I've got an 03 baja with about 100 hours on it.
Since a couple weeks ago, I'm having a problem with the fuse under the seat (throttle side) blowing.
It's a 10 amp fuse.
When it blows, the quad stops (lose the ignition). I replace it and all is well for about 1/2 hour or so.
I can't find any chaffing wires.

The fuse seems to be connected to the ignition (only?). I lose the neutral safety indicator and oil light when it goes out.
It usually blows when I'm riding fast.

Voltage too high?
Chaffing somewhere else?

I'm at my wits end.
Please help if you can.
Tom

 

a buddy had the same problem it ended up being the radiator fan blowing it it was dragging to much amps and needed replace we replaced it no more problems, that was his problem not to say it is the same with yours. His was an 2000 DS650

 

that's definitely something to consider. I'll run it in the garage until the fan comes on and see what happens.

If that fuse blows...I'll be VERY happy! (to know what it is)
-T

 

I had that trouble this summer, the trouble was a wire. Not always easy to figure out which one is the trouble.Good luck

 

I had that problem last summer also. It turned out to be the wire bundle under the handlebar would get pinched when I made a turn. I guess the handlebars were to low and it would short out. Found the problem, raised the handle bars and problem fixed. Good luck.

 

Sorry to raise the dead with this post, but...I'm still having it blow.

It's a year later and it's back!

Took it down as far as I felt comfortable at night. still couldn't find anything wrong.

It's the 25 amp fuse on the right side under the seat. The owners manual calls this the "charging" fuse.

it blows randomly, but usually when i'm turning or jumping.

I seriously can't figure it out...any ideas?
I'm thinking it could even be a short in the coil (if that's even possible)...but maybe I'm crazy.

any ideas?

 

Well, the problem is obviously a short somewhere. (DUH!) Someone with more electrical diagnosis is certainly needed, but I'd just start checking wires etc. I had a almost but not really similar problem on my DS - the taillight broke up inside and the positive and negative contacts broke loose inside of the taillight and were touching. Every time I turned on the lights the fuse would blow and the quad would shut off - in fact I think it was the 25 amp fuse if I recall correctly. Can you duplicate the problem with it running in the garage and jumping on it or anything?

Something my dad told me that I would NOT recommend: when he used to drive Belly Dumps (if you don't know trucks these are the long dirt hauling trucks with the "V" shaped dual trailers) if he had a short circuit it was impossible to find on that large of a vehicle. (Now keep in mind, this was an old school truck with old school lighting, not an ignition system or anything) so he would stick a nail in place of the fuse then walk around the truck and look to see what was smoking / burning. It worked great - wherever the short was, it would get hot a burn some insulation off of the wires so now he could fix the short. I have a feeling if you tried this on the DS you would burn up something more costly than a short stretch of wire though.

 

Thanks for the input.
I cannot seem to duplicate it in the garage or riding on smooth roads (in town here). I've had the fuse blow a few times when I hit a whoop and most recently when I turned left on smooth ground. I'll tear it apart when I get time.

You're probably right...I'm sure it's a shorted wire. Originally, it would happen so infrequently that I thought it might be overcharging or something (since it's called the charging fuse). I put a 30 amp fuse in there a couple days ago, but promptly blew out two of those in about a mile.

Time to get wrenching!
-T

 

Heres a better thing to try than a nail. That can lead to some very expensive repairs.
If you have a ohm meter, heres something to try.
Disconnect both battery cables, and keep them disconnected. Take one lead of the ohmmeter, and clip it on the contact of the fuse holder on the downstream side. (One side of the fuseholder goes to the battery, and one goes downstream to the circuits.) Then hook the other lead of the ohmmeter to a ground. You may read some resistance, but it definetly shouldnt be a dead short (unless its acting up at this time). You may be reading the normal resistance of whatever is in the circuit. Now, while watching the ohmmeter, and youll be looking for a short, start to wiggle the wire bundles. Do small areas at a time, and you might need a helper, to watch the meter while you focus on wiggling. Pay attension to the connections and connectors, lots of times this is where the short will be found. Also next to frame parts and close pinches while turning. When you get the short (very low resistance), to show up, its just a matter of looking closer at the area where you were moving wires.
There are times when youll come up empty handed, and find nothing wrong. Sometimes it a component that is causing it, and its only while the circuit is active....like fans, and voltage regulators and such, that the short will happen.
But seeing how the fuse blows while under physical stress...jumping and landings, im beting its a shorted wire somewhere, and this will work for you.
Its not a good idea to put in higher rated fuses than the circuit is supposed to have. It can get very expensive.
Good luck

 

Looked to see what was smoking / burning.....LOL Sounds like something I did at DS days when my tail light went out........A small piece of aluminum foil works well to.....Hahahahaha