Hello. My entire speedometer housing/pod loses it's main power intermittently. The machine will stay running, but everything on that pod will go dead...the speedometer, odometer, headlamp, and gear indicator lamps, everything. It will blink back on now and then, but most of the time it is dead. I have no AWD when the thing is dead. When the power comes on, the AWD will work for a second. Could a bad battery / low voltage cause such an intermittent problem? Or is this more likely some debacle in the wiring harness?

 

welcome to the forum. did you check the connections on the wire harness going into the speedo to see if corrsion has built up? it would'nt hurt to check the power out put at the battery w/ voltage tester to see if at least 13.8 volts are being put into the batt. when the engine is being reved up. awd woun't work unless the sppedo is working as it's powered thru the speedo harness.

 

Thanks....the battery voltage looks fine either running or off. I don't see anything out of the ordinary with the connectors to the speedometer/ ignition / indicator lamps. I did some more testing of the intermittent power loss while driving...it definitely has something to do with the steering. When I wobble the handlebars back and forth (while driving in reverse), left to right the power to the cluster cuts on and off. I'm pretty intimidated by wiring problems..

 

Your thread reminds me of when I had my accident and rolled her. She took POD damage and it had to be replaced. I NOW wonder if a 550/850 XP style pod housing would fit on our Sportsmans? I like the design better and its flat top would be nice for a GPS mount. But I think it may add to lots of other unnecessary costs if things wouldn't move over etc.

R'

 

if your sure it's in the wiring then the only way to to start tracing to find either a bad connection(including gorunds) or a rubbed wire where it's shorting the power. also check the main connections from batt and up.

 

One thing that doesn't make sense. If there are separate power leads going to the cluster (for the ignition/headlamp/speedo/etc)....then how am I losing power all the components at once?

 

Have you replaced the battery or is it the original battery. If it's the original battery replace it, if not check the battery connections for corrosion. I have 2 SP 500 same year as yours the longest lasting battery of the 2 was trash in summer of 08.

 

I dont think its the battery. When he said if he moves the handlebars it cuts in and out, its obviously in the wiring going up to the pod being tightened and relaxed by the movement. Follow the wiring down the steering shaft and move it back and forth and look were it my be pulling on a harness or a wire is rubbed through in that area. Pull connectors apart and inspect for corrosion(green/white junk). Clean and apply dielectric grease. Pull the connector/s out of the pod and inspect that also.--Dave