FJRF003.1: Ignition Switch

[fjrpunch]

Just had my ignition switch replaced on my 2006 with over 26000miles no problems with it before. Picked it up and drove 31 miles and it died. Checked fuses and all were ok. Dealer picked it up and said the 10amp fuse was blown. This was bs but he showed me a bad fuse. Drove to work today and it feels like it has a very small miss when driving a constant 60mph. What could be a possible problem?

 

[jwit6]

Never ever trust a dealer.

 

[bsquared]

I just wanted to share my experience with this recall with the board. I had the recall done months ago, and due life issues the bike has sat for the most part since then. So the other day I take the bike out and the handlebars feel "off" and I figured that the dealer had installed the bar in a different setting than the one I had. No big deal so I go to fix it so they are the same and this is what I see.

And of course this is the other side that they did not screw up.

I NEVER take any of my vehicles in to get maintenance done. I ALWAYS do it myself because inevitably they will screw something up. I look at them the same way I look at investment advisors in that there is no way I can pay someone to care as much about my "stuff" as I do. I thought in this instance I did not have a choice of doing the recall myself, and even asked the dealer about the possibility. Needless to say, my first experience in ten years or so of letting somebody else work on my machine has reinforced my feelings about never letting it happen again.

What would you guys do about this? I plan on going back to the dealer and complaining, but I'm not sure what else I can do. Any ideas?

 

[mdisher]

What would you guys do about this? I plan on going back to the dealer and complaining, but I'm not sure what else I can do. Any ideas?

I would definitely go back and complain. The only way to fix that is to replace the top triple. Probably pretty pricey from Yamamama. Short of them stepping up and doing the right thing, I start watching ebay for one.

I hope you like your bars in the closest position in the mean time.

 

[Mcgyver74]

Take it to a different dealer, write a certified letter (with pictures) and send to Yamaha as well as the BBB and consumer affairs boards for your local state and never ever go back to that dealer again

 

[Brodie]

...so the other day I take the bike out and the handlebars feel "off" and I figured that the dealer had installed the bar in a different setting than the one I had. No big deal so I go to fix it so they are the same and this is what I see.
...what would you guys do about this? I plan on going back to the dealer and complaining, but I'm not sure what else I can do. Any ideas?

bsquared

Go back right away and complain - BIG TIME! The dealer screwed up a simple R&R and put your safety in jeopardy. They did damage to the handlebar adjustment mechanism and should make it right. Request a new triple clamp, and if the pins are also damaged, a new right side handle bar. They compromised your bike, and in my opinion made it worth-less in resale value. They didn't even remove the red sticker on the face of the new switch.

You paid upwards of 14k for a this flagship motorcycle, you expect nothing but first rate service. Hold their feet to the fire.

Document everything, this may require getting the Yamaha district rep involved.

Good luck! let us know what comes of it.

Brodie

 

[kbart]

Is the dealer required to provide proof to the owner that recall has been performed?

 

[DaveInMn]

Just got my recall done last Thursday. I made the appointment a week ago at a local dealer (bought it at D&H).

I was about 1/2 hour early for the appointment, but they got it right in and it was done an hour later. Everything looked ok and no other problems arose during my extra-long test ride on the way home. :yahoo:

Work was done at Brother's Motorsports in Brainerd, Mn. I've only used the service a couple of times, but they have done good work. However, dealing with their sales department resulted in my buying the 2 Yamahas I own from other, more distant dealers.

 

[VAGBOF]

Vehicle Make / Model: Model Year(s): YAMAHA / FJR1300 2006-2009

Source: ODI - NHTSA Recall website

Manufacturer: YAMAHA MOTOR CORPORATION, USA Mfr's Report Date: JAN 06, 2009

NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID Number: 09V002000 EA08025

NHTSA Action Number: EA08025

Component: ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:IGNITION:SWITCH

Potential Number of Units Affected: 9300

Summary:

YAMAHA IS RECALLING 9,300 MY 2006-2009 FJR1300 MOTORCYCLES. THE INTERNAL SWITCH WIRING COULD BECOME DISCONNECTED. IF THIS OCCURS ELECTRICAL CURRENT FLOW WILL BE STOPPED AND THE ENGINE COULD STALL.

Consequence:

IF THE ENGINE STALLS, THE OPERATOR MAY BE UNABLE TO START OR RESTART THE ENGINE INCREASING THE RISK OF A CRASH.

Remedy:

DEALERS WILL REPLACE THE IGNITION SWITCH FREE OF CHARGE. THE RECALL IS EXPECTED TO BEGIN ON OR BEFORE JANUARY 16, 2009. OWNERS MAY CONTACT YAMAHA AT 1-800-962-7926.

Notes:

CUSTOMERS MAY ALSO CONTACT THE NATIONAL HIGHWAY TRAFFIC SAFETY ADMINISTRATION'S VEHICLE SAFETY HOTLINE AT 1-888-327-4236 (TTY 1-800-424-9153), OR GO TO HTTP://WWW.SAFERCAR.GOV .

Other Resources for this Recall

Technical Bulletin: Clicky here.

Abstract of the Technical Bulletin: Clicky here.

List of actual year/model VINs recalled: Clicky here.

Details of a partly failed switch and a new one including pics: here.

Letter from Yamaha to NHTSA about recall plans 1/6/2009: Clicky here.

Recall Letter Available to Dealers, page 10: Clicky here.

Canadian Applicability: Clicky here ayy.

Is this recall concerning fjr's that sold in europe?

 

[bsquared]

Well they did fix the damage they did to my triple tree during the recall, but it required a fair amount of jumping up and down on my part.

 

[Brodie]

bsquared

Good For You! :clapping:

That dealer put you at risk with that botched repair.

What did you have to do to be made whole again? Did it involve going to the Yamaha district rep. to force the issue. Or did the Dealer do what's right in the first place?

Thanks for the update.

Brodie

 

[TheAxeman]

I hate to ask this question because I'm sure its probably in the 28 pages prior to this somewhere but here goes anyway.....

Is there a new part number for the new switch? I finally decided to have it done since I'm medically unfit to ride my bikes anyway. The dealer has a switch that he took off the shelf but I want to double check to see if its the "new and improved" switch or just one of the crappy old ones that he is trying to shovel off as new.

Let the dogpile commence.

 

[bsquared]

bsquared
Good For You! :clapping:

That dealer put you at risk with that botched repair.

What did you have to do to be made whole again? Did it involve going to the Yamaha district rep. to force the issue. Or did the Dealer do what's right in the first place?

Thanks for the update.

Brodie

They replaced the top triple tree completely, as you can see there was no way to fix it without replacement. The shop manager ended up doing the right thing on his own. The technician that did the damage had hand written on their copy of the repair receipt that the damage was pre-existing, but it was not on my copy of the repair receipt. At first the manager thought that I was tying to get over, but once he saw the discrepancy he realized it was his tech that was lying. He did not come out and say as much, probably for fear of liability but he shut down his "you are trying to get over" defense and changed his attitude to sympathetic. The tech that did the work was let go a few months ago.

I understand that in order to maximize profits, repair shops have to do repairs as fast as possible. If professional mechanics were to put as much time, effort and research into repairs as I do, maintenance would cost at least twice as much and probably more. Bottom line though is that this experience reconfirms my commitment to never letting a mechanic do work that I could preform myself. This was my first experience with a mechanic in over ten years and hopefully it will be my last. Doing the work myself ultimately saves time (in addition to money and aggravation) because I don't have to take time off work to wait for them to get the work done, or schedule pickup and drop off times.

I just hope that there aren't any more recalls. If there are, I am going to do everything in my power to get them to just give me the parts and let me do the fix myself.

 

[Fred W]

I hate to ask this question because I'm sure its probably in the 28 pages prior to this somewhere but here goes anyway.....
Is there a new part number for the new switch? I finally decided to have it done since I'm medically unfit to ride my bikes anyway. The dealer has a switch that he took off the shelf but I want to double check to see if its the "new and improved" switch or just one of the crappy old ones that he is trying to shovel off as new.

Let the dogpile commence.

Ruh roh.

If the dealer took the switch off the shelf, and it wasn't a part of the recall kit (p/n 90891-30058-00), then you got the old switch. As far as I know there is no new part number for the switch and it's very unlikely they purged stock of the old ones while the recall is ongoing.

The one (only?) way to tell without disassembling it is, the new switches should have a stripe of yellow tape around the cable near the two connectors.

 

[TheAxeman]

Thanks Fred, its not to late. I'm supposed to bring it in next week so I'll check it before they do anything.

 

[Thumper]

I am not sure if my switch fell victim to the recall associated with this topic, but I did have mine go south on me last week. I was on a trip from Tampa, Fl to Canada and on the way back, I stopped for a Kodak moment on Rt. 13 in Kingston, Missouri. Not much around if you have been there before.

I turned the bike off and went to turn it back on, it was dead. I checked all fuses, re-plugged the ECU and checked my battery connections. I suspected the switch but did not have the tools to remove the tank, so a tow was needed. I took it to a Dealer 35 miles away. (I have his card and will write a thank you letter asap). The owner/manager took the time immediately to help me troubleshoot the problem. I told him everything I had checked already and he got on the phone to Yamaha. They indicated a possible problem with the switch. We pulled the tank, and shorted the two wires from the ignition. The bike lived again. We added a toggle switch inline and I used it to get me home.

I still had to make the connection by turning the switch on and then throwing the toggle, so I am not sure if this is what everyone else is experiencing or did I just have a switch contact go bad after 65,000 miles?

I called my dealer and ordered the new switch. I asked him to look up information on any recalls since the bike will be in there. I really only need the switch replaced though.

Bike Info:

2006 with 65,000 miles

 

[mr.paul]

Thumper, just my humble opinion, but.....welcome to the club. Sorry you had to go through a tow and everything, but like most who have been bitten by this, thank goodness you were in a safe place when it failed and you weren't accelerating in front of a semi when it died. On mine, I had just turned left from one highway to another when I had total failure. Luckily, no one there to run me over, and even more lucky, it was just outside of my workplace. Easily pushed the bike to a safe place to park.

I believe that all 2006 bikes are included in the recall. Should take them no more than an hour to do the replacememnt. Good luck!

paul from Minnesota

 

[SkooterG]

Thumper. Sounds like you have a bad switch if you never had the recall done. However, you should have cycled your switch on/off 50+ times to eliminate the possibility it was just a dirty switch.

 

[Thumper]

Thanks for the quick replies. My dealer has the part already in for me and I will be taking it in this Thursday for replacement.

I did cycle the switch a bunch thinking the same thing (dirt, corrosion, moisture) but to no avail. Bad for me was the spot was not really that safe. It was next to a state rehabilation center and two thugs were hanging kept driving by checking the broke down bike. I had no signal on the cell but the folks inside the rehab were very nice and let me use the phone to call for the tow. All that ends well as they say.

The trip was spectacular but tooooo many close calls with deer this time of year up north.

 

[Banzai]

Just got mine back, it had no electrical problems but the key door did not close so i am happy about a new one, they finally fixed me up. new fork seals, new wheel bearings and seals, and shifter switch all WARRANTY.