FJRF009.0: Ground Spider Research

[MartyA]

Didn't think to ask him that question. But, based on the way we talked about it, I'd suggest "Yamaha FJR1300 Ground Failure". The "spider" thing is not official nomenclature.

Dan

Done. If everyone is paying attention he should be getting a bunch of emails in the next couple of days!

Might want to add year, VIN #, and perhaps mileage when it happened?

If everyone has entered their spider bite into the SAFERCARS website he should have access to that data.

 

[Woketman]

I have been bit.

I e-mailed Mr. Young (with photos) and filed the form on the Safercar.gov website.

 

[BkrK12]

Didn't think to ask him that question. But, based on the way we talked about it, I'd suggest "Yamaha FJR1300 Ground Failure". The "spider" thing is not official nomenclature.

Dan

Done. If everyone is paying attention he should be getting a bunch of emails in the next couple of days!

Might want to add year, VIN #, and perhaps mileage when it happened?

If everyone has entered their spider bite into the SAFERCARS website he should have access to that data.

He does, indeed have access to that data. He is looking for clarification of the specific issues I noted.

Dan

 

[Woketman]

I called Yamaha today and spoke to a tech named Mitch. According to him, Yamaha has never heard of this issue. When I pointed out all of the cases documented here on the FJR Forum he says something to the effect of "you can't believe anything you read on the net, those guys are all over the map"! Apparently, we are all idiots. He refused to let me send him an e-mail with the photos and would not read any of the Forum posts. Clearly he is not at all interested in seeing any of the evidence.

I asked him if I could get a dealer to look at it and, when they determine that a new wiring harness is warranted, let me have it first, mod it to fix the issue and have the dealer install it. He said no, they cannot install modified hardware. He says all I can do is have the dealer install a new harness. I REALLY do not want to do that as A) I will still have the issue in a year or so, and B) I do not want to take the risk of the dealer screwing up my cruise control (as they will no doubt NOT take responsibility for aftermarket stuff).

I cannot get to the connector to fix it without at least taking the coolant pipe out and the cruise control. Too damn hot here to do all of that now. I will keep riding it and hope for the best and perhaps fix it in the Fall. Maybe I'll get lucky and there will be a recall by then, who knows. ;-(

 

[RavFJR]

I called Yamaha today and spoke to a tech named Mitch. According to him, Yamaha has never heard of this issue. When I pointed out all of the cases documented here on the FJR Forum he says something to the effect of "you can't believe anything you read on the net, those guys are all over the map"! Apparently, we are all idiots. He refused to let me send him an e-mail with the photos and would not read any of the Forum posts. Clearly he is not at all interested in seeing any of the evidence.

I asked him if I could get a dealer to look at it and, when they determine that a new wiring harness is warranted, let me have it first, mod it to fix the issue and have the dealer install it. He said no, they cannot install modified hardware. He says all I can do is have the dealer install a new harness. I REALLY do not want to do that as A) I will still have the issue in a year or so, and B) I do not want to take the risk of the dealer screwing up my cruise control (as they will no doubt NOT take responsibility for aftermarket stuff).

I cannot get to the connector to fix it without at least taking the coolant pipe out and the cruise control. Too damn hot here to do all of that now. I will keep riding it and hope for the best and perhaps fix it in the Fall. Maybe I'll get lucky and there will be a recall by then, who knows. ;-(

About a year back, I dealt with the very same situation with Yamaha...and I pushed pretty hard trying to get them to understand the problem. As the dealer (with direction from Yamaha) replaced my TPS and ECU, they just regreased a few of the connectors. About a month later the spider issues reappeared, so I bought and installed Brodie's wonderful harness. The difference in the performance of the bike was phenomenal. Yamaha just wants to put their head in the sand so they don't have to address the problem ($$$). Don't expect a recall anytime soon... In my eyes, if they do anything, it'll be 'quietly' on future model-year bikes. You're probably going to have to deal with this yourself, and think about getting Brodie's harness...good luck to you.

 

[bramfrank]

The first time someone in California is provably injured as a result of this issue Yamaha will rue the day they decided to claim they 'never heard of it' - there is so much evidence of prior knowledge that some judge will award enough money that it will bankrupt the company.

There WILL be something happening, at least in Canada and perhaps the NHTSA person who seems to have started looking into the issue will give pause to the total (and unrealistic) denial that Yamaha is asserting.

Their dealers call in for guidance on affected bikes and are directed straight to the S4 sdpider - there ARE lots of smoking guns. And these days they're pointed at Yamaha.

 

[bramfrank]

Wow. FIVE guests and no members on this topic . . . I wonder how many are from Yamaha?

 

[Woketman]

About a year back, I dealt with the very same situation with Yamaha...and I pushed pretty hard trying to get them to understand the problem. As the dealer (with direction from Yamaha) replaced my TPS and ECU, they just regreased a few of the connectors. About a month later the spider issues reappeared, so I bought and installed Brodie's wonderful harness. The difference in the performance of the bike was phenomenal. Yamaha just wants to put their head in the sand so they don't have to address the problem ($$$). Don't expect a recall anytime soon... In my eyes, if they do anything, it'll be 'quietly' on future model-year bikes. You're probably going to have to deal with this yourself, and think about getting Brodie's harness...good luck to you.

RavFJR:

How can I buy the Brodie Harness? Is there a web site? Is it an easy add-on that does not force me to dig deep in and remove my Audiovox Cruise Actuator or the coolant pipe? Is its purpose to cure the Spider Ground Issue? Or is that just a side benefit?

Thanks.

 

[03HiYoSilver]

Woket,

Here is the details on Brodie's Repair Kit:

https://www.fjrforum.com/forum//index.php?showtopic=126635

 

[Checkswrecks]

I called Yamaha today and spoke to a tech named Mitch. According to him, Yamaha has never heard of this issue. When I pointed out all of the cases documented here on the FJR Forum he says something to the effect of "you can't believe anything you read on the net, those guys are all over the map"! Apparently, we are all idiots. He refused to let me send him an e-mail with the photos and would not read any of the Forum posts. Clearly he is not at all interested in seeing any of the evidence.

I asked him if I could get a dealer to look at it and, when they determine that a new wiring harness is warranted, let me have it first, mod it to fix the issue and have the dealer install it. He said no, they cannot install modified hardware. He says all I can do is have the dealer install a new harness. I REALLY do not want to do that as A) I will still have the issue in a year or so, and B) I do not want to take the risk of the dealer screwing up my cruise control (as they will no doubt NOT take responsibility for aftermarket stuff).

I cannot get to the connector to fix it without at least taking the coolant pipe out and the cruise control. Too damn hot here to do all of that now. I will keep riding it and hope for the best and perhaps fix it in the Fall. Maybe I'll get lucky and there will be a recall by then, who knows. ;-(

About a year back, I dealt with the very same situation with Yamaha...and I pushed pretty hard trying to get them to understand the problem. As the dealer (with direction from Yamaha) replaced my TPS and ECU, they just regreased a few of the connectors. About a month later the spider issues reappeared, so I bought and installed Brodie's wonderful harness. The difference in the performance of the bike was phenomenal. Yamaha just wants to put their head in the sand so they don't have to address the problem ($$$). Don't expect a recall anytime soon... In my eyes, if they do anything, it'll be 'quietly' on future model-year bikes. You're probably going to have to deal with this yourself, and think about getting Brodie's harness...good luck to you.

We've seen this before and not just from Yamaha. You got the corporate position and the individual may never have heard of the problem. But the company sure has heard of it and is working on it. If you want to see an example of where we've seen this before, look into the threads about the ignition switches and years ago for both the topbox cracks and TPS. Just like now, each was totally not a problem until a fix was suddenly announced and the logistics were in place.

btw - Yam has listened and reacted a lot better than Harley and Beemer in some of their problems.

 

[RavFJR]

RavFJR:

How can I buy the Brodie Harness? Is there a web site? Is it an easy add-on that does not force me to dig deep in and remove my Audiovox Cruise Actuator or the coolant pipe? Is its purpose to cure the Spider Ground Issue? Or is that just a side benefit?

Thanks.

The fastest way to get the info would be to PM Brodie. He'll give you all the details... He worked it this way with me. The harness requires you to dig into the bike, but is a clear fix to an insufficient (Yamaha) grounding harness. It took me a few hours to complete, but I had plenty of beer available.

 

[Woketman]

Thanks. My harness is already on its way.

 

[bramfrank]

The good news is that it appears that Yamaha is getting ready to recall 2006-2009 machines for the spider issue - sort of like the condemned man feeling sorry for his crimes just ahead of the firing squad squeezing out their shots, I suppose. The involvement of David Young may have been the final nail in that coffin.

However . . . is there some difference between the 09 and subsequent model year harness designs that eliminates the spiders? Because if there is, then it means that the harnesses were redesigned in early 2009 (in order to meet 2010 production deadlines) and that they've known about the problem and left us all hanging with their public denials for the past 2+ years.

I've heard nothing from Yamaha Canada as yet, but we can be certain that whatever they do south of the 49th will be implemented up here as well.

One item of note that I find interesting is that as of last week Yamaha Canada was supposedly still looking to collect wiring harnesses for investigation - yet they have a fix in the US?

 

[bramfrank]

Hmmm - I hope they deal with the nose cone harness as well as the main one with this recall . . . .

 

[ionbeam]

The good news is that it appears that Yamaha is getting ready to recall 2006-2009 machines for the spider issue...One item of note that I find interesting is that as of last week Yamaha Canada was supposedly still looking to collect wiring harnesses for investigation - yet they have a fix in the US?

I don't know if it is coincidence or not but BkrK12 and I met with a representative from the NHTSA a few weeks ago and together we walked the agent through a FACTUAL tour of the problem. We had a fairly long meeting with him, pictures were taken, a live hands-on exploration took place, we had a short schematic reading and led a tour of the spider wires. The agent said that when he submits his reports to Yamaha, Yamaha usually responds quickly. If the tech blurb is true, it doesn't talk about a fix but does serve notice for action to be taken soon and offers short term action to be taken by dealers -- not a fix but a containment and control measure.

Until then, please suspend sale of any 2006~2009 FJR13A/AE motorcycles in your inventory.

 

[bramfrank]

And what of the '10 and '11 model years?

 

[Woketman]

What happened to make you guys think Yammy has awakened on thi issue? Is there a press release? An article somewhere? Thanks!

 

[BkrK12]

The involvement of David Young may have been the final nail in that coffin.

Man's name is Bob, and he does read the site.

Dan

 

[ionbeam]

What happened to make you guys think Yammy has awakened on thi issue? Is there a press release? An article somewhere? Thanks!

>>LINK<<

 

[mcatrophy]

And what of the '10 and '11 model years?

My '11 has spiders, just the same as my '06 had. So far, no trouble (knocks on wood).