Lost instrument panel illumination

van Gogh · October 12th, 2011, 10:36 AM

So on my way to work in the morning a few days ago and my bike starts to make a very load buzzing noise almost like an alarm going off Pretty sure it was a relay buzzing like mad then my fuel gauge illumination went out noise stopped a couple seconds later my speedo illumination went out. The next morning when i started it up to go to work my Tach illumination went out. So its in the shop at the moment getting checked out since i have warrenty. just wondering if anyone else has had this issue or if im just lucky.

dubojr1 · October 12th, 2011, 11:06 AM

Sounds kinda like an electrical short. I would think your display will be replaced. GL!

CZroe · October 12th, 2011, 12:52 PM

My speedo light goes out every now and then but is on most of the time.

van Gogh · October 12th, 2011, 01:31 PM

just got off the phone with the dealer they said its just burned out bulbs? Seems kinda strange to me that all 3 would go out shortly after that buzzing noise and with only 3000km on the bike but hay what do i know lol. And im sure when i go pick it up and ask about they buzzing noise ill get some bullshit about its a normal sound for this bike to make.

cliff0529 · October 12th, 2011, 05:35 PM

That doesn't sound right. I've had dash bulbs last 10+ years and 150K+ miles in cars before. Granted, they're a little more protected from the elements than they are on a bike, but I'd be suspicious if all 3 failed within a day of each other...especially with the buzzing noise. There's something that caused them to fail, a nicked wire shield or bad ground, something.

Those lights are on the same circuit as your tail light, so make sure your brake and tail light are working when you pick it up. Also, wouldn't hurt to see what size fuse is in the fuse block, make sure they didn't swap the 10A with a 15A or something to keep it from blowing the fuse.

Best I can tell, there are only those three bulbs, the tail light and the two brake micro switches on that circuit, so the buzzing wouldn't have been coming from a relay, as there's not one on that circuit. It could be the ignition switch though as that's the switch that completes the circuit to power it.

CZroe · October 12th, 2011, 07:39 PM

Had several dash/panel bulbs blow within a couple weeks on a new Hyundai Elantra 10 years ago. They said it wasn't covered under warranty until I said that they clearly weren't user-serviceable (cruise light, AC light, etc). They still refused to replace the ones in the stereo display backlight, which both failed on each side of the display within a few days leading to many years of frustrated night-time radio usage.

Anyway, they replaced what they were going to replace and they never blew again, but the story doesn't end there. A few years later we were out of warranty (over 100,000 miles) when the car started making a funny sound while my brother was driving it. He pulled over and discovered that it had NO oil in the engine! Yep: The oil light was blown as well and, with no indication that there was a catastrophic oil loss, he kept driving it until noises developed and the engine was damaged and required a full rebuild ($5,000).

It had never come on when starting the car and we had no idea that it was supposed to, so we did not detect it. Because it was full synthetic, the loss wasn't immediately obvious until it had been driven plenty far enough to cause damage. It was a new car when the lamp had blown along with the rest in that unexplained event but there was no way to prove it so we had to suck it up and pay for the engine rebuild.

The moral of the story is: FIND OUT WHY THEY BLEW IN THE FIRST PLACE AND HOLD THEM ACCOUNTABLE WHILE IT'S STILL UNDER WARRANTY!

van Gogh · October 14th, 2011, 07:18 PM

Thanks for the post guys. When i went to pick up the bike they told me that the wrong bulbs had been installed in the bike and that is what caused them to burn out so fast. Im not so sure i trust them. It would be nice to have the wiring diagram. Is there anyone online i have not been able to find one yet but i probaly was not looking in the right place's. Ya when the lights all went out i checked all other lights and functions on the bike because i was not sure what else was on that circuit and everything else was working.

October 12th, 2011, 10:36 AM	#1
van Gogh ninjette.org newbie Name: Andrew Location: Alberta Calgary Join Date: Aug 2011 Motorcycle(s): 2011 Ninja 250r SE Posts: 7	Lost instrument panel illumination So on my way to work in the morning a few days ago and my bike starts to make a very load buzzing noise almost like an alarm going off Pretty sure it was a relay buzzing like mad then my fuel gauge illumination went out noise stopped a couple seconds later my speedo illumination went out. The next morning when i started it up to go to work my Tach illumination went out. So its in the shop at the moment getting checked out since i have warrenty. just wondering if anyone else has had this issue or if im just lucky.

October 12th, 2011, 11:06 AM	#2
dubojr1 ninjette.org certified postwhore Name: Jason Location: Jacksonville, Florida Join Date: May 2010 Motorcycle(s): 09 Ninja 250R SE, 07 Honda CRF230F, 06 Honda CRF150F Posts: A lot.	Sounds kinda like an electrical short. I would think your display will be replaced. GL! __________________________________________________ 09 250R SE: Paying it forward one post at a time! Don't forget to add yourself to our Member Map

October 12th, 2011, 05:35 PM	#5
cliff0529 ninjette.org member Name: Cliff Location: Georgia Join Date: Apr 2011 Motorcycle(s): 1999 BMW K1200LT, 2001 Aprilia Falco, 2008 Ninja 250R and a whole slew of dirtbikes! Posts: 64	That doesn't sound right. I've had dash bulbs last 10+ years and 150K+ miles in cars before. Granted, they're a little more protected from the elements than they are on a bike, but I'd be suspicious if all 3 failed within a day of each other...especially with the buzzing noise. There's something that caused them to fail, a nicked wire shield or bad ground, something. Those lights are on the same circuit as your tail light, so make sure your brake and tail light are working when you pick it up. Also, wouldn't hurt to see what size fuse is in the fuse block, make sure they didn't swap the 10A with a 15A or something to keep it from blowing the fuse. Best I can tell, there are only those three bulbs, the tail light and the two brake micro switches on that circuit, so the buzzing wouldn't have been coming from a relay, as there's not one on that circuit. It could be the ignition switch though as that's the switch that completes the circuit to power it. __________________________________________________ Georgia Fast Lane

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October 12th, 2011, 12:52 PM	#3
CZroe CPT Falcon Name: J.Emmett Turner Location: Newnan, GA Join Date: Apr 2009 Motorcycle(s): '08 CP Blue EX250J, '97 unpainted EX250F, 2nd '97 unpainted EX250F (no engine), '07 black EX250F Posts: A lot.	My speedo light goes out every now and then but is on most of the time.

October 12th, 2011, 01:31 PM	#4
van Gogh ninjette.org newbie Name: Andrew Location: Alberta Calgary Join Date: Aug 2011 Motorcycle(s): 2011 Ninja 250r SE Posts: 7	just got off the phone with the dealer they said its just burned out bulbs? Seems kinda strange to me that all 3 would go out shortly after that buzzing noise and with only 3000km on the bike but hay what do i know lol. And im sure when i go pick it up and ask about they buzzing noise ill get some bullshit about its a normal sound for this bike to make.

October 12th, 2011, 07:39 PM	#6
CZroe CPT Falcon Name: J.Emmett Turner Location: Newnan, GA Join Date: Apr 2009 Motorcycle(s): '08 CP Blue EX250J, '97 unpainted EX250F, 2nd '97 unpainted EX250F (no engine), '07 black EX250F Posts: A lot.	Had several dash/panel bulbs blow within a couple weeks on a new Hyundai Elantra 10 years ago. They said it wasn't covered under warranty until I said that they clearly weren't user-serviceable (cruise light, AC light, etc). They still refused to replace the ones in the stereo display backlight, which both failed on each side of the display within a few days leading to many years of frustrated night-time radio usage. Anyway, they replaced what they were going to replace and they never blew again, but the story doesn't end there. A few years later we were out of warranty (over 100,000 miles) when the car started making a funny sound while my brother was driving it. He pulled over and discovered that it had NO oil in the engine! Yep: The oil light was blown as well and, with no indication that there was a catastrophic oil loss, he kept driving it until noises developed and the engine was damaged and required a full rebuild ($5,000). It had never come on when starting the car and we had no idea that it was supposed to, so we did not detect it. Because it was full synthetic, the loss wasn't immediately obvious until it had been driven plenty far enough to cause damage. It was a new car when the lamp had blown along with the rest in that unexplained event but there was no way to prove it so we had to suck it up and pay for the engine rebuild. The moral of the story is: FIND OUT WHY THEY BLEW IN THE FIRST PLACE AND HOLD THEM ACCOUNTABLE WHILE IT'S STILL UNDER WARRANTY!

October 14th, 2011, 07:18 PM	#7
van Gogh ninjette.org newbie Name: Andrew Location: Alberta Calgary Join Date: Aug 2011 Motorcycle(s): 2011 Ninja 250r SE Posts: 7	Thanks for the post guys. When i went to pick up the bike they told me that the wrong bulbs had been installed in the bike and that is what caused them to burn out so fast. Im not so sure i trust them. It would be nice to have the wiring diagram. Is there anyone online i have not been able to find one yet but i probaly was not looking in the right place's. Ya when the lights all went out i checked all other lights and functions on the bike because i was not sure what else was on that circuit and everything else was working.