Clock and mileage resets while starting

[cometman]

Hi everyone,

I was just wondering if anbody else has this problem. When the FJR gets warmed up (normal temperature) and after stopping for gas or a store for example, during restart the clock and mileage gets reset and there is a rather long hestiation while starting and the linstrument lights flash and everything is reset. I have had this happen at least a dozen times and another guy I ride with who also has a 2004 also has had this happen to him. The bike also has very hard time of turning over and starting. I wait awhile and go and start it and everything is fine.

Any suggestions or ideas of what would cause this is welcome.

Thanks, Mark

 

[ahamlin01]

I have had that happen on my 2005 a number of times - always when the bike is hot. The "start" seems to just abort - and the reset happens of the clock, etc... and then I hold the starter button down and it can start up (a little harder than normal). I think I have read about it here in the past (on the forum)

 

[Fred W]

Hi everyone,
I was just wondering if anbody else has this problem. When the FJR gets warmed up (normal temperature) and after stopping for gas or a store for example, during restart the clock and mileage gets reset and there is a rather long hestiation while starting and the linstrument lights flash and everything is reset. I have had this happen at least a dozen times and another guy I ride with who also has a 2004 also has had this happen to him. The bike also has very hard time of turning over and starting. I wait awhile and go and start it and everything is fine.

Any suggestions or ideas of what would cause this is welcome.

Thanks, Mark

You betcha by golly...

Linkage

 

[mdisher]

I'm thinking it's time you started shopping for a battery.

 

[cometman]

I'm thinking it's time you started shopping for a battery.

Thanks, I thought that was it also and had the battery checked. The shop said that was the best non new battery he has ever seen. Could he have been wrong, maybe. I am not sure if the battery is the original or not.

 

[Fred W]

I'm thinking it's time you started shopping for a battery.

Thanks, I thought that was it also and had the battery checked. The shop said that was the best non new battery he has ever seen. Could he have been wrong, maybe. I am not sure if the battery is the original or not.

My battery looked pretty good too. Charged and held a change just dandy. But it sacked out when starting. New battery and all better.

 

[Geezer]

Check your battery connections at the battery itself, the main ground connection where the ground attaches to the right front of the engine, and charge the battery fully. If that doesn't solve the problem then you probably need a fresh battery.

 

[Bike Effects]

Best look here.

See discount information below.

 

[Fred W]

Check your battery connections at the battery itself, the main ground connection where the ground attaches to the right front of the engine, and charge the battery fully. If that doesn't solve the problem then you probably need a fresh battery.

yeah, good point. The terminal connections need to be clean and tight or you could be dropping your voltage across the connections. Refer to this well laid out post by Mr Ionbeam for troubleshooting info: linky

 

[worldbound4now]

Either way, to prevent being stranded, you may wish to purchase a new battery. The same thing happened to me on my 05.

 

[FJRay]

Buy a battery and get it overwith. The original out of my 03 is sitting on my bench 2 years after I replaced it and it checks just fine but if you try to use it the clock resets and the trip meters zero out. Get a new one from Bike Effects and ride away happy.

 

[sparked]

me too; replaced the battery once... will replace it again see if that fixes the problem

sparked

 

[Geezer]

me too; replaced the battery once... will replace it again see if that fixes the problem sparked

Do you keep your battery on a charger when the bike is parked? You can run the battery down enough during a start cycle that it needs a longer ride to charge it back up.

Also, in my case, I had a relay go bad such that is was drawing a little current even when the switch to it was off. Probably got whacked when I hit a deer early this spring, and I never caught it because I normally keep my battery on a tender every night. My point is that you may have a farkle that draws power when you don't expect it.

 

[Feejer/Weejer man]

A new battery won't cure this happening. My 03 will do this occasionally. I thought the same with a 4 year old battery so I replaced it . I have had it happen since. After its hot, stopping or restarting quickly it will replicate these symptoms. Seems there is no rhyme or reason, old battery, bad connections, low battery etc. Keep it charged and connections tight and it still might happen.

 

[Fred W]

A new battery won't cure this happening. My 03 will do this occasionally. I thought the same with a 4 year old battery so I replaced it . I have had it happen since. After its hot, stopping or restarting quickly it will replicate these symptoms. Seems there is no rhyme or reason, old battery, bad connections, low battery etc. Keep it charged and connections tight and it still might happen.

I disagree. This should not happen. It's not a case of "they all do that". When you experience these symptoms it means you are pulling the battery voltage down too low for the electronics in the Instrument cluster.

There are a whole myriad of possible reasons why this situation could occur, but the most likely cause on a bike that suddenly starts to experience the problem, but never has in the past, is a battery that is on the way out. When it began on my bike, I considered that the OE battery was over 3 years old and put in a new (high quality) Westco AGM battery. I immediately noticed that the battery voltage was staying considerably higher with the starter motor cranking. Nothing else was changed.

Can you live with this situation? No doubt, if you don't care about the trip odometer or clock functions resetting every once in a while you could probably get several more years out of the old battery. But I use my trip meter a lot and like having a clock on the dash.

If you have access to a voltmeter and a second set of hands, or better yet a digital storage o'scope, it is very easy to troubleshoot the problem before ponying up the $80 for a new battery by following the previously linked post from Ionbeam.

 

[Richouse]

A new battery won't cure this happening. My 03 will do this occasionally. I thought the same with a 4 year old battery so I replaced it . I have had it happen since. After its hot, stopping or restarting quickly it will replicate these symptoms. Seems there is no rhyme or reason, old battery, bad connections, low battery etc. Keep it charged and connections tight and it still might happen.

I will agree with this to a point. A new battery MIGHT not cure this. It sounds like to me the starter is getting weak. Classic symptoms, Starts right up when cold but drags and hard to start when hot. I'd suggest asking your dealer for a loaner battery to put in and test it out to see.

Good Luck..

 

[bramfrank]

OK, so you ride an '04, and presumably you are running the original battery. Your buddy, who also rides an '04 has the same issues.

I would change it, just because the darned thing is old - yes, 4 years is old for a battery. While you are at it, make sure your battery connections are tight.

There you have it; 15 replies all summarised in two sentences. You need a battery anyway and if the above doesn't solve it learn to live with it because it is gonna cost some real $$$ to fix unless you have YES.

 

[cometman]

Thanks for everyones help and opinions. My buddy has the same symptons even with a new battery. It seems others have had this happen. I can live with it. I have never been stranded. I was just wondering if others too had the same experience. The FJR does bump start easy I have found.

Thanks again.

Mark

 

[Fred W]

Thanks for everyones help and opinions. My buddy has the same symptons even with a new battery. It seems others have had this happen. I can live with it. I have never been stranded. I was just wondering if others too had the same experience. The FJR does bump start easy I have found.
Thanks again.

Mark

It may be worth knowing what kind of new battery your buddy bought. Not all batteries are created equal...

It could also be one of the non-battery reasons, like loose wiring. There is no reason to have to live with it, IMO