Hi I am new to this...noticed a strange light flash across bedroom ceiling last night..after several looks out the window, finally saw flash coming from garage...headlights would flash from ATV..sometimes a couple times in a few minutes, then nothing for 45 minutes..does anyone have any answers to this puzzle? My son said the brake lights were doing it too.

 

What year is it? Carb or EFI? It could be the ECM.

 

Howdy DYICAT.....welcome to the best ATV forum around. If the quad is new to you, maybe check for a leftover aftermarket alarm system.......NoJoke

 

welcome to the forum. if it's around a 2005 -06' efi then it would be the ecm is bad and if you check the vin# at a dealer ship he can check for the recall on it.

 

Hi guys. I bought the machine new. It is a 2008 Sportsman 500 H.O. My son just went out to start it tonight and it has no power so the battery must have drained from the problem. Does this help anyone know what the problem likely is? I suspect if I recharge the battery it just going to drain it again.

 

I'd charge the battery,(might have it load tested also) check if it has any power draining from it when you hook it back up,then unplug the ecm and check again. Since you said it was in the headlight area,I would pull the pod,ohm out the ignition switch and check the switch wiring going back into the main harness. Also check wiring around headlight harness. If you can't trace it down to the ecm or ignition switch, or wiring and you are sure your son saw the brake light come on and NOT the tail lights,then I would call Ghost Hunters as somebody had to have pulled the brake lever! OPT

 

You have a current draw somewhere . Connect an ammeter in series with your negative battery cable and check for current draw with your key off . If you have draw start disconnecting things from your system one by one until the draw is eliminated . Current draw key off maximum of .01 DCA (10mA) . Check shorts to ground .

 

Okay, when I hooked up the trickle charger it indicates the battery is charged but nothing lights up when the key is turned. Does anyone know an online link to obtaining a wiring schematic for a 2008 Sportsman 500 HO?

As an aside, when I took the cover off to get at the wiring I discovered that someone had cut right through the wiring harness to the high beam light - a clean cut. The half attached to the light is still there but the other half is gone - nothing is plugged into the socket at the other end. The machine has only been serviced at the place where I bought it and by a local small engine mechanic with a great reputation. I couldn't believe my eyes. The high beam hasn't worked for ages but I just thought it needed a new light!

 

Think you found the source of the problem,or at least part of it Does it look deliberately cut or possibly cut from the metal pod mounting support bracket?? I've found em like this too!! That's why I said look under the pod. Of course neither place will admit to any damage (the old CYA trip,sounds like someone's reputation isn't that great if it wasn't the support bracket that cut the wiring!), Just repair the wiring,see if it runs ok and check the charging back to the battery.Should 14-14.5 volts. If it still doesn't have power,then it could be the ecm module shorting out? I don't remember ever replacing one on the later models(just 04 to 06 models,think maybe one 2007 model?)but its still an electrical component and subject to failure! OPT

 

My 08 don't have a working high beam light because that same wire is also broke . Polaris wires are so small and ran tight that over time some just break . I doubt it was cut it broke like mine did thanks Polaris . I'm not worrying about mine it looks like a real pain to get at to fix . That broke wire runs up and into the switch on your handle bars if I remember right its yellow .