The average life span of a massage motor is 5 years, what happens is usually the ball bearings rust or start to flatten out causing the motor to seize up. This can be a huge problem when you live in colder climates and that pump is what keeps the flow going in order to heat the tub. If the pump fails it could possibly causing mass freeze damage to all the piping and fittings if gone unnoticed. It always a good idea to check on your hot tub daily during winter to ensure its still running fine, although having your motors rebuilt or replaced ever 5 years; specifically the main pump running your heating system is always a good idea.