Now No Reverse! Just got my Spyder back after recall OK yesterday - Ideas?

[sandeejs]

So, finally got my Spyder back from shop for the recall. Yesterday, I went into reverse easy as you please. Today.... Not so much. In fact, not at all. And the horn won't honk either. Maybe a fuse blew? Where would I start? What fuse connects both? (If any.)

[BertRemington]

And the horn won't honk either.

Federal regulations require the horn to honk with ignition off. This is also true of brake lights although they are on a separate circuit. To verify circuit press the brake pedal. If the brake lights don't illuminate something weird happened. If they do check RFB F5 25A (this is most likely problem) or RFB J2 40A.

Then call your dealer tomorrow morning.

[Mikey]

X2 on calling dealer and at least tell them they left you a mess if you can solve it and it don't happen again!! Good Luck, I hate eletrical gremlins!

[ARtraveler]

x3. Sounds like a dealer induced glitch to me.

[chipveres]

The gremlin was installed free, no extra charge.

[Jetfixer]

Look underneath from the left side. There's a bracket that hangs down about the middle of the bike. This bracket holds your reverse actuator. If the bracket looks bent, the actuator is probably damaged. They are easily bent by jacking the bike at the wrong point or by backing off of a lift that's too steep. It sounds like it could be dealer-induced damage.

[sandeejs]

I'm fixing to go roll on the ground under my Spyder. Anything else I should look for while I'm crouched?
If they damaged the actuator Thursday, wouldn't that have caused problems earlier?

[JKMSPYDER]

I have had my reverse actuator switch replaced twice. There was no damage to the bracket either time. Bad luck I guess!

[BertRemington]

Wouldn't it be easier to check if your brake lights operate as I described above?

And then to check RFB F5 25A ATO/ATC fuse for continuity?

As much as I like crawling around underneath my Spyder with a flashlight with grit falling in my eyes I like standing over it more.

What fuse connects both? (If any.)

There isn't any common circuit for the horn and the reverse function. If the brake lights work and the horn doesn't and F5 hasn't opened, then as suggested above the symptoms are pointing to an LHS problem as described above. I'm assuming all other Ignition-On functions work properly.

[sandeejs]

So, I tried to look under the Spyder to check the actuator. Not sure what it looks like, but I didn't see any evidence of damage. Had to cut it short, because every few minutes a car would stop and people would offer assistance to get me off the ground. Or to call an ambulance. The brake lights work well. Got dark before fuse pulling could commence. Stay tuned for tomorrow's adventure.

[Isopedella]

Now that made me smile.

I think....The actuator sits below the front pulley and lowest to the ground. Maybe a mirror may help.

actuator maxresdefault.jpg

[BertRemington]

How to check RFB F5 without opening fuse box: start your Spyder and switch-on the fog lights. If they illuminate then F5 is good and your problem is most likely the LHS as described above.

[sandeejs]

So, I pulled RFB F5 25A. The fuse itself did not look blown. The contacts had a bit of corrosion (?) on them, so I replaced anyway. RFB J2 40 A looked different to me, so I stepped back and consulted you tube. I don't have a replacement for it anyhow. Tomorrow I'll pull and examine it. Got an appointment at another shop for Thursday.

[BertRemington]

The contacts had a bit of corrosion (?) on them, so I replaced anyway.

This is a bit worrisome. The Reverse button on the LHS is not a direct wire connection to the Console, TCM, etc but rather sends a CANBUS message when it is pressed. Isolating this possibility takes special equipment. Not expensive, just very technical.

The construction of the LHS can be a bit fussy. The 2018 models were problematic. So we're back to diagnosing the possibility of JKM's problem

I have had my reverse actuator switch replaced twice.

JKM -- how did you fault isolate your switch problem?

[JKMSPYDER]

I could not shift out of neutral. Both times the dealer replaced the switch. The left hand control unit was not affected.

[BertRemington]

Both times the dealer replaced the switch. The left hand control unit was not affected.

I'm confused. What switch?