:I HAVE A 2004 HONDA 450 ES FOREMAN THAT WON'T SHIFT GEARS . I CHECKED & REPLACED THE WIRE HARNESS. I REPLACED THE ECU BOX ,& THE SWITCH SENSOR TOO. THE SHIFT MOTOR WORKS . I PUT A DIRECT 12 VOLT CHARGE TO IT & IT WORKED. MY DASH READS A 5 FLASH CODE WHICH MEANS THE ECU BOX . THE ONLY THING THAT I DIDN'T REPLACE WAS THE SWITCHES ON THE HANDLE BARS. CAN ANYBODY TELL ME IF SOMETHING ELSE COULD CAUSE MY SHIFTING PROBLEMS. PLEASE HELP !!!!

 

Too bad you didnt spend 20 bucks on the clymers service manual. Theres a procedure for troubleshooting the problem, before thowing any parts at it.

The first thing on the list of things to check,is for loose or water filled or corroded connectors at the ecu, the shifter motor and related circuits.

On the 5 pin connector at the ecu, measure the voltage on the red/yellow wire, to ground, with the key on. You need at the minimum...11 volts. let us know what you find....there are more steps from there.

Then check the continuity from the green wire to ground, on that same connector. It should show continuity.

Then disconnect the 2pin connector on the shifter motor, and between there and the 5 pin connector on the ecu, check the continuity of the orange wire, end to end. Then check the continuity of the green/blue wire, end to end.

Let us know what you find.

Did this just suddenly start happening? Still have the 5 flashes?

 

BEFORE I BOUGHT THE NEW PARTS FOR MY BIKE I DID CHECK THE PLUGS & CURRENT. AFTER I PUT THE NEW PARTS ON I CHECKED IT AGAIN. I USED A VOLT METER. THE VOLTS ON THE RED/YELLOW WIRE IS 12.45 VOLTS. I CHECKED IT BETWEEN THE 5 PIN & THE 2 PIN & I GOT 0.0 VOLTS ON BOTH WIRES , GREEN/BLUE & THE ORANGE WIRE. IS THEIR SUPPOSE TO BE A CURRENT BETWEEN THOSE WIRES ?? I ALREADY CHECKED THE SHIFT MOTOOR & IT WORKS. I ALSO CHECKED THE FUSES ALL GOOD. STILL FLASHING 5 FLASHES. WHEN I PRESS THE UP/DOWN BUTTENS, NOTHING HAPPENS, ITS LIKE I HAVE IT UNPLUGGED.

 

I FORGOT TO LET YOU KNOW THAT I ALSO CHECKED THE CURRENT ON THE GREEN/BLUE WIRE ON THE 5 PIN & IT READ .45 VOLTS WHEN I HAD THE 5 PIN UNPLUGGED I PUT A 12 VOLT CURRENT TO THE ORANGE & GREEN/BLUE WIRES & THE SHIFT MOTOR SHIFTED GEARS ALSO SHOWING UP ON THE SCREEN AS IT SHIFTED. I CHECKED ALL THE WIRES THAT I CONNECTED TO THE NEW WIRE HARNESS A MILLION TIMES PLUGGING & UNPLUGGING THEM & IT STILL FLASHES 5 TIMES. DO YOU THINK THAT THE HANDLEBAR SWITCHES ARE BAD, SINCE I'VE CHANGED ALL THE OTHER PARTS RELATED TO THE SHIFTING OR HAVE CHECKED THEM TO SEE IF THEY WERE GOOD LIKE THE SHIFT MOTOR??

 

I CHECKED IT BETWEEN THE 5 PIN & THE 2 PIN & I GOT 0.0 VOLTS ON BOTH WIRES , GREEN/BLUE & THE ORANGE WIRE. IS THEIR SUPPOSE TO BE A CURRENT BETWEEN THOSE WIRES ??

There wont be any current on them, because they both are disconnected. Just check for continuity...the wires are one and the same, and need to check continuity to each end, but not to ground. Its just a check of the integrity of the wiring. Were just checking for shorts and opens.

Does sound like theres not much left but the switches. Have you taken them apart and cleaned them out?

Usually youd get a 2 flash code for the buttons being bad.
To check the buttons...disconnect the 22 pin connector on the ecu, (and have the key off, the whole time.) Then put the ohmeter between the black/light blue wire, and the white/yellow wire. Watch the meter while pressing the upbutton, then the down button. You should get continuity when you press either button. There should not be continuity if neither button is pressed.

 

WHEN I PUT THE OHM METER ON THE WIRES I GOT NO CONTINUITY & WHEN I PRESSED THE UP OR DOWN BUTTON IT READ THE SAME. THAT SOUNDS LIKE THE PROBLEM, ITS IN THE SWITCH BECAUSE THE WIRE HARNESS IS NEW. YESTERDAY I PRESSED BOTH THE UP / DOWN BUTTENS THE SAME TIME & TURNED THE KEY ON & IT FLASHED A 2 CODE SO I TURNED THE KEY OFF & ON & IT WENT BACK TO THE 5 CODE. I DID THIS A COUPLE OF TIMES & SOMETIMES IT WOULD FLASH THE 2 CODE & SOMETIMES IT WOULDN'T. ITS LIKE THE SWITCHES WOULD GET THE READINGS & SOMETIMES IT WOULDN'T.

 

You got nothing to loose by taking the switches apart and making sure they are clean. Lots of times, the issue is mud jammed in there, and keeps the switches from full movement.

 

SORRY IT TOOK SO LONG TO REPLY BUT I WAS BUSY. I DID THE CHECK WITH THE HANDLE BAR SWITCHES & I GOT NO CONTINUITY AT ALL, SO I CHECKED THE SWITCHES & THEY WERE RUSTED & CORRODED. THEY WERE TOO DAMAGED TO FIX SO I BOUGHT A NEW HANDLE BAR SWITCH. I STILL HAVE THE SAME PROBLEM NO CONTINUITY AT ALL. REMEMBER THAT I HAVE A NEW ECU,WIRE HARNESS, SHIFT SENSOR & A NEW HANDLE BAR SWITCH. & I STILL GET NOTHING WHEN I PUSH THE UP OR DOWN BUTTENS. I DON'T KNOW WHAT ELSE TO DO. PLEASE HELP..

 

Still flashing 5 times?

 

I HAVE A 1 FLASH & 5 FLASH I;VE RESET THE CODES & I STILL KEEP GETTING 1 & 5 FLASHES.