NHTSA Complaint #10310359 — 2006 YAMAHA FJR1300AE

THERE WERE NO MEMORABLE EVENTS LEADING UP TO THE FAILURE. THERE ARE NO MODIFICATIONS TO THE MOTOR, ELECTRICAL, OR IGNITION SYSTEMS. ALL SYSTEMS REMAIN STOCK FROM THE DEALER/MANUFACTURER. THE MOTOR WAS CUTTING IN AND OUT LIKE THERE WAS AN ELECTRICAL INTERRUPTION. AT THE SAME TIME THAT THE MOTOR WAS CUTTING IN AND OUT, THE TURN SIGNALS AND HIGH BEAMS INDICATOR WOULD TURN ON FOR AS LONG AS THE MOTOR WAS CUTTING IN AND OUT, WHICH WAS VERY FAST (EXAMPLE: .5 SECOND). THIS CONDITION CONTINUED FOR 3 MONTHS WITH NO REGULARITY. THE COMPLETE FAILURE FINALLY OCCURRED WHILE TRAVELING HOME FROM WORK ON THE FREEWAY. I WAS ABLE TO SAFELY GET TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD, BUT WAS UNABLE TO GET THE MOTOR STARTED. I HAD TO CALL A TOW TRUCK AND PAY TO HAVE THE VEHICLE TOWED TO MY RESIDENCE. FOUND AN ELECTRICAL CONNECTOR (KNOWN AS S4 SPIDER GROUND) THAT SERVES AS A COMMON GROUND TO 5 OTHER ELECTRICAL WIRES WAS MELTED, LIKE IT WAS OVER HEATING FROM INSIDE THE CONNECTOR. THIS CONNECTOR DOES NOT CONTACT ANY HOT SURFACES. I CLEANED THE CONNECTOR WITH ELECTRICAL CONTACT CLEANER. I PICKED OUT THE MELTED PLASTIC THAT WAS BLOCKING THE CONNECTOR HOLES. I ALSO CLEANED OFF THE CONNECTOR PLUG THAT CONNECTS ALL THE ELECTRICAL CONNECTOR TERMINALS TOGETHER DUE TO CORROSION AND MELTED PLASTIC STUCK TO IT. FINALLY, I APPLIED DIE-ELECTRIC GREASE TO THE CONNECTORS TO REDUCE CORROSION AND IMPROVE THE CONNECTION BETWEEN THE CONNECTORS AND THE CONNECTOR PLUG. I COULD NOT REPLACE THE CONNECTOR WITHOUT REPLACING THE ENTIRE HEAD LIGHT ELECTRICAL HARNESS. THIS FIX LASTED FOR 1 YEAR BEFORE FAILING AGAIN. I DID THE SAME CLEANING AS I HAD MENTIONED ABOVE, BUT IT FAILED AGAIN AFTER 2 MONTHS. I THEN SOLDERED 2 SEPARATE WIRES TO THE TOP OF THE 6 PRONG CONNECTOR AND ATTACHED THOSE WIRES TO TWO DIFFERENT POINTS ON THE VEHICLE. THE LAST FIX HAS LASTED 11 MONTHS WITH NO MORE EVIDENCE OF OVERHEATING TO THE S4 GROUNDING PLUG. THERE HAS NOT BEEN ANY MORE ENGINE CUTTING IN AND OUT SYMPTOMS EITHER. *TR