HELP! Battery keeps dying.
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Tourer
Joined: Mar 2008
Posts: 341
Likes: 0
From: Charleston, WV
HELP! Battery keeps dying.
I have an '08 Nightster that I bought in October.The bike never sat without running for more than a couple days the whole time.SO, Last week I went to start my bike to take it in for the 1000 mile maintainance.
I turned the ignition..............Nothing. No lights, no display and DEFINITELY no turn-over.
I tried to jump it (no, the car was not running) left it for 30 mins and it would turn-over (barely) but not start. Left it for a couple more minutes and, took the cables off, it gave me a half arsed crank and thats it....thats all the juice it had. I went to the dealer, with the battery and they said it had a dead cell and they gave me a new one. I happily rode off and ran some errands for the eve.
The bike sat for two days when I went to start it. Completely Dead again. Called the dealer and they think I'm just leavin' the ignition on the ACC switch when I stop it. I'm definitely NOT doing that! I go get this battery charged bring it back and bring the bike down. They perform an electrical system check, say everything is ok, there is no drain on the battery from the bikeand ten minutes later they say they found a loose ground.....they tightened it and it'll be fine.
The next day I get on to go for a ride....COMPLETELY DEAD AGAIN. I get a new battery from the dealerAGAIN (after they accuse me of leaving the ignition on) and when I'm leaning over the bike to hook it up I hear a little whrrrrr-tick-tick-tick every couple seconds that starts as soon as I attach the negative cable. It soulds like its coming from behind the air cleaner. Its much quieter than the fuel pump, but could it be the fuel relay or something thats running all the time?
AAny Ideas? Anyone else had this problem or something similar? Its freakin killin me!
I turned the ignition..............Nothing. No lights, no display and DEFINITELY no turn-over.
I tried to jump it (no, the car was not running) left it for 30 mins and it would turn-over (barely) but not start. Left it for a couple more minutes and, took the cables off, it gave me a half arsed crank and thats it....thats all the juice it had. I went to the dealer, with the battery and they said it had a dead cell and they gave me a new one. I happily rode off and ran some errands for the eve.
The bike sat for two days when I went to start it. Completely Dead again. Called the dealer and they think I'm just leavin' the ignition on the ACC switch when I stop it. I'm definitely NOT doing that! I go get this battery charged bring it back and bring the bike down. They perform an electrical system check, say everything is ok, there is no drain on the battery from the bikeand ten minutes later they say they found a loose ground.....they tightened it and it'll be fine.
The next day I get on to go for a ride....COMPLETELY DEAD AGAIN. I get a new battery from the dealerAGAIN (after they accuse me of leaving the ignition on) and when I'm leaning over the bike to hook it up I hear a little whrrrrr-tick-tick-tick every couple seconds that starts as soon as I attach the negative cable. It soulds like its coming from behind the air cleaner. Its much quieter than the fuel pump, but could it be the fuel relay or something thats running all the time?
AAny Ideas? Anyone else had this problem or something similar? Its freakin killin me!
Big Kahuna HDF Member
Joined: Feb 2006
Posts: 23,881
Likes: 34
From: USA
RE: HELP! Battery keeps dying.
Make sure you can replicate thatnoise 2 or 3 times and then take it back to the dealer and make them fix it. Sounds like you found it. There is a closed circuit there somewhere that is drawing current if the ignition is off. OR you may have a bad ignition switch. Just be sure you can replicate it or they will think you are crazy. If so, call the service manager at your dealer and explain it to him over the phone. Kinda sucks that you have to find the problem for them but that is the way it is with many dealers. Car dealers are no different if the TECHII tells the world is flat then flat it is. I have had to diagnose 3 issues with my 2006 GMC Yukon the same way. PIA but you are only helping yourself.
My guess is ignition switch or voltage regulator. Let us know what you find.
My guess is ignition switch or voltage regulator. Let us know what you find.
Ultimate HDF Member
Joined: Feb 2007
Posts: 5,578
Likes: 4
From: Northern California
RE: HELP! Battery keeps dying.
ORIGINAL: mp
Wonder why they keep replacing the battery when that's obviously not the problem? Must have all technicians, no mechanics.
Wonder why they keep replacing the battery when that's obviously not the problem? Must have all technicians, no mechanics.
Grand HDF Member
Joined: Nov 2004
Posts: 3,917
Likes: 184
From:
RE: HELP! Battery keeps dying.
Get a small test light, unhook your ground cable, attach the test lite to your ground cable then touch the ground post with the other end of the test light, it shouldlight up for a couple of seconds, you will hear the contacts kicking in, thats what you are hearing, if the light stays on even after the contacts go in then you have a short.
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Thread Starter
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Tourer
Joined: Mar 2008
Posts: 341
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From: Charleston, WV
RE: HELP! Battery keeps dying.
Get this...took the bike back that final time and told them to let it sit for a coupla days then try to start it.Today I called right as he was doin it and....of courseIt started fine!They asked to hold onto it for another few days and I am cool with that because somethin's wrong and they need to figure it out. Cuz you know the second I take it home it will die. Could it be the fact that I would get it,ride 30 miles or so and then let it sit?....hopefully they think of this kinda stuff cuz im totally miffed!
....Oh and of course they DO NOT hera the whrrrrr tick tick tick every few seconds that heard MULTIPLE times. They are gonna think I'm crazy or are leaving the ignition on ACC.
....Oh and of course they DO NOT hera the whrrrrr tick tick tick every few seconds that heard MULTIPLE times. They are gonna think I'm crazy or are leaving the ignition on ACC.
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Thread Starter
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Tourer
Joined: Mar 2008
Posts: 341
Likes: 0
From: Charleston, WV
RE: HELP! Battery keeps dying.
For any and all who care.
I was right!......in a sense. They went to start the bike the next day (saturday) and it was dead. Apparently there was a techinical bulletin sent out by HD (that didn't make it to my dealer!) describing problems occuring when water would cause a short to allow the trottle body to constatntly open.....which is the whrrr-tick-tick-tick I was hearing near the aircleaner.
They replaced it and I'm gonna pick it up as soon as the rain subsides. I better find out if they did anything to keep it from happening again.
Anyways.....gonna have the bike back just in time for my V&H pipes to get here!
I was right!......in a sense. They went to start the bike the next day (saturday) and it was dead. Apparently there was a techinical bulletin sent out by HD (that didn't make it to my dealer!) describing problems occuring when water would cause a short to allow the trottle body to constatntly open.....which is the whrrr-tick-tick-tick I was hearing near the aircleaner.
They replaced it and I'm gonna pick it up as soon as the rain subsides. I better find out if they did anything to keep it from happening again.
Anyways.....gonna have the bike back just in time for my V&H pipes to get here!
Stage IV
Joined: Apr 2008
Posts: 4
Likes: 0
RE: HELP! Battery keeps dying.
Hey I'm having what sounds like the same problem with my bike. The dealer has replaced the computer and that did not fix the problem. I hear the same whrr-tick-tick-tick sound. Can you give me the bulletin number or tell me what they replaced on your bike and if the problem is still fixed. My bike is at the dealer now and the tech is scratching his head. Any help would be apprecitated.