FJRF009.0: Ground Spider Research

[06Feejer]

Thanks for clarification on the reports. I really didnt read them (obviously). Im afraid of being hit with a nice fat bill for work done on my bike and Yamaha not stepping up to the plate. Think this would be covered on the YES warranty? I hope others file ASAP so we can all get reimbursed for out of pocket expense and more importantly to have this fixed on other bikes before somebody gets hurt.

Actually, there were 38 reports on various subjects ahead of yours for your year and model - if you actually read the text of them you will find that many of them were for the ignition switch issue. Other were for such issues as 'prone to stalling because the idle was too low', 'the mirrors don't stick out enough' and so on. Someone complained about the mileage he got from his tires.

I did the count earlier this week by actually selecting each year and each model (for the '06 and '07 years, where they actually had separate entries) and read them - so unless people have been prolific in the last couple of days, your report will be number 23 on the topic.

Thanks for filing.

 

[Harald]

Thanks for clarification on the reports. I really didnt read them (obviously). Im afraid of being hit with a nice fat bill for work done on my bike and Yamaha not stepping up to the plate. Think this would be covered on the YES warranty? I hope others file ASAP so we can all get reimbursed for out of pocket expense and more importantly to have this fixed on other bikes before somebody gets hurt.

I would expect YES to cover the repair AND the tow. That's one of the benefits of YES - towing coverage.

When my spider bit me, I managed to get the bike started and was almost home when my headlights died. It was dark out, so I wasn't very happy about no headlights but at least the bike continued running up my 1/4 mile private road that has no street lights.

 

[bramfrank]

Canadian update time:

Had my chat with the investigator who is handling the file and so far there's been no revised response from Yamaha - they are due to respond the first week of December latest, having had 45 working days.

He told me that Yamaha's first reply was that 'the wirting harnesses are completely differennt' between Canada and the US, which was greeted by a very quick 'you must be kidding'. That is when the 45 day clock started ticking.

I have also been told that there remain the six reported failures - no new cases filed lately. This is probably explained by the fact that fewer riders are out there as summer has ended and the weather cools off.

The investigator also told me he went to a local Yamaha dealership to see just what the FJR was. He liked it, but in a previous life he was an ER technician of some sort and having seen first hand what many riders look like after crashing, will never be getting a bike for himself.

I told hom I had counted 23 filed reports in the US and asked if HE could point the NHTSA in the right direction; He was not confident that they could, but said he would drop tem a note - recall that they blew him off the last time he contacted them.

We discussed that there should likely be 100 or more reports filed in the US given the 6 we have in Canada - there is the standard 10:1 ratio plus the fact that the US ridingh season is longer, in some cases MUCH longer.

More as it develops.

In the meantime if your bike's been bitten, whether the dealer fixed it or not, FILE A REPORT.

 

[ehc0720]

As I've been reading thru the spider/grounding issues here it seems most of the occurrences have been on the 2006 and some on 2007 models. Has it been addressed or is it the newer models just don't have enough miles or corrosion on them yet?

 

[dcarver]

My guess is what you think - still a bit too new.

Either that or all >2007 owners are wimps who don't ride much

 

[RavFJR]

As I've been reading thru the spider/grounding issues here it seems most of the occurrences have been on the 2006 and some on 2007 models. Has it been addressed or is it the newer models just don't have enough miles or corrosion on them yet?

Yes, my '09 started to demonstrate some of the symptoms...(call up my previous posts for insight). As I installed Brodie's harness, I found some corrosion on the S4 spider. :detective2:

 

[bramfrank]

RavFJR - File your report with the NHTSA please if you haven't as yet - we need all of the voices possible to get this moving. The NHTSA seems to be doing it's best to ignore the problem..

There are several contributing factors, though the question is whether it is corrosion, heat, overcurrent, vibration or what that is the intiator - but all of the issues become factors in accelerating the failure once started.

There have been a few '09s reported to the NHTSA - interesting enough, no '08 models - though some have claimed they have filed. They know who they are and I for one would appreciate seeing those failures show up on an inquiry of the database

 

[johnny80s]

I have a at burned spider at s4. It is the one under the tank, left side, front of the motor.

I am taking it to the dealer on Tuesday to get it replaced. We will see how good my RPM One Platinum Warranty works out to be.

I have factory heated grips and all my farkles go to a blue sea fuse block wired directly to the battery. The first symptoms popped up in June during my trip to Oregon with Coldcut. The circuit with my running lights and turn signals went out. It started working correctly again on its own and we finished our trip. I rode a few times after that then parked it during the summer heat to do maintenance. The bike down for a few months while I was busy at work and I just finished maintenance this week. On my inaugural run to get a burger I noticed the running lights and turn signals were off. After talking with Kaitsdad he had me checking the ground spiders and of course I had a burned one.

The bike has 54,000 miles.

I reported this this to the NHTSA.

 

[Hawkerplt]

Ok...Add my 07 to the list. I've completed the survey and Brodie's harness is on the way. Will file report with the federal folks. S/N 003600

 

[RavFJR]

RavFJR - File your report with the NHTSA please if you haven't as yet - we need all of the voices possible to get this moving. The NHTSA seems to be doing it's best to ignore the problem..

I reported my problems to the NHTSA (ODI # 10336786) months ago...

 

[Hawkerplt]

I started the installation of the Brodie harness today. S4 is completely BBQed. I'm not sure that I can do anything with or will have to snip and tie it ala Smitty 141. I did file my report today as well. (#10373304)

 

[bramfrank]

I started the installation of the Brodie harness today. S4 is completely BBQed. I'm not sure that I can do anything with or will have to snip and tie it ala Smitty 141. I did file my report today as well. (#10373304)

Well, perhaps before you start hacking up your harness you should take photos and send them to your dealer in the form of a complaint worthy of a goodwill warranty repair, THEN put the harness in if and when they replace the harness. You also should be reporting the issue to the NHTSA if you haven't already - the more bikes reported, the more likely Yamaha is to be commanded to step up.

I suspect we won;t be seeing many complaints during the winter months, but come springtime there will likely be a resurgence of issues.

 

[Hawkerplt]

I started the installation of the Brodie harness today. S4 is completely BBQed. I'm not sure that I can do anything with or will have to snip and tie it ala Smitty 141. I did file my report today as well. (#10373304)

Well, perhaps before you start hacking up your harness you should take photos and send them to your dealer in the form of a complaint worthy of a goodwill warranty repair, THEN put the harness in if and when they replace the harness. You also should be reporting the issue to the NHTSA if you haven't already - the more bikes reported, the more likely Yamaha is to be commanded to step up.

I suspect we won;t be seeing many complaints during the winter months, but come springtime there will likely be a resurgence of issues.

I haven't "hacked" my harness. I've got pins and block coming from Brodie! I did take several photos. I've been in contact with the selling dealer. The report has been filed...hence the reference above and report # 103733304

 

[Hawkerplt]

I had some very good fortune this morning. I was able to get the spider out of S4! I soaked the piss out of it with contact cleaner and was able to work it out. The pin that runs into the main loom for ground return was trashed...so I pulled it out of the block. From there I was able to clean and reform the male connector (remove all the molten plastic) and got the remaining 5 pins cleaned up. Brodie's S4 plugged right in and everyting seems to be playing!! Brodie does have another male connector and 6 pins on the way so if I have issues down the road, I'll know where to start. If I do have to intall new pins and male connector it will be a major pita!!

 

[johnny80s]

I had some very good fortune this morning. I was able to get the spider out of S4! I soaked the piss out of it with contact cleaner and was able to work it out. The pin that runs into the main loom for ground return was trashed...so I pulled it out of the block. From there I was able to clean and reform the male connector (remove all the molten plastic) and got the remaining 5 pins cleaned up. Brodie's S4 plugged right in and everyting seems to be playing!! Brodie does have another male connector and 6 pins on the way so if I have issues down the road, I'll know where to start. If I do have to intall new pins and male connector it will be a major pita!!

Make sure there are no fried wires going back into the harness. I pulled off the tape and cut back into mine and the wires fried back into the harness. Luckily I had my RPM extended warranty and they paid to replaced my harness at Rancho Cucamonga Yamaha. Best 169 bucks I ever spent.

 

[Hawkerplt]

The wire that runs into the main loom adjacent S4 is ground back to the battery. So the other pins coming in terminate at the spider and go out at that point to battery earth.(Info from Brodie)

I pulled that pin from the male block and taped it off to the main loom...(just in case I end up intalling six new pins and a male block). So, for now that pin and wire are out of the picture. The remaining five pins and wires were in good shape and are grounded through Brodie's harness. Everything seems to be working fine at this point.

 

[Brodie]

Doug

It sounds like you made a solid repair with that mess. You shouldn't have any more problems with the ground system on the bike.

Pictures! Do you have any pictures to share with us?

Brodie

 

[Hawkerplt]

I finally got some photos uploaded to computer. I don't have any photos of completed repair yet, but will post when I do. The shot of the male terminal block shows the damage of pin and wire of ground back to battery through the main loom. All the insulation is GONE! I was able to pull that pin out stand it off then cleanup and reform the block to work with the Brodie Harness.

Thanks for all the help!! Happy and Safe New Year!!

 

[HIGHLANDER]

Is there a list of locations and pictures for the challenged like me to look at, so we know where all the spiders are on the bike and what we're looking for? I'm sure I'm not the only one wondering this. It'd be nice is we had a list of the spiders in picture format, EG : S1, here's the pic, here's where it's located, S2 same thing, S3... right on down the list. Have I missed a thread like this ?

Hawkerpit pics are great, but to the uninformed we have no idea where on the bike the picture was taken. More guys would be inclined to inspect their Spiders if there was a clear cut pictorial detailing all locations. Feel free to dogpile me if I am blind ! :blink:

Turns out I'm blind ! :blind: :headbonk:

pictorial here

 

[Brodie]

Is there a list of locations and pictures for the challenged like me to look at, so we know where all the spiders are on the bike and what we're looking for?

<snip>

Feel free to dogpile me if I am blind ! :blink:

Turns out I'm blind ! :blind: :headbonk:

pictorial here

Hey those pictures look familiar

Nice paint job.

Brodie