An update by the original poster...
I went to Sears to try a similar new treadmill to see the difference..one thing
was that the track part slid effortlessly...
you could nearly walk on it without turning
on the motor...mine is no where near
that smooth! So I suspect a track/roller
problem and I am sure it needs some
lube on the deck too. Troubleshooting the
motor and controller board show no
problems...I have sent an email to
the maker for their advice. Thanks All.
Rob