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Gauges, lights on dash, shut off.

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Old Jun 16, 2016 | 10:22 AM
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Default Gauges, lights on dash, shut off.

Mainly posting as info, since I haven't heard of this before.


15 RGS with 5000 miles. 2 weeks ago as I was riding lost all gauges and lights to gauges. They just went out or dropped to zero. Except the Boom system. No indicators worked, again except for the boom. Headlights, brake lights, turn signals still worked, just no indication of any of it on the dash. Cruise control would not work, but the horn did.
Parked it at home, cycled the ignition a few times with the same result. Called the dealership and was told to bring it in. Next day went out to start it to take it in and everything worked fine. So since it seemed to "fix itself (I know, I know)" I just rode it.


Four days later on the way to work the odometer was stuck on the total miles screen. Would not leave it, pushing the button would not work. A few miles later, all gauges and lights go out again. Just like the last time.
Call the dealer and take it in. Dropped it off and waited for the initial diagnosis. Tech comes out and first tries to blame the FP3, then the custom dynamics lights, then the amp. Then "you have moisture in the speedo, how do you wash it?". I wasn't having any of that and he kinda gave up and decided that he'd have to dig deeper.


3 days later they had to call the mothership and they were told to replace the speedo, since it had "lost communication with everything". So now I'm waiting on them to get the speedo in. They also called me back and said "we just started your bike to move it and everything came on like normal, but the odo only indicated 2500 miles. Do you want to come and get it while we wait on the speedo to come in?". Uh, no.


They aren't sure that replacing the speedo will fix it either.
 
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Old Jun 16, 2016 | 11:06 AM
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"I wash it just like the owners manual says to wash it !"
 
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Old Jun 16, 2016 | 11:43 AM
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subscribed for your diagnosis.

had the same thing happen to me 2 weeks ago on my '15 SGS. riding home in some torrential downpours for a few hours and the cruise control stopped working and so did indicators for what gear i'm in. lights worked fine as did everything else. so i just rode home and parked it. haven't had time to take it out for a ride since then so i can't say if it has "fixed itself" yet.

my assumption is if it does fix itself, it was the sheer volume of rain i was riding in that caused it.

interested to see what your dealer says.

~little mikey
 
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Old Jun 16, 2016 | 01:46 PM
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The main cluster controls the two smaller gauges. So if the main cluster is not working, the little ones will not be on as well. I have heard a few reports from dealers of the main cluster failing but never an intermittent failure like this. I would be more concerned about the bcm than the speedo at this point since the mileage comes from the bcm. A simple test would be to swap the speedo with another bike. You will get VINERR on the display but you could see if yours function correctly on another bike and maybe find out what the actual problem is
 
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Old Jun 16, 2016 | 01:53 PM
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Originally Posted by kh24
The main cluster controls the two smaller gauges. So if the main cluster is not working, the little ones will not be on as well. I have heard a few reports from dealers of the main cluster failing but never an intermittent failure like this. I would be more concerned about the bcm than the speedo at this point since the mileage comes from the bcm. A simple test would be to swap the speedo with another bike. You will get VINERR on the display but you could see if yours function correctly on another bike and maybe find out what the actual problem is


Good info to know. I know he mentioned that "its a BCM bike" more than a couple of times.
I even found a used speedo on ebay that the guy mentioned has 1600 miles on it. So it wouldn't matter how many miles are on the speedo then if the BCM stores them? Another speedo will not have to be set or anything like that to my bike? The bike ran just fine through all of this, if it matters.


This is all under warranty of course, but I like to know if Im being BS'd or given "the business" too.
 
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Old Jun 16, 2016 | 02:03 PM
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Originally Posted by Chucks1911
Good info to know. I know he mentioned that "its a BCM bike" more than a couple of times.
I even found a used speedo on ebay that the guy mentioned has 1600 miles on it. So it wouldn't matter how many miles are on the speedo then if the BCM stores them? Another speedo will not have to be set or anything like that to my bike? The bike ran just fine through all of this, if it matters.


This is all under warranty of course, but I like to know if Im being BS'd or given "the business" too.
The speedos are locked to your Vin number. A used speedo will function but it will always display "VINERR" on the odometer window. So it would not be advisable to put a used speedo on the bike as a solution. The mileage is stored in the BCM so the fact you got the wrong mileage hints to me the problem could be elsewhere. Like I can swap gauges with someone, ride 1000 miles and then when we swap back, the mileage will be accurate for both bikes. Mine will have 1k more and his would not change unless he rode it.

Harley doesn't diagnose, they replace parts. The guys aren't trained to find the real problem, they are just trained to make it go away for now. That is not a knock at them as it would require extensive knowledge to figure out what is causing what.
 
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Old Jun 16, 2016 | 02:04 PM
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^^^exactly what he said^^^
 
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Old Jun 20, 2016 | 10:30 AM
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Update.
The dealership called me on Saturday and told me my bike wasfixed, to come in and get it. So after getting there and asking if there wasany paperwork (there wasn’t) I went out and started the bike. All gauges cameon and everything worked as it should, EXCEPT for the odometer. It is stuck onthe total miles screen. Hitting the button has no effect on it. It will notmove to any of the other (trip A, Trip B, Remaining) screens. So the tech toldthe writer to order me a left side switch.
They seem to think that the initial problem with everythinggoing out was caused by water getting inside the speedo assembly and screwingwith the electrics/electronics. I told them that when it started doing it thatthe bike hadn’t been wet in quite a while. Its been pretty humid lately, butthey have to be able to withstand a bit of water.
What the hell good isa motorcycle that cant get wet?
 
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Old Jun 21, 2016 | 12:28 AM
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Gauges are sealed with very strong double sided 3m tape and the plug on the back is a weatherproof connector. Not really sure how water would ever get in there. A lot of the streaking in the gauges people see, thinking it is caused by moisture, is actually the antifog coating breaking down
 
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Old Jun 21, 2016 | 07:15 AM
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thanks for the update.

taking mine in for service Thursday night, so i'll see what the dealership has to say about it happening on mine and let ya'll know.

~little mikey
 
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