Issues with starter solenoid or relay?

joeprez

joeprez

expert rider
Joined
Oct 16, 2020
Messages
155
Location
USA
Hi all,

Yesterday As I was preparing for a ride my bike decided not to start. I heard what I think is the relay clicking but the starter wouldn't start. Every other electronic system looked fine, bike was in neutral, kill switch off, battery charged (as per my battery tender). I did start it up by popping the clutch in an incline and actually ride it about 40 minutes.

Anyone can recommend what to check before I take it to the dealer? What voltage should I be looking to make sure the battery is ok? How can I check if relay and solenoid are working correctly?

Thanks!
 
The stock battery pretty weak, maybe a friend has one you can try quick before you drop the 50-100 bucks on a new one, thats where I would start though.
Otherwise, make sure the battery connections are cleaned and properly torqued.
 
Theoretically yes, I am always not a fan of jump starting because if you touch the stuff with the clamps it can fry electrics... that is why it always is recommended to remove battery to charge it.
 
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This happened to me a few weeks ago. Battery voltage was good. But I couldn't hear the starter kicking on. I scoured the forums and tightened the contacts for the solenoid and the battery. Still nothing.... I remember trying to mess with the various relays nears the fuse panel... with the seat off.. Then all of a sudden, it started working. I haven't had that issue till now (800 miles on ODO). The issue happened at around 200 miles on the ODO.

My guess is that one of the relays was sticking and not turning on the starter as it was supposed to. If you are sure the battery is properly charged and there is no other obvious issues... My suggestion is to tap on all the relays with the back end of a screw driver. That may help unstick those solenoid contacts. I hope that works out.
 
Once you got it started on the hill, would it start normally after turning it off? That will point to it being either a dud battery or a connection problem.

Jump starting from a car can do damage with just a touch of a clamp on the wrong place as @BISavage says. These days many jumper leads have some reverse polarity protection built in but you still need care. A better option is one of the small jumper packs, they really pack a wallop. The difference with the car is that it's got it's own electonics doing stuff with battery charge levels and can think the bike battery is a problem.

Another thing to keep in mind is taking the battery to a battery store and having a deep discharge test. It might show fully charged but not have all the cells happy with life and it can't supply starter current requirements.
 
After riding it, it still would start using the starter.

Well yesterday I tightened the starter solenoid connection and when putting back the battery I got no power to the electronics or lights, just could hear a pump "whining" After taking out each of the fuses, by process of elimination it is the ABS pump. Tomorrow I'll take the battery to be checked and get a new one if necessary.
 
Update: After tightening the connections on the starter relay and installing a new battery, the starter is functioning. I ended up ordering another one just in case.
 
Thanks man! I know a lot of motorcycle and car guys like to wrench, but I just enjoy adding bolt-on mods and riding 😉
 
Resurrecting this thread, because it just happened to me. The parkway I was riding on was intermittently shutdown so they can do some tree work, so I'm sitting there frying on the tarmac for 20 minutes and decide to shut off the engine. I try to restart when they open the parkway again, and nothing! Push the bike off to the shoulder to diagnose; when I toggle the kill switch on, I don't hear the usual "whine" of what I assume is the fuel pump. And when I push the start button, I just hear and feel the click of the #4 relay that is labeled "Pump," and the starter does not turn.

After 20 minutes of trying to "re-seat" the relay I hear clicking, tightening battery connections, wobbling the connections on the starter solenoid, the starter turns and the bike fires up. Thankfully a full tank and don't have to shut down! But I have a "check engine" light now. Once I got home, I could finally shut down and see if the problem replicates. . . and it doesn't, it starts right up multiple times. For now. Will more carefully check the connections to the solenoid now that I'm back.

So can I assume that it's not the battery itself, if it is starting? (It's always on a tender when parked.)

And for those of you this has happened to, did your bike throw the engine light and a code?

To top it off, I got (very very lightly) rear ended on the way home. What a day!
 
Sorry to hear about the light rear end, hope you're ok.

I got a check engine light, but it went away the next time I used the bike. I have a spare relay now, just in case.
 
joeprez said:
Sorry to hear about the light rear end, hope you're ok.

I got a check engine light, but it went away the next time I used the bike. I have a spare relay now, just in case.
Click to expand...
I'm fine, thanks!

Interestingly, the check engine light did not go away. . . until I reset the service interval warning that I had been too lazy to reset after my oil change et. al. 🤷‍♂️ Seems a little excessive to have that light pop up if your service interval warning is overdue.
 
Hi ! I had this issue during the first week of use and had to send the bike (Svartpilen 200) back to the dealer. After pressing the starter button, I could hear a click, but the starter motor would not move. They checked the starter motor, the battery, and replaced relays. They concluded that some relay might have been defective or not well connected. After some 600 miles, the issue resurfaces once in a while. However, after a few tries the starter motor runs and the bike starts. When I ask the dealer, they insist it has to be some dirty relay connector (the guess some grease may be present) . Still, it worries me a bit !
 
towards the end of June, I had a similar issue where my bike didn´t start, after checking all fuses and 20 minutes later it started just fine. I was told the manufacturer installs low-quality spark plugs and they switched it out. 2 weeks later same thing but now it won't start at all, I ended up having it towed to the shop where they found a cable half severed by a metal clamp. 5 days later same thing, got toed again and now it´s the tilt sensor. a week and a half later same thing again, I had it towed to the shop once again and told them I will not be leaving on this bike again as this is not safe and not what I bought. 2 1/2 Months later, 43 days total in the shop and I´m picking my new bike up a couple of days. All this and the bike barely has 2000 km on it. Even had to threaten to get lawyers involved for them to find a solution. thank god for Lemon-laws
 
Adding onto this thread as I’m having the same issues with my used 2021 Vitpilen - When ignition is on, fuel pump activates, and pressing the starter button makes the starter solenoid click, but no starter movement. Thought it was a dead battery at first since it would start with a jump, but after getting a new LiPo battery and fully charging that, it still wouldn’t work. 2 DTC’s: both for crank position sensor “A” circuit.
Ended up doing some more investigating today, and when the battery + is connected directly to the starter motor, it turns over and starts. Connections on starter solenoid were tight and seemed to be showing proper volatage. I then removed the starter auxiliary relay (little brown one behind the fuse box) to see if it was functioning/the connections were clean, it works properly when supplied with 12v, and connections look clean. Plugged it back in, and the bike starts normally again.
Going to see if the issue pops up again tomorrow/if so, whether unplugging and plugging that relay back in fixes it again.
If so, should I assume there is an issue with the relay, or disassemble the bike and follow the wires from that relay to see if there is any damage? Not sure how much disassembly that would require.

Thanks in advance
 
joeprez said:
Hi all,

Yesterday As I was preparing for a ride my bike decided not to start. I heard what I think is the relay clicking but the starter wouldn't start. Every other electronic system looked fine, bike was in neutral, kill switch off, battery charged (as per my battery tender). I did start it up by popping the clutch in an incline and actually ride it about 40 minutes.

Anyone can recommend what to check before I take it to the dealer? What voltage should I be looking to make sure the battery is ok? How can I check if relay and solenoid are working correctly?

Thanks!
Click to expand...
 
gwcook said:
Adding onto this thread as I’m having the same issues with my used 2021 Vitpilen - When ignition is on, fuel pump activates, and pressing the starter button makes the starter solenoid click, but no starter movement. Thought it was a dead battery at first since it would start with a jump, but after getting a new LiPo battery and fully charging that, it still wouldn’t work. 2 DTC’s: both for crank position sensor “A” circuit.
Ended up doing some more investigating today, and when the battery + is connected directly to the starter motor, it turns over and starts. Connections on starter solenoid were tight and seemed to be showing proper volatage. I then removed the starter auxiliary relay (little brown one behind the fuse box) to see if it was functioning/the connections were clean, it works properly when supplied with 12v, and connections look clean. Plugged it back in, and the bike starts normally again.
Going to see if the issue pops up again tomorrow/if so, whether unplugging and plugging that relay back in fixes it again.
If so, should I assume there is an issue with the relay, or disassemble the bike and follow the wires from that relay to see if there is any damage? Not sure how much disassembly that would require.

Thanks in advance
Click to expand...
contribute with my "solution" I have a 401 svart from 2020 and a 701 svart from 2019 yours and two always attached to your battery maintainer (20/30€ amazon)... Both my bikes have the original battery and I have never lost a starter in winter or summer, I have lapped for 34000 km for both. However, the maintainer does not exclude the deterioration of the battery, every 4/5 years or so they would have to be changed.
 
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