Spyder Dies Momentarily - anyone else had this issue?

[Freddy]

My old GS SM5 has shut down momentarily on 3 occasions over the last few months. Twice it's done it while slowing to make a turn off the throttle; yesterday it did it while cruising at 80kph with immediate power loss then within a second or two, the dash lights and dials do the start routine with 'press mode button' as if the bike had been parked and ignition just turned on, but the engine kicks back on even before getting to press the mode button. The trike's only non-stock electrical accessory is heated grips, which have been there for years. No fault code. I have owned the trike since new. It has 103,000km on the odometer.

After it happened the second time I fitted a new battery a month ago as the one in there was 5-6 years old, so I was unpleasantly surprised when it did it yesterday in the middle of a 400km ride with my beloved pillion. There have been no other symptoms of anything amiss. I will check the relays and fuses for security and cleanliness today.

I don't recall ever reading of such an issue - has anyone else?

TIA.

[Peter Aawen]

Can't say that I've heard of this happening too often before, Freddy, altho I reckon there's at least one other earlier mention amongst the older threads (can't recall ever seeing a resolution tho? ); but for what it's worth, I do wonder if there might be a loose connection/dodgy plug either on the back of your dash module or on the ECU itself?? I can't really think of anything else outside compromised wiring somewhere or a short within one of those modules that'd cause the system to 'inexplicably shut-down then restart' like that.... except for maybe a short in the ignition wiring/plug itself?

I wouldn't read too much into the engine kicking back on again as you described tho, that is something I've seen/experienced before, and it'll occur readily enough if you're still rolling in gear when/if the Ignition circuit is momentarily interrupted for whatever reason...usually, at least in my personal experience, that reason has been an ID 10 T Operator Error - something I've been known to resemble on a few occasions! I've also noticed that it generally takes some minutes of ignition power interruption for the system to actually insist on you doing the whole 'press mode' thing again, so even tho it might flash on the dash for a second or so, it's always skipped ahead & started running again, so the system 'insisting on you pressing mode' thing is not something I've encountered when things have been suddenly shut down while the Spyder's been actually moving (not yet anyway ) - thankfully!

[Bfromla]

Almost similar with SE5 still undetermined
https://www.spyderlovers.com/forums/...k-engine-light

[Snowbelt Spyder]

Yeah Freddy, agree that it's some type of electrical power issue, as though something is losing its connection momentarily. I recall that on these older machines, sometimes one of the relays in your fuse box can work themselves loose and just need to be pushed back in. And folks have also removed them in order to clean the pins and then pushed them back in. Could even need to just replace the relay with new. So, I think that you're on the right track there. Plus, re-visit your battery terminals and make sure the connections are still tight.

[Freddy]

Thanks for the reminder about the relays, Doug. I think I even have a couple of spares I bought a dozen years ago for a rainy day. And those battery bolts are good and tight. I made sure they were when I fitted the battery a month ago. It's a real pain to get to, as you know. I'll have my 17yo grandson here tomorrow and we'll investigate it together - didn't get a chance today.

[Freddy]

I checked the relays in the fuse box and they were secure. Mine has the 'updated' lid with the rubber lining on the under side of the lid to prevent the relays vibrating loose like they did on the earlier ones. The 4 relays are the same so I swapped them around to see if that makes any different in the future. All the fuses were secure too, including the set under the seat. It could be a while before I report back, as the Spyder is 1 of 5 bikes I have.

[Freddy]

Update: Since swapping a few relays around 6 months ago, the issue has not resurfaced - must have just been a poor connection on one of the fuses or relays I removed and replced.

[wtmjr]

My trike has done this several times. After about 3 or 4 minutes with the switch off the panel stays on then turns off, I can restart it after the panel turns off. It is concerning, but I haven't thought much about it because I just replaced the wiring harness and DPS and it's still running in limp home mode. I need to wait until next income tax return to get it to the shop and have them put it on BUDS and initialize the DPS and clear the recurring VSS error. But I think it only happens after a shifting error. I don't think it likes down shifting after a stop very much. Sincerely William

[BLUEKNIGHT911]

My trike has done this several times. After about 3 or 4 minutes with the switch off the panel stays on then turns off, I can restart it after the panel turns off. It is concerning, but I haven't thought much about it because I just replaced the wiring harness and DPS and it's still running in limp home mode. I need to wait until next income tax return to get it to the shop and have them put it on BUDS and initialize the DPS and clear the recurring VSS error. But I think it only happens after a shifting error. I don't think it likes down shifting after a stop very much. Sincerely William

"I don't think it likes downshifting after a stop very much" ????? .... Can you elaborate on this ......Mike

[ARtraveler]

I had it happen one time on my 2014 RTS. It was a dangerous situation for me. I was pulling off a side road onto a busy highway. It just quit. Fortunately for me, there was no traffic when I made my move. It has never surfaced again.

[wtmjr]

Okay Mike, when I come to a quick stop without time to fully down shift, leaving the trike in 3rd or 4th gear, then at a full stop with the engine at idle down shifting to 1st.Then it has died when starting forward But twice it occurred when driving very slow in 2nd for a turn or in a parking lot. William

[BLUEKNIGHT911]

Okay Mike, when I come to a quick stop without time to fully down shift, leaving the trike in 3rd or 4th gear, then at a full stop with the engine at idle down shifting to 1st.Then it has died when starting forward But twice it occurred when driving very slow in 2nd for a turn or in a parking lot. William

OK thanks ....I somehow missed that you have a MANUAL trans..... sorry ...Mike

[pegasus1300]

I have had it happen to my 2012 RTL in making slow speed 90* turns. Hasn't happened enough to get a pattern and it has been awhile since the last time it happened.