Neutral Light Stays on

[Canadian FJR]

Any thoughts on what would cause my neutral light to stay on even after the ignition is turned off? I ended up diconnecting the battery for now.

Canadian FJR

 

[wfooshee]

A short?

The light gets 12V power from the windshield drive motor, which has two power sources, one switched and one unswitched. The unswitched is so it can retract the windshield on key-off.

Something in the windshield drive isn't figuring out that it's supposed to shut off after a few seconds. If the retract is disabled it's not timing out right, if the retract is not disabled it may not be retracting all the way, and thus stays powered up. (I think it's still supposed to time out, eventually.)

I'm also assuming you're parking it in neutral? The light should definitely not be on if it's in gear, key on or off, because there's no ground for the light. I would submit that parking in 1st is easier than disconnecting/reconnecting the battery.

Still, I suspect something goofy in the windshield drive.

All of this assumes the neutral light is otherwise correct, i.e. goes out when in gear.

 

[Canadian FJR]

I'll confirm tonight. Thanks for the reply.

Canadian FJR

 

[escapefjrtist]

Take a look at these threads from Yamafitter and InTech regarding recent neutral light issues.

JamesW has his '08 in the shop now for an identical issue as you're describing. We'll have to wait for that diagnosis...

Good luck!

--G

 

[Canadian FJR]

"All of this assumes the neutral light is otherwise correct, i.e. goes out when in gear."

Correct, it is in my windshield switch.

Canadian FJR

 

[JamesW]

Take a look at these threads from Yamafitter and InTech regarding recent neutral light issues.

JamesW has his '08 in the shop now for an identical issue as you're describing. We'll have to wait for that diagnosis...

Good luck!

--G

Mother Yamaha is replacing the windshield motor(extended warranty), it was determined to be the microswitch on the motor. Neutral lite stayed on when key shut off in neutral, parked in gear so lite went out,ha, 2nd day battery was flat. Recharged battery and then dis-connected battery when bike was just sitting. Soooo we shall see, UPS is on the way.

 

[JamesW]

upon reading more about the issue I think moisture may play a part. My issue began after having ridden thru a downpour for 200 miles in sunny BC. Seems others had been in the wet also. When my motor for the windshield is replaced I am going to talk to the tech about any moistureproofing steps that may be taken upon install, if yamaha has not.

 

[RadioHowie]

upon reading more about the issue I think moisture may play a part. My issue began after having ridden thru a downpour for 200 miles in sunny BC. Seems others had been in the wet also. When my motor for the windshield is replaced I am going to talk to the tech about any moistureproofing steps that may be taken upon install, if yamaha has not.

Even taking into consideration the differences between the Gen I and Gen II windshield motor assemblies, I have literally ridden my '04 in four different hurricanes and two tropical storms (bet that beats your "downpour") and have had NO electrical issues caused by moisture intrusion, so don't kill yourself trying to waterproof something that probably doesn't need it.

But then again.....

 

[mcatrophy]

upon reading more about the issue I think moisture may play a part. My issue began after having ridden thru a downpour for 200 miles in sunny BC. Seems others had been in the wet also. When my motor for the windshield is replaced I am going to talk to the tech about any moistureproofing steps that may be taken upon install, if yamaha has not.

Even taking into consideration the differences between the Gen I and Gen II windshield motor assemblies, I have literally ridden my '04 in four different hurricanes and two tropical storms (bet that beats your "downpour") and have had NO electrical issues caused by moisture intrusion, so don't kill yourself trying to waterproof something that probably doesn't need it.

But then again.....

Have to agree with Howie. I've ridden both my '06 and my '10 through a lot of rain (one of the privileges of living in the UK).

This includes hours of typical Scottish weather, you know, scattered showers interspersed with periods of heavy rain.

The only effect it seems to have on the windscreen mechanism is to cause it to judder a bit on the rubber gasket it slides through when wet.

Not too sure how the electricity is switched. If it's by the lower visible microswitch shown below, that should be easy to check, and from what I've seen, it should be easily replaced.

(Click on image for larger view)

General view of mechanism . . . . . Lower microswitch centre of picture

 

[RossKean]

The root cause of the problem may be that the windshield rubber gasket has become detached from the nose cowling and is either preventing the windshield from retracting completely or has jammed up the microswitch. Detachment and subsequent jamming in the windshield works is pretty common.

 

[JamesW]

Got my bike back with a new windshield drive motor. Shop found the lower microswitch was operating intermittently,no obvious cause, Yamaha replaced unit ($600 worth according to the tech.)they do not do micro-switches apparently. Figure the shop time involved and am happy with the extended warranty. Looked at the old motor from the front the tiny switch is lower left.

 

[RsvlFeej]

My bike is now exhibiting the same symptoms - Turn the key off, neutral light stays on, battery dies after a couple of days with the bike parked in gear (to kill the neutral light).

Replacing a $600 windshield motor to cure a microswitch problem on a 10 year-old bike with 120,000+ miles and a few other nickel-and-dime issues doesn't pencil out for me.

Anybody know of a workaround? I don't understand wiring - Can I unplug the neutral light or the microswitch or the windshield motor or a fuse and just run without a neutral light and be able to turn the key off without draining the battery?

 

[mcatrophy]

... Can I unplug the neutral light or the microswitch or the windshield motor or a fuse and just run without a neutral light and be able to turn the key off without draining the battery?

I've not got a 2005 nor a manual. But as no-one else has come in ...

The 2004 Owner's Handbook shows the fuses including one called "Windshield motor fuse", number 4, rated 2 amps. Removing this may stop the current drain, but I don't know without a full wiring diagram.

(Click on image for larger view)

 

[PJ4863]

My gut feeling without checking the diagrams, is by doing the jumper mod and disabling the auto retract will solve your problem. The light is normally only on when the shield is retracting automatically so that should fix it.

 

[RsvlFeej]

Thanks. Will try pulling the fuse first, then look into disabling auto-retract if the problem persists.

 

[PJ4863]

Do that in the reverse order. Disabling the auto retract will let you keep all the functionality of an adjustable windshield where as pulling the fuse will completely disable the circuit