Help! 2012 RT Limited - won't start, stuck out on the Cape

I have a 2012 RT Limited - rode it about 200 miles out here on Saturday and have ridden it every day since. Parked it last night and no issues. Went out to start it to run down to the store and it won't start. It acts like the kill switch has been set, but that's not the case (double, triple and quadruple checked it). Radio (iPod) starts playing right away and acts like it has plenty of power, but absolutely nothing when I push the start button. It's a Limited, so it has the semi-automatic transmission, not a manual clutch.

Any help you can give me would be GREATLY appreciated. I am so far removed from being mechanically inclined that it's not even funny, though we are here with another couple and one of them IS pretty good with fixing things - but she has no clue either (long time bike rider, but not a Spyder rider so she's not familiar with them) so she may be able to figure it out if someone can offer some guidance.

THANKS in advance for any help you can throw our way!

are you depressing the brake, did you check the battery connections. two to start with

Brake was definitely compressed. Tried it with the emergency brake on and off (brake petal depressed the entire time) just in case. Repeated multiple times. Also repeated throwing the kill switch back and forth with no luck.

I lifted the seat and looked at the battery connections and they seem solid. The radio also starts blaring when you turn it on, so the battery must be making some kind of connection in order to do that.

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Originally Posted by cuznjohn

are you depressing the brake, did you check the battery connections. two to start with

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the handlebar. Sometimes its that simple.....

Thanks - but tried that one, repeatedly (learned my lesson from having that happen to me when I first got the bike).

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Originally Posted by wis2013rtltd

the handlebar. Sometimes its that simple.....

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Originally Posted by GMac

I have a 2012 RT Limited - rode it about 200 miles out here on Saturday and have ridden it every day since. Parked it last night and no issues. Went out to start it to run down to the store and it won't start. It acts like the kill switch has been set, but that's not the case (double, triple and quadruple checked it). Radio (iPod) starts playing right away and acts like it has plenty of power, but absolutely nothing when I push the start button. It's a Limited, so it has the semi-automatic transmission, not a manual clutch.

Any help you can give me would be GREATLY appreciated. I am so far removed from being mechanically inclined that it's not even funny, though we are here with another couple and one of them IS pretty good with fixing things - but she has no clue either (long time bike rider, but not a Spyder rider so she's not familiar with them) so she may be able to figure it out if someone can offer some guidance.

THANKS in advance for any help you can throw our way!

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hold brake pad down then try it

Does the start screen come on?
if so and you hit the mode button does it turn over?
If yes hold the throttle full open while turning it over.
that is what mine did and than started.
good luck.

It may be a bad key. Insert the key and turn it on. When the hold button message comes on press hold button. Keep continuous watch on the screen for about 1 1/2 minutes. If the key is bad it will not tell you anything is wrong until it has given up trying to talk to the key and that takes about a minute. A message will scroll across the screen Bad Key and a key symbol will appear from time to time in one of the lower areas of the screen.

If your friend knows how to use a multi meter have her check the battery voltage when just sitting and then when you try to start it. If it drops to less than 10 volts it's probably your battery. AGM batteries tend to be fine one minute and gone the next. It doesn't take much voltage to power the radio, if the voltage doesn't drop off when trying to start it it has to be a relay or safety switch. Try charging the battery.

:agree: I'm betting on a battery that has given it's all, and is done... :shocked:
Good Luck! :thumbup:

Thanks - I got all excited when I read this hoping that's what it was. My spare is at home (about 200 miles away) but I'd least I'd know what was wrong.

No such luck. I tried exactly what you said and waited for about three minutes just in case, but no message. I appreciate your help though!

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Originally Posted by billybovine

It may be a bad key. Insert the key and turn it on. When the hold button message comes on press hold button. Keep continuous watch on the screen for about 1 1/2 minutes. If the key is bad it will not tell you anything is wrong until it has given up trying to talk to the key and that takes about a minute. A message will scroll across the screen Bad Key and a key symbol will appear from time to time in one of the lower areas of the screen.

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Start screen comes up just fine but absolutely nothing happens when you push the start button (after hitting the mode button). It doesn't turn over at all. I really would swear it was the kill switch except that I've tried that back and forth (repeatedly) to be sure it's not in the wrong position.

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Originally Posted by samewok

Does the start screen come on?
if so and you hit the mode button does it turn over?
If yes hold the throttle full open while turning it over.
that is what mine did and than started.
good luck.

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Great idea - and we have been wondering the same thing about the battery but we don't have any tools here. We're in a small town on the Cape and not much around here. Do you know if you can try to jump it from a car to see if that would start it? If so, we'd obviously know it was the battery but I don't want to try that if it will screw up something else - and I'm not entirely certain you can easily hook it up to jumper cables if you CAN do that.

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Originally Posted by GOZFST

If your friend knows how to use a multi meter have her check the battery voltage when just sitting and then when you try to start it. If it drops to less than 10 volts it's probably your battery. AGM batteries tend to be fine one minute and gone the next. It doesn't take much voltage to power the radio, if the voltage doesn't drop off when trying to start it it has to be a relay or safety switch. Try charging the battery.

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See if ther is a Lows or Home Depot near by they battery staters that are real small I keep on on the bike you can charge it in your room

I don't know the RT's well enough to know if there are any other safety features that keep it from starting, but it definitely leans towards some sort of safety kill item that isn't working correctly. The kill switch, brake pedal, & mode button have all been mentioned already. Is there anything else that could keep it from starting that other RT owners would know that hasn't been mentioned?

My only suggestion of those items mentioned above would be to verify that the brake lights are coming on when you press the brake pedal an have the key on. If they are not, then chances are the system isn't recognizing that the brake pedal is pressed down which would easily explain the issue.

My only other question is when you push the start button and nothing happens, is there any kind of "power" drain. Does the main screen flake out or anything? It doesn't sound like there is which is why I lean towards a safety feature that isn't acting right vs a battery issue, but only a multimeter would tell you for sure.

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Originally Posted by GMac

Great idea - and we have been wondering the same thing about the battery but we don't have any tools here. We're in a small town on the Cape and not much around here. Do you know if you can try to jump it from a car to see if that would start it? If so, we'd obviously know it was the battery but I don't want to try that if it will screw up something else - and I'm not entirely certain you can easily hook it up to jumper cables if you CAN do that.

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If you jump it from a car, do it with the car off. You don't need the car running as that often sends too much amperage through the Motorcycle system. Of course make sure the polarity of the cables is correct and don't hit the positive to anything metal on the frame.

Did you check all of the fuses and the relays under the seat?

I was thinking of the start relay. It's in the fuse box in the frunk. Also check fuse F12 in the same box. If the brake switch is not working, it won't start. As mentioned, depress the brake pedal and see if the brake lights come on. To jump start, connect positive jumper to the jump start connection under the seat, then ground jumper to ground screw on right side under the seat.

I just saw for the first time today where the fuses were under the seat. They looked like they were all intact (nothing obviously wrong) but where are the relays and how do I tell if one is gone (I apologize in advance for my stupidity here!)?

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Originally Posted by The Governor

Did you check all of the fuses and the relays under the seat?

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I obviously know where the frunk is (even someone as dumb as I am knows that part!) but where is the fuse box inside it (and how do you check the relay once I find it)? I saw fuses under the seat, I think it was by the negative side of the battery but have never seen anything in the frunk.

Thanks!

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Originally Posted by bruiser

I was thinking of the start relay. It's in the fuse box in the frunk. Also check fuse F12 in the same box. If the brake switch is not working, it won't start. As mentioned, depress the brake pedal and see if the brake lights come on. To jump start, connect positive jumper to the jump start connection under the seat, then ground jumper to ground screw on right side under the seat.

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This morning we went out and removed the frunk liner to look at the fuses (I didn't know where they were previous to this) and pushed in on all of them to be certain they were well seated. A couple of them seemed like they may have been a bit loose, but it also might have been my imagination. My friend also had me remove the GPS (factory installed, not aftermarket). I have no idea if one of those did the trick, but it started right up (we had checked the brake lights before that as someone else suggested and they were working fine).

We also noticed that yesterday it was in 1st gear - and it wouldn't shift out of it (with the key on, after pushing mode button - tried it repeatedly). This morning, it was in neutral. No idea how or why that changed, though we noticed it after pushing in on all of the fuses. It may have absolutely nothing to do with it not starting, but it's simply something we noticed.

In any case, we're just happy to have it starting properly and grateful to everyone for all of their suggestions!

THANKS!
Gary

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Originally Posted by GMac

I have a 2012 RT Limited - rode it about 200 miles out here on Saturday and have ridden it every day since. Parked it last night and no issues. Went out to start it to run down to the store and it won't start. It acts like the kill switch has been set, but that's not the case (double, triple and quadruple checked it). Radio (iPod) starts playing right away and acts like it has plenty of power, but absolutely nothing when I push the start button. It's a Limited, so it has the semi-automatic transmission, not a manual clutch.

Any help you can give me would be GREATLY appreciated. I am so far removed from being mechanically inclined that it's not even funny, though we are here with another couple and one of them IS pretty good with fixing things - but she has no clue either (long time bike rider, but not a Spyder rider so she's not familiar with them) so she may be able to figure it out if someone can offer some guidance.

THANKS in advance for any help you can throw our way!

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That's great you got it started. So loose fuse or relay likely cause.

In regards to being in 1st gear. Not a problem as you found out it shift back to neutral on it's own after the engine starts.

:congrats: Glad to hear that it turned out to be something so easy; once you knew where to look! :shocked:
(Doesn't BRP put a piece of foam under the cover, that should help keep things from loosening-up?)

:thumbup::thumbup:
went from problem all the way to solvation,
with plenty of feed back from OP.
thanks:thumbup::thumbup:

sounds like same exact thing i went thru 2 weeks ago, changed my battery now it works fine, i also bought a micro start so i never have to
worry about battery problem again