Manitou Telehandler Troubleshooting: What Can Go Wrong and How to Fix?

Manitou Group has been on an ever-gradual, sometimes exponential, growth since it was started in 1957. The name Manitou is quite popular in farming, construction, factory, and warehousing setups. It has a solid European base, having factories in France, the UK, Poland, Italy, and Portugal. Telehandler manufacture is an area of specialization for this French company. But like every other machine or equipment, the Manitou telehandlers have their fair share of issues.

In our article today, we take a look into the Manitou telehandler issues and ways of troubleshooting them. We will explore the diverse issues that you might experience with your Manitou and how you can fix them. We will also give you a general of the Manitou telehandlers and help you understand what could go wrong with your current or future Manitou telehandler. Of course, we will explore the possible fixes to the said problems.

An overview of the Manitou telehandler

As mentioned above, Manitou is a French company founded in 1957 by Marcel Braud. The company has undergone tremendous growth over the years, and in 2007, it surpassed the 1Billion Euro revenue mark for the first time. In 2012, Manitou's grew as Yanmar, a Japanese company, bought over 6% of Manitou.

Manitou has a long list of machines and equipment under its catalog. However, under the telehandler segment, the company has concentrated on agricultural, construction, and rotating telehandlers. Currently, there are over 22 construction telehandlers. They are designed and equipped to handle all your lifting needs in the construction set up. Under agricultural telehandlers, Manitou offers 11 models. You have 12 options under the rotating telehandler's section. A rotating telehandler can pick and place a load in a circle without the machine moving.

The farm spec telehandlers are the most popular among individual farmers. A telehandler can be said to be many machines combined into one. It is highly versatile and efficient both in time and precision. The one thing that stands out about Manitou telehandlers is their effectiveness in doing what they are designed for. Whether you pick the MLT-X 625-75H, whose load capacity is a modest 2.5 tonnes and a max lifting height of 5.9 meters, or the MHT-X 11250 ST3A, with a load capacity of    25 tonnes and max lifting height of 10.6 meters, you are guaranteed to get an incredibly effective machine.

What are the leading issues of Manitou telehandlers?

If your telehandler develops issues, following the laid-out regulations in the user manual is advisable. The terms and conditions contained in the warranty are designed to protect the telehandler's owner and Manitou Group. An abuse or breach of the warranty can easily mean a small and manageable issue escalates and becomes extremely expensive for you. The advice here is to read the warranty of your Manitou telehandler before taking it to a professional

The Manitou telehandler is backed by a 6-year warranty or 6,000 hours. You will get full support for parts and labor under warranty. If you decide to sell your telehandler before the warranty expires, transferring the warranty to the subsequent owner is possible. It is also worth noting that the Manitou telehandler warranty can be customized to suit your needs and situation.

Manitou telehandler is a complex machine that is equipped with a number of systems. These systems, just like with a normal road vehicle, come with sensors and are intelligent enough to alert the driver if something is off. You will be required to read error codes using a diagnostics scanner. The error codes reported will help you pinpoint the source of the problem.

Let us now dive into the issues affecting these popular telehandlers

Noise when changing gear to neutral

The Manitou telehandler comes with forward, reverse, and neutral gear. A number of Manitou owners have reported hearing a noise when shifting the gear from forward or reverse to neutral.

The problem could be a number of things, namely;

• Faulty shift solenoid - The filter can clog, which might cause the solenoid to malfunction.
• Shaft speed sensor - The shaft speed sensor is a critical component in the transmission of the telehandler. The sensor can malfunction to cause the transfer case clutch to try to engage and lock up the front wheel.
• Forward clutch failure - The forward clutch failure will cause noise whenever you engage the neutral gear. In almost all cases, the check engine light will show when the clutch is faulty.
• The transmission itself - The tranny may have an incorrect gear ratio which will then cause the transmission to make the noise.

The solution

The solution to this problem depends on the root cause of the problem. It is best to use a diagnostic scanner to help you diagnose the machine. If the issue is found to be the shift solenoid or the shaft speed sensor, then the solution is to replace the faulty part. In the case of the forward clutch and the tranny, some work is required, as the tranny will have to be removed to access the gears.

Hyd pump cracks timing cases

Another problem that Manitou telehandlers report is the cracking of the hydraulic pump, which then causes damage to the timing cases. The main reason why the hydraulic pump cracks is the extreme high pressure inside the pump. At the same time, the pressure resistance range in the shell is lower and causes the pump to deform and crack. The problem can also happen when the unloading devices in the system block or when there is an oil return blockage. This issue has been reported more on MLT 627 telehandler.

Solution

You will need to use a diagnostic scanner to conclusively determine that the hydraulic pump is indeed faulty. If the pump is cracked, you will need to replace it. Moreover, you can upgrade the timing case with steel to prevent future damage.

Engine overheating

This problem has been reported mostly by owners of telehandlers that have aircon. However, this problem can affect any Manitou telehandler. The problem is not specific to a particular model, but the MLT 634 stands out mostly.

Among the reasons why this overheating happens is the radiator hoses collapsing and blocking the internal workings of the radiator with rubber. The thermostat is another culprit, and the water pump cracking will usually accompany this. If the problem has been there for a while, the head gasket might be damaged and could be the one actually causing the overheating. Incorrect fueling of your Manitou telehandler can cause the injector to malfunction, causing the overheating problem.

Solution

The answer to your overheating problems depends on what is actually causing the problem. If a dusty ag dispenser is the cause of the problem, you can solve it by installing a reverse fan. However, thorough cleaning can solve and even prevent this problem from recurring. You will need to replace the affected parts for a broken fan belt, thermostat malfunction, or damaged head gasket. 

Fuel lift pump failure

This issue has been reported mainly by MLT 627, though a few MT422FC owners have come forward with the same problem.

Solution

The solution to this problem is to replace the fuel lift pump with a genuine one. In the case of the MLT627, some professionals advise upgrading the pump with the latest genuine pump.

Defective hour clocks

This is a problem that seems to drag the name of almost all Manitou telehandlers through the mad. The hour clocks are said to be telling the wrong hours. This issue is reported by users on online Manitou forums by owners.

Solution

Unfortunately, there is little you can do as a buyer of the telehandler. However, if you are buying a Manitou telehandler, the buyer should provide some other evidence to back the hour clock on the machine. This is if you need more clarification about the hour clock reading. This is an issue affecting telehandlers made after 2003.

Cracking spool blocks

The spool valve technology for the Manitou telehandlers seems to have overlooked the spool blocks part since many owners of some models report cracks in them. This cracking causes the spool system to leak, which can be a real nightmare. The system locks the metering of the telehandler, whether the cylinder is retracting or extending.

Solution

Repairing the spool blocks can be done by a Manitou expert. However, the repair will depend on the extent of the damage. In some instances, you will be forced to replace the block, which can be quite expensive.

Conclusion

There are many issues that can affect your Manitou telehandler. You may experience crowd rams cracking or malfunctioning lift arms. But the one thing to note about Manitou telehandlers is that they are some of the best telehandlers in the market. You must take proper regular maintenance care of your telehandler to reap the benefits of using this workforce for years to come. Many Manitou telehandler owners have been using their machines for years and haven't found a reason not to buy from Manitou.