BUDS diagnoses no contact in start button - my DIY Fix!

[ricrum]

I just want to pass-along some tech info that could be of some help to my fellow Spyder owners. I recently had (and fixed) an issue with an increasing no-start condition. Just for a bit of intro, wifey and I bought this 2010 Spyder RT-SE5 in January from a friend (who says he never experienced the problem with it). We knew that it needed a new battery, and it was changed immediately after purchase. Within a few months this intermittent start issue began, and at first it was just an inconvenience because after trying to start the bike a couple of times, it would eventually kick over. I say inconvenience because we bought it for my wife, and it’s what she uses to go to and from work. Bear with me - this is how to make a “short story long”!

Eventually (just over a month ago) it wouldn’t start no matter how much we wiggled and played with the engine kill switch and start button. I really had no idea what the actual problem was for certain because (as you all know) there are a number of things that have to occur correctly to get it started. After researching the internet for answers, the best I could find was that allot of the bikes (it seems) have this problem due to loosening ground (or negative) wire contact points at random locations around the bike. The most common fix suggested was to take off all of the body panels and start tracing/chasing-down all of the wires until the loose connection is found. I hate the sound of that, so I decided instead to purchase a BUDS system because even though I’m a very skilled do-it-yourselfer, these bikes have many things that can go wrong (7 control modules worth) - and I want to know for sure what it is. I prefer NOT to go at it myself with guess-work and all of the internet “disinformation” that’s available, and we can’t afford to have it looked at by a BRP service shop. Besides, the nearest one is 28 miles away.

Well after installation, the BUDS hardware/software told me immediately what was wrong. The start button wasn’t making contact. So I opened the multi-switch assembly (right-hand side, engine kill/cruise control/start button) only to find an array of tape (or ribbon) switches that are mechanically activated by the hardware toggle, slide and push buttons, and all of the ribbons lead to a factory sealed junction that leads out with a gang of bunched wires in a rubber tube going to the middle inside the handlebars, and ending in a multi-pin pigtail connector.

So back to the internet I go to discover that the only (FACTORY) fix for this is to replace the entire multi-switch/wire harness assembly. At around $130 JUST for the part(s) (and BEFORE a shop’s mark-up) - I decided to try another approach first. I researched electronics sites and found a low profile, circuit-board mount, DPST, momentary push-button switch that I was able to buy from Amazon. I couldn’t find a single one and had to buy a five-pack, but at $11 and change - it’s well worth it. Regarding clearance within the assembly, it turned-out to be a perfect fit! I cut off the old switch, scraped away a small bit of the tape covering the copper “traces” that ended inside the old switch, tinned those ends with solder, soldered the new switch to them, and then epoxied the new switch to the spot where the old switch was. I’ve included a few photos to show the old switch (and it’s soft rubber cover - next to it) alongside one of the new switches and it’s packaging (for part number reference). Also 2 pics of the new switch in place (top and edge view) before reassembly. It works perfectly now.

Yes the BUDS system is expensive, but I’m the machine’s mechanic (for the foreseeable future) and it has already saved me allot of time and effort, guessing, hair pulling, headaches and backaches. I hope this info will do the same for some of you and if I can assist further by answering any questions, please - ask away! Thanks for reading, and happy holidays.