Spring Start-Up Fail - any ideas or experience with this?

[csguru01]

2011 RT - Battery Good, All normal lights, gauges, & sounds, Start-wait period expires, hit mode button, all good, hit starter, EVERYTHING goes dead. Any ideas or anyone experience this?

Thanx in advance!

[ned64]

Have you had the battery load tested? Might be good for some things but still not good enough to start Spyder. Just an idea.

[Peter Aawen]

Have you had the battery load tested? Might be good for some things but still not good enough to start Spyder. Just an idea.

Load testing the battery and seeing it stay above 12 volts under ALL the testing is essential for our Spyders - other vehicles might be OK with something closer to 11 volts under load, some might even get away with 10.5 volts, but our Spyders NEED 12 volts or better under the significant loading that's imposed by cranking the starter at the same time as starting all the electrics!!

So your local mechanic or battery retailer saying they've load tested your battery and it is still 'Good' is NOT a suitable answer You need to know if it showed as maintaining 12 volts or better under all/full load scenarios - anything less is inadequate & lends itself to exactly the sort of thing you've described above csguru!! It might not be the sole cause of your issues, but without a good and fully charged battery providing 12 volts or better ALL the time, you'll never know if it's the battery just not being up to it, or if it's something else!!

Mind you, in my experience with issues like this (and I've seen more than just a few!!) 9 times out of 10 (or better!) it's the battery &/or its connections, terminals, or the earth points; especially on these older Spyders with their batteries under the seat and the main earth point that is easily stripped &/or otherwise compromised under there too! So get the battery load tested, making sure it's got better than 12 volts ALL the time; check, clean, and tighten ALL the terminals & their fittings/securing points, and then try starting it again; and please, come back and tell us what happens, even if it works and you're good to go!

[BLUEKNIGHT911]

2011 RT - Battery Good, All normal lights, gauges, & sounds, Start-wait period expires, hit mode button, all good, hit starter, EVERYTHING goes dead. Any ideas or anyone experience this?

Thanx in advance!

As others have just said .... sounds like the battery (also make sure the KILL switch isn't turned on). This is easy to solve ... Put JUMPER cables to your car/truck battery .... then connect the other end to your Spyder (do not turn the vehicle on - the battery is plenty strong enough to start the Spyder) .... Now start your Spyder .... if it starts then I think the battery has failed .... But don't despair, I brought a car battery that hadn't been used in four years and wouldn't even click the starter solenoid back to life! First, I used my HIGH-power Charger for 10 minutes then switched to an Optimate battery maintainer for 4 days .... the battery is now keeping a charge! ..... good luck .... Mike

[K80Shooter]

Also check your battery connections and make sure that they are tight.

[Mikey]

Also check your battery connections and make sure that they are tight.

BOTH ends!!!

[IdahoMtnSpyder]

2011 RT - Battery Good, All normal lights, gauges, & sounds, Start-wait period expires, hit mode button, all good, hit starter, EVERYTHING goes dead. Any ideas or anyone experience this?

Thanx in advance!

As others have said, your battery is shot. Even a near dead battery can show 12+ volts on a voltmeter. The Spyder electronics need more than 10.5 volts to operate. If your battery doesn't have enough oomph it's voltage will drop below that when you hit the starter button and the electronics will go dark.