2021 Spyder RT not starting - any ideas?

[cwhowardjr17]

Hello. Sorry for the lengthy post.

My wife just got a used 2021 Spyder RT with 1700 miles from California with still the factory warranty and my wife drove 800 miles to get home. After my wife went to register the RT, we were going on our first ride together with mine. We tried to start it and all kinds of things lite up. The instrument panel it come up with VSS, key not recognizes and trunk open. When we try to start it the Spyder, it would crank for about a second and nothing and the instrument panel would start blinking and heard a clicking noises. I can’t even get to get the codes from the settings. Then we couldn’t see anything except the warning lights. The battery is tight with star washers and the oil is at the correct level. We called for a tow and went to get something to eat at a nearby restaurant figuring if we left it alone for a bit it would do something different, it did the same thing as before. A few times it would start but shut back down. We got it home and parked it and covered it. We did followed the correct start up and had out foot on the brake. I have looked here, google and YouTube. Is there anything else I could check?

I was a mechanic for 20 years so I’m pretty handy around things. I have a appointment middle of next month at the dealership. This weekend I’ll be going to my first meet up with a spyder group and will ask questions and see if anyone has a BUDS tester and willing to come to my house to at least get the codes.

I think I covered everything. Tomorrow I am off so I’m gonna check a few things.

Charlie

[jtoro1]

Fault codes can be found on your display at the very end of settings

[spyderdave]

I always start w/ the easy stuff. As odd as this may sound given your RT is a 2021..., fully charge the battery, then load test it. My 2020 lights up every time I run the battery down while listening to the stereo.

[cwhowardjr17]

Hello, in my post I can’t get that far to check the codes, I know where they are at. However I will check the battery. Don’t have a load tester. Could I take the batter to autozone to get load tested?

[IdahoMtnSpyder]

Your battery is shot. When you hit the starter button the output voltage drops below 10.5. At that point all the computers go bonkers and the engine won't even turn over. Not like the good old days when a half-dead battery would still crank over the motor.

[Navydad]

Your battery is shot. When you hit the starter button the output voltage drops below 10.5. At that point all the computers go bonkers and the engine won't even turn over. Not like the good old days when a half-dead battery would still crank over the motor.

My first check would be the battery also. Just because the bike is a 2021 doesn't mean the battery is.

[cwhowardjr17]

Your battery is shot. When you hit the starter button the output voltage drops below 10.5. At that point all the computers go bonkers and the engine won't even turn over. Not like the good old days when a half-dead battery would still crank over the motor.

Thanks, that does make sense. Could I just goto autozone and get it checked. If it’s the battery could I just goto a local motorcycle shop for a battery.

[spyderdave]

Most (national chain) auto parts stores can load test; whether or not they have a battery for the RT is another question.

IMHO, don't cheap out on a battery; the advanced electronics on new vehicles draws heavily on a battery, and, as mentioned above, "the computers go bonkers".

[cwhowardjr17]

Thanks for all the replies. I’ll update tomorrow. I love it here.

[kamper]

i had to put a new battery in my 2021 RT this year. Even with a tender on it all winter it said no way and my lights went nuts also.

[IdahoMtnSpyder]

Thanks, that does make sense. Could I just goto autozone and get it checked. If it’s the battery could I just goto a local motorcycle shop for a battery.

You can do a load test yourself on the cheap. Connect voltmeter to the battery, open the throttle all the way, press the starter. If the voltage drops badly you know the battery is no good. Holding the throttle open keeps the bike from starting.

[Isopedella]

I am not a qualified mechanic but have been turning nuts for 50yrs and maintaining all my vehicles along the way so I guess I have picked up 1 or 2 mechanical skills along the way...

A simple multi meter is relatively cheap. For the price of taking it somewhere and paying for it to be tested its probably cheaper to get a multi meter.

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[K80Shooter]

Auto parts stores here in the USA normally do it for free.
Honestly, I've never saw one charge for this.

[trikermutha]

Check the connections first maybe they are just loose??

[cwhowardjr17]

Check the connections first maybe they are just loose??

That was the first thing I check and even put star washer on them

[IdahoMtnSpyder]

If it’s the battery could I just goto a local motorcycle shop for a battery.

Go wherever you can find one. The general consensus is for the money it's hard to beat the OEM Yuasa, YTX24HL. If you get the version where the acid is in a separate container be sure to let it sit for a day or two before charging, and then charge slowly at 2 or 3 amps until the charger shows full charge. Even if you get a "ready to use" one put it on a charger for several hours. Proper prep goes a long way to assuring a long life out of the battery.

[cwhowardjr17]

I was able to pull the codes U1150, P2301, P2307, P2304, U0100 AND C006C

[spyderdave]

And the battery???

[IdahoMtnSpyder]

I was able to pull the codes U1150, P2301, P2307, P2304, U0100 AND C006C.

I'd forget about those codes. When the battery is bad and the cluster goes bonkers you can get all kinds of meaningless codes.

[Navydad]

I was in a pinch and AutoZone had a Duralast for the Spyder. Two years old and working great. I keep it on a tender and I have a volt gauge on my Spyder.

[Mikey]

I'd forget about those codes. When the battery is bad and the cluster goes bonkers you can get all kinds of meaningless codes.

X2

[5Wheels]

Yes, like everyone has said: battery. I started the Spyder (2020 F3L) 2 weeks ago and decided to get a jacket. Shut the Spyder off, got my jacket and turned the key on. Display started flashing, VSS code, exclamation mark and other weird displays. took the battery out and took it to my mechanic neighbor. He checked it out and said "it's got a dead short." Spyder only has 5K mi on it and is only a year old, I bought it as a left over. Got a Yuasa, $108 and 3 day delivery from amazon. Installed it and everything's back to normal.

[Mikey]

Glad you got it fixed!!!! So many people get all hung up on the age of a battery and don't want to get it load tested, they can be bad right out of the box, and at most auto parts stores they will check it for free!! Good job!!!

[PW2013STL]

The clicking sound got me thinking about what happened to my 2020 RT. Turned out to be a blown fuse. There are two fuses that tie to the starter not sure which one to was as the mechanic who fixed it was off the day I picked it up. If your battery tested ok I would check your fuses.

[cwhowardjr17]

Something came up and I couldn’t test the battery. I’ll take of that tomorrow and check the fuses