Ignition Siwtch Failures

[FJRdaytripper]

Hello to all FJR riders. Not sure if this topic is closed at this point. The ignition switch on my 2003 FJR crapped out about a month ago (57,190 mi); just now took the thing apart. It appears to have failed in the same way that all of your Gen II units did; i.e, the red-wire solder connection is almost de-soldered. In addition (I took the switch apart), the copper contact in the white block that makes contact with the copper lugs for the harness (little springs under each contact)overheated and melted the nylon block. Question: what is the difference, if any, between the Gen I and the Gen II switch? My 03 harness is four wired; red, brown, and two blue wires of lighter gauge than the red and brown wires.

Regards, Daytripper

 

[Fred W]

Daytripper,

The 1st Gen and 2nd gen ignition switches are electrically identical. The wire colors are even very similar. The Red and Brown wires even have the same electrical connectors, but the bad news is that the other connector with the smaller blue wires in it is not the same shape, so it will not plug and play. If you are able to remake the connector you might be able to use the 2nd gen's updated design switch, if you really wanted to.

That said, I don't think the 2nd gen upgraded switch is such a great solution. It still allows all of the bikes current to go through the ignition switch contacts, it only doubles the number of electrical contact points (from 1 to 2). In stead, I would recommend replacing the switch with another 1st gen switch and look at two other things to ensure its reliability in the future:

First, make an assessment of what additional electrical items you might have added that have increased the load through your key switch. That would be really just about anything that is powered by a switched 12 volts. If any significant current loads are found you should consider moving their loads onto a relay powered terminal strip. I only suggest the above because there are so few 1st gen ignition switch failures of this type. It is entirely possible for them to go this way, since the bike's entire switched 12V load does go through the contacts (even headlight power), just like on a 2nd gen. If there are no significant added loads on the switch, then just do #2 below.

Get (or make) and install a Brodie Relay Harness to offload all of the bikes 12V switched current onto a high current capable 12V relay. You will have to come up with a different connector for those blue wires, but you should be able to figure this out, or perhaps Mr Brodie can be convinced to start making his Relay harnesses in a 1st Gen version. The only currents that will be carried by the ignition switch after the Brodie upgrade are the ones through the blue wires, and also the relay operating current through the red/Brown wires, which is very small.

 

[dcarver]

I think you're the first confirmed Gen1 failure. Anyway, listen to the poster above me, he knows his stuff..

 

[lnewlf]

Yep- what Fred W said. Mamaha did a bandaid solution. Who runs all the current thru the switch in the 21st century? I simply put a 75 amp dual contact Bosch relay in the circuit and use the ignition switch to turn it off/on. Since the switch was pristine I didn't even bother to do the recall-didn't want to risk turning her over to the shop monkeys..

 

[FJRPierre]

I think you're the first confirmed Gen1 failure. Anyway, listen to the poster above me, he knows his stuff..

I think there have been a few of us. I had a sudden failure this spring in Ashville. The nice dealer put in an ATV switch as a temp measure. I'll look at taking the broken one apart this winter.

 

[ionbeam]

I think there have been a few of us. I had a sudden failure this spring in Ashville. The nice dealer put in an ATV switch as a temp measure. I'll look at taking the broken one apart this winter.

There were some early ignition switch problems with the Gen I's but it was usually due to dirt ingestion. There was also a revision to the ignition switch someplace between the '03 and '04 model years. One had a drain hole and the other didn't; there was speculation that this was related to the dirty switches. The number of switch problems was so low that there was not a big push to analyze bad switches or evaluate root cause. Most people were able to cure the switch problem with a good shot of a spray cleaner inside the bottom electrical part of the switch.

There are some differences between the way the Gen I and Gen II switches are wired, but the basic switch is made very similar.

 

[ze_in_nc]

Thanks to everyone who has contributed so much time and know-how to this and many other posts. When I had ignition switch trouble the second thing I did was search the Forum for help. Here's my input:

2005 FJR1300AE

41,000 ish miles (I know, ride more!)

Probably 25% of the miles were in rain or wet roads

Garage kept until a year ago, then kept under high quality cover.

No history of trouble with the switch. Rode 350 miles Saturday and parked in the middle of the drive. Rained a little Sunday morning and the bike was not covered. Sunday afternoon no electric when the switch was turned. Tried 2 or 3 times then consulted the Forum. Returned to the bike and found power at about 3/4 turn, but it would turn over but not start. Turned the key off then on probably 75 times and got "normal" power at full turn with no additional pressure. But, lost power when I pulled in the front brake. Off and on another 20 times then held power no problem. Started the bike and moved it to the parking place and covered.

Stopped by Interstate Cycle in Cornelius NC on Monday. Service manager there is TOPS, always has been and was again Monday. Knew all about failures on the Gen II but said a Gen I fail was odd and recommended a new switch at $355 parts & labor. Recommended that I contact Yamaha directly to see if they would help before spending the money. Said I needed:

Switch part number 5JW-82501-20-00

Two security screws part number 90109-08172-00

Plus 1.4 hours labor

Called Yamaha in California, using the website number for Customer Service. First person I spoke with was extremely friendly and quickly found my bike on their record to confirm that all recommended service bulliten work had been completed. Was then on hold for four minutes for a tech - the first rep checked in on me several times while I was on hold. The tech said that the Gen I and Gen II switches are very different, the Gen I is sealed and cannot be cleaned. Because the bike is years out of warranty Yamaha could offer no assistance with the part or labor. Of course I would have preferred a different answer but this is reasonable. Again, the two people I spoke with were very nice. Good experience.

So, back to the Forum. The post about taking apart and working on the switch seems to be about Gen II models. It references a weep hole, so I figured I'd look for one one my switch. No weep hole. There is, however, a very large 1/8 inch opening in the bottom of the switch! I'm sure that it is intended to be a drain, but my bet is that gunk has been entering this hole for a while.

About three years ago I switched to a Cee Bailey shield with the laminar lip. I have noticed that with the shield most or all the way up the back-draft pulls air up past the triple tree. Guess where the shield is when it's raining??? I think that I have changed the aerodynamics and am partly at fault for why water is getting into the switch.

Using plastic-safe electronics cleaner I flooded the switch through the opening and washed out quite a bit of residue onto a cloth. I will be nervous for a little while, but it makes sense that accumulated gunk fouled at least some of the contacts inside the switch. For safety I plan to put a piece of tape over the opening. And to add cleaning the switch to my regular maintenance!

 

[rogdeb]

About three years ago I switched to a Cee Bailey shield with the laminar lip. I have noticed that with the shield most or all the way up the back-draft pulls air up past the triple tree. Guess where the shield is when it's raining??? I think that I have changed the aerodynamics and am partly at fault for why water is getting into the switch.

Interesting observation!!

 

[ze_in_nc]

Update: total failure. Could still get power at about 3/4 turn but nothing else. Had to have the bike trailered to the shop for a new switch. First time EVER on a trailer. I was so worried! Now I have TWO keys to the bike - one for the ignition, one for everything else.

 

[FJR-Pilot]

... Now I have TWO keys to the bike - one for the ignition, one for everything else.

Not true. They re-keyed mine when they performed the repair. I have one key for everything.

 

[drjfjr]

was ZE_in_nc done as a recall? I did not think 2005 bikes were covered. If not then he would have to pay for the rekeying of the switch. When I replaced mine on my 04 I went to a locksmith and got it done.I did report my failure on the NTSA site.