No Start Up Screen, Starter Does Not Engage! Fitted new battery, still dead!??

[DianaDavis]

My 2012 RT Limited SE5 had been dealing with a failing battery. Placed it on a battery tender which helped and occasionally have had to jump start it. After not starting for a few weeks while on the battery tender, I put the key in, turned it to ON, the gauges swing around and then it bypasses the Startup Menu (where it says to press the Mode button to confirm reading the Safety Card). I press the Mode button anyway and then press the Start Button, nothing happens. Not even a click. Purchased and installed a new battery and it still bypasses the Startup Menu and will not start. I held down the Mode, Set, and Turn Signal button, no codes are displayed. Checked the Kill switch. Checked the fuses. Ideas? Thanks!

 

[Woodaddict]

maybe still in 1st gear? press brake to make sure not in gear. will NOT start if in gear , safety

 

[billybovine]

Whenever the battery is disconnected and reconnected the first time. There will not be a message to press the mode button or a need to do so. That's normal.

Go back to the basics. Seat yourself on the Spyder. Turn on the key. Press mode button when told to do so. Press down on the brake pedal. Look for the brake lights to come on. Make sure the kill switch is in the run position. Press the start button.

 

[BajaRon]

It may well be a dead battery.

However, I would still try the basic steps outlined by billybovine just to be sure. If you get a new battery, don't scrimp. You don't need the best battery in the world. But don't go cheap. Spyders are very sensitive to battery condition.

 

[Chupaca]

Curious...

The new battery... where did you get it..? what brand/kind is it..? was it dry and then filled before they gave it to you..? if so was it put on a charger (not a tender)..? just trying to see if the new battery is fully charged... :thumbup:

 

[DianaDavis]

The bike is in Reverse (semi automatic) and I think will stay that way until it starts then the computer will shift it into Neutral.

I seated myself on it, turned key to On, was not told to press the Mode button. It goes directly to the main screen (see attached picture). Pressed the Mode button anyway. Pressed down on the brake pedal and brake lights came on. Kill switch is in the run position. When I press the Start button, not even a click.

The new battery came from Batteries Plus. Yuasa XTAX24HL-BS, I think it was prefilled (isn't that what the BS means?), but there is a box inside the main box that says Battery Fluid, Acid. I fully charged it on a charger. Didn't get it from the dealer because I will be trading in later this year for a 2019 Spyder.

All the other electronics seem to be working (radio, turn signals, fog lights, position lights). The headlights do not come on. The park light indicator is blinking and the oil light is solid. Still no error codes. Front lights go out when key is removed, but Backup Lights stay on for a couple of seconds.



Thanks for the help!

 

[billybovine]

Very good description of what is happening. From your description, the no start problem has nothing to do with your battery. That is because everything powers up as it should, but absolutely nothing happens when you push the start button.

Since you do not have to push the mode button when the key is turned on, it has been off for more then 5 minutes and the battery has not been disconnected. May point to a pre start relay or fuse. I will take a look at the wiring diagram for a possible cause that matches your symtoms.

 

[billybovine]

Turn on the ignition key.
Do you hear the fuel pump run for a couple seconds?
If yes. Ignore the rest of the message.

If no. Watch the display for about a minute.
Do you see a message appear for only a couple seconds saying "BAD KEY".

 

[DianaDavis]

When I turn the key to On, there is a high pitched whine for a few seconds before the screen comes on. I think that is the fuel pump.

There is no message about a bad key and I have tried both of my keys.

 

[fatboy]

did you put the acid in then charge

 

[Snowbelt Spyder]

did you put the acid in then charge

I was about to ask the same thing. Diana, the -BS means that it is NOT pre-filled. That's why the question.

 

[DianaDavis]

The store must have put the acid in. Thanks for the info on the BS designation.

 

[billybovine]

When I turn the key to On, there is a high pitched whine for a few seconds before the screen comes on. I think that is the fuel pump.

There is no message about a bad key and I have tried both of my keys.

So that means the ecm is happy with all the safety inputs and is ready to go.

My best guess then is the actual start button has gone bad. But they usually start working intermittently first. The other possible cause is the pre start relay is loose or bad. It is in position R2 in the fuse box. Pull it out and reseat it back in and or switch it with another one of the other ones. See item 2 in the attached picture.

 

[billybovine]

If the battery is bad or there is a bad connection to it or ground. Everything will light up fine but when the start button is pressed. There will be a click and the starter will try to engage. The voltage drops below 10V. The gauge cluster will go blank. The starter will disengage. Voltage will go back and gauge cluster will reboot. There is no description of that. Pressing the start button does absolutely nothing. So not a battery issue.

 

[DianaDavis]

So I switched the R1 and R2 relays. No luck.

It still does not display the Safety / Press Mode button screen. I guess that doesn't happen until it starts the first time after the battery change?

I assume the start button isn't something a non-mechanic like me can install.

So we are shopping for a car hauler to take it to the dealer.

Thanks for all the help!

 

[Snowbelt Spyder]

Well, one last thing. When you go through your start procedure and press the start push button, can you feel relay R2 click? Easy to feel. Is so, the button and circuitry is fine. Another gotcha that can get people when changing a battery, is to miss getting all of the wires on the battery terminals. The positive terminal has three wires that need connected. One is to the starter solenoid.

 

[DianaDavis]

Relay 2 does not click. I'm going to take the fiberglass back off tomorrow and check whether 3 wires are on the positive terminal. You may be a mind (or Spydie) reader. WIll keep you posted. Thanks again!

 

[billybovine]

Well, one last thing. When you go through your start procedure and press the start push button, can you feel relay R2 click? Easy to feel. Is so, the button and circuitry is fine. Another gotcha that can get people when changing a battery, is to miss getting all of the wires on the battery terminals. The positive terminal has three wires that need connected. One is to the starter solenoid.

Good point. Every Spyder I have seen has only one ring terminal going to positive post on the battery. But RT series wiring diagram shows 3 and if the wire going to the starter solenoid is not connected. That would do it.

 

[DianaDavis]

Battery connections

I see 2 connections to the positive terminal with 3 groups of wires (see pic). I included a pic of the negative side too. Can't see any loose wires.

 

[billybovine]

That actually looks right to me. 3 wires but 2 share the same ring terminal.