FJRF009.0: Ground Spider Research

S76,

Had the same problem hit me yesterday....lifted up the tank and what do you know??? ground harness fried....great post!!!

Thanks to the forum, I saved (i'm sure) hundreds of $$$$. Keep it up!!!!

SAHIII said:

S76,Had the same problem hit me yesterday....lifted up the tank and what do you know??? ground harness fried....great post!!!

Thanks to the forum, I saved (i'm sure) hundreds of $$$$. Keep it up!!!!

Click to expand...

Your 09 already has a fried harness?

Geez, I should check mine...

Anyone know if Brodie's Wiring Harness would help this issue? I have not had any problems described (knock on wood) but I did install this wiring harness last winter.

Just voted.

My bike didn't leave me stranded and I was able to get home but I could not use my signal lights or high beams. Had no problems until one morning after I just started the bike and it quit about 10 seconds after it started. Tried starting the bike again and had nothing but both blinkers were on, the high beam light was on and the fuel gauge was flashing. After trying to start the bike 5 - 6 time it did start and I headed for home. On the way home every time I used the signal lights or turned on the high beam the bike would almost stall out so I decided that I better not push my luck by using the lights until I got home. After removing the gas tank and finding the ground connector on the left side it looked the same as the one that were all burnt up including two of the wires that were melted together. I removed the grounding connector and spliced / soldered all six wire together and added another #10 wire and grounded it to the frame. Splicing these wire was not any easy job and I don't think you could do it on the side of the road. The wires are only about 1/2" long and very hard to reach. The bike has worked fine since but I wounder if existing wires were damaged further back from the heat / high current? I also checked all the other connectors that I could find including 4 - 5 more of the same type of grounding connector that burnt up and they all looked good.

My bike is a 2007 AE with only 23000 km and only been in the rain 3 - 4 times. Vin # 000103. Had no problems with the ignition switch but it was replaced under warranty last spring, 7K ago. Bike has no electrical farkles. Hopefully this is the last electrical problem with this bike because it would be a nightmare to work on. I would have never have thought that a bike would have so many wires and connectors, I think it has more than both my vehicles put together.

With the information on this forum this was an easy find and fix this time, I would not have wanted to be the first guy with this problem and having to take the bike it to the dealer. Thanks for the information and great job.

Tim

Bram,

Just a suggestion: as important as it is to collect data about the failed bikes, it is equally important to collect data about the unfailed ones. That may help you separate the chaff from the wheat, so to speak.

Because of the limits imposed by the board, this is as unscientific as it gets.

However it proves that this is much more than an 'occasional issue' and SOMEONE needs to get formal and bring this to the attention of the NHTSA and intiate a recall/inspection program for Gen-2 bikes before someone gets killed.

That will mean getting affected owners to formally provide their names and VINs and for someone to instigate the process.

After stumbling on this post and reading about the grounding (shorting connection) problems. It scared the hell out of me since I did not purchase the extended warranty. Got up this morning to inspect my 2008 with 14k miles on her, never washed with water, never driven in the rain, garaged in Southern California. Here's what I found. Note: I'm sure this is how it starts...

"Corrosion" (other images at link below)



See other images at:

Photo1

Photo 2

Photo 3

joeR6 said:

Anyone know if Brodie's Wiring Harness would help this issue? I have not had any problems described (knock on wood) but I did install this wiring harness last winter.

Click to expand...

No. The Brodie wiring change only has to do with the ignition switch. This is a totaly different issue.

Here is a link to what I did. There are several ways to go about it. This method requires more than one wire failure to stop the bike. Probably overkill, I admit.

FJR Wiring Ground Mod

I am wondering as trolfe seems to have implied we maybe more or less chasing our tails, and just moving the problem from one area to another. The whole wiring harness may need to be replaced also if it is damaged. Rummy makes a good case, no farkles, 2008 and what appears to be corrosion ( heat I suspect) damage starting. So something is wrong , it is pretty clear IMO, but I am not an electrical engineer. I think we need to save the pics at least and have Yamaha respond to what is going on and see if we get an "official" answer if not then as with the ignition switch proceed with a formal request for an inspection.

bramfrank said:

So maybe it is time to start trying to characterise the burned ground issue with the Gen-II bikes
The above poll is ONLY for those people who have suffered the problem.

Click to expand...

Okay, so now that I have eff'ed-up the survey, how do I unvote? My electrical system is fine but I was overcome with an urge to contribute to a poll before reading the details.

Just happened to me yesterday. Bike died in freeway traffic at 80mph. Wiggling the cable got the bike to be able to start again. I"m assuming the connector is either fried or corroded. First electrical problem I've had, and I've had the ignition switch and ECU replaced about six months ago. Vin #JYARP15E961000316. 2006 1300A.

After stumbling on this post and reading about the grounding (shorting connection) problems. It scared the hell out of me since I did not purchase the extended warranty. Got up this morning to inspect my 2008 with 14k miles on her, never washed with water, never driven in the rain, garaged in Southern California. Here's what I found. Note: I'm sure this is how it starts...

Click to expand...

Rummy, did you apply dielectric grease and reassemble? If so, what were the results (since you posted in August that will give some run time on the fix)?

Rummy said:

After stumbling on this post and reading about the grounding (shorting connection) problems. It scared the hell out of me since I did not purchase the extended warranty. Got up this morning to inspect my 2008 with 14k miles on her, never washed with water, never driven in the rain, garaged in Southern California. Here's what I found. Note: I'm sure this is how it starts..."Corrosion" (other images at link below)

See other images at:

Photo1

Photo 2

Photo 3

Click to expand...

What's that thing made out of? It looks like plated steel.

jim

Grumpy said:

Rummy said:

After stumbling on this post and reading about the grounding (shorting connection) problems. It scared the hell out of me since I did not purchase the extended warranty. Got up this morning to inspect my 2008 with 14k miles on her, never washed with water, never driven in the rain, garaged in Southern California. Here's what I found. Note: I'm sure this is how it starts..."Corrosion" (other images at link below)

See other images at:

Photo1

Photo 2

Photo 3

Click to expand...

What's that thing made out of? It looks like plated steel.

jim

Click to expand...

I'd be interested in knowing what it is also. It can be determined by hitting it with a file.

I am wondering if this can be reproduced in copper (stamping grade) and plated w/ a gold flash

Deco Ray said:

Grumpy said:

Rummy said:

After stumbling on this post and reading about the grounding (shorting connection) problems. It scared the hell out of me since I did not purchase the extended warranty. Got up this morning to inspect my 2008 with 14k miles on her, never washed with water, never driven in the rain, garaged in Southern California. Here's what I found. Note: I'm sure this is how it starts..."Corrosion" (other images at link below)

See other images at:

Photo1

Photo 2

Photo 3

Click to expand...

What's that thing made out of? It looks like plated steel.

jim

Click to expand...

I'd be interested in knowing what it is also. It can be determined by hitting it with a file.

I am wondering if this can be reproduced in copper (stamping grade) and plated w/ a gold flash

Click to expand...

Try a magnet on it first.

We just might be able to add another 2009 A model to the list. Same sudden failure characteristics with both flasher indicators on, the high-beam indicator on and the fuel guage flashing 8 times on an attempted restart. All else is inoperative other than a functioning neutral light. Thank goodness I was in a low speed turn when it happened. Bike goes to the dealer Monday. I've had the bike 5 months with 4700 miles on it. Its been in the rain only once, never washed with water (I clean it up after every ride) and always stored in the garage. The last six digits of the VIN is 006591. This is the first time in 40 years that I've had an electrical failure on a bike and I was having so much fun just before it happened - DANG!

Will let you know what happens.

Guys,

This is just getting stupid.

It is time for someone in the US who has suffered the probem to start the ball rolling with the NHTSA by filing a formal report and mentioning that there is evidence that this is endemic. Including a link to this thread in the report ought to suffice for the evidence.

I can't do it - my bike hasn't had the problem (yet) and I'm not in the states . . . .

Someone? . . . . . Anyone?

I'm fairly recent back on the Forum, but was involved with the ignition switch recall and know the recall process, so will throw in my 2 cents.

ANYBODY who writes "they should" or "somebody" needs to learn that YOU are the person you're writing about. Every person who has this problem needs to file an individual report with NHTSA and it really is easy. Go to https://www.safercar.gov and the form is on the right side of the page. It doesn't take long and without the information, NHTSA just has rumor to work with. NOTHING will happen if NHTSA doesn't have these reports on file and it takes a bunch of them.

As for Yamaha, they have folks who do work on the in-service complaints, but they are kept in an invisible bubble. You won't find them. But guess what? They pay a LOT of attention to what is on the NHTSA list of complaints.

One of the things that both organizations will watch for is whether this is a safety problem versus simply griping about common maintenance nuisances or cost. More detail is better and absolutely don't lie. (Us Feds can figure out what's bull.) What turned the tide on the ignition switch issue was learning about the people who had the thing die in heavy traffic.

Again, each person MUST file at: [SIZE=14pt]https://www.safercar.gov/[/SIZE]

Checkswrecks

btw, I ride my 2007 daily into DC and will have to check my grounds the next time the tank is up, probably around Christmas. No problems so far (knocking on wood), I do ride rain regularly, and DC/Maryland use salt in the winter.

I've had my bike out in the worst conditions you could ask for, constant rain, morning dew, salt spray from riding and living near the beach, dirt drive way, the humid SE etc... So far as of today, my bike has not had a grounding issue with only 20K on it. But I'm probably a prime candidate, so I'll be an avid lurker on this subject. Hopefully, I won't be a participant.