Left Stranded...Possible Failed Battery?

[Jerry/MD]

Looking for some thoughts. Went for a short ride yesterday and the Check Engine light came On. Trike started to limit the speed, then light went out. This went on for a few miles, Check Engine light comes On, then goes Off. Pulled over and shut down hoping maybe a Reset of the system would clear. Nope. Now Trike won't start. Voltmeter when turning On shows 10V and immediately drops below 8V when trying to start. Had her towed to a local dealer. Won't know for a few days what they found. Initial indications suggest this could be a battery problem. Anyone else have something similar happen? Just glad I was local and riding with a few friends. Most of the time it's just me and the BSR. Gotta say something like this makes ya think. Oh, and the odometer just turned 18k miles. Love my Blackened Cayenne 3 wheeler but this has me a bit spooked.

Jerry

 

[Keystone]

Had a very similar thing happen last year on my way to Sturgis.Symptoms were exactly as you described. Ended up being an $11.31 terminal pin connector located directly behind the AC.

 

[Sully]

Makes you wish we still had Kick Starters :Shrug:

 

[Jerry/MD]

Had a very similar thing happen last year on my way to Sturgis.Symptoms were exactly as you described. Ended up being an $11.31 terminal pin connector located directly behind the AC.

That had to be tough to find. Wonder if an error code pointed them in the right direction?

Jerry

 

[Gorilla]

Hi you didnt say how old your trike is but I'm guessing that the battery gave out.

 

[Keystone]

That had to be tough to find. Wonder if an error code pointed them in the right direction?

Jerry

Yeah, error code pointed them in the right direction. Once on the lift it was less than an hour before they had it figured out, repaired, and I was on my way.

 

[pcombe]

ThumbUpMsoko sent me this to download code #'s and decipher what they mean.

Pay attention to what it says. After you take the codes off your instrument panel you can go back in and get the part numbers that correspond to the codes.

I went on ebay and typed in the part numbers and it showed me what part it was I was dealing with.

http://www.fuelmotousa.com/p-29661-h...ble-codes.html.

 

[FuzzyWuzHe]

ThumbUpMsoko sent me this to download code #'s and decipher what they mean.

Pay attention to what it says. After you take the codes off your instrument panel you can go back in and get the part numbers that correspond to the codes.

I went on ebay and typed in the part numbers and it showed me what part it was I was dealing with.

http://www.fuelmotousa.com/p-29661-h...ble-codes.html.

Way kewl ... thanks for reposting and thanks to msocko for sharing.

 

[lboos]

Jerry,
You need a new battery, went thru. the same thing.

 

[DK Custom Products]

Could very well be a battery, but, more often than not, it is a poor battery connection/ground connection.

 

[fuelmoto]

Very likely a loose battery terminal

 

[dirtdobber]

Did it throw a code?
It acted like my cvo 110 did when the voltage regulator went out.

 

[Jerry/MD]

Hi you didnt say how old your trike is but I'm guessing that the battery gave out.

It's a 2014 Gorilla. A bit young to have a battery issue. Who knows.

Jerry

- - - Updated - - -

Very likely a loose battery terminal

That was one of the first things I checked. Both terminals were tight.

Jerry

 

[lboos]

I had this prob. on my 2013 when it was just a little over a year old, I told them I thought it was the battery. the dealer kept saying the battery ck. good on their computer batt. test, so they changed the voltage reg, then the stator, then trouble shooting the wiring, then another voltage reg. all this after six trips back to the dealer. finely the supervisor told them to change the battery no matter what the battery tester said, prob. solved .
but not before the maint. guy ran up a bill to Harley of $1100 dollars, all because of a bad battery, there are not to many real mech's any more, they just do what the computer's say's to do.
good luck to you with this prob. Jerry

 

[pcombe]

I had this prob. on my 2013 when it was just a little over a year old, I told them I thought it was the battery. the dealer kept saying the battery ck. good on their computer batt. test, so they changed the voltage reg, then the stator, then trouble shooting the wiring, then another voltage reg. all this after six trips back to the dealer. finely the supervisor told them to change the battery no matter what the battery tester said, prob. solved .
but not before the maint. guy ran up a bill to Harley of $1100 dollars, all because of a bad battery, there are not to many real mech's any more, they just do what the computer's say's to do.
good luck to you with this prob. Jerry

You are absolutely correct about mechanics these days, they are more or less parts changers.
Its wise to get a motor manual, a parts catalog and learn to do things yourself.
Even the best mechanics started somewhere?

 

[GoSlo]

Did it throw a code?
It acted like my cvo 110 did when the voltage regulator went out.

I had a 2012 Limited and it started losing power and volt gauge dropped to around 10, so I shut off the lights, radio and anything else I could think of. Got a few miles down the road and all the gauge went crazy...needles bouncing all over and the volt gauge dropped to zero...it died right there. Had it towed to Liberal H-D and they were saints. Stayed well past their closing time waiting for the bike, ran some codes to see what was wrong, but didn't have a voltage regulator in stock. They took one off a showroom bike and got me out the door in a couple of hours after charging the battery back up.

Roadside America should pay for the tow no problem. If you pay $29.95, you get an upgraded version that pays you back if you have to stay overnight. Not sure about car rentals though.

 

[DK Custom Products]

It's a 2014 Gorilla. A bit young to have a battery issue. Who knows.

Jerry

- - - Updated - - -



That was one of the first things I checked. Both terminals were tight.

Jerry

Did you check the ground connection, NOT on the battery side?

I had this prob. on my 2013 when it was just a little over a year old, I told them I thought it was the battery. the dealer kept saying the battery ck. good on their computer batt. test, so they changed the voltage reg, then the stator, then trouble shooting the wiring, then another voltage reg. all this after six trips back to the dealer. finely the supervisor told them to change the battery no matter what the battery tester said, prob. solved .
but not before the maint. guy ran up a bill to Harley of $1100 dollars, all because of a bad battery, there are not to many real mech's any more, they just do what the computer's say's to do.
good luck to you with this prob. Jerry

I've had a similar issue with my Softail since day one (purchased used). Every time their computerized battery tester would spit out a print-out saying the battery was fine.

It was not.

Kevin

Kevin

 

[msocko3]

You are absolutely correct about mechanics these days, they are more or less parts changers.
Its wise to get a motor manual, a parts catalog and learn to do things yourself.
Even the best mechanics started somewhere?

:Agree:True mechanics at a dealer are few and far between, they will however bust open a mean box and bolt on the parts.

 

[pcombe]

:Agree:True mechanics at a dealer are few and far between, they will however bust open a mean box and bolt on the parts.

Yes and they are paid by how acrobatically they can open a box! and are paid by the thread to fasten a new bolt?:laugh:

 

[Jerry/MD]

Got the call from the dealer today...bad battery. Gotta admit I have never had a battery fail like this before.

Before anyone asks... yes I have regularly kept this on a H-D trickle-charger.

Jerry