2014 Yamaha FJR1300 ES Bad Dash LCD Burned Display

[Ignacio]

I hope no puppies are killed, purported to be killed, hinted at being killed, maimed, teased, or made to whimper in less-than-a-Disneyesque way through the course of this thread.....

I was personally wondering if the baseline brightness settings have been, by chance, moved towards the higher contrast end of settings in the setup..or left stock?

Hopefully a one-off or a one-of-a-rare-few-off issue. First I've heard on this Gen.

 

[LKLD]

No issues with my '13 in the Flatistan sun, and it's been sitting for a few hours at times...in July & August. Perhaps it is a one-off thing. I look forward to hearing Yamaha's response though.

 

[gregory]

No issues with my dash, and she bakes in the sun all day long in the summer here in Redding (according to the neenernet, second sunnyist city in the US!)

 

[Kaelaria]

Just to clarify, for those commenting that didn't watch the video...I said - it's a one off problem, as we would have had a LOT of people with it turn up by now in our southern states.

And to answer the backlight (not contrast) question, it's been on the highest setting, which is neither a problem nor anything to do with the LCD panel itself. It's just the back illumination level.

 

[snackbauer]

I think the burnt LCD screen looks really nice with the Red paint.

 

[08FJR4ME]

Lets get it right, SOFT RED PAINT.

Most likely a random failure.

Good luck with the replacement.

Dave

 

[Fred W]

Oh fer chissakes. Will you people please get it right? It's the 2013 paint that was soft, and that is GRAY, not red.

It's the SOFT GRAY PAINT!

 

[PhilJet09]

Give me a break, nobody's forming a pitch fork laden mob to storm Yamaha corporate. My point is, if this happens more than a couple times, Yamaha screwed up. It seems that this is a one off incident. Guess what? Yamaha should fix it. If a vehicle is being used for its intended purpose and a component fails during the warranty period, it should be fixed.

LCD screens are supposed to fail if left out in the sun? Seriously? If that's the case, then they aren't appropriate for this application. Fortunately, this doesn't seem to be the case according to empirical evidence provided above. I don't shade mine and it's also fine after 4 1/2 years. I find it very surprising how some people are willing accept defects as normal, even passing the blame off to the owner even though they're using the product as it's intended.

 

[DezzertRider]

Just get a Gen I and the soft paint and LCD issues are solved.

 

[Kaelaria]

Yamaha immediately approved the claim, it's in the shop just waiting on the new part now.

 

[HotRodZilla]

My 2003 Honda VTX's little LCD display did that once or twice, but only in extreme direct sun. My FJR, like most others has never done it, so I'll agree, it's probably an isolated issue.

BUT, 5 minutes of explanation for 20 seconds of content? Man, you love to hear yourself talk. I won't be clicking another of those links; as that's the same reason I avoid church.

 

[Kaelaria]

Update: The dealer now has no firm ETA, only 'about another week'!!

Also, I have found a 2nd person it's happened to, this one in TX. He said he's waiting to see what happens with mine before taking his in.

 

[Ignacio]

Also, I have found a 2nd person it's happened to, this one in TX. He said he's waiting to see what happens with mine before taking his in.

If that's true--then perhaps time to start capturing the circumstances the phenomenon is happening. I.e. happens on x temperature days, sunny days, when the bike is parked facing the south for x hours, when the the windshield is in x position, etc. It also may be worth it to start reporting to NHTSA.

 

[Kaelaria]

I documented all that in my vid. Temp isn't a factor, all three times they were days in the 80's. It just takes direct sun exposure for a couple hours here in FL at least. Up north without cloudless skies - probably a non-issue.

 

[ionbeam]

Since the LCD display isn't a safety issue and doesn't affect safety related dash information I doubt that the NHTSA will be interested in the issue but it doesn't hurt to begin a file.

As Radio Howie mentioned, at some level, heat will cause a LCD display to non-destructively turn dark. When a LCD display is designed for a motor vehicle it should be robust up to 200º or so without turning dark.

The problem could be the LCD display is just too heat sensitive, it might be the way sunlight gets focused on the display from the windshield or reflective bezels around the display. I wonder if transparent IR blocking film over the display would prevent the problem.

Edit: The OP posted while I was typing. The heat I'm talking about isn't the 80º ambient, it is focused heat from the sun; think magnifying glass, only it is the windshield and/or the reflective bezels that do the magnifying.

 

[Kaelaria]

Watch my vid, I go through all the internet theories Nothing to do with the bezel or windshield.

 

[RadioHowie]

Since the LCD display isn't a safety issue and doesn't affect safety related dash information I doubt that the NHTSA will be interested in the issue but it doesn't hurt to begin a file.
As Radio Howie mentioned, at some level, heat will cause a LCD display to non-destructively turn dark. When a LCD display is designed for a motor vehicle it should be robust up to 200º or so without turning dark.

The problem could be the LCD display is just too heat sensitive, it might be the way sunlight gets focused on the display from the windshield or reflective bezels around the display. I wonder if transparent IR blocking film over the display would prevent the problem.

Edit: The OP posted while I was typing. The heat I'm talking about isn't the 80º ambient, it is focused heat from the sun; think magnifying glass, only it is the windshield and/or the reflective bezels that do the magnifying.

Alan, mine was just an "internet theory" and really doesn't apply to this "one-off" situation. At least that's what the FJR owner in Texas states.

 

[Fred W]

LCD screens are supposed to fail if left out in the sun?

I have not heard of any LCDs failing here. The thread title is inaccurate. No LCDs have burned or been permanently damaged.

I read in post #1 that the OP's LCD went black, but then returned to normal when he got the bike moving.

I refuse to click on his external video links, so if he doesn't want to discuss it here then I guess I won't be able to offer any help internet theories.

 

[Kaelaria]

Pout much? I simply show you what I already said - here.

And I'm not looking for help, there's nothing anyone can do. I'm simply informing everyone so if it happens to you, you have more info.

 

[ionbeam]

Edit: The OP posted while I was typing. Ignore my reply below. I'm now informed that the information display goes dark in the sun.

The appearance of the LCD display when it gets a 'tan' is consistent with the top layer of polarizing film distorting from ???? my guess would be heat. As soon as there is any cooling the film stops being distorted and the display returns to normal. This is related to my suggesting that the LCD display is reacting to heat at too low a temperature. What other property does the sunlight have that would cause the problem but heat? The three dash displays are all different assemblies so the sun/heat can affect just one of the three differently. I notice that the discoloration is on the side of the display that is right next to the center ring bezel.

If you have a LCD display like a watch and some polarizing sun glasses, put the sunglasses lens over the watch face and then rotate one of them 180º and you will see how the polarizing affects the appearance.