DJI Mini 3 Pro Stiff Motor Problem Solved

[@greatjobbuddy]

Dude. You saved me countless headaches. This worked perfectly with WD-40 dry spray. Bravo.

[@sathyanitt]

This is a cost-saving video for me. I had this issue a few days back and was really clueless. I didn't want to go to a drone repair shop near me as they ll really charge high. After seeing your video, I got WD40 nearby a shop which costs approx (1$), and sprayed it. After a min, I was able to fly my drone without any issues. Now, I have kept the spray in my drone bag permanently. Thanks a lot for this video!

[@sihlseeclub]

my drone is flying slow on cine and normal mode, did you have similar problems

[@sathyanitt]

@@sihlseeclub no. Extremely fast

[@rogersalgh8479]

Thanks for your tip! I was about to buy a new engine but bought dry lube instead. And after a few hours it worked perfectly again😊

[@tjkasgl]

Thank you! Thank you! This was the exact fix I needed!!! I was preparing to file a warranty claim, but this was all it needed. You are my hero!

[@bernardomedina8028]

This video definitely saved my broken drone from an expensive repair. The 3 in 1 can is tiny btw. I spent a long time looking for it in Lowes (home depot did not have it) because I was looking for a can the size of wd40. When its less than half that size.

[@kodygrant5077]

Your video is still helping people, thank you! Owner of a Mini 2 with a FORMERLY stuck motor :D

[@paolodelavictoria]

Glad I could help!

[@ImanKamil]

I got the same issue. I was on my trip and suddenly the motor was stuck. Unfortunately I didn’t have any lubricant with me, so what i did, i just try to rotate the motor like 2-3 minutes and it’s getting smooth and the motor can work normally. Thank you for the idea bro🤙🏻

[@DroneAerialsRecreationKnight]

Power ESC main issue

[@paolodelavictoria]

Yeah no worries bro, your method is the "due diligence" type while mine is the lazy shortcut lol

[@christianefkemann6540]

Wow! works a 100%. You saved my job for tomorrow. Thank you 😀

[@paolodelavictoria]

Awesome to hear man!

[@IvanMarkov-fn9qe]

You man are a savior! Thank you so much! I just fixed mine and got the work done 😂

[@paolodelavictoria]

Glad I could help 🥰

[@gitsum141]

You're the man. I got a mini 2 se it's basically the same motor configuration this is probably gonna help. My motors feel knochy but the all spin and are working its just some are more grabby then others and I can tell it's needs cleaning

[@lm3912]

One other method that worked for me was to dip and shake the motor (remove the blades first) in 100% isopropyl alcohol. I saw small debris come out but also saw the alcohol turn ever so slightly less clear indicating it probably dissolved out something gunking the motor assembly. Motor freed right up instantly as the alcohol was drying

[@paolodelavictoria]

Nice one! Love ur method

[@jasonsmith999]

Thank you so much for this video. It just happened to me and it fixed mine. Also I was starting to freak out but it’s working right now.

[@DanBlake3rd]

Thanks for creating this video. I had the same issue with the left rear motor. I didn't remember buying it, but it turns out that I had some 3 in 1 Lock Dry Lube in my rolling toolbox. I was apprehensive about using it in the motor's internals, but it turned out to be the perfect solution due to how clean it leaves the motor. Watching other videos on the subject, the area between the bell magnets and the ends of the stators seems to be a common area of binding, although DJI seems to think that the bearings are the issue. Regardless, a couple of applications with said penetrating lubricant while turning, resolves the issue quickly.

[@HighDefinitionVideo]

Thank you

[@darkojic]

Hmm, I also have the problem with the left rear motor. The same thing. It started less than month after purchase, and it repeats occasionally. Sometimes it was resolved after the firmware update, so I thought that it has problem with the software. I contacted the shop where I bought the drone and I am preparing for warranty claim, but maybe I should try first with this method.

[@HighDefinitionVideo]

@@darkojic mine was seized hard it had broken the magnets and jammed up. No firmware about it. I did crash it at least three times tho. I was marveling at how robust it was lol

[@brettgiles9000]

Working on my own. Taking off on roads or gravel they have ferrous metals. Gravel and roads have tiny bits of metal that will get stuck in your magnets. Blow it out maybe use a little lube. Your motor is literally a ring of magnets that will pick up anything metal. I’m a master tech so I now never take off from my shop floor or etc. him talking about breaking lose it probably pushed a piece of metal out. However it could easily fall back into the path during flight and fall, has happened to me, blow it out very well. And if it got in one motor good chance it could be in another and just not froze/ made contact yet.

[@m7627]

Thank you for the video and for the tip to NOT use WD40 which I was thinking to do! :) I used a few drops of ethyl alcohol and it seems to solve the problem for me.

[@sonesay]

Any issues with using WD40 so far?

[@m7627]

@@sonesay As it is explained in the video, WD40 is not suitable for this task and should NOT be used.

[@Prashenze]

When you rotate the blades with your finger is it normal to make that clicking sound? 3 out of 4 pairs for me make that sound. No problem in flying though and no error on screen

[@HumbertoCristobal]

Mine came out that way right out of the box the rear right blade gets stuck. It’s brand new have barely used it and I’m already seeing this. I just have to wiggle it or turn it manually after that it works

[@niceshot4563]

When you manually spin the blades, the magnet attracts the windings and you can feel it kinda "click" into place, as if there are grooves, but with the one that is stiff, it doesn't feel this way. After spraying it with contact cleaner, it now works but it doesn't have that clicking feel like the other 3 motors. Have you noticed that?

[@paolodelavictoria]

I think the clicking feeling is the weak force when the magnet/stator aligns with the individual armatures as each contact whips away eachother to create the spinning motion and the introduction of thr contact cleaner lessens the attraction between the two hence less clicky as u said but when electricity is introduced the normal attraction goes back to normal anyway. My 2 cents thanks.

[@1Campcamp]

How did he free spin the motors?

[@dave20thmay]

Spraying with Sevisol switch cleaner, seemed to at first work, but when running the motor noticed a momentary stop of the prop and could also hear faint clicking. So something magnetic is sticking between the rotor and stator. Not sure at the moment whether the dental brushes will work on this motor to try and dislodge the particle. But at the moment it's not going with all methods I can find on KZbin. Might need to get to the hangar, where there is a compressor and I have a small nozzle airgun to give it a good blow.

[@paolodelavictoria]

Yes sounds about right. In your case it's no longer just the motor "oxidizing" but an actual tiny solid that's caught in the gap and is sending shivers down my spine as I read your situation 😄😆

[@dave20thmay]

@@paolodelavictoria Checked late last night, and managed to unpeel the cover over the lower side of the motor. Undid the three screws, to be able to pull the motor out of the arm. Will a bright light and eyeglass could see several bits of magnetic material, that with a shaved down cocktail stick, I could move them around, but not able to flick it off. Just thick enough to jam in between the rotor and stators. Don't think that it is a magnet breaking up. Will see about making a video and post the material I have shot. Best Dave

[@paolodelavictoria]

@@dave20thmay please do, for others that may experience the same situation, at first u found no solution for ur case now you're the solution for others he he he

[@micah7396]

Very very good video I crashed my drone mini DJI 3 got a replacement drone only could not wait to get it updated all the batteries paired it went out there to fly it's right motor was stuck watch your video Walmart was a little too far AutoZone was closer got contact cleaner and it works just like you said supposed to be a brand new drone don't know why

[@paolodelavictoria]

That's a great story! Glad I could be of help. Cheers!

[@brandon9689]

I just had a possible sticking issue with my mini 4 pro and I got zero error code whatsoever. I've only had my mini 4 pro just over a month. I'm really scared to fly right now. I always hand launch my drone and something just felt wrong when I fired the motors. So I aborted and took it inside to check to make sure all the propellers were tight. Then I put it on the floor and fired the motors again. My exact same motor as your's in the video was out of sync with the others and made the drone shudder violently for a brief second during idle on the ground.

[@Ipsissimus]

Bike chain PTFE lube works too.

[@Prestenbach300]

Hell yes it worked thank dude !

[@TheChanELF]

I got a replacement from DJI and it had the same issue straight out of the box. My fix was backing the screws for props just a hair and that got the motor spinning freely like the other three. Worth a try and no need to buy anything.

[@paolodelavictoria]

That's interesting, hair would get ripped apart easily after a couple of turns on the prop especially that it's just one strand of hair, mine was more metal on metal friction which is weird coz the problem came back like 2 months later and after spraying with contact cleaner again never got the problem again. Thanks.

[@TheChanELF]

@@paolodelavictoria sorry, no hair in the motor. I meant that I loosened the prop screws a little.

[@paolodelavictoria]

@@TheChanELF my bad, now i get it "hair distance" 🤣🤣

[@DriveRideFlyCZ]

Interesting, I just got my mini 3 pro a few days ago, and out of the box, during the first take-off attempt, it gave me the error message instantly. Moved the rotors by hand a little and the error disappeared, flying without any problem now. The motor wasn't stiff, as long as I can say, maybe a bit but really difficult to say. Anyway, now all the motors are equally stiff, none is overheating, no error message. So it must be some out of the box thing, it seems? That it needs to work a little so that the sensors get used to it, or whatever.

[@paolodelavictoria]

@@DriveRideFlyCZ oh my all 4? That's crazy! It actually is not an out of the box thing, how the contact points create friction in the motors overtime is unprecedented and never happened to my older drones: Phantom 3 Advanced, Spark, and the Mavic 2 Pro. My mini 3 actually didnt have any problems with the motors when I got, it was when I bought a carrying case for it and stored it in there and didnt use it for a while, when I took it out from a long slumber, boooom Error, motor stuck. So the fact that contact cleaning does the trick says a lot about what's going on inside the motor. Maybe the type of metal they used to keep the weight down to 249grams easily oxidizes compared to the other drones that don't need weight reduction, skimping on metal quality, is my analysis.

[@jaysonwheat2344]

How did you test the motors like that. I am having the same issue but don’t know how to test with out trying to fly.

[@igorgarcia1209]

You need to push the right stick down and left and simultaneously the left stick down and right

[@aceandymirza]

Thanks for sharing.

[@rain6953]

life saving! thx!!!

[@petercarneyphoto]

Also worked for me on my mini 3 pro. Contact cleaner did the trick.

[@GeneLeeRollins]

My Mini 2, attempt at first flight, front motor wouldn't turn freely. Very stiff. I started the DJI replacement process this morning. Making me wonder if I should attempt to fix it myself. I'm just worried, that straight out of the box, if I DIY fix... and it doesn't work, maybe I void warranty. Ugh.

[@paolodelavictoria]

The thing with contact cleaners is they dont leave a clue that u used it, any slight smell will dissipate and there will be no trace of it. So it's a win-win, if its still stiff after application then u can still ship it out :)

[@Cordobadesdeelcielo]

I bought my mini 3 pro 3 days ago. I'm going on my first flight: a blocked engine sign appears. (first flight), I touch the engine and it is hard. I start turning it by hand. I turn the drone and give air with the compressor. the motor is released. Now it flies perfectly. I already flew 2 hours. will i send back for repair? Or do I keep flying the drone? . After air pressure, it was released and it flies perfectly. Will I have problems later?

[@paolodelavictoria]

Interesting, im not sure if the problem will come back or if the problem has to do with oxidation, but if compressed air stops being a long term solution, you might have to dissolve that "oxidation" and that means using dry lube.

[@briannielsbergh]

Me and my brother have such drone, and both have the same issue, we have only flyed apx 1 hour with them, it must be rust?

[@paolodelavictoria]

Could be, and a lot of things til someone is up for breaking apart the motor when it happens and see what actually really going on in there 😁

[@stanvisualseychelles932]

I experienced the same problem yesterday. Same motor back left motor. I also used WD-40 and it worked. But I will order the part and replace it,as I don't trust it in time. I don't have contact cleaner

[@paolodelavictoria]

Nice. Lemme know in the long run how it goes having used WD-40 instead of contact cleaners and if the theory is true that WD-40 attracts dirt and turns into grime that will cause malfunctions...lemme know 6 months from now. Looking forward.

[@DanBlake3rd]

Mine is doing the behavior on the same motor, left rear. Sounds like either a part or manufacturing issue.

[@dietmarmutschlechner898]

Hello, what do you recommend to use the wd 40 or

[@paolodelavictoria]

As much as possible go with contact cleaners but if that's hard to come by just use WD40 as a last resort :)

[@anandyahamdi]

Do you experience this stiff issue again after cleaning up with the contact cleaner?

[@paolodelavictoria]

Never again, motor's still free up til now :))

[@anandyahamdi]

@@paolodelavictoria I dont have air compressor. Is it ok if I apply hair dryer for blowing up?

[@paolodelavictoria]

@@anandyahamdi hi, i never mentioned anything about an air compressor hehe so just use a contact cleaner :)

[@anandyahamdi]

@@paolodelavictoria Oh I'm sorry, I might seen a similar technique from other youtuber.

[@thoteixeira]

Hey! Were you getting any ESC errors?

[@paolodelavictoria]

Not anymore :)

[@DroneAerialsRecreationKnight]

Main issue for that is power ESC okay I fix I replaced the ESC

[@eprohoda]

roth!Like it-fantastic - 😍

[@MrPrime-mt8dd]

I had the same exact motor facing this problem

[@thatonesnowboarde]

I wouldn't use this stuff for DJI drone, because they are made of polystyrene and that is one of the plastics it says not to use it on... because you are spraying this in the motor it may drip onto the plastic underneath... you could consider the RC lubricants which are harmless for plastics

[@paolodelavictoria]

Thats food for thought thanks but too textbook versus real world scenario. 8 months later, the real world scenario trumps that guideline coz the plastic underneath the motor still looks brand new like nothing has touched it if indeed some of the chemical dripped. You only have to spray once anyways and the problem won't come back. And besides, if it aint a corrosive acid, if it wont burn your skin, it sure as hell wont damage any form of plastic right away. Consider my drone's condition a perfect example. Thanks.

[@funhouse1077]

Bro is wd40 the same or why would this one be better?

[@paolodelavictoria]

based on my years of WD40 usage, I'd refrain from using that on electronics as it would leave a nasty oily residue that attracts dirt creating grime, while contact cleaners evaporate clean :)

[@alventyder]

Thanks you safe my drone

[@aelitastones3110]

Oh my ... TLDW Just use lock dry lube....

[@dextardextar]

so far this worked, I used deoxit.