Gen1 Ignition Failure - May the FJR Gods assist me, in this my darkest hour

[alaurence]

Hello all,

I have searched and read many topics regarding ignition failures on FJRs, with many geared toward 2006-2007 GenII FJRs.

I picked up my low mileage 38000kms (30,000 miles?) 2003 GenI FJR three weeks ago and have loved it since. Yesterday I rode and joined my brother for lunch. Upon wanting to leave I inserted the key in the ignition, turned it to on and... Nothing. No cycle, no led display, no click... Deadness.

I have a brand new battery and was able to confirm power with my led lights installed directly to the battery and tried a 12v accessory... Issue not the battery.

So I tried and retried the key... No luck. Took apart the panels to access the fuse box and confirmed fuses all good. Called for a flatbed, leaned discouraged on my ride and tried the key once more... Power and it started. Hopped on and cautiously rode to a Yamaha authorized service center. Switched the bike off, went in to complete the work order, and when the tech came out the problem reoccurred... Nothing.

After 2 hours of trouble shooting the service rep called me into the garage where my freshly waxed and loved ride stood tank up, dash apart, right lower fairing off and wires sticking out of every part of the bike. My heart sank... Not just because of that sorry sight, but realizing these guys are expensive by the hour and they are calling me in to tell me some kind of bad news... Is my baby dead?

So, this Silver Certified Electrical Specialist tells me that the ignition switch is dead. I asked why this could be and could it have to do with some of the farkles on the ride that I recently did rewiring to to clean the previous owner's mess up? Nope... His diagnostic is the HID bulbs I bought off of eBay that are a direct swap for the OEM bulbs, but brighter and whiter draw 15amps versus the OEM bulbs drawing 4-5amps and they surely shorted out my ignition...

... Hmmm... I am no electrical genius nor machanically gifted, but have a general logic for most things that I have learned to trust, but... What? How could? Now I don't get it!

Did my $20 bulbs cause what will turn out to be an $800 repair? (4 hours at $75/hr + $250 for a new switch + taxes)... I feel cheated, am pissed off, can't believe these cheap Chinese bulbs could be so bad.

I have done tons of reading and wish to thank all for the great information available. Much of what I found dates from early 2007-2008 and the replies end waybback then so I decided to bring this back to the present in hopes that experienced members reading this laughing to themselves thinking, "oh, young grasshopper... Life is not complicated at all and this is such a small and insignificant thing... Don't worry, be happy" may shed some light on this dilemma and point me in the right direction.

I have a suspicion that the extra amperage draw from the bulbs may simply be coincidental and that the switch may simply have failed on its own... Any thoughts would be appreciated.

I am waiting for the replacement switch to arrive, next Tuesday, but have since requested that the dealer remove my current defective switch so that I may tinker with it in hopes that I find a simple fix and save the $250... They have yet to call me to come pick it up. Maybe I scared them when I told them I have been researching and requested the switch and they are afraid I may find out their Einstein may be wrong... I am sure I will get this call next Monday.

My spidey sense is tingling big time and I cannot simply and naively trust what I am being told and need to confirm that this story rings true... Or not.

Many thanks to those that know what this may be.

Cheers

 

[Fontanaman]

Suggest you be more patient when posting to avoid multiple posts. This way your concern is likely to get results rather condemnation posts like this.

 

[fjrob1300]

here

https://www.fjrforum.com/forum//index.php?showtopic=103354

https://www.fjrforum.com/forum/index.php?showtopic=121469

The second link is a problem I encountered. That was in 2009. Cleaned it up and purchased a Brody wire. No trouble since. 145000 kms on my 03 now.

 

[alaurence]

All... Sorry for the multiple posts.

fjrob1300... thanks for the threads.

 

[Fred W]

The ignition switches do occasionally go bad, even on the superior 1st generation bikes. As you no doubt discovered in your due diligence researching, the second gens had an overload condition that would melt the internals of the switches, thus requiring replacement. The first gens usually don't experience such catastrophic meltdown and can be resuscitated if carefully disassembled and cleaned.

The stock headlights are 55/60W bulbs so they draw about 4-4.5 amps in low or high beam respectively. If your new Chinese bulbs are drawing 15 amps they would be running at 210watts. I think that you may be off a bit with that 15 amp number? That said, any increase in current at the headlights, or almost anywhere else on the bike for that matter, would be routed through the ignition switch's main contacts and would increase the likelihood of a switch meltdown a la' Gen 2 recall problem.

A better plan is to wire your power consuming accessories through a dedicated relay of the battery directly to keep the added load currents out of the switch.

The shop is charging you 4 hours to replace a switch? The diagnosis should have taken all of 30 minutes. Switch replacement is about an hour job, even with swapping the lock cylinders around so you stay with a single key for all of your locks (make sure that they do that).

 

[alaurence]

The ignition switches do occasionally go bad, even on the superior 1st generation bikes. As you no doubt discovered in your due diligence researching, the second gens had an overload condition that would melt the internals of the switches, thus requiring replacement. The first gens usually don't experience such catastrophic meltdown and can be resuscitated if carefully disassembled and cleaned.
The stock headlights are 55/60W bulbs so they draw about 4-4.5 amps in low or high beam respectively. If your new Chinese bulbs are drawing 15 amps they would be running at 210watts. I think that you may be off a bit with that 15 amp number? That said, any increase in current at the headlights, or almost anywhere else on the bike for that matter, would be routed through the ignition switch's main contacts and would increase the likelihood of a switch meltdown a la' Gen 2 recall problem.

A better plan is to wire your power consuming accessories through a dedicated relay of the battery directly to keep the added load currents out of the switch.

The shop is charging you 4 hours to replace a switch? The diagnosis should have taken all of 30 minutes. Switch replacement is about an hour job, even with swapping the lock cylinders around so you stay with a single key for all of your locks (make sure that they do that).

Fred W... thanks for the reply.

I am not 100% certain about the readings that the tech gave me regarding the OEM versus HID bulb amp draw, but it was significant and similar to what I posted - go figure Chinese engineering (pst... their specs aren't always relaying reality LOL).

As for the 30min diag versus the 2 hours it actually took... How can I fight this? If it took their certified tech 2 hours... they charge me 2 hours. I am sure I can complain and bitch about that fact, and trust me I was pacing the waiting room floor regularly gazing through the service window at this young guy testing a wire here and a wire there bypassing this thing and that, but what will that accomplish in the end? He actually spent that time to figure things out!

I was distraught and clueless on Thursday… today I have had the pleasure of researching and exchanging with kind folk such as yourself, and I now feel empowered enough to try a few things and fix it myself. Unfortunately, my bike is half apart at the dealer. I will want them to remove the switch so that I may pick it up and attempt resuscitation. I am also planning to build and install a Brodie Relay to offload most of the current from the switch… does this mean I should keep those Chinese bulbs? They looked great and shined bright white. Not sure about that… but if the current is now on the Brodie relay and not the switch… why not?

More to follow.

Cheers

 

[ionbeam]

Hopefully the dealer rekeyed the lock so you have only one key.

 

[leedavis]

The ignition failed on my gen 1. I removed the switch and drilled out the tamper proof screws holding the back plate. It revealed a wire solder connection had failed. I resoldered the connection and put the switch back together with standard screws (been a while but might have been 3mm).

Don't tell anyone because if they find out the bottom of my switch is held on with standard screws they'll STEAL my bike.

 

[Chuck35]

It doesn't take 2 hours to locate a defective switch when everything is dead. That "silver" tech is a clocksucker.

 

[fjrob1300]

The worst thing I found at the dealer is to mention the forum. Those guys get their back up rather than accept that as a group we "out knowledge" them.​

​

Rob​

 

[alaurence]

Clocksucker? LOL I love it and may actually use that when I pick up my switch (or maybe I will wait for my ride to be in one peace, huh?).

The service guy originally told me that I would have 2 keys when the new switch would be installed. If I cannot fix my "defective" switch you can be damn sure that they will do whatever it takes to make sure I have just the one key! Again thanks to information gathered through the forum.

I should have my switch tomorrow and will try to fix it. More to follow.

Cheers

 

[Ed Sidders]

Just remember that the hi power bulbs are brighter because they run hotter----- sometimes enough to melt the plastic reflectors and sockets......

 

[Patriot]

to remove the high current power from the ignition switch and power the headlights directly from the battery, install the below harness as I did

H4 Dual Headlight Relay Kit

https://www.easternbeaver.com/Main/Wiring_Kits/H4_Kits/h4_kits.html

 

[alaurence]

OK... So I picked up the switch an hour ago - The service desk told me there was no continuity for one of the two wire harnesses... brought it my bro's place (he has more tools than I) and we removed the bottom plate where the wires and electrical components of the switch are. My 38000km bike ignition switch looks brand freaking new. We checked and cleaned the contacts (not that it was needed, but since we were in there, why not), checked the 4 solder points and they are fully intact and super solid!!! Checked for continuity on the contact points directly, then put it back together and checked the harnesses... guess what? NO ISSUE WHATSOEVER!!! So what does that say about their fully certified "clocksucker"? (I love that one)

I will bring it back first thing tomorrow morning and confront them with my findings and follow up here when new information is available. My confidence at this place continues to drop.

Cheers

P.S. Wait till I tell you about the conversation I had with the owner on Saturday when looking for my switch and the defensive conversation with the service desk when I picked up my switch today!

 

[alaurence]

OK... so Wednesday and four business days later, my baby is back!

The clocksuckers charged me 4.5 hours of time total, $338/Can before taxes, for what? Diagnostics took two hours to determine that my ignition switch shorted out because I installed HID lights that pull "way too much amperage" for the electrical system my ride can support. That the bulbs actually "damaged" my ignition and I will need a new $251 switch, will order it and that takes 2-3 days... oh, BTW, you will now have 2 keys (the new one to start her and the old one for the bags and seat). Told them to order the switch and resolved to feeling sorry for myself and lonely without my ride over the weekend. During my self pity I did my homework and searched multiple sources of information from this forum and others to try and understand how this problem could be. What great information out there and I appreciate all those that have shared their knowledge and experience.

With my newfound knowledge, Saturday I called the dealer and requested they remove the switch so that I could conduct an autopsy on the lifeline of my bike. Turns out it was more preventive surgery than an autopsy. Cleaned it, assembled it and test for continuity... it's alive!

Also picked up all the components to re-create the Brodie ignition relay and added wires to the harness be able to jump start or bypass the switch in the unlikely event my switch dies again... maybe due to some electrical storms in Japan or a nuclear test in North Korea. Just lift the tank and plug the wires together... hopefully will never have to use it. Will also be carrying and regularly using me bike brake lock to secure her during longer unattended parking.

I had the dealer install the harness since my bike was torn down... at least they did it and confirmed it was done correctly. Picked it up today... so happy to be back on. Rode towards home and realized that a screw was missing on the fairing near the dash. Surprised I looked down to check around the inside panels around the front forks and saw that the panels were not inserted the way they should be and that 2 plugs that hold those panels together were also missing. Had to ride back and pick up the missing pieces and told them that I would clean up that mess.

So long story ended with the following gain in wisdom: Do not trust the clocksuckers... verify and confirm what they tell you... and that you are better served by yourself than others.

Next adventure!

Cheers

 

[Fred W]

So very happy that we could help you in your defense against the evil clock-suckers. Imagine if there wee no FJR Forum (or other shared knowledge things of its like)? Every shop would be able to charge whatever they wanted for any goddamn part and people would feel compelled to comply.

So what was the root cause of your problem? Just a dirty switch contacts? And it (supposedly) took them that long to find it? Yeah... this sounds like a business to sty far away from in the future.

a

If you feel compelled, you can make a post in the Dealers review section, name names, and potentially help some other poor slob from having to re-experience that same bad thing that you have had to endure.

Most of all, just glad you are back on the road and running strong.