I was coming in with the kids on Saturday afternoon and bam, my cat just quit. Lights out, starter out, everything completely dead. Unlike before when it was the starter solenoid, I can't pull crank it. It is just completely dead. I am not even sure where to start. I checked all the fuses and they are good. The starter solenoid is ok. Where do I go from here?

 

I had a similar problem on my 650 V2 a few weeks ago. I troubleshot with a Fluke meter, but came up with nothing. When I took it to the dealership, they told me that the main wiring harness had melted. It melted everywhere back of the ignition switch. I'd maybe start by taking the shrowd off from the ignition switch and check for continuity on all the lines. I've heard that i'm not the first one with this melting harness, so it may be worth looking into. I just hope your machine still has warranty, mine did, otherwise it would have cost me about $750 for the repairs. Good luck.

 

First check the and clean the connections at the battery and of course make sure the battery is really charged. Check the othere ends of the cables from battery, both ground and to the solenoid. If everything is dead and the fuses are good it just about has to be one of the major connections, either the 12 volts or ground, or the battery itself.

 

duckdawg

There is also a connection plug to the start button and the ignition key that comes up through a small opening right at the base of the handle bars. If the connection unplugs everything goes dead. It happened to me a few times before I glued the connection together. It is tough to see as it is under the front plastic and you have to remove the front rack and plastic to get at it unless you have very small hands.

Other than that, I would check the wiring harness to make sure the "excessive heat" from the exhaust hasn't melted anything important. (like your leg!)

SJ

 

Try bears ideas, but im thinking the battery died. This isnt as rare as it sounds, alot of batteries fail suddenly.

 

The battery is charged and ready. I am thinking something came unplugged. I went through the whole electrical system with the starter solenoid problem a couple of months ago. Maybe I didn't get something back together good.

 

I wouldn't think your quad would die if the battery was dead. Its not an EFI. With a dead battery, your quad should still pull start!

 

I own 2 2005 cats.both have had electrical mishaps.Keep your trouble shooting simple.Check for spark,if your quad has universal relays, switch them to see if you spark.Also most wiring problems I experianced are loose connectors.look for harniswar e, on frame where it is wire tied on frame. GOOD LUCK sorry for spelling my 12 YEAR OLD WENT TO BED COULDNT DO BACK SPACE SHIFT TAB AND ALL THIS COMP.STUFF.

 

It was the ignition switch, it came unplugged. I didn't realize it could come unplugged so easily. I did however make a hard cut to right as it died. Got everything to light back up, now I got to try to put this thing back together again. I had to take the hole front cover off to get to the plugs.

 

Duckdawg,

Use some solicone sealant around the outside of the plug to seal it up and keep it together. Worked fine on mine, I also discovered the little plastic ears that snap on that connection had broken off.

SJ