2010 limited with stage 4 kit nearly burned up today. Moved the bike a few feet without the key in it and the alarm lights went on then it started to smoke. Really smoke. Took the seat off the heat was coming from the turn signal relay and had already melted the plastic. Unhooked it and it stopped. Have any of you had this happen.
Thanks,
Loopy

 

I have never had that happen on a bike. I had a huge electrical fire under the dash of an old T-bird that I had. I do not wish that kind of mess on anybody. Hope you get it all sorted out.

 

I havent had that happen but sounds like a shorted wire. Make sure you didnt pinch a wire doing the motor mods. Also theres a couple turn signal problems floating around here somewhere that may shed more light on your issue

 

I own a 2008 Super Glide custom. (FXDC) Purchased used with only 2100 miles on it. I am the third owner.

Took it for a spin this afternoon, unfortunately too close to the 5 o'clock rushhour and so after puttering along for short distances at 50 mph or less, I gave up and pulled over for a cool drink. ( It was hot here today...mid-90's)

Short time later a guy came in and said, "Hey, there's smoke coming out from under the seat of your motorcycle!"

I ran outside to find the emergency flashers going off like the bike had been moved ( It hadn't*) and gray, electrical-smelling smoke curling up from under the seat. When I approached the bike, the flashers turned off ( They may have cycled off or the control unit burned out)

I have a small tool kit, so I pulled the seat off and found an electrical component was melting before my eyes and smoke pouring out of it.

The smoldering component was wrapped in a light blue shrink wrap and had a peal-n-stick adhesive patch on one side that still had the backing on it. It was thin and rectangular..probably the size of a flat tictac candy box.

The blue shrink wrap was melted away on one side and the interior component was cracked and blistered. It was smoking like mad and way too hot to touch. It had three wires coming from one end a white snap connector at the end of the wires.

Almost as soon as I removed the seat, the smoking lessened and eventually stopped, although the unit remained too hot to touch for some time. I suspect it had something to do with the flashers stopping when I approached the bike.

As soon as I could touch it, I disconnected it, waited awhile and started the bike. It started right up. Turn signals worked front and rear along with brake and running lights; but when I tried to activate the emergency flasher function ( on an FXDC that's done by pressing both the right n left turn signals simultaneously) I would get either one or the other turn signal, but not dual. So I suspect it was the controller for that function.

I rode the bike home without problem, but this little incident has me quite spooked.

I usually park the bike in the garage, which is right under one of my kid's bed room. I am also known for going for late night cruises much more often that daylight, pulling into the garage, and heading off to bed. I shudder to think what could've happened with that thing sitting under the seat and as hot as a live coal, the seat holding the heat in until combustion with the bike in the garage, door down, under my kid's room, late at night with us all sleeping...

Tonight the bike sleeps out on the street and now I'm starting to wonder why it was sold 2x's before me with such low mileage...

I'm reporting it to NTSB and HD in the morning. That type of failure is unacceptable in my book.

* how do I know the bike hadn't been disturbed? Well, I guess I cannot say for certain; but it didn't look like it had been and the location just isn't the type where people are going to mess with a bike...it's one of those slightly over-priced BBQ places where sales people take their clients out for dinner, middle aged guys gather to watch the sports and stock reports on the TV's at the bar, families show up with their kids.

 

I had a truck fuse box catch on fire once after a wire shorted under the healiner. 1st the healiner started smoking, then under the dash. I ripped the headliner out in a hurry then disconected the battery as fast as a nascar pit crew. Luckily I was cleaning the truck at the time and the garage door was already opened.