99 500 4x4 with winch just quit while riding trails. No click at the solenoid when turning key on, no lights, nothing.

All fuses checked/good including 30 amp at starter relay. I have power to the starter relay and solenoid but the solenoid no longer clicks when I turn the key on like it used to. I assumed this meant the solenoid was bad so I replaced it but that did not fix the problem.

The solenoid has two small wires coming off of it. Green is ground, red is not. If I run power to the small red wire (not hooked to solenoid) I get lights and can start the engine. This also gives me the neutral light so I'm hoping that means my neutral relay is ok.

Any ideas? I hate electrical gremlins......

 

The small red wire coming out of the solenoid should be constant hot. Trace the red wire to the switch to see if it is still hot before the key switch. If it is not, bypass the dead area with a jumper wire and you will get power.

 

Hey J3nut
Check all the ground wires (to the frame and engine)
Unscrew the fuse box and check the back of it where the wires are, and check each wire to make sure it has a good connection, use a test light.
If that test out ok then check the engine stop switch(OFF-Run) on the left handle bar.
Then if that all test out, then test the nutral relay.
Also look for broken wires.
I hope this helps.
God Bless

 

This is more than likely a bad connection, or a bad wire. What's your battery voltage? I would start by checking all the wires for continuity. Check the neutral switch too.

 

Well, it looks like I have some bad connections. I took the rear fender off and found the regulator plug has several wires corroded off....one on the regulator side and two on the harness side.

I have had wiring harness problems in the past. Does anyone know somewhere I can get one without paying $200.00 for a new one? Maybe this would take care of my problems more permanently. I guess that's what I get for buying a used machine!!

Thanks for all the ideas, it helped me find the problem.