Stranded in Seattle

[SeattleTy]

Went out and had breakfast with some friends and finished up with a swap meet.

Everything went perfect until leaving the swap meet.

Turn the ignition on and:

1. bright light indicator was on - blue light (However bright light switch was not on)

2. Fuel gauge started flashing up and down continuously

3. Hazards lights on the dash was solid green (but the hazards was not on)

4. No headlights

5. Bike would not turn or start...........COMPLETELY NOTHING.....DEAD as can be.

6. However, battery was at full power.

7. After about 1 hour of periodically turning the ignition switch back and forth from start to off position.

8. The lights surprisingly return to normal starting procedure and STARTED

(no bright light indicator, no gas gauge pulsing up and down or hazard in solid green)

9. Jump on the bike immediately and went home.

10. This is a 2008 model with "NO RECALL WORK HAS BEEN DONE "

Questions:

1. What do you think cause the motorcycle to not start?

 

[Panman]

Spider bite.

 

[Ignacio]

Spider bite.

If after checking the battery terminals I would agree. FJRF9.x here. Or could be FJRF3.x.

 

[Hudson]

Ty, I think you answered your question with the "no recalls done" bit. Yamaha has two recalls, one for ignition switch and the other for a grounding harness, that should be done. Also get the Brodie harness (search on the forum). Problem likely solved.

 

[Fred W]

I didn't have to read past #1.

Get the spider recall done.

 

[Donal]

I didn't have to read past #1.
Get the spider recall done.

And check all your other spiders for signs of overheating................

 

[FJRay]

everybody seems to agree.He called me when it happened and I offered the same answer.

Hey Ty get the recalls done OK.

 

[Panman]

Spider bite.

If after checking the battery terminals I would agree. FJRF9.x here. Or could be FJRF3.x.

And I choose to agree back!

 

[dcarver]

Come on, Ty. You aint no fjr noobie. Like you didn't already know the answer before you posted!

 

[SeattleTy]

Thank you everyone for your helping hand, with immense sincere appreciation.

It was very discomforting not knowing why my bike would not start.

I called the dealer and found out the ignition recall has been done but not the " Ground Junction Recall".

Hopefully this will be the right solution; nevertheless, the recall will be done atleast.

Once again thank you for all your help everyone

 

[El Toro Joe]

Don't let the dealer tell you that it's anything but a spider bite.

 

[bgross]

Come on, Ty. You aint no fjr noobie. Like you didn't already know the answer before you posted!

I'm still not sure that this whole thread wasn't just a wintertime "let's teach the noobs, who will probably ask this within a couple months".

Yeah, that's the ticket.

 

[08FJR4ME]

Geeeeeezzzzz, maybe I should get around to getting my spider recall done. I am from the old school if it aint broke don't fix it.

Dave

 

[Panman]

I had a solenoid go bad that acted the same way, but I have not heard of many going bad.

 

[SeattleTy]

Since that one time of the bike not starting it has gone back to normal and have started ever since with no problems.

However, I am going to get the "Ground Junction" recall done this Friday.

Thank you again for all your help and time everyone, I really appreciate it

 

[TomInPA]

As Iggie pointed out, the spider bite and a loose or contaminated battery terminal has the same symptoms. Do check the battery connection, and make your appointment for the ground recall.

 

[Harald]

Since that one time of the bike not starting it has gone back to normal and have started ever since with no problems.
However, I am going to get the "Ground Junction" recall done this Friday.

Thank you again for all your help and time everyone, I really appreciate it

Glad to hear you're getting it looked at because I can guarantee the problem didn't go away and will be waiting for the most inopportune time to fail again. I'd bet money on a spider bite because lights coming on that are not supposed to is what happens when a ground connection is lost and circuits find ground in reverse through the wacky lights.

It would be a really good idea to inspect the other spiders that are not affected by the recall because they have failed also, even after the recall was done and even on bikes that are supposedly not affected by the recall. The same goes for other connectors that will be subject to green death when subjected to the rain and road slime we sometimes experience here in the Seattle area.

 

[BobbyBlue]

..."in reverse through the wacky lights"....i KNEW it !!! it has reverse !!! Dammit Jim...probably a sixth gear with a funky volvo switch....headed to the garage !!!

 

[Blind Squirrel]

Geeeeeezzzzz, maybe I should get around to getting my spider recall done. I am from the old school if it aint broke don't fix it.
Dave

I take it you run your tires until they fail?