[GulfCoast]

It was 32 degrees early this morning. This is about as cold as it ever gets here on the gulf coast, and that only about every few years. Unlike the duck camp in north MS where it hits single digits from time to time. So, I went out into the "cold" to crank the Pioneer, to see how it cranked in "cold weather." At least cold for here. POW! It cranked right up, no problems.

But then, I noticed that the voltmeter display was "blank," as in "not working." So, then highly suspicous, I hit the switch for the light bar, which is ALSO not working. Tried it with headlight switch on and off, no difference. In gear/out of gear, no difference. No voltmeter display, no functioning light bar. I cannot imagine our little cold snap had anything to do with this, but I am not happy in that I wanted to use the bike all weekend WITH a funtioning Honda light bar, AND they were supposed to install the aux lights this week, too. Wonder if they would quit working, too.

I will be leaving work early today to load the bike up and take it to the dealer who did the install.....

 

[Moose]

I will be leaving work early today to load the bike up and take it to the dealer who did the install.....[/QUOTE]

I can't think of one component that would break at 32 degrees. Unless they installed a non waterproof inline fuse and that somehow had water in it which froze last night and broke the fuse. That's highly doubtful though.

I'd guess more around something is wrong with their install as in loose wires off the alternator , battery, or the like. Either way, it's something that you sure the heck shouldn't have to put up with!

And to the pioneer starting sub freezing. Mine has started in single digits here all week. No issue. 32 is going to be our high this week.

 

[toodeep]

I would have to guess a connector didn't get plugged in completely and vibrated itself loose. The dealer should be able to get it straightened out for you in no time though.

 

[mr.smith]

I don't think that would have anything to do with the temperature. The Pioneer is meant to run in cold weather. They do sell these things to people in the Northeast as well as Canada and it get much colder there. Sounds like some type of other problem.

 

[rich450es]

my guess is they used them stupid scotch clips when they wired it up (the person that invented them should be shot !!!!!!)

 

[toodeep]

Hey, I like the scotch locks... if they are the good ones. Cheap ones suck... I think he has the Honda switch panel so it should have been all a plug and play setup (I haven't researched that though).

 

[hoops]

interesting

keep us updated on why the light bar stopped working

must have been disconnected somehow.

 

[GulfCoast]

Surreal update:

Went home at lunch. Walked out to the bike under the shed, exact same place it was this morning. It had not been moved. Cranked it, voltmeter comes right up, light bar works.

Get called out of town on a business emergency, so I go home at 3:00 to pack, go out, and the bike fires right up, with the voltmeter working, and the light bar works.

Called my wife at 8:00 pm and had her crank it, everything works.

I have no idea why it has done what it did this morning. I messed with it 10 minutes trying to get the VM/LB to work. I can't believe that little cold snap would affect it, but it all sure worked when it was warmer. And was dead as a hammer this a.m. I can't take it to the dealer until next week as I am out of town until Sunday now.

I am not sure what the temp will be in the a.m. But I will have my wife fire it up about 6:00 a.m. And see if that stuff works.

 

[Rod]

Surreal update:

Went home at lunch. Walked out to the bike under the shed, exact same place it was this morning. It had not been moved. Cranked it, voltmeter comes right up, light bar works.

Get called out of town on a business emergency, so I go home at 3:00 to pack, go out, and the bike fires right up, with the voltmeter working, and the light bar works.

Called my wife at 8:00 pm and had her crank it, everything works.

I have no idea why it has done what it did this morning. I messed with it 10 minutes trying to get the VM/LB to work. I can't believe that little cold snap would affect it, but it all sure worked when it was warmer. And was dead as a hammer this a.m. I can't take it to the dealer until next week as I am out of town until Sunday now.

I am not sure what the temp will be in the a.m. But I will have my wife fire it up about 6:00 a.m. And see if that stuff works.

Maybe it was the phantom of the Pioneer.

 

[GulfCoast]

Surreal update #2:

My wife cranked the bike at 5:30 a.m. This morning it was 35 degrees, which is arctic for us. Bike fires right off. Voltmeter dead as a hammer, light bar does not work.

Who wants to bet it all works fine at lunch?

What a great investment for my much more northern duck camp where it does actually get cold.

 

[toodeep]

It's probably going to come down to a bad connector or relay. The bad part is for the mechanic to find the problem it has to do it, which means leaving the machine with them. I'll try to look at the components today and see if I can get a better idea of what it "might" be for you.

 

[Moose]

Is the shed it's in someplace where it gets condensation on it when the temp drops?

An early morning dew could be the X factor leading to a short in a loose wire on the install.

Just trying to brainstorm this for you. It can't just be the cold weather. If the unit is cranking over fine it's not a weak battery, those LED light bars take very little draw anyway.

I drove back and forth doing 4 loads of wood yesterday afternoon and it was 15-25 degrees the entire time. Not to mention the days before it when it was colder.

Any chance your dealer would come pick up the unit and fix the install while you were out of town? Or maybe a call into the tech who installed it might jog his memory about something he did that wasn't exactly right?

 

[GulfCoast]

The Pioneer is under a carport with 2 sides bricked in. It does not get any condensation that I have noticed. But it's not like I payed a lot of attention to that particular thing, so it might. The bike fires right up, no problem with the engine cranking.

 

[hoops]

Well the battery works if it starts..

Just for some reason the battery power is not getting to the accessories.

 

[GulfCoast]

But why only in the morning?

 

[DG Rider]

But why only in the morning?

Electrical issues can be surprisingly regularly random.

The very first place i would suspect is the scotch-lock. Really surprised to see Honda using this crappy form of wire tapping.

Is there a relay between the affected components? I've seen then go bad and konk out, then work, almost as on a timer.

The cause will be quite simple. Finding it is what will take some work, but there are always suspects...like i listed above.

Good luck and let us know.

PS: This is why i cringe every time i have to cut into factory wiring...

 

[toodeep]

Looking at the directions I would check the battery cable bolts and that scotch lock. I just unloaded stuff off of the truck so I will be able see the actual components in a few hours.

 

[GulfCoast]

Wife says it all worked at lunch. Go figure.

 

[rich450es]

Wife says it all worked at lunch. Go figure.

gremlins ...... did you feed youre pioneere after midnight ? did you get it wet ..... lol

 

[GulfCoast]

It was 55 degrees this morning. Wife says voltmeter and light bar worked just fine.