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Gear indicator display intermittent

Posted: Sat Sep 10, 2022 9:12 pm
by CollingsBob
Today my ‘17ES gear indicator display started going blank intermittently while in 6th gear.
Is this something that needs adjusting or cleaning?

Re: Gear indicator display intermittent

Posted: Sat Sep 10, 2022 9:23 pm
by escapefjrtist
You can try cleaning the accumulated gunk from the sensor. Lightly scotch brite the contacts and see if that restores function. Been fighting the same on my '15 for a few years...cleaned several times with limited success. Mine works better / more consistently once it's hot.

~G

Re: Gear indicator display intermittent

Posted: Sat Sep 10, 2022 10:46 pm
by John d
The sensor would be the "neutral switch assembly". I bought a new one this year from Partzilla when my neutral light became intermittent, but then I also had 122000 miles on it. No problems since.

Re: Gear indicator display intermittent

Posted: Sun Sep 11, 2022 5:27 am
by danh600
5th gear number has been going off and on for years on my 2013. All other numbers are fine.

The 5 displays as I go through gears. Then often goes off as I am cruising.

Re: Gear indicator display intermittent

Posted: Sun Sep 11, 2022 3:54 pm
by BkerChuck
My 2014 this started happening and eventually became a near every time thing at only 20k miles. Removed and cleaned a few times but issue kept coming back so I replaced it. Over 23k on the replacement and working perfectly.

Re: Gear indicator display intermittent

Posted: Mon Sep 12, 2022 8:42 pm
by Toter
My 15 does the same thing. Once cruising, the 5 will drop out. I cleaned it once with limited succes. Don't worry about it anymore. I know when I'm in 5th, plus a glance at a blank space confirms it. Never happens in other gears.

Re: Gear indicator display intermittent

Posted: Mon Sep 12, 2022 9:33 pm
by raYzerman
What if one cleaned the contacts and gave them a rub with Scotchbrite..... then the brass plunger..... then took the spring out and stretched it a tad.....

Re: Gear indicator display intermittent

Posted: Mon Sep 12, 2022 10:25 pm
by FJRoss
raYzerman wrote: Mon Sep 12, 2022 9:33 pm What if one cleaned the contacts and gave them a rub with Scotchbrite..... then the brass plunger..... then took the spring out and stretched it a tad.....
I'm not sure if the switch is the same design on Gen III+ as it was with Gen II but when I had the neutral indicator working intermittently on my '07 and then not working at all, cleaning the contacts had no effect. I measured continuity from the plug to each of the pads and the line corresponding to neutral was open. The break was within the potted wires at the pad and couldn't be easily fixed.

Re: Gear indicator display intermittent

Posted: Mon Sep 12, 2022 10:39 pm
by escapefjrtist
raYzerman wrote: Mon Sep 12, 2022 9:33 pm What if one cleaned the contacts and gave them a rub with Scotchbrite..... then the brass plunger..... then took the spring out and stretched it a tad.....
BTDT, didn't do squat. Twist, turn in every direction...works fine out of the engine. Reinstall, same behavior.

~G

Re: Gear indicator display intermittent

Posted: Tue Sep 13, 2022 12:10 am
by John d
The good news is that the gen3 sensor costs less than a gen2 sensor.

Re: Gear indicator display intermittent

Posted: Wed Oct 16, 2024 9:24 am
by raYzerman
Just an update, the real cause has been identified, essentially weak/broken solder joints of the wires to the contacts..... instead of buying an expensive new switch (~$85), you can fix the existing one.........


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Re: Gear indicator display intermittent

Posted: Wed Oct 16, 2024 9:48 am
by CollingsBob
I simply replaced the switch…and forgot to transfer the O ring over…luckily it’s dead simple to pull the switch out of the bike..

Re: Gear indicator display intermittent

Posted: Wed Oct 16, 2024 9:54 am
by FJRoss
raYzerman wrote: Wed Oct 16, 2024 9:24 am Just an update, the real cause has been identified, essentially weak/broken solder joints of the wires to the contacts..... instead of buying an expensive new switch (~$85), you can fix the existing one.........
Looks like a reasonable fix. When it happened on my '07 (just the neutral), I traced it down to a discontinuity within the potted contact pad and didn't go any further. The switch was cheaper then (2011).
Having the neutral indication not working was more problematic than a random gear. IIRC, the bike couldn't be started in neutral without the clutch pulled and couldn't idle in neutral on the sidestand.

Re: Gear indicator display intermittent

Posted: Wed Oct 16, 2024 10:58 am
by natehawk750
This just started happening on my 2015. I haven't had a chance to mess with it yet.

Re: Gear indicator display intermittent

Posted: Wed Oct 16, 2024 2:00 pm
by BkerChuck
The 2013 I bought last year this has started happening with 5th gear periodically.

Re: Gear indicator display intermittent

Posted: Wed Oct 16, 2024 2:36 pm
by Intech
my '15 is intermittent on 1st gear indication. As long as neutral works, Ill live with it.

Re: Gear indicator display intermittent

Posted: Wed Oct 16, 2024 2:40 pm
by natehawk750
Intech wrote: Wed Oct 16, 2024 2:36 pm my '15 is intermittent on 1st gear indication. As long as neutral works, Ill live with it.
Same, first and neutral are intermittent. Bike will die if I put the side stand down when the bike is obviously in neutral.

Re: Gear indicator display intermittent

Posted: Wed Oct 16, 2024 7:16 pm
by raYzerman
My OCD would kick in, and I'd go get my soldering iron......

Re: Gear indicator display intermittent

Posted: Thu Oct 17, 2024 11:36 am
by Bounce
Makes me glad I ha(d) a 2003. Less things to go wrong.

Re: Gear indicator display intermittent

Posted: Sat Oct 19, 2024 11:59 pm
by fontanaman
I replaced the Neutral Switch Assy on my FJR recently. I choose to go with a new one rather than fix the old one. I got it from Rocky Mt ATV for $50. The part schematic says B88-82540-01-00 (replaces part #B88-82540-00-00) so hopefully I have an improved part.