My Shimano DC Brakes Stopped Working - Scorpion, Curado, SLX

I bought two Shimano 2017 Scorpion DC reels knowing I could not get them serviced in the USA. Fortunately most of the inside parts are the same as other Shimano reels. The DC brake system is not interchangeable. I have had both of the DC brakes stop working on my Scorpion reels. I have not had this problem on my Curado and SLX reels. There is not much you can do to fix the brakes. The best case scenario is they eventually fix themselves. Here is what you can do and has worked for me.

The simplest thing to do is take the plate off and put it in an area that has good air flow. I have done this and after two days the brakes work after a few casts. I can only guess as to the inner workings of the reel but casts generate the electricity to run the chips. Maybe moisture impedes the process.

The next thing to do is to take a cotton swab and alcohol and clean out the plate of debris. Let it sit out for a couple days and then make a few casts to prime the chip.

If that doesn’t work then get more extensive on cleaning out the side plate by taking apart what you can. Clean it out and let it set for a couple days.

These steps have worked for me. Eventually the DC brakes started to work. In the meantime the DC Scorpion reels cast surprisingly well if just use the tension knob. You have to set it the point the lurer barely moves but you can get long casts without backlash. Even if the brakes don’t work for a long period of time, you can still use the reel just fine. The reel may eventually fix itself.