Hello
I am new to the site and have a question about my 04.5 sportsman 500 HO. I have a glacier plow and I purchased the wheeler for recreational and driveway maintenance. I purchased in august of 04 new.

The first storm of the winter came and I went to the shed ready to play with my new plowing machinery. I turned the key and had nothing!!!! I heard no clicking and had no power at the guage panel. no lights, guage panel did not even come to life. First thought was battery dead. I brouhgt out my portable boooster and hooked it to my battery and wala nothing still. ( not the battery) so I got on the phone with the dealership but guess what day it was and when he could get it in and look at it. It was friday and monday would be able to look at. So I got looking , I took rack off front and and then cover and proceeded to look for loose wire and or damagred wires notheing apeared to be bad. I took apart headlight pod to get to switch nothing appeared to be damged or unhooked. still nothing.I decided to unhook battery and wires from solenoid and reinstall thinking loose connection. After this I turned the switch and I had power to the panel but was clicking on the starter. Ran diagnostics and the battery had only 8.9 volts. Called dealer back and he said must have been loose wire on solenoid and that the new batteries that are being used take so long to charge for the first time that alot of them go out not fully charged so if the wheeler is not running high enough rpms during break in period they tend to not get fully charged and with the winch it only looses ground. I accepted it being a new owner.

Two months later I am on my way to camp to do some ice fishing and just enjoy a family weekend. I get to camp and unload my wheeler and plow out a skating rink on the ice for the kids and a road for my traps. I get back to the camp and my hot light is flashing on my panel guage and the fan is running but not at high speed and the fan will not stop even when shut off and key is removed from the switch. I should also add that the ambient temperature is about -2 degrees below zero. The machine really should not be hot. I called the dealer and guess what day it is?? you got it!! and guess when he can get it in? you got it.

So monday rolls around and I bring it to the dealer. While unloading the wheeler from my truck the mechanic was beside the truck and when I turned the key the wheeler started and kept right on cranking on the starter and would not disengage so I pulled the key out of the switch and the thing kept cranking for about five seconds and the mechanics eyes got really big and was surprised. And I forgot to mention this happened two months prior during the first incodent of power problems. He said he would look at it.

The next day I called the dealer and he said the hot light flashing and the fan was due to the control module and I was fine with that I had already concluded that myself after tracing wires. the power loss and overcranking he said was due to moisture in the switch. And this is where I am looking for help. Because I would disagree and this is were I need clarification if I am wrong.

Looking at it the posotive comes from the battery right to a solenoid beside the battery from this there is power to the key switch and back to the solenoid and a power from the other post that would go to the starter. it takes the turning of the key to make the loop or to make the solenoid(relay) open or close to start or shut off. I think that the first incodent when I had no power that the solenoid was stuck open allowing no power to the switch and or guage panel and when the thing does not stop cranking the relay is sticking closed ( maybe until it becomes hot enough to cut out) like keeping your key turned all the way to the starting car after it has started. I would like to get them to change the solenoid but when I explain this they give me that what are you talking about look. So I called polaris and they said that they anly have techical support hotlines for dealers and that I should talk to them and they did not want to talk to me.

This is my thought but was looking for some support before pursuing further
THANK YOU

 

A little more infor,ation please.

Number of hours
Number of miles
Did you pressure wash the machine??
Did you low pressure wash the machine close to the really cold day?
Do you have the rubber guard on the key?
Are the battery cables tight at the battery, winch, and solenoid?
Did you check the small breaker under the hood for heat damage (it can over heat and look burned)?
Do you have an winch?? WARN had some bad contactors that would slowly drain the batter without running the winch.

thanks,

 

154 miles
32 hours
Have washed with pressure washer but when done it sat in the heated shop at work for about 12 hours and it was dry. It was during cold weather.
I have the rubber on the key but it just happens thay I did use the spare key without for a cuople of weeks . I forgot the maine key at camp.
I checked all connections at the battery and are tight.
I have not checked the breaker under the hood or maybe did but was not sure what I was looking at. Maybe you could tell me where to find. I am going to buy a manual with schematic when I get to the dealer next.

I do have a warn winch and was noticing that the the connection they put in for the power to the toggle switch was spliced in and did not utilize the spare powers????????????
THANKS

 

What i've found::in order i think they apply to you.

1. The key without rubber boot, water gets in the switch and cause shorts ... happen on my friends honda and another on his grizz.
2. I've heard ... but not had ... warn connectors drain the battery slowly from water getting in ... not sealed correctly from the factory.
3. The circuit breaker under the hood or 2003/2004/2004.5 ... looks like a sliver tube (sorry don't really know how to tell you what it is) ... it will get very hot and trip ... it's bad and not a short in your system. This will cause you to lose all power when triped, as well as a big drain on the battery and charging system.
hope that helps...

 

nash, did you have the dealer replace the control module??? i have had 2 modules bad, 1 when the bike was setting the fan would just come on even with key off. the other problem we have been seeing is right where the wiring harness plugs into the module it gets water or moisture in this connector and will cause short, erractis running problems, battery srain etc. if you haven't been back to dealer, get it there!! your factory 6 month warranty is close if bought in august.

on the other note, no polaris does not have a tech line for consumers, only dealers. and trust me its tied up alot! there is a customer service # in your owners manual i believe its 1-800-polaris. and yes they will tell you to go to dealer first thats what there are there for.

 

Even though your machine wasn't brand new when it wouldn't stop cranking, a problem on a brand new machine is the starter gets stuck on and you have to tap on it....I had to do it on mine and that was after about 50 miles of riding...never did it again

 

hven't had any problems with stuck starters. have had a solenoid or two stick which is what energizes the starter to crank. a water short at the controller will do the same thing. the new module that polaris is using from Power Up stores a small charge for a few seconds after key is shut off. this could explain the reason for cranking with key out.