Help...don't know where to start
Help...don't know where to start
I have a 98 ultraclassic with about 54,000 miles, my wife and I were on an afternoon ride, when my cruise control quit working. As fast as my eyes could move from the road to my gauges and radio I noticed that the cb and intercom had came on, the 2 switches on the console are illuminated despite being in the off position. The flow chart for the cb in the service manual suggested I replace the radio. The cruise control diagnostic will not even begin. These 2 virtually simultaneous problems suggests, to me at least, that they are related. Any suggestions on where I start looking for the problem would be appreciated.
Stellar HDF Member
Joined: Apr 2009
Posts: 3,039
Likes: 11
From: Northern Ontario
I think I would start by checking the wiring diagram to see what all the funky things that are going on all have in like are they all on the same ground
or each have seperate grounds , same breakers etc.
I don't have cruise but it sure would be nice.
or each have seperate grounds , same breakers etc.
I don't have cruise but it sure would be nice.
Seasoned HDF Member
Joined: Jan 2011
Posts: 28,842
Likes: 16,583
From: Wisconsin, USA
I thought cruise was stupid too. Until I got a bike with it. Nice.
Road Warrior
Joined: Nov 2008
Posts: 1,595
Likes: 8
From: Vancouver Island British Colombia Canada
Sound like some wiring has worn off its protective shield & 1 wire has just connected another wire with power between the switch that controls it & the device. I think you mentioned your CB. your cruise might have shorted out into the wiring for your CB & powered it up. look for wiring that might be scuffed from rubbing.
Keep us posted!
hatch.
Keep us posted!
hatch.
Stellar HDF Member
Joined: Feb 2007
Posts: 2,558
Likes: 280
From: Russellville, Arkansas
I would start by using the bikes diagnostics first....
Check the radio first by checking for trouble codes by pressing and holding any of the two preset buttons....then turing ignition to on. Then follow the procedures from that point....I assume you have all this information. It was quiet interesting watching the radio screen for codes....
Then go through all the cruise control diagnostics and there are a bunch of them. These might and can usually point you to the right direction on where to look for the problem. It takes longer to check the cruise control compared to the radio codes.
I've actually had a similar problem you are having on my 1998 Ultra....my radio would come on by itself and gauges did not work. Cruise control did not work either. I went through all the troubleshooting by the book....and it ended up being a short in the fuel sending unit in the tank. How the fuel sending unit was related to the problems I was having was beyond me.
I also had a problem when using the intercom and the radio was on. The radio was not cancelling out when the voice acitvated intercom was being used. I followed all the steps in the chart and it finally led to a grounding point in the fairing was loose.
Another reason I swapped the mechanical speedometer to the electronic version was because the speedometer has 10 built-in trouble codes. My speedometer quit and then checked for codes...it was dead-on. The speedo sensor rubbed the belt and shorted out.
Anyways....from my experience, the radio built-in codes, cruise built-in codes, engine built-in codes, and speedo built-in codes are somewhat very helpful in aiding me where to start with a problem.
Hope this helps.....
Check the radio first by checking for trouble codes by pressing and holding any of the two preset buttons....then turing ignition to on. Then follow the procedures from that point....I assume you have all this information. It was quiet interesting watching the radio screen for codes....
Then go through all the cruise control diagnostics and there are a bunch of them. These might and can usually point you to the right direction on where to look for the problem. It takes longer to check the cruise control compared to the radio codes.
I've actually had a similar problem you are having on my 1998 Ultra....my radio would come on by itself and gauges did not work. Cruise control did not work either. I went through all the troubleshooting by the book....and it ended up being a short in the fuel sending unit in the tank. How the fuel sending unit was related to the problems I was having was beyond me.
I also had a problem when using the intercom and the radio was on. The radio was not cancelling out when the voice acitvated intercom was being used. I followed all the steps in the chart and it finally led to a grounding point in the fairing was loose.
Another reason I swapped the mechanical speedometer to the electronic version was because the speedometer has 10 built-in trouble codes. My speedometer quit and then checked for codes...it was dead-on. The speedo sensor rubbed the belt and shorted out.
Anyways....from my experience, the radio built-in codes, cruise built-in codes, engine built-in codes, and speedo built-in codes are somewhat very helpful in aiding me where to start with a problem.
Hope this helps.....
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Seasoned HDF Member
Joined: Jun 2010
Posts: 9,332
Likes: 3,873
From: Upstate New York
Sounds like a short between two wires. Of course, on a dresser, that will probably take two days to find, and two minutes to fix.
Good luck.
Good luck.
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Thanks to all
big cahuna-No sir the speed-o did not quit
Spanners39-looking for help not an *******
RidemyEVO-Good starting point thanks
Ron750-Thanks for the backup...its been broken for 6 mouths...riding season is about over in ohio...time to open the tool box
hatchetman-My thoughts also thanks
Evorider-I have not checked the radio diag yet...can not get passed the first step in cruise diag...flo-chart for CB suggests i replace radio...$$$$...last option...I have never used the CB or the intercom, yet with the console switches off the radio still comes on VOX 2 (i think), I assume thats the intercom...in the 2000 page repair manual i missed the paragraph about the speedo diagnostic...add that to my list
Uncle G-your optimism is encouraging...2 mouths 2 minutes possible
Spanners39-looking for help not an *******
RidemyEVO-Good starting point thanks
Ron750-Thanks for the backup...its been broken for 6 mouths...riding season is about over in ohio...time to open the tool box
hatchetman-My thoughts also thanks
Evorider-I have not checked the radio diag yet...can not get passed the first step in cruise diag...flo-chart for CB suggests i replace radio...$$$$...last option...I have never used the CB or the intercom, yet with the console switches off the radio still comes on VOX 2 (i think), I assume thats the intercom...in the 2000 page repair manual i missed the paragraph about the speedo diagnostic...add that to my list
Uncle G-your optimism is encouraging...2 mouths 2 minutes possible
Stellar HDF Member
Joined: Feb 2009
Posts: 2,936
Likes: 20
From: Driftless Area
I don't and haven't rode anything that new, so to speak, but maybe try pulling fuses one by one to find which circuit the problem is in. my .02. If things are not fused separately, just pull one wire off the suspected bad boy.