It finally happened...

[Laila's Dad]

Hello all,

I hope that you are ready to jump right over hump day with ease. The past several weeks the "check engine" light and message has been coming on my spyder. It has happened before but once every so many months, but lately almost every day. Normally I just turn the spyder off and leave it for a minute or so and the light and message will go away. However with it happening almost every time I start it, I began to worry that this might not be as simple as a little glitch. Last night I was at a bike night with the CMA and wouldn't you know it I was the last one to leave. I turn the key on and the spyder won't start :yikes:. I hit the mode switch as usual and put the kill switch to on and hit the starter but nothing but a loud blowing noise??? The other thing is it was in 1st gear and I couldn't get it to go to neutral. Finally I was able to start in 1st gear and I assumed that when I got home all would be normal again. I get home and shut her down and it still won't go into neutral. I tried the trick on the spyder codes app to try to pull up active codes but nothing came up for me. 30 minutes...45 minutes...1 hour goes by and I still can't get it in neutral and now it won't start again and I have the loud blowing noise when I hit the starter. Oh yeah the check engine was back on...This morning it was in neutral when I turned it on but I knew I had played too long and it was time for a trip to the shop. I was going to have it towed there with the warranty but I figured I would chance it and drive it to the shop. Luckily the spyder made it to the shop without issue. They say I should know something by Thursday afternoon or Friday morning. Hopefully it is no biggie and if it is that it is under the warranty coverage. If it isn't covered by warranty then you all can stay posted for a good deal on a used spyder that needs work because Laila's birthday and Christmas is 3 days apart and my wife's birthday is 2 weeks after that so my extra money is already allocated. ray:ray:ray:ray:ray:ray:

 

[FaranH]

Hope it's all covered and you aren't out much $$ at all!

 

[Lamonster]

The other thing is it was in 1st gear and I couldn't get it to go to neutral.

This is why I always tell SE guys and gals to put it in neutral before you shut it down. If you have a weak battery you may not be able to crank it enough to get it to go into neutral.

Sounds like you have a battery issue to me. This colder weather will tax a weak battery. Hope that's all it is. :doorag:

 

[bruiser]

What Lamont said. Sudden onset of cold weather like we have now will kill a weak/older battery fast. I've been having issues with mine. Batteries are funny things. Bruisersbaby has a 2010 RTS with original battery and no issues. I have a 2012 RTS and my battery acts like it's dying.

Yesterday we went from 62 degrees to 42 in three hours with snow flurries in the evening. Unusual for our part of NC.

 

[billybovine]

I am sure your dealer will get you fixed up. About your concern that your Spyder was in gear and maybe that was a cause of it not starting. As stated in your owners manual a SE will start in any gear. For safety reasons BRP makes you press the brake pedal before the starter will operate in any gear except neutral. After it starts it will shift to neutral on its own. As demonstrated in the video.

 

[Spyder Tony]

I'm hoping your fix is both fast and covered under warranty. I agree that family ALWAYS comes first, but I still hate to see you without your ryde. hang in there, my friend, and may the Spyder Gods bring you good news on Thursday :thumbup:

 

[3 Wheel Addict]

Blowing noise could be the starter spinning but not cranking the engine? Also weak battery... dealer should know for sure on that.

 

[Laila's Dad]

This is why I always tell SE guys and gals to put it in neutral before you shut it down. If you have a weak battery you may not be able to crank it enough to get it to go into neutral.

Sounds like you have a battery issue to me. This colder weather will tax a weak battery. Hope that's all it is. :doorag:

I hope it is just the battery...although that may not be covered under warranty(not sure) it shouldn't be too expensive. I am pretty sure I put it in neutral and hit the parking break each time. Now I have messed that procedure up before but I have pretty much built a habit of doing it all the same way each time so in this one case(many other times it is user error) I am thinking it is something with the spyder that is causing the weird stuff.

 

[Laila's Dad]

I am sure your dealer will get you fixed up. About your concern that your Spyder was in gear and maybe that was a cause of it not starting. As stated in your owners manual a SE will start in any gear. For safety reasons BRP makes you press the brake pedal before the starter will operate in any gear except neutral. After it starts it will shift to neutral on its own. As demonstrated in the video.

That is what I was depending on. When I first got the spyder, I will be honest I shut her down a few times while it was in 1st or without the parking brake engaged and got the beeping noise but as you stated and the video shows once I got it started it went to neutral. I have been riding a year now and I have gotten pretty consistent with shutting her down the correct way...In my case yesterday, it wouldn't shift to neutral at all even after killing it and starting it more than 3 or 4 times.

 

[Laila's Dad]

Blowing noise could be the starter spinning but not cranking the engine? Also weak battery... dealer should know for sure on that.

I am going to pretend that I didn't see the part about the starter and just stick with it hopefully just being the battery.

 

[jerpinoy]

I hope its only weak battery. Did you ever tried to jump the battery?

 

[ARtraveler]

Please keep us posted. Never good to see someone having issues with the :ani29:. I am not the mechanic, so have to sit back and watch this one.

 

[billybovine]

Questions

Sorry but there have been several folks in the past that believed it had to be in neutral to start. Like a car with an auto transmission.

I have questions.
When the check engine light comes on, what is the message that scrolls across the screen?
According to the service manual there is always a message that goes with a check engine light.
When it fails to shift to neutral does the engine rev 3 times in a row to 2000 rpm?
If it did not rev it points to a bad Blipper solenoid, computer or electrical fault. If it did rev and failed to shift this points to low oil, dirty oil or filter or a mechanical linkage issue.

 

[Laila's Dad]

I hope its only weak battery. Did you ever tried to jump the battery?

I have had to jump the battery before...months back, I left it in the on position and by the time I realized it, she wouldn't start. I called the dealer and they said since it still shows the time and comes on but won't start that a quick boost would do it. It worked and I haven't had any problems since then.

 

[Laila's Dad]

Sorry but there have been several folks in the past that believed it had to be in neutral to start. Like a car with an auto transmission.

I have questions.
When the check engine light comes on, what is the message that scrolls across the screen?
According to the service manual there is always a message that goes with a check engine light.
When it fails to shift to neutral does the engine rev 3 times in a row to 2000 rpm?
If it did not rev it points to a bad Blipper solenoid, computer or electrical fault. If it did rev and failed to shift this points to low oil, dirty oil or filter or a mechanical linkage issue.

I don't know much if anything at all about my spyder or my truck for that matter when it comes to working on a vehicle so when the sales rep said it had to be in neutral with the parking brake engaged to shut her down properly I went with that...The message that came across the display screen said "check engine" so it matches the engine light that shows. As for the engine reving, it did nothing. Once I finally got it started in 1st and attempted to put it in neutral there was no noise or anything. It was as if I wasn't even pressing the shift paddle. The only time there was any noise was when it was off and I tried to start it. When I pressed the starter I heard a blowing noise but it wouldn't start. Unfortunately, I couldn't pull up any code or anything to see if it was more to it...

 

[Bob Denman]

If you had "Battery Issues" prior to this; that certainly does give you the best first place to look for a solution... :shocked:
Here's to hoping, that it's just that simple! :cheers:

 

[Don in E Texas]

Same issue here.....

solved with a new battery. These machines do not like low voltage. Hope your final fix is as simple.

Don

 

[Laila's Dad]

spoke to my dealer today...

And they said I have a bad o2 sensor. They ordered the part on Wednesday and expect it in on Monday or Tuesday. I will miss out on some riding time but luckily they say the warranty covers it so as long as this is the needed fix I will make up for the lost riding days.

 

[Bob Denman]

I'm glad to hear that a solution is in the works for you! :2thumbs:

 

[Laila's Dad]

Great news! The part came in Friday so my spyder was ready this morning. I got to ride today after all. Woo hoo!