one other place to check that is a common failure on new units is the radiator fan thermostat switch. A bad switch generally rear it's head as an intermittent high resistance short to ground. This will slowly drain the battery over a day or 2. This type of drain isn't enough to blow the 15 amp fan circuit. Usually the charging circuit is able to over come the drain and provide enough amprage to charge the battery while the bikes running, but when you combine the use of headlings and running lights, it may not be able to keep up.


Even if it's not the switch, the method used to diagnose the problem is the same.
First thing is to disconnect the battery and remove it from the bike. Get a battery charger and charge the battery slowly (2amp charge). Next you need to load test the battery. Just about any battery shop/ auto parts store, should be able to do this for you. A good battery should be able to handle moderate load for 10 to 15 seconds (I don't remember the exact amprage for a battery this size) without dropping below 10 volts under load. When the load is removed, the voltage should jump back near or over 12 volts. (this isn't 100% technically correct, but should be close enough to tell you if the battery is good or not.) If it does not pass the load test, scrap it and get a new one. Remember however, that most batteries are of decent quality, and this should not happen to a new battery (1 year old or less). So chances are there is still something wrong with the bike, and to not check the bike at this point means you risk buying yet another battery.

Once you have verified the battery is good, it's time to diagnose the bike. With the battery disconnected, and use an ohm meter to check the resistance between the positive battery lead and ground. With the key off, the resistance should should be infinate. If it is, the problem is most likely the charging circuit (voltage regulator, loose coil wires, and heaven forbid, a bad stator), but it could be a few other things like the fan motor, headlight wiring etc (basicly anything that is switched on the positive side of the circuit by the ignition switch is suspect).

At this point a wiring diagram is of great help but isn't 100% necessary.

If there is anything other than an infinate reading between the positive battery lead and ground with the key off, that means that you have a short that is draining your battery. It should go without saying at this point to make sure the negative lead is securely grounded to the frame. If not, secure the ground wire and test again. Visually inspect all the wiring amed make sure nothing is damaged, melted etc. If you suspect a specific item is causing the problem, go ahead and disconnect it and retest the circuit. If the short dissapears, you are very close. If not, the easist way to narrow down the search is start removing fuses one at a time and testing each time. If after you remove the fuse the reading goes infinate, you are close. Reinstall the fuse and follow the wiring from the fuse and disconnect items on that circuit one at a time testing the circuit each time. Once again, if you get an infinate reading, you are close and you can concentrate on that branch of the circuit for now. If the item you removed is a relay, or some sort of switch, you probably have found your problem. Anyway just continue on down the circuit untill you identify the short.


With all that said, my experience has been that weakest link in most circuits are mechanical. Switches, relays, solonoids, thermostats switches, are the most prone to failure. The next weakest link are the electronics in the circuit. The ignition box, and voltage regulator generally fail because of mishandling usually in the manufacturing process, but it is not uncommon for a dealer to swap parts off a new bike on the showroom floor while another one is ordered. So check the mechanical items first.

In my case it was the thermostat switch that failed. The factory used spade connectors to connect the switch. Because the waterproof connector that was designed to fit this switch was not used, water was able to penetrate the switch and corrode the contacts making them stick closed with a little crap between them causing the slow drain on my battery. I know the factory was aware of this potential because they opted to fill in the area around the spade connectors with silicone. But the plastic sheilding around the crimp-on spade connector was not sealed.

Everyone esle is correct that it could be the voltage regulator, but it could be a dozen other things. It sucks to have to do your own diagnostics when you are under warranty. But it can mean the difference between driving to the shop and having them replace the part while you wait or leaving you bike for god knows how long at the shop while all your buddies are out tearing up the dunes. Most of all if you do do your diagnostics, make sure when you go to have the bike fixed under warranty that you relay all the info to the service writer, or better yet, the tech doing the work. If your methods were sound, the tech will be able to verify the problem very quickly and get the parts ordered/installed. Almost every shop pays their techs on flat-rate (peice work), so any help you can give them, they will use to their advantage. Making both of you happier in the end.


sorry this ended up so long, I hope it helps with your problem.

let us know when you find out what it is.

-Tom

 

Well , got the battery charged and it started fine .Gonna let it sit for a day or so and then see what happens.I'm willing to try anything if that doesn't work.Might have to take it to the shop becuase I'm not real good on this mechanic thing (hey this was the first time I ever even unhooked a battery cable. Pretty sad eh? ). Husbands gone until November or December and I won't wait that long to drive it , already missed one run this weekend gone by ain't gonna miss the next. I'm keeping track of all the suggestions in cause ,so I have an idea of some of the problems if anything else occurs later to .Thanks!!

 

Went for a run on Saturday , things went great .Went to start my bike today and now all it did was tick .Charged it for about a half hour and she went. Don't know what the problem is but called the dealer and they ordered a new battery , so I'll try that and hope for the best. Gonna get them to check a few of the things everyone suggested just in cause . Don't want to make any more trips then I have to.

 

Considering its brand new, I'm sure its the battery. The shop probably filled the battery months before you bought it, started it occasionally but never ran it long enough to charge it. When these batteries become discharged they don't last long. The shop charged it before you picked it up so it worked for a day or so but its done.
Take them up on a new one but make sure it a black Yuasa. Its an expensive battery so they may try to slip you something less. don't take anything less.

 

i was lucky, wen i took it in for my starter button, they dropped my battery n broke it so i got a new one, its the black one, lucky me

 

If it is a 2003 ds, the battery hasn't been sitting for "months". I'm sure the battery is probably toast, or at least the lifespan is severly diminished. However, the battery is RARELY the problem. Very few batterys just go bad when new. Usually they are damaged by something else. Any shop that trys to service your new ds and tells you it's just a bad battery, be very skeptical of that shop.

Think about it, if a fuse blows, is it a problem with the fuse? (I know that's alot different, but humor me). I beleive the battery is simply one of the symptoms of the problem.

-Tom

 

Nothing is concrete but if you go with averages and I'm not talking just Bombardier, Im talking motorcycle/ATV batteries and electronics in general, the battery is more often the problem. Not saying that its ok to go replacing things without testing first but given the lack of info here its where I would suggest to start. Of course a volt meter and and someone who knows how to use it could give her a definate answer in about 2 minutes but I'm sure thats not an option or it would have been done.

 

I know it sounds like a simple check but in reality fellas I live in what we call the "sticks" . Our nearest auto mechanic is at least an hour away,and as for atv shops the nearest for miles is strictly Honda . Believe it or not when I got my bike no one here had even heard of a Baja (now how bad is that??).I own the only Bombardier in town so I'm rather fussy about letting just anyone look at it. My husband has some experience with fixing bikes and knows how to check alot of this stuff but like I said before he's gone until November so I either gotta take it somewhere or sit and wait.

 

The tests are universal to any charging system and they can tell you if all you need is a battery or if you need to take it to the dealer to have the charging system looked at. Your Honda dealer can do it easy.

 

I'm not saying batteries don't go bad. What I was trying to get at is they either wear out (end of lifespan), are improperly maintained, or damaged by other forces. If your battery goes bad before the end of it's normal lifespan, 99.9% of the time it is either neglect or or some other failure that had damaged the battery or at least diminished the lifespan. Very very rarely is there any defect with the battery.

Remember even something like running your battery down completely dead can diminish the lifespan as much as 50% each time (depending on the type of battery). Also if you can't expect your bikes charging system to handle a completely dead battery. Most charging systems are designed to maintain a charge on the battery.

You put alot of strain on the voltage regulator when you run your bike with a near dead battery (if it will even run). This could damage the charging system on the bike. If your battery is dead, always use a standalone charger to charge it back up, DO NOT jump start the bike unless you are out in the boonies an you have no other choice. Even then, when you get back, stick it on a charger.

The charge on a battery can and will dissapate by itself over time, thus it must be maintained to get the maximum lifespan out it. Most people think of batteries as maintainance free items, but that is very far from the truth.

You are correct that battery failures are common, but it's not usually a problem with the battery, it is usually a symptom of a greater problem.