RTL Died on the Road - what do you think happened here??

[KrzyKat007]

I have a 2024 RTL S2S with about 350 miles. Today I was traveling at about 50mph on a rural road when the low fuel indicator flashed on and then off. Then the engine just died and I coasted to the side of the road. The distance to empty showed 93 miles and there were three bars showing on the fuel gauge. There were no codes or messages on the display, and the only fault code was the apple car play connectivity/cluster issue. I turned the key off, waited about 15 seconds, turned it back on, and it started right up. Nothing unusual. I drove back about 5 miles to a gas station and filled it up---it only took 4.4 gallons. I drove about another 10-15 miles and then back home with no issues. I never took my hand off the throttle, so I did not hit the kill switch. Was this just a hiccup? I rode my 2022 RTL for two years with no issues at all. Any thoughts about what happened? I hate to think about what would have happened if I would have been in traffic!!

 

[BajaRon]

Something is definitely up there. You might get back to the dealer and see if there are any codes that might point out what happened and why.

 

[Woodenfish]

Possible battery problem or poor or loose connection with cables.

 

[Quickdraw]

Possible battery problem or poor or loose connection with cables.

My first thought as well. Or, and this is one that I've done as well, but maybe the kill switch was hit by mistake? That actually happened to me the other day. But the switch wasn't all the way off, which is the odd part. That's why I didn't notice it immediately.

 

[Cosmo]

My first thought as well. Or, and this is one that I've done as well, but maybe the kill switch was hit by mistake? That actually happened to me the other day. But the switch wasn't all the way off, which is the odd part. That's why I didn't notice it immediately.

Happened to me also.

 

[KrzyKat007]

I don't remember taking my hand off the throttle, BUT that doesn't mean it did not happen. I guess I'll know in time!

 

[ollicat]

So, I have hit the kill switch while driving down the highway before. I put it back in position and clicked the ignition and it started back up, all while going 5 mph. Did that do any harm to the Spyder?

 

[ZFGBravo]

I know I am a total noob here but in my eyes an engine is an engine. With the way these things are computer controlled these days I would deff check if there were any codes that it didn't throw up if not my old brain is thinking of some gunk or water got sucked into the fuel filter and choked it out then got flushed out on the restart. Had it happen a few times on older street bikes, cars and so on.

 

[KrzyKat007]

I've ridden the bike for several hundred miles since this happened with no problems, so I'm pretty comfortable taking it out on the road again.

 

[Peter Aawen]

So, I have hit the kill switch while driving down the highway before. I put it back in position and clicked the ignition and it started back up, all while going 5 mph. Did that do any harm to the Spyder?

No, and I'd suggest that unless you stop, you don't hafta be going slow or click the ignition to just ride on, especially if you're going over about 25 mph! :lecturef_smilie:

If you're going faster than about 25 mph & you hit the Kill Switch for any reason, accidentally or on purpose, the engine will shut off cos it's not getting spark/power, but it's still turning; and if it was in gear when you shut it off, it's still driving the engine from the rear wheel turning, so the driveline is all engaged and it's generally just a matter of restoring the spark/power to let the engine start running again without any need to do anything with the ignition (you didn't turn that OFF, did you!, ) so you can ride on, no foul, no harm! hyeah:

At least, that's how it's worked for me on pretty much every Spyder I've ever ridden (& that's quite a few now! ) - it's an old and probably pointless habit, I know; but I generally do that at least once per ride, usually early in the piece, just to remind myself that the Kill Switch is there and working, but then I don't ever use it at all after that apart from that little test! The Kill Switch on modern machines like our Spyders is really just a carried over anachronism from the days bikes had gravity fed fuel sitting on top of a hot engine dripping gas into an open carb with poorly insulated spark plugs & leads just there, creating a 'fire-ball' concern - and we don't have any of that any more, haven't had for years; our Spyders are just like smaller & slightly more exposed modern cars - do you have a Kill Switch on your daily driver/car?? Ever had any concerns about not having one there?

So anyhoo, most likely you've done absolutely no harm; but if you have, it'd likely be minor & only to the starter/starter gear, cos it's just not designed to work while the engine's running, and as outlined above, there was likely no real need to click it anyway - but the starters are pretty robust, how many times have you accidentally clicked the starter momentarily when the engine was already running?? Done any real &/or detectable harm yet doing that?? I didn't think so... :thumbup:

See my Sig Line below. :cheers:

 

[PMK]

Glad to read your issue seems resolved.

Based on your first post, I would speculate the electrical power to the fuel pump was interrupted for some reason. If it happens again, that may be a place to begin troubleshooting.

The likelihood of it being a kill switch concern, while possible, does not seem viable or your fuel quantity indicating systems would have malfunctioned at the same time. I did not drag out a wiring diagram, but I would believe that the fuel pump power feed or ground is shared with the low fuel indicator.

 

[WRCLVR]

OR it could have been another cluster issue... like when the whole thing goes blank on you... I would take that back to the dealer and hope they can actually read the codes from the ECU and the screen...

 

[ollicat]

No, and I'd suggest that unless you stop, you don't hafta be going slow or click the ignition to just ride on, especially if you're going over about 25 mph! :lecturef_smilie:

If you're going faster than about 25 mph & you hit the Kill Switch for any reason, accidentally or on purpose, the engine will shut off cos it's not getting spark/power, but it's still turning; and if it was in gear when you shut it off, it's still driving the engine from the rear wheel turning, so the driveline is all engaged and it's generally just a matter of restoring the spark/power to let the engine start running again without any need to do anything with the ignition (you didn't turn that OFF, did you!, ) so you can ride on, no foul, no harm! hyeah:

At least, that's how it's worked for me on pretty much every Spyder I've ever ridden (& that's quite a few now! ) - it's an old and probably pointless habit, I know; but I generally do that at least once per ride, usually early in the piece, just to remind myself that the Kill Switch is there and working, but then I don't ever use it at all after that apart from that little test! The Kill Switch on modern machines like our Spyders is really just a carried over anachronism from the days bikes had gravity fed fuel sitting on top of a hot engine dripping gas into an open carb with poorly insulated spark plugs & leads just there, creating a 'fire-ball' concern - and we don't have any of that any more, haven't had for years; our Spyders are just like smaller & slightly more exposed modern cars - do you have a Kill Switch on your daily driver/car?? Ever had any concerns about not having one there?

So anyhoo, most likely you've done absolutely no harm; but if you have, it'd likely be minor & only to the starter/starter gear, cos it's just not designed to work while the engine's running, and as outlined above, there was likely no real need to click it anyway - but the starters are pretty robust, how many times have you accidentally clicked the starter momentarily when the engine was already running?? Done any real &/or detectable harm yet doing that?? I didn't think so... :thumbup:

See my Sig Line below. :cheers:

Thank you!!! That makes sense now and makes me feel a lot better. I have only done it once before so it kind of spooked me and I really didn't understand what all was still happening with the kill switch off (ignition was on). Now I know if it happens again, just flip the kill switch back and ride on.

 

[KrzyKat007]

There is only one dealership in the entire state, and they are "very busy"... In the meantime, as long as the bike runs, I'll keep riding it. I've been stranded on the road several times with one of my Goldwings, and had to call for a tow truck... so I know what to expect. It just gets a little harder for an old guy.