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Cruiser
Posts: 64
| I was running errands on my Vision last week, when I parked it for about 10 minutes in direct sunlight. The air temp was in the low 90s. When I returned and turned on the ignition, I noticed that I didn't hear the fuel pump. Then I saw that there was no digital display. I hit the starter button and there was nothing. Not even a click. Pretty much no electrical was working except the "Victory Motorcycles" display was visible on the radio. I then switched off the ignition, and noticed that the digital display went from blank, to flickering randomly for a couple of seconds, to blank again.
I rolled it into the shade, and looked for blown fuses, or a possible starter relay problem. Not finding any, I called the dealer. The service guy was a stumped as I was. After about 15 more minutes, everything returned to normal and the bike started, but the idle went up to 1500 RPM.
I've noticed since then, when I stop the bike on a hot day, when I restart it, the idle goes up to 1500 RPM for several minutes of riding.
The motorcycle had the ignition switch recall done before I purchased it, and the reflash recall done last November.
Has anyone had a similar problem, or heard of a solution?
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Visionary
Posts: 8144
New Bohemia, VA | Make sure you have a good battery and the connections are tight. Bad batterys don't like the hot as much as they don't like the cold. I'm thinking that's what you got. |
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Tourer
Posts: 432
Gettysburg, 2008 Tour Premium | If the battery ia suspect one of two thinks 'may' happen. If a cell is bad the battery will be low in voltage but may not accept a charge like it is a fully charged battery. Pay attention to charging voltage on the gauge. If the battery plates are starting to sulfate they will demand a higher rate of charge from the charging system, this battery will often start hard or dim the lights severly when starting. IT may not be the battery at all but if it is I would suspect a bad cell, most weak batterys will still have enough juice to keep the digital display alive.
I did have an instance where my battery tender harness was barley making a connection and a very weakk battery caused the speeedo and and tach and some readouts dissapeared while driving. I replaced the bike charging harness and it took a couple of days for the bike to come up to charge with the tender.
In hot weather batterys do not charge as well, do youhave a battery tender? Do you use it?
Edited by wroman 2009-07-30 9:00 AM
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Iron Butt
Posts: 935
Rockford, IL |
As far as the bike not starting.....and please don't take this wrong, nobody is perfect....but is there any chance at all whatsoever you might have possibly/accidently turned the key over to the acc position? Doing this will provide the result of no digital display and the radio will have the "Victory Motorcycles" displayed. Hey...it could happen to anyone. You don't mention if you tried turning the key back on prior to pushing the bike in the shade. And you don't mention if there has been a starting issue since this occured the one time.
Or it could very easily be the battery or battery connections. But if it was a battery issue I'd think the starting problem would be a recurring problem.
But you also have the idle issue. Not sure if a battery issue could cause a funky idle. I'm kinda thinking it is unrelated to the starting issue you had. |
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Visionary
Posts: 8144
New Bohemia, VA | on the battery issue, I mentioned that it happened to me in a similar situation a few times, where it was extremely hot and the battery seemed dead. When I came back later to get it started, it started by just turning the key. This was on a jeep. Later it did it again, and tried to jump it and it wouldn't stay running after the cables were removed. The battery was "deader than 'ell, boss."
I just hate people to kill themselves by trying a zillion other things only to find it is something as simple as replacing a battery. I can also agree with the ACC thing, as I've hit my kill switch sometimes and I go to start it not realizing it is on KILL as I don't use it regularly. My first thought is something is broke until I look at the big red button.... |
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Visionary
Posts: 1324
So Cal | Im ithe habit of giving he ignition cylinder a shot of WD 40 every wash. Had a similar problem before the switch recall, once after. WD 40 keeps the contacts clean and moisture out.
Edited by cjnoho 2009-07-30 12:06 PM
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Cruiser
Posts: 64
| No, I'm not taking it personal, but since I kept checking whether it would start every couple of minutes, I was turning the key to run, not to ACC.
I have a battery tender that I use when I'm not regularly riding. But, since I've been riding darn near every day, I haven't used it.
I've been keeping an eye on the volt meter since. There's no unusually high readings when running, nor unusually low when I first switch on the ignition, and when starting.
I'm really thinking it's something heat related, since it was sitting in the sun on a hot & humid day in the 90s. The whole bike would, essentially, "heat soak" for several minutes under those conditions. That's why, when it happened, I immediately moved it into the shade (well, i did that so I would be more comfortable while checking it out, too!)
The high idle thing has happened a few times now, all under similar conditions - hot day (90+ degrees), shutting the bike off for a short time (5-10 minutes) after it's been running good and warm, then, after restarting, the idle won't drop below 1500 RPM until it's been ridden several miles. I'm thinking it might even be part of the re-flash programming, to keep the idle up so more oil flows through the cooler.
Edited by Chief Waldo 2009-07-30 9:16 PM
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Cruiser
Posts: 297
VA | Chief, didn't say where you were, but it does sound a lot like a battery issue. I know when I moved to Florida, the first really warm day, my car wouldn't start. I got a jump, ran fine, thought I left a light on. If I parked it though, it wouldn't start. Turned out the heat had zapped it, literally over night. Dealer should have a battery tester, otherwise, Advance Auto, those places can put it on a tester.
Does sound wierd though. But, I've had mine in over 100F heat and never had a problem like that. Could be a fluke thing. |
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Visionary
Posts: 1324
So Cal | Yeah, 100+ degree days here with no problems. I agree Battery tester, quick and easy. plus one variable eliminated. |
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Visionary
Posts: 2027
Brighton, TN | Chief Waldo, I have had this exact same experience. All of it due to a tight, but barely moveable battery cables. I would be rolling down the road 95 plus degree heat. Bike would shut off, everything go dead. Pull over and supposedly let it cool. then get it to crank and the idle would go up like you posted. Finally, get it started, and it might go for a while or a little while, then shut back down. Monkeyed with everything I could think of. Finally, got to the cables. Barely able to twist them left or right, but got them to move a little and everything lit up. Moral of the story, my experience sounds like yours. Could be from the factory or from the dealer after putting the battery charger cable on. I got down on the floor and tightened away till no movement on the cable and very tight connections. Haven't had any problems since. Still original battery. |
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Tourer
Posts: 404
San Antonio, TX United States | Batteries are connected at the dealer. I am a big beliver in greasing the cables to prevent corrosion on the terminals as well. Keeping the terminls clean and tight is very important as stated above. |
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Cruiser
Posts: 64
| I'll check those cables very carefully. Thanks!
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Visionary
Posts: 2027
Brighton, TN | well? |
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Cruiser
Posts: 102
Madison, AL | I park my bike at work and it does get hot here in Alabama but no problems starting. I had to start my truck the other day by jumping it from the bike. Battery on the truck was about a year old but went bad due to the heat. Replaced the battery and the truck runs fine. Haven't had any problems with the bike battery, yet. I will probably get it replaced next year. Will all the power I'm pulling, I know the battery is cycling a bit more than it was probably designed to do. |
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Cruiser
Posts: 64
| I've been away on vacation. Had it on the battery tender since I left. When I plugged it in before leaving, the tender went from red to green in about a couple of seconds, meaning that the battery's been fully charging while riding. Today I checked the cable tightness. + was tight. - I was still able to tighten a little more. Now, it's time to wait for hot weather. I'll let you if it happens again.
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Visionary
Posts: 8144
New Bohemia, VA | Chief Waldo - 2009-08-09 11:33 PM
I've been away on vacation. Had it on the battery tender since I left. When I plugged it in before leaving, the tender went from red to green in about a couple of seconds, meaning that the battery's been fully charging while riding. Today I checked the cable tightness. + was tight. - I was still able to tighten a little more. Now, it's time to wait for hot weather. I'll let you if it happens again.
we'll have plenty tomorrow, come on over to VA |
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Visionary
Posts: 1290
Ruskin, Fl | Poker run on Saturday here in Florida and the air temp was 98 degrees when I was moving. After leaving one of the stops the thermometer on the dash was showing 111 till we started moving. I have to agree about the battery. Mine crapped out when the bike was only a few months old. Bad cell with similar symptoms. Almost a year since the dealer replaced the original battery without a problem. |
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Visionary
Posts: 8144
New Bohemia, VA | I think another thing you might want to do, all of us need to do, is pull the cable and clean up. Tightening might solve the problem, but you have that corrosion behind it that may have already begun. I've never used that grease, but I might start doing so to keep the corrosion down. I'm still on my original battery from nearly two years ago. However, I'm beginning to notice the slower turning, a new battery right about now might be a good thing.... |
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Visionary
Posts: 1484
LaPorte,Tx. | I use the battery terminal grease twice a year. Clean the post and connections put them together tight, and put the terminal grease on. Use rubber or latex gloves as the grease is harmful to the skin. You can buy little packets of the grease a any auto parts store. |
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Visionary
Posts: 8144
New Bohemia, VA | VisionTex - 2009-08-10 3:52 PM
... and put the terminal grease on. Use rubber or latex gloves as the grease is harmful to the skin...
being terminal, I understand why it would be harmful...  |
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Hot weather problem?
