2006 Altitude recall question on my new to me FJR

[smitty141]

After buying this cream puff with 16,000 miles. Before purchase I did have the local dealer run the VIN to see if any recalls remained. The one they missed was the ECU Altitude fix. Looking at the vin it was in the window of replacement. Here in Missouri we are at a whopping 600 feet above sea level and the PO never did anything about it.

Looks like Yamaha will not do anything now about it, and I'm out of luck. I'm not sure I will even have a issue. Would a Power Commander V remedy the altitude issue, or not.

I know the bike is 10 years old now, but plan to go out west and really dont want a issue..

Or just find a 2008 ECU...

Thanks Smitty

 

[mdisher]

Just ride it like you stole it.

I've had my 2006 without that recall in many mountains and haven't had an issue, including Mt Evans, Pikes Peak, and over Bear Tooth pass many a times. I took my Power Commander off a long long time ago.

I doubt you will ever notice it or ever have an issue.

my $.02

-=MD

 

[Walter]

Same thing I ran into as I bought my 06 last year with only 3k miles on her and she had never seen a dealership after the day she was bought so none of the recalls and such were done. So as a result I wont ever get the instant mileage issue fixed or the altitude fix done for free. I herd that a PC5 with O2 will fix the issue. Is this true?

Same as mdisher I have an 06 with vin that falls in the problem range and is unserviced but no problems yet going from 500' Spartanburg SC to Mt Mitchell NC 6600' with no issues what so ever. Worst case pull over shut of bike and take a short scenery break.

 

[HotRodZilla]

All the recall did was change the fuel settings at 1/8 throttle movement instead of 1/4 throttle movement. Apparently, some people were climbing in altitude and not changing throttle position the entire way up the hill. Since the bike didn't ever adjust for the change in air density or whatever, they would run like crap. The ECU update/change just lessened the amount the throttle had to be moved in order for the ECU to adjust.

No version of the Power Commander will fix that issue, should you have it. I had lots of elevation changes before the recall, and never had an issue. Just ride your bike, and it will work fine.

 

[smitty141]

I was reading the service bulletin, and seen the throttle position was the key. As long as you "use" the throttle over 1/4 this should not be a issue. Thanks gent's for your input. As always, you guys are the best..

Smitty

 

[RaYzerman19]

I believe Zilla is right, but wasn't there also an altitude sensing issue...... if you do have an issue, just pull over, cycle ignition and it will pick up the new altitude. Had that a couple of times on mine and I don't have the ECU change......

May not have been a recall but a service bulletin only for those that complained.......

 

[Queensland Ken]

I had a PC 5 on my 07, it improved some of the fueling issues but not all of them.

In Australia the ECU wasn't a recall, spent ages arguing with Yamaha Australia.

I ended up buying a LCD 200 to data log the fault, it was more of a change of change of altitude fault.

Finally a good dealer listened to me and and viewed printed data I recorded, bingo.

Yamaha swapped out the ECU in "good faith" when the S4 spider recall was done.

I ended up removing then selling the PC5, the fueling was perfect after the swap.

 

[15wannabe]

smitty, with all due respect for our fellow Feejer owners who have responded so far, I gotta say...be careful with this one. If yer going a mighty ways uphill, I suggest the ECU upgrade. It can be very unpredictable how the bike will respond to altitude, and it's different for all riders, depending on riding style, throttle inputs and steepness in terrain. We live in the mountains of BC, and my '07 was just fine till I decided one day to drive to 'Sun Peaks', about 90 minutes away. About half way up, the machine was bucking and cantankerous. Yes, I pulled over a few times to shut her down and restart....it was fine for a short while. Then, on a steep tight cambered turn I gave it gas and nothing happened for a bit....gave it more gas, then POW...took off like a rocket into the opposite lane. Fortunately, no traffic was there. So, by the time I got to the top of the mountain I was pretty much worn out.

The following day, I wrote to Yamaha Canada about my ordeal and within 24 hrs, I received instructions that they would be sending a new ECU to my dealer within the week, as well as cautioning me about riding the bike at elevation. The company handled it superbly. As far as I know, I was the first case of its kind up here.

FWIW, I also noticed after the ECU replacement, that the off idle throttle response was much smoother...not near as much jerky, as my bike was from the factory.

Good luck with it smitty, and safe riding!

 

[painman]

Mine was not as severe but similar to wannabes experience. Could be a safety issue imo while passing or could interrupt you or the bike at a critical time. I am not really in the know on ECU's but maybe one could have a newer or even your current ECU "flashed" and use in your current bike. Hope it works out and ride safe. PM.

 

[gapiob]

I had this issue on my fazer. The TPS (throttle position System) doesn't take into account pressure atmospherique after engine start. first ride in alpe, I have some engine difficult when we grow up to fast. But just stop and start engine forces the TPS initialize, and take into account the new pressure.
After my holidays in Alpes, I was go to speak with mister YAMAHA, and my TPS was changed. It's the same probleme on FJR GEN 2, FS6, FS8...

 

[Intech]

I had the problem on my '07. It will also surge which is quite uncomfortable in mountain twisties. Cycling the ignition clears it, but that is a pain to do if you are in the middle of a nice twisty section. I took mine to the dealer and they tried saying we don't have enough altitude in the area to need it. Rather than argue the point I just told them it is a recall and they are obligated to change it. It was changed and never had another trouble.

 

[Madmudder]

Smitty it might be time to report a very close call while riding to both the dealer and mother Yamaha. So in the future if heaven forbid you do experience something further it is on record, something Yamaha does not want the liability for.

 

[BkerChuck]

I bought my '07 used in August 2012 with less than 9k on it. After purchase I took it to the closest dealership that I felt comfortable with and asked about outstanding recalls. The ground spider recall and altitude stumble were both still outstanding on my bike. They did the ground recall for me but suggested with where we live in central PA the altitude issue was highly unlikely to ever be a problem. Initially I agreed to hold off on this but let it open just in case. Fast forward to 2014 and a trip to Tennessee and the Tail of the Dragon and Cherohala Skyway where the altitude issue reared its ugly head. Bike ran like crap in the mountains and was bordering on unsafe to ride. I didn't know at the time that cycling the ignition on and off would have helped clear it up.As soon as I got home from my trip I called the dealership and they ordered me a replacement ECU.

Get the fix done! It definitely made a difference in the drive-ability of my bike.Even if you don't live anywhere near those elevations right now that doesn't mean you'll never experience them. These bikes are meant to travel and be ridden, insist on them making it right.

 

[RossKean]

It is not any problem riding at altitude - the recall does nothing for this. Its all about changes in altitude and whether the fuelling compensates correctly. As others have mentioned, a Power Commander will do nothing to help.

 

[Intech]

Is there an expiration date for a recall? I would think that if it is a safety concern it should be done.

 

[BkerChuck]

I don't think there is any time limits on recalls. While I was still working for a Harley dealership in 2014 we still had folks show up with Buell motorcycles with outstanding recalls that HD had to provide parts for us to fix even though they'd closed Buell down in 2010. Some of these were bikes from 1996-1997 so that would make them up to 18 years old at that point.

I can't see that Yamaha should be any different.

 

[gapiob]

this is the liste of FJR concerned by this problem :

in sumury, the YMF note tel :

1/ Symptom:

when you ride at constant speed, with low throttle, upper than 1000 meters, engine can have some hesitation.

2/Cause :

the ECU have an automatique compensation of altitude. It ajuste the amount of fuel depending on the altitude. The ECU take into accout the altitude when you turn on the ECU (and not the engine) and when the throttle is turned most of the quarter. if rider drive with a slow speed, and quitly, the new altitude is never take into account. So it's possible to change altitude without the ECU is aware.

3/Solution:

without modification : - turn off the bike, remove the key, wait few second, and restart it.

- Make some strong acceleration

With modification : replace ECU by another one who take into account altitude with a lower acceleration.

Note :

In France, this intervention is note necessary. It's only on customer ask, if customers have some issues i riding in altitude.

I hope it's understandably, and sorry for my bad English.

 

[Burnspot]

My '07 hasn't had this recall done (thought it was an advisory or something other than an official recall) and, yes, it does occasionally have issues at altitude. That said, a WOT generally solves it. I took the bike from the flats of Eastern NC to the Rockies and Mt. Evans...it wasn't really a big deal.

When I get around to selling my '07 later this year, I'll probably ask Ron Ayers about it while letting them apply the spider fix (I have Art's grounding harness doing that job at the moment).

 

[gapiob]

Look at my last sentence, it's not a recal, it's just on customers ask...I supose YMC has the same recal on all country.

Moreover, depending on how you ride, you will never had this issue. I had it on my fazer, when I ride slowly with my fazer, but never on my 2007.