Speedometer, then right turn signal

[Vadesign]

05 FJR - had a 9 hour ride Saturday and a shorter ride Sunday with no problems. Then, from nowhere, when I head out this morning on Columbus Day, I have no speedometer reading. Says zero though I'm clearly moving. Then, slowly, it comes back - but not all at once. I'm on the Interstate, so I know I'm not going 10-15 mph, but that's what it says.

Then, the speedometer starts heading back up to normal readings for speed, but I notice my right turn signal indicator is solid on (at what appears to be a low, dim voltage). I flip on the turn signal, and it still works (though the right signal is a fast flash - but the guy I bought it from this summer says it's always been so).

So, the speedometer came back to working right for the next few hours of riding, but the right turn signal (indicator and turn signal lights themselves) stay solid on at a low voltage. Aside from being kind of crappy, I'm pretty sure it won't pass safety inspection in a few months when it's due.

Suggestions regarding what could temporarily shut down my speedometer, then have it come back gradually along with puting low voltage through my right turn signal? More importantly, what can I do about it? I want to think maybe the right signal relay needs replacing (assuming there is such a thing), but how does that explain the speedometer misbehavior right before the dim, solid on right turn signals?

Thanks.

 

[HotRodZilla]

How old is your battery? These things do weird things when the batteries are getting ready to croak.

 

[03HiYoSilver]

In addition to what was said above, here are some other considerations:

1- Dirty Battery Connections

2- Frayed Wires at Ignition Switch

3- Dirty Contacts Ignitions Switch

4- Check your Main Harness Connections as seen here:

https://www.fjrforum.com/forum//index.php?s=&showtopic=22734&view=findpost&p=268059

 

[Fred W]

The turn signal lamps are always grounded on one side and receive (pulsating) 12 volts from the flasher module through the turn signal switch or the hazard switch, However yours are not flashing, so that says we aren't getting the 12V from that path.

I suspect that you have a short circuit between one of the powered wires going into the speedometer cluster and the right turn signal wire at the back of the instrument cluster. That would cause all of the right turn lights to be illuminated all the time and the abnormal load on the supply voltage to the speedo could cause it to act whacky.

Try disconnecting some of the fuses that power the instrument cluster and see if the turn signals go off. They are supposed to get their power from different fuses.

 

[Vadesign]

I replaced the battery 6 weeks ago - and I charge it up with the tender for each ride.

I'll get in the fuse box to see if I can tell which fuse is for the speedo (when the speedo was out, I still had tach, temp gauge, clock, fuel gauge - and even when my speedo wasn't registering, I notice the mileage odometer never stopped accumulating miles). If I can isolate the speedo (and pulling it takes the turn signal low voltage light out), I'll know I have some current bleeding from there. Then I get to try to figure out WHERE the problem point is - but will look around the area mentioned.

 

[Vadesign]

Pulled the fuses, one at a time, to see which circuit is bleeding over. The fuse marked TAIL which runs the running lights (tail lights and two running lights on the front of the bike) - when pulled turns the false light out in the right turn signal.

Now where's the most likely point where my running light circuit is near my right turn signal light? I supposed it's up in the front or back in the tail section. I guess since it seemed to annoy the speedo when it started, I can start looking up front.

 

[Fred W]

deleted due to new info!!

 

[ionbeam]

The speedo may be a separate issue. The tach and speedo are stepper motors that get their instructions from the ECU. All the communications between the ECU and meter assembly take place on one wire via serial communication. If just one display works then the communications between the ECU and meter assembly almost has to be good. On the Gen II there is a diagnostic function (ERR1 - ERR4) that tells you if there is a communications failure/glitch between the ECU and meter assembly but the Gen I does not have this error display.

The ECU receives VSS signals and other sensors so it knows the RPM and vehicle speed. The ECU then does some computer magic on this data and sends signals to the meter assembly to display the results for you. The odometer readings will be correct because the ECU knows this information independent from the meter assembly needle gauge indicators.

Does the speedo always sweep 100% of the display when you turn on the key? Look closely at the gauge face, is there any bubbling around the speedo needle pin or at the two screws that attach the gauge face? If yes, is it enough that the gauge needle may get hung up? Just about anything other than this is likely to be a failure of the meter assembly.

 

[Fred W]

Wait!!

That fuse powers the rear running lights as well as the front running lights in the turn signals. The front lamps (like the rear ones) are supposed to have two filaments each. One low wattage one for the running lights and another higher wattage one for the turn signals. Are you seeing the brighter turn signal light and not the running light?

If it is the brighter light (and I think it is because of the instrument light being on) my guess is that either the front or rear bulb on the right side has an internal filament short that is shorting the 12V running light to the turn signal side.

 

[ionbeam]

Pulled the fuses, one at a time, to see which circuit is bleeding over. The fuse marked TAIL which runs the running lights (tail lights and two running lights on the front of the bike) - when pulled turns the false light out in the right turn signal...

What if any electrical add-ons have you or a previous owner added or added and removed? Tail light flashers or combo flashers & turn signal flashers? Cruise control? Tapped wiring for an add-on fuse block, heated gear or a comm system?

Edit: Sometimes in a dual filament bulb one filament will break and drop down and short to the other filament. It may be worth inspecting the bulbs themselves.

 

[Vadesign]

I took the 4 panels off in the front (a,b,c,d) and saw nothing unusual at all (nothing loose, corroded, or frayed).

My speedo does normally sweep across at ignition on. Now, did it do so first thing this morning - I have no idea. Also, I'm starting to wonder if I didn't just not notice the dim light in the right turn signal indicator Saturday and Sunday. I was riding in the bright sunlight with a group of sport bike riders 30 years younger than me and trying not to die sliding over a cliff on the switch backs. The last thing I was thinking about was whether their was a dim light on my turn signal indicator.

I looked at the bulbs with the running lights on/bike running with my glasses on, and then with the turn signals flashing. On the left, I see two different filaments lighting with the two different functions (one brighter and farther inward than the other). On the malfunctioning right side, I only see one filament lit. I believe it is as has been suggested, my right front bulb has broken a filament and layed across the other filament within the bulb causing the problem.

How does one get to the front right turn signal bulb? Can I get there from the inner panel by the radiator (I hope) or do I have to take the whole right cowling off?

 

[Fred W]

Take the lower inner, black colored cowling off. That is the one that you access from below along side the forks.

It has a few regular phillips head sheet metal screws and a couple of pop-rivets holding it in place. With that off and out of the way you should be able reach around to the back side of the turn signal lamp body and get at the bulb.

The bulb socket should come out of the lamp body w/ a quarter of a turn CCW. Then the lamp is a bayonet fit into the socket (press in and 1/8 turn CCW)

If that doesn't work you'll need to remove that lower right side panel, but the inner panel needs to come off first anyway.

 

[Vadesign]

Found the bulb access and ID number info on the forum, got the part at Autozone, installed it and the bleed over voltage is fixed. Yippee!

I must assume the speedometer was unrelated (other than drawing my attention to the instrument panel).

Thanks!!!

 

[Newfie Bullet]

I had a similar problem. I lost all the power to my instrument panel and my signal ight indicators remained lite.

I lifted the gad tank and found that the to big electrical connectors at the front right of the tank were severely corroded. I cleaned them with contact cleaner (I also understand that dipping them into CLR cleaner works extremely well). I then generously coated them with dielectric grease and reconnected them. That was more then a year ago and I have put about 10000Km on my 04 without any problem.