, they talk via the nmea bus. normally I use the tiller independently , I point it to some heading and it keeps course .
the tiller also has a remote controller .

something happened yesterday and the tiller did a hard port , the piston all the way in. the left light blinking and it beeping twice , stopping then beeping twice more forever .

I tried all the usual tricks, unplug , power off on the whole nav system , and still nothing changed . I eventually via trial and error I found that if I set the chart plotter to go to a waypoint, and put tiller in the waypoint mode , the tiller behaved well and followed the course well.

but I somehow lost the manual direction mode.
any ideas what to do ?

Many thanks ..

 

[TSailors]

Follow up - I opened it up, and overall it looks good; no corrosion, no water damage, and the buttons work correctly when pressed (checked with an ohmmeter).
Interestingly I found two loose parts when I opened it up - a cylindrical rod and what looks like a tiny coil from an electronic circuit.
You can see them on the lower right part of the box in the second picture. I couldn't find a place where those would go, so I re-assembled it without.
Had a chance to clean and re-oil everything, but it didn't help. In compass mode it still tries to "turn" all the way to port.

 

[srm]

No direct experience with your gear but two ideas for starting points.

Have you tried physically disconnecting the tiller pilot from the plotter network so it is completely stand alone? This should give a starting point by indicating if the problem is in the pilot unit or a network bug.

If in the pilot have there been any changes around the tiller pilot that could cause a magnetic field to deflect its compass. Something metallic in a locker close by perhaps?

I have always found that a windvane type steering unit is far less prone to errors and problems than tiller or wheel pilots. But you do have to learn how to balance the sails/trim to the course and conditions to get the best from it.

 

[thinwater]

Does it display the heading when in compass mode?

The compass leads have been known to fatigue and break due to motion. I believe the compass is sitting on a gimble.

 

[tross]

Check thaat the magnets that are embedded in the large toothed wheel are still there / have not come loose. This will give you the symptons that you have experianced

 

[alahol2]

The dowel pin that you've found fits vertically between the top and bottom cases near to the motor. Can't help with the small coil.
The Hall effect PCB looks slightly misaligned (but it may just be the photo), this could cause the effect you are seeing.
See here... TP22, 32 Service manual
and the technical bulletin re feedback PCB at the end of this one... TP10,20,30 Service manual