**$%#%%@@* Ignition switch!

[wfooshee]

So I'm ready to go home after work, dead bike. No power when I turn the switch on. GPS will turn on (not switched power,) I've got 12 volts in the accessory plug I put under the seat, and my air compressor runs from it. Thus, not a battery problem.

Cycled the switch 147 times, nothing. A couple of times I thought I saw the neutral light flicker.

Then I turn the switch real slow, and halfway between off and on everything lights up and the gauges sweep. Starter turns but it never fires. Turn the key the rest of the way on, electrical death.

Wiggle the wires under the switch while the key is on, nothing. Wiggle the wires while the key is half on, and the dash flickers in and out of existence.

I did get the bike fired once, by turning the key on, then back to the half-on just exactly far enough to light the LCD panel. Apparently at this point the second circuit hadn't disengaged yet as the main circuit engaged. Moving the key either direction the slightest amount shuts it off. Wasn't gonna try to ride home, though, as any bump would move the key. Just what I need is a dark bike coasting along the road at night.

It's dark out, I'm by myself, no flashlight, parking lot lights aren't bright enough to use. Basically, if I can get the red and brown wires together, then turn the key to get the other circuit connected, the bike will be fine.

Then I remembered my phone is an Android, with a flashlight app! Three settings, even. Maybe there's enough phone battery left the get this done and get home! I'll let ya know shortly.

BTW, no warning to this at all, completely and utterly sudden. Bike came to work today just like it always does. I've had no issues with the switch, I've had no weird wiggle-it-and-suddenly-it's-OK moments. There have been NO ISSUES, then bang! Dead switch.

2003, not part of the recall. I will be reporting it nonetheless. Sure, Gen-I bikes haven't had as many failures here, but they seem to be popping up more often lately. Maybe the Gen-I doesn't load that contact as heavily as the Gen-II does, so it lives longer. It seems that it still dies eventually, though... :angry:

EDIT: Actually, I just noticed what time it is. Fuck this for tonight. I'm stealing the work car and leaving the bike here. I'll pick up a switch to rig an ignition bypass and bring that tomorrow.

 

[TomInPA]

With problems like this you really should name your bike something like ......KrZy8

Nope, you left it in the lot. Not dramatic enough. :lol:

BTW this is proof you work too late.

 

[Patriot]

mine took 148 cycles to fix it

and I do carry a 50amp toggle, xacto knife, positaps, and wire in a zip lok bag

now if I can only remember where !!!

sorry

glad it didn't happen in Blountown

 

[wfooshee]

BTW this is proof you work too late.

Wasn't actually working this late. At normal go-home time tried to fire it up to go to grandkids' house, it's baby-sitting day for their mom to go to school, gave up and stole the car. Upon return went to dig into the switch issue, made the discoveries outlined, and that's the time of that post. So not working, but grandkidding. Which is way better.

mine took 148 cycles to fix it

You would be exactly the one I expect to keep such a count. I have no idea how many times I cycled, but it was at least double that. Some gently, some with some oomph. Some just rapid-fire back-and-forth, some with on count off count off count etc. Never got it to take hold except that half-to-three-quarters position I found once but didn't trust to stay for the whole ride home.

 

[huron52]

I know this really doesn't help much but I simply installed a completely new switch when mine started acting up....

 

[majicmaker]

Damn, That Sucks Walt. Hope it's a Quick Fix. :huh:

 

[FJR Flyer]

Does Brodie's bypass harness work on Gen I's?

 

[Fred W]

Brodies Harness wouldn't help in this situation. Walt's switch contacts are messed up (not overheated). The contacts may just be dirty. Possibly some lubricant from the mechanical key lock migrated down into the switch? Or the contacts may be just plumb worn out. Only way to know for sure would be to yank the switch and open her up.

A fubar ignition switch is not all that rare on any motorcycle. I mean look where they locate the thing, right out there in the weather and all.

 

[wfooshee]

A waterproof switch with the red and brown wires on it will work. Leave the other two wires where they are so you still need the key to run the bike. The contacts for the other two wires are never the issue, so those don't need to be pulled off of the switch.

 

[Fred W]

A waterproof switch with the red and brown wires on it will work. Leave the other two wires where they are so you still need the key to run the bike. The contacts for the other two wires are never the issue, so those don't need to be pulled off of the switch.

Not exactly.

The second (smaller current) contacts sometimes do go bad too, and there are about an equal number of reports of that as the main switch contacts. But the symptom is different then. When the little one goes bad you can still crank the engine and (eventually) will get a fault code 19. Which is a bit of a red herring since that code translates to "Open circuit is detected in the input line from the sidestand switch to the ECU." One might think that the sidestand switch was bad or the safety interlock relay, but if either of those go bad you won't be able to crank the starter and won't get that fault code. The enable signal for the ECU from the safety relay is what goes through that second set of key switch contacts.

If you put a toggle switch in, in place of the main switch contacts, you'll find that you can duplicate this situation by flipping the toggle switch and leaving the key off.

 

[wfooshee]

Already duplicated that last night by cranking with the key halfway, where I had dash lights. The second circuit was not engaged, so the bike cranked, did not fire, and threw a 19 on the dash.

I see what you're saying, but I'm positive that second circuit is OK, there was ONE TIME I got the bike running, by turning the key on and then moving it towards off very slowly, until the dash came on. It hadn't moved far enough to interrupt the sidestand circuit and the bike fired up. Turning the key either way from there would shut it off.

Brought tools with me today to install the switch, but I've still got to go pick up a switch sometime today.

 

[Constant Mesh]

Not on point but I never could understand why they routed the headlight power through the ignition switch. It's a big slug of continuous current which generates unnecessary heat in the switch.

Relays control the headlights so why not route the relay coil power through the switch and reduce the load on the switch?

A weird design decision. Maybe it's a regulatory thing.

 

[TomInPA]

Not on point but I never could understand why they routed the headlight power through the ignition switch. It's a big slug of continuous current which generates unnecessary heat in the switch.

Relays control the headlights so why not route the relay coil power through the switch and reduce the load on the switch?

A weird design decision. Maybe it's a regulatory thing.

Ha! another good reason for HID conversion! :tomato2:

 

[wheatonFJR]

Looks like GEN 1 bikes suck also!

 

[RadioHowie]

Looks like GEN 1 bikes suck also!

.....just LESS!

 

[wfooshee]

Ya know, you'd think that in a coastal town with a big marine industry, with things like boats, fishing, water-skiing, and whatnot, that finding a waterproof switch would be a cinch.

Not so.

Radio Shack doesn't have them, which is kind of a given, but the boat places don't have them either, except in large panels with several LARGE switches already mounted.

WTF???!?!?!

 

[SkooterG]

Brodies Harness wouldn't help in this situation. Walt's switch contacts are messed up (not overheated). The contacts may just be dirty. Possibly some lubricant from the mechanical key lock migrated down into the switch? Or the contacts may be just plumb worn out. Only way to know for sure would be to yank the switch and open her up.

A fubar ignition switch is not all that rare on any motorcycle. I mean look where they locate the thing, right out there in the weather and all.

Since cycling the switch didn't work dollars to donuts the soldered connection of one of the wires let go and its not messed up switch contacts. Whether the Brodie harness wold have helped I don't know.

Walt these failures are VERY rare on Gen I FJRs, but do occasionally happen. And you do have a 10 year old bike after all. Still, you seem to be the southeast's version of DCarver and KRZ8. Quit being so hard on your FJR!

 

[majicmaker]

Looks like GEN 1 bikes suck also!

.....just LESS!

LESS Yes But, Not by Much!! :bleh:

 

[Fred W]

Brodies Harness wouldn't help in this situation. Walt's switch contacts are messed up (not overheated). The contacts may just be dirty. Possibly some lubricant from the mechanical key lock migrated down into the switch? Or the contacts may be just plumb worn out. Only way to know for sure would be to yank the switch and open her up.

A fubar ignition switch is not all that rare on any motorcycle. I mean look where they locate the thing, right out there in the weather and all.

Since cycling the switch didn't work dollars to donuts the soldered connection of one of the wires let go and its not messed up switch contacts. Whether the Brodie harness wold have helped I don't know.

Walt these failures are VERY rare on Gen I FJRs, but do occasionally happen. And you do have a 10 year old bike after all. Still, you seem to be the southeast's version of DCarver and KRZ8. Quit being so hard on your FJR!

I'll wait for the pictures of the inside of Walt's switch. There are lots of ways that an electrical switch can get flaky and go bad. I don't think that just because you cycle it XYZ number of times and it doesn't return to life that you can just assume that it has melted down. I've not seen a single report of a 1st gen melted ignition switch (like those crappy 2nd gens used to do), which fuels my skepticism.