Purchased a 2003 450ES thats been sitting for 6 mos, Wont shift on the switches but it shifts with the manual lever and shows the gears manually. The "gear" indicator is flashing in sequences of 5. (is this a code 5 ) and if so, where can i get a code chart/diagram? Can anyone help me??? I want to RIDE...Thanks

 

How is your battery? Mine won't shift right if the battery isn't fully charged. Is it making noise like it is trying to shift?

Kirk

 

5 flashes is the ecu motor driver circuit.
Have you checked for blown fuses?

 

Battery is good and it doesnt make any "noises" when I try to shift

 

No blown fuses under the seat, Are there any more that I should be checking?

 

If the (2) 30 amp, one 15 amp and one 10 amp are good then thats it., then youll need a volt/ohm meter. Got one?
Before we get too deep, check the connectors, and make sure they are clean, dry and snug.Also the terminals on the battery.
Check the voltage from the battery, needs to be 12.3 volts or higher.
Has the clutch been adjusted lately? Its the slotted screw and nut, on the forward side of the crankcase. Loosen the nut, but dont remove it, lightly turn the slotted screw ccw, until it hits resistance...then go 1/4 turn cw, and snug up the nut. If itll start and drive, then do this clutch adjustment with the motor off, and warmed up.
It could be as simple as just the clutch plates sticking together, so if the oil hasnt been changed in awhile, do that too.
If none of this helps, then youll need to check some pins for voltage.

 

All terminals look clean and secure, Battery is new and reads 12.6v. Also, checked fuses with a test light and adjusted clutch. Still the same...[img]i/expressions/face-icon-small-sad.gif[/img]....no shifting and still flashing on dash. Oil is clean...and by the way, Thanks for helping me!

 

Hey, no problem, and welcome to the forums.
...I can try and talk you through the steps, and then depending on what you find, take you through some more steps.Theres about one page for troubleshooting a 5 flash. Youll need a volt ohm meter, and remove the front fenders and rack, because theres a 5 pin wire connecter under there, that you need to get to.
If you look here
Youll see #15 in the picture, this I believe is the ECU. There are two connectors going to it. One is a 5 pin connector...this is the one we want. Its mounted to the frame and is roughly above the front differential.
Make sure the connector looks normal and is clean dry and tight. And as long as youve got things apart , check the connector on the shifting motor too. Also keep your eyes open for cut or frayed wires, or bare wire thouching ground.
Just disconnect the 5 pin connector, and im assuming do this check with the key off, but if we dont get a voltage, then try it with the key on. Youll be looking for 11. volts or better, DC.
Pos lead of voltmeter to the red/yellow ( which means red wire with yellow stripe), terminal, of the plug. This is the quad side of plug, not the ECU side. Neg lead of voltmeter to the frame ground. Youre suppose to see 11. volts or better.
Let me know what you see.
Then theres other steps to go, depending on what you get.

 

Thanks for the help and the welcome. I did what you said and I got 12.4 volts out of that fat red/yellow wire with and without the key on. I also "jumped" The Motor with 12 volts and It will shift when I jump it out through the connector so I know the shift motor is working. I dont see any frayed or grounded wires and all conectors are clean.

 

Youre doing good.
That red/yellow checked for voltage going to the circuit.
Now...same 5 pin plug, disconnected, key off, check the green pin to ground, with the ohm meter. This is on the quad side of the circuit too.
If that checks good (continuity, or short), we can move on to the next step. If the green to ground is an open (infinite resistance), thats the problem. Youll have to track down where its pinched , broke or bare.

If the green wire checks good,
Disconnect the 2 pin connector at the shift motor. Youve already checked that the motor works, which was one of the steps, by putting 12 volts to it. Good thinking.
There is two wires, an orange wire, and it goes up to that ECU unit, and a green/blue wire that goes up to that same 5 pin connector. Check the conntinuity between the orange on the 5 pin and the orange on the 2 pin plug. Then check the conntinuity between the green/ blue wire on the 5 pin plug and the 2 pin plug.
If you see an open (infineite resistance)...thats the problem. And again, track down the reason...pinched wire, broken wire or bare wire touching ground. If all of those 3 wires all check good, put the two connectors back together( the 5 pin and the 2 pin connectors), and turn the key on in nuetral. Still have 5 flashes? If its still got the 5 flashes,then take the ECU unit to the honda dealer, my book says they have equipment which can check it out...to prove its bad before laying out the cash. They dont say what to do, it must be proprietary, but at least they can confirm its bad.
Let me know what you find. Hopefully its a pinched wire.