AE and ignition switch failures

[palerider]

Hi,

So there I was at a gas station Saturday, and for the third time the ignition switch failed.

I hadn't yet put together the cutover wiring (that'll happen today ). I was double screwed because I'd forgotten to put the AE into neutral when I stopped. Well, unless I'm overlooking some simple solution, there is no way to get the AE out of gear when the electrical system's compromised like that, which meant that I couldn't move the bike. This further meant that for transport it couldn't have been winched up on a flatbed wrecker or rolled up a ramp onto a pickup (assuming I could have found about six people to help me).

I waited a few minutes and jiggled the key around and got it started again, but had I not, I don't know what I would/could have done to get the bike home.

I have always thought that there should be on the AE a mechanical way to get the bike into neutral, but this was not for safety but for convenience--sometimes I want to be able to coast a few feet longer and from a slightly higher speed than the default programming will allow. But not being able to move the bike at all could be a serious--as in deadly--safety concern. If the bike were to quit when I was in a freeway lane, how could I get it off the freeway?

This is a rather large shortcoming in the AE's design. There must be a way to force it into neutral, mustn't there? Am I overlooking something simple? This ignition-switch problem, and the AE's inabilty to move or be moved under certain conditions, has for me become a concern of some urgency.

 

[s_boy]

Hi,
So there I was at a gas station Saturday, and for the third time the ignition switch failed.

I hadn't yet put together the cutover wiring (that'll happen today ). I was double screwed because I'd forgotten to put the AE into neutral when I stopped. Well, unless I'm overlooking some simple solution, there is no way to get the AE out of gear when the electrical system's compromised like that, which meant that I couldn't move the bike. This further meant that for transport it couldn't have been winched up on a flatbed wrecker or rolled up a ramp onto a pickup (assuming I could have found about six people to help me).

I waited a few minutes and jiggled the key around and got it started again, but had I not, I don't know what I would/could have done to get the bike home.

I have always thought that there should be on the AE a mechanical way to get the bike into neutral, but this was not for safety but for convenience--sometimes I want to be able to coast a few feet longer and from a slightly higher speed than the default programming will allow. But not being able to move the bike at all could be a serious--as in deadly--safety concern. If the bike were to quit when I was in a freeway lane, how could I get it off the freeway?

This is a rather large shortcoming in the AE's design. There must be a way to force it into neutral, mustn't there? Am I overlooking something simple? This ignition-switch problem, and the AE's inabilty to move or be moved under certain conditions, has for me become a concern of some urgency.

for some reason i thought the AE had the capability to manually shift gears as a back-up?

 

[bramfrank]

Well;

You are the first person I've heard of to have suffered the probloem THREE times. SOmething is very wrong there.

Yes, I realise that this is an issue with cable tension and/or repeated stressing of a solder joint, but that should be taken into account when installing the replacement . . .

Having said that . . . .

I'm not personally into the whole electric shift thing, but is there no way to force the shift solenoid while the bike's on the center stand?

Edit: From the post two down from this it seems that you CAN manually shift the machine by manipulating the solenoid - something every AE owner should familiarise himself with.

 

[palerider]

Hi,
So there I was at a gas station Saturday, and for the third time the ignition switch failed.

I hadn't yet put together the cutover wiring (that'll happen today ). I was double screwed because I'd forgotten to put the AE into neutral when I stopped. Well, unless I'm overlooking some simple solution, there is no way to get the AE out of gear when the electrical system's compromised like that, which meant that I couldn't move the bike. This further meant that for transport it couldn't have been winched up on a flatbed wrecker or rolled up a ramp onto a pickup (assuming I could have found about six people to help me).

I waited a few minutes and jiggled the key around and got it started again, but had I not, I don't know what I would/could have done to get the bike home.

I have always thought that there should be on the AE a mechanical way to get the bike into neutral, but this was not for safety but for convenience--sometimes I want to be able to coast a few feet longer and from a slightly higher speed than the default programming will allow. But not being able to move the bike at all could be a serious--as in deadly--safety concern. If the bike were to quit when I was in a freeway lane, how could I get it off the freeway?

This is a rather large shortcoming in the AE's design. There must be a way to force it into neutral, mustn't there? Am I overlooking something simple? This ignition-switch problem, and the AE's inabilty to move or be moved under certain conditions, has for me become a concern of some urgency.

for some reason i thought the AE had the capability to manually shift gears as a back-up?

As far as I know, the foot shifter is just another switch. Maybe I'm wrong about this, but in any case, I couldn't shift it into neutral until the electrical system came back up.

 

[majicmaker]

Palerider,

I had the exact same thing happen to me. Thank god it was at the end of my street. Had to call my best friend to help me drag that dead horse 1000 feet

to my driveway.

Here's the quick way to get it into neutral with no power!!

Just forward of the side panel on the left side, (the panel that has the FJR on it). there is a lever with a rubber cap on it.

Get your thumb on the back side of the vertical link (the horizontal link will be above your thumb) and with both hands for power! push forward until you feel and hear that familiar "Click" of the gear shifting.

Now, you are in neutral!!!! I learned that the hard way myself.

As far as this being you're third switch. Dude, I think you are contributing to that problem. After my first switch failure, I started covering the switch with a plastic cover during bath time. I'm convinced that too much water was going into the key slot.

This will do the trick. I have an 06AE myself. Never had that problem again. Ride Safe!!

 

[palerider]

Palerider,
I had the exact same thing happen to me. Thank god it was at the end of my street. Had to call my best friend to help me drag that dead horse 1000 feet

to my driveway.

Here's the quick way to get it into neutral with no power!!

Just forward of the side panel on the left side, (the panel that has the FJR on it). there is a lever with a rubber cap on it.

Get your thumb on the back side of the vertical link (the horizontal link will be above your thumb) and with both hands for power! push forward until you feel and hear that familiar "Click" of the gear shifting.

Now, you are in neutral!!!! I learned that the hard way myself.

As far as this being you're third switch. Dude, I think you are contributing to that problem. After my first switch failure, I started covering the switch with a plastic cover during bath time. I'm convinced that too much water was going into the key slot.

This will do the trick. I have an 06AE myself. Never had that problem again. Ride Safe!!

Thanks for that. You're thinking more clearly than I. Doh! Seems obvious now, after you say it: since it is a mechanical transmission, just figure out where the linkage is.

As far as my contributing to the problem, it's not my third switch; it's the third time this (original) switch has failed (and come back). I'm about to call my dealer to have him order a new one to replace this one (should be covered by YES). I was waiting because I hoped Yamaha would come out with a redesign/recall. Doesn't make a whole lot of sense to replace one faultily designed part with another, but I don't see I have an alternative.

Water's never gotten in there. It's never been washed, and I live in Southern California, where I think it's rained twice since I got the bike in August of 2006, and both times the bike's been in the garage. However it is a dusty environment, and I've no doubt that mung has gotten in there. Once I've gotten the new one installed, I'll try to get a look at the inside of the original to see if any of the contacts are burned.

 

[majicmaker]

Palerider,

Glad to help. I must have misread the part about it being your third situation with the same switch. Y.E.S. does cover the switch!

It took 10 days for Yamaha to send the switch to the West Palm Beach dealer. It wasn't fun waiting. Order it now and keep riding it til it arrives.

Never been washed??? Rained twice in two years??? You lucky SoCal *******s!!!

In South Florida except for the winter months it rains every day at about 4PM. Add to that the fact that I live on a dirt road, I wash my bike twice a week.

Got to keep it shiney for the ladies to Oooooooh & Aaaaaaaah over it. Makes for a great converstion starter.

Hang Tough!

 

[ponyfool]

After my first switch failure, I started covering the switch with a plastic cover during bath time. I'm convinced that too much water was going into the key slot.

My ignition switch failure had nothing to do with water. In fact, of all the ignition switch failures posted thus far, only a few were related to a dirty ignition (water, etc). The overwhelming majority are a result of the solder joint failing.

 

[ionbeam]

...In fact, of all the ignition switch failures posted thus far, only a few were related to a dirty ignition (water, etc). The overwhelming majority are a result of the solder joint failing.

And sometimes heat distorts the plastic that holds the switch contacts preventing them from making a solid connection. This kind of failure responds to key diddling. Sometimes repeatedly switching on/off or wiggling will get the contact to make solidly enough to get you home or give you false hope :glare:

Solder failures are black & white; one minute you are running just fine and the next minute you are 100% dead beyond any hope of recovery, including key switch wiggling. It would take a miracle to wiggle the wires and get an unsoldered wire to touch exactly right and get your motorcycle running again.

 

[majicmaker]

Ponyfool,

I'm sure you are right about the cause of the vast majority of the switch failures. It's just that 35 years in Aircraft Maintenance has shown me over and

over what a teeny tiny amount of water will do to an electrical component of any kind. It's always a good idea to prevent water intrusion if you can.

Just a helpful tip!!

 

[palerider]

Palerider,
Glad to help. I must have misread the part about it being your third situation with the same switch. Y.E.S. does cover the switch!

It took 10 days for Yamaha to send the switch to the West Palm Beach dealer. It wasn't fun waiting. Order it now and keep riding it til it arrives.

Never been washed??? Rained twice in two years??? You lucky SoCal *******s!!!

In South Florida except for the winter months it rains every day at about 4PM. Add to that the fact that I live on a dirt road, I wash my bike twice a week.

Got to keep it shiney for the ladies to Oooooooh & Aaaaaaaah over it. Makes for a great converstion starter.

Hang Tough!

10 years in Tallahassee (Go Noles!), so I know about those PM rains, and I know way more than I want to know about the *** life of love bugs.

There's a lot about Florida I miss, but overall, I'll stick with LA.

 

[palerider]

Well;
You are the first person I've heard of to have suffered the probloem THREE times. SOmething is very wrong there.

Yes, I realise that this is an issue with cable tension and/or repeated stressing of a solder joint, but that should be taken into account when installing the replacement . . .

Having said that . . . .

I'm not personally into the whole electric shift thing, but is there no way to force the shift solenoid while the bike's on the center stand?

Edit: From the post two down from this it seems that you CAN manually shift the machine by manipulating the solenoid - something every AE owner should familiarise himself with.

Roger that. In fact, it should be a mandatory part of the pre-flight for anyone buying an AE. PDI (Pretty Damned Important) if you get stuck because of electrical failure.

 

[majicmaker]

Palerider,

10 years in Tallahassee? Been there many times, nice town. Also been to LA many times on business, I love it everytime I visit. But, let's see!!

Mudslides?

Fire?

Earthquakes?

I think I'll stay in Florida. No Twisties, Flat as a board but, all I have to worry about is an ocassional Hurricane.

I can deal with that!!!!

Nice talking to you.

VIC.