Programmed Fuel Injection malfuntion indicator lamp flashing when idling

[Guest Little Plug]

NC750X 2015. Had a continual flashing PGM-FI MIL(yellow engine icon) when idling first thing on a cold morning.  Wouldn't stop with revving.  Eventually turned off and restarted - no flashing.  I cautiously went on my commute and no reoccurrence.  Bit worrying though.  Anyone experienced this? 

[Guest Hati]

You have a fault, hence the blinking. There is a tool (resistor) you can use to short two pins (brown and green) in the DLC connector (red diagnostic one) and then count the flashes to match to an error list, or take it to your dealer for them to plug in their diagnostic computer. I would say "or come to me and I plug in mine", but that won't be very economical

[TheEnglishman 401]

Yea - mine does that occasionally. Perceived wisdom seems to say it's a connector issue behind the dash.

YMMV

[embee 7,288]

The "maintenance indicator lamp" MIL will light up if the system sees a value for something which is outside an expected range. This can be caused by all sorts of things, and some of them can be due to circumstances rather than a true fault, so the first thing I'd say is don't panic. I SAID DON'T PANIC!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!   

 

If you get it after a cold start but not at any other time, it's possible it's battery volts. When you use the starter it pulls the battery volts down, th ecolder it is the more the effect, and it takes a while to recover the volts once the engine starts and starts charging. This used to be a big problem on early fuel injected cars with diagnostics.

How old is the battery? Check the battery terminals are clean and tight. As said by others it may be another connector, a dirty contact will give a reduced voltage so can trigger a fault.

 

It could be a number of other things, and if possible do as the others suggest and get the fault code when it does it. That'll help point us in the right direction as to what it thinks the problem is.

Edited September 24, 2016 by embee

[Guest sykospain]

Martin - you're still under warranty on a 2015 bike I presume - so just flirt it into the dealer's wrkshop and they'll hook it up to their diagnostic.  Simples - tsk.

But as said above, I bet it's low battery volts....anything electrical went wrong with my Beemers, it was always that.  Under the seat ( same with the NC ) there was a bunch of earth wires all bolted to the frame with one bolt.  The slightest corrosion or looseness there causes high resistance and panics the computer.

[Guest Hati]

Hmm, I did have the original battery so low that the dash went completely blank for the duration of cranking, but did not give me any errors. Never plugged in my diagnostic tool though.

[Spindizzy 7,109]

If it does it once and goes away I wouldn't worry.

 

We turn off and on multi million pound aeroplanes when they throw a technical paddy at power on. 'system reset, no fault found'

 

Sometimes you can overthink these things.

[Tex 36,817]

 

Sometimes you can overthink these things.

 

Something that applies to lots of stuff on internet forums! 

[MikeBike 5,005]

Mine has done this twice last week. It's going in tomorrow for the dealer for 30mins to read out the code that's hopefully stored for a clue... and decide what if anything to do..

[MikeBike 5,005]

The dealer read the code today and cleared the memory so that we can see if it appears again and is the same code. It was 86-1 which is apparently dash communication failure. Reading from the service manual it says

"Meter communication malfunction
 • Open or short circuit in the TXD/RXD
wire
 • Faulty combination meter"

[embee 7,288]

Connectors connectors connectors ...............................

[MikeBike 5,005]

Connectors connectors connectors ..............................

Anything to suggest to remedy? Especially something simple like a spray with some WD40 etc?

[kayz1 2,928]

Not WD40 Mike it drys out too fast and leaves nothing behind it.  Switch cleaner and then switch lube or silly-cone    grease. that stuff Embee talks about.

[embee 7,288]

Aerosol contact cleaner as a start, then something like ACF50 or a dielectric grease. I use Dow Corning DC4 (you'll find it on the auction site) but there are others. ACF50 is probably as good as anything.

[kayz1 2,928]

I have Mill spec contact cleaner here Mike, if you want to pop around one fine day we can rip ( err! take the plastics off the bike ) and pull all the plugs...But will have to be after the 15th as i HAVE to go on my hols with Pat to Cyprus  Ow! i also have some acf50 if you prefer that stuck up your connectors  

Lyn.

[michael 324]

same symptoms as my bmw - cured when battery replaced.

(my personal experience, not to be construed as a cure for this situation)

As Embee (Murray) noted, battery voltage may cause a fault upon start up,when voltage is drawn down.

[MikeBike 5,005]

In my case I don't think it's the battery as the bike is always on a battery tender and I checked the terminals are tight.

 

Aerosol contact cleaner as a start, then something like ACF50 or a dielectric grease. I use Dow Corning DC4 (you'll find it on the auction site) but there are others. ACF50 is probably as good as anything.

I looked at the dash connector today when out and the rubber cover was not seated so maybe some moisture has got in. I have bought some contact cleaner but after it has dried should I spray the ACF50 also on the exposed connectors and terminals, or only when the connectors are pushed back together again?

[embee 7,288]

You can put some on the pins inside the connectors before pushing them together. If it's aerosol ACF50 it's sometimes more convenient or less messy to spray some onto a small brush and apply it that way. It won't harm the plastics or rubber cover etc. Try to put the connector together/apart a few times to ensure the contacts are good.

[MikeBike 5,005]

You can put some on the pins inside the connectors before pushing them together. If it's aerosol ACF50 it's sometimes more convenient or less messy to spray some onto a small brush and apply it that way. It won't harm the plastics or rubber cover etc. Try to put the connector together/apart a few times to ensure the contacts are good.

Thanks Murray, Just what I needed to know, and hadn't thought of pushing together several times and was wondering what to use, but of course it makes sense.

 

But it's a bit disappointing to be honest to have had the bike booked at the dealers for them to say dash communication failure, then for me to find the connector cover loose. Would have been better if they had a look, cleaned and sprayed the connector rather than just deleting the message and saying see if it happens again.. Fingers crossed that is the only issue.