Limp home mode

[thomasag]

Today I was riding our 2011 RTS when it suddenly went into limp home mode. It would run, but at a maximum of 11 MPH. Fortunately, I was near home and managed to get there without being mowed down. I checked the codes and they are P0107, P0122, P1174 and P2228. These codes do not seem to be related. I do have the manual and will begin the procedural checks listed but I wondered if anyone else has had a similar experience or could point me to something which may save me some time. Any comments are appreciated. Thank you.

[MSa1956]

Hi, how did you get those codes? are they in the manual for the bike or the maintenance manual?

[billybovine]

Since there are multiple faults and the only common thing among them I see so far is the ECM.
Start with the simple first. Is the system voltage above 13V at engine idle speed? Around 14V at about 2,000 rpm

2 faults are related. P0107 and P1174 could be caused by cracked and leaking MAP sensor hoses.

P0122 is one of the throttle grip position sensors is failing. That will be the cause of Limp Home Mode. Safety issue.

P2228 Air pressure fault. Usually that is because the APTS sensor has been disconnected and not reconnected after front trunk removal.

[SpyderAnn01]

Hi, how did you get those codes? are they in the manual for the bike or the maintenance manual?

If you have an Android or I Phone you can download the Spyder Codes app. It is free and was written by Roger Wenzel a Spyder owner. It has all the codes listed and is a great thing to have with you. Or you can purchase a shop manual on CD or downloadable and get the codes there.

[thomasag]

Hi, how did you get those codes? are they in the manual for the bike or the maintenance manual?

If you have a fault condition you can press the Mode, Set and Indicator Cancel switches simultaneously and the codes will be displayed on the information screen.

[thomasag]

Since there are multiple faults and the only common thing among them I see so far is the ECM.
Start with the simple first. Is the system voltage above 13V at engine idle speed? Around 14V at about 2,000 rpm

2 faults are related. P0107 and P1174 could be caused by cracked and leaking MAP sensor hoses.

P0122 is one of the throttle grip position sensors is failing. That will be the cause of Limp Home Mode. Safety issue.

P2228 Air pressure fault. Usually that is because the APTS sensor has been disconnected and not reconnected after front trunk removal.

Thank you for your reply Billy. I did replace the battery with a new Yuasa one a few weeks ago so, on the principle that the last thing you did is probably the cause of your problem, I checked the battery voltage a little time after I parked the bike. It was 12.8 volts. While I was running normally the system voltage was 13.6 (I have a digital voltmeter on the dash). It is possible that I have a faulty battery but the measurements which I took suggest otherwise.

I replaced the two MAP sensor hoses about 10, 000 miles ago with silicone rubber ones. I haven't checked them yet but they should be OK.

If the problem turns out to be the throttle position sensors it will be a costly repair but at least it should be a good one.

I have never removed the front trunk on this bike but it certainly could be related to the APTS sensor.

As you said, the only common thing among them is the ECM. I hope it isn't that.

I will begin systematic testing tomorrow.

[thomasag]

If you have an Android or I Phone you can download the Spyder Codes app. It is free and was written by Roger Wenzel a Spyder owner. It has all the codes listed and is a great thing to have with you. Or you can purchase a shop manual on CD or downloadable and get the codes there.

Anne: Thank you for your reply. I do have Roger's excellent APP and used it to check the codes before I arrived home, where I have the service manual. When I posted my question I hoped that someone else may have had the peculiar combination of fault codes which I have and could save me some diagnostic time.

[Highwayman2013]

Have a good look at where the throttle bodies meet the intake. Some have reported the rubber boots cracked.

[Chupaca]

Have you let the computers reset..? Do you still have all those codes..? Many codes trigger others and letting the computers reset (key removed or batt disconnected) will clear the tag-alongs.

[Jeriatric]

While you're in there looking at the vacuum hoses. I would suggest tie wrapping them. Love the silicone hose but they're so soft and pliable, with heat they tend to loosen up a bit, which could cause enough of a vacuum leak to set off a code.

[SpyderAnn01]

Anne: Thank you for your reply. I do have Roger's excellent APP and used it to check the codes before I arrived home, where I have the service manual. When I posted my question I hoped that someone else may have had the peculiar combination of fault codes which I have and could save me some diagnostic time.

Hi, I was actually replying to another poster who wanted to know how you found the codes, etc.

Good luck and I sure hope it doesn't turn out to be a bad ECM.

[Robby]

Howdy,
I had an 11rt and it threw TPS codes a few times and the wonderful limp mode. What it actually ended up being was the the plug that attaches to the tps was not making proper connection and the computer was not happy with the interrupted signal. Have your wrench check this first before replacing tps. My wrench fattened the pins and cleaned out the plug which seemed to do the trick. He said that it had built up a bit of crap in there somehow. (the source to find the problem was actually the BOSS Web) He did also end up replacing the pins in the connector. Worth checking. Was relatively simple in the end but a major PITA when throwing limp mode.

Hope you get sorted.

Robby

[billybovine]

Thank you for your reply Billy. I did replace the battery with a new Yuasa one a few weeks ago so, on the principle that the last thing you did is probably the cause of your problem, I checked the battery voltage a little time after I parked the bike. It was 12.8 volts. While I was running normally the system voltage was 13.6 (I have a digital voltmeter on the dash). It is possible that I have a faulty battery but the measurements which I took suggest otherwise.

I replaced the two MAP sensor hoses about 10, 000 miles ago with silicone rubber ones. I haven't checked them yet but they should be OK.

If the problem turns out to be the throttle position sensors it will be a costly repair but at least it should be a good one.

I have never removed the front trunk on this bike but it certainly could be related to the APTS sensor.

As you said, the only common thing among them is the ECM. I hope it isn't that.

I will begin systematic testing tomorrow.

I do not think there is anything wrong with the hoses, throttle grip position sensor or APTS. Lean condition is just a secondary issue. You have an electrical problem. First target would be the connector to the ECM. Disconnect and inspect it. I am not sure what other connectors are common and need to be inspected. I don't have the wiring diagram for your year and models. Maybe someone else can help out with that. Also need to look for damaged wiring harness. Pinched, cut or worn through.

Good luck.

[thomasag]

Thank you to all who shared their thoughts and experience.

I found the problem today. I started by looking at a few simple and obvious possibilities but none of them were faulty. I then began a systematic check using the procedures in the shop manual. I did start with the simplest one, the MAP sensor and immediately found that it had no 5 volt supply. Studying the wiring diagram showed that it obtains it's supply from the AAPTS sensor, another of my fault codes, so I began to examine this. It also had no supply so I began to examine the harness which connects to it. The harness was threaded through a hole in the high cross member at the front of the frame. It entered behind the coolant tank, crossed the space inside the member behind the top of the right suspension unit and exited through another hole. The harness was chafed, exposing the wires and one wire had it's insulation removed sufficient for it to short to ground. I removed the harness from the cross member and repaired the damage, reinforcing the outer casing also. I re-routed it and secured it in a location where it would not be subject to abrasion. This must have occurred over a period of 6 years and only now reached a critical point. When the repair was completed all the fault codes disappeared.

I have included this detailed explanation because it is probable that all the 2011 machines were wired in the same way and it may help someone else who suffers the same failure.

Alan.

[Bob Denman]

Glad to hear that you're "back on three"!