Honda Heated Grips

[elfreako]

Hi All, just wondering if anyone else has this issue, or if it's just me.

I have a second hand 2010 model that was already fitted with original Honda heated grips. They work quite well, apart from when they get wet. I've found that when it rains or when I wash my bike, they sort of... malfunction. The light will single flash on/off repeatedly until such time that they 'dry' out, or somehow sort themselves out.

Initially I thought it was the cabling that comes from the handgrips, the cabling that you need to electrical tape up. But after going over the top of the tape with another sealed roll of tape, I've found that's not worked.

I haven't fully unwound the tape, or followed the cabling to the circuitry of the bike (that's something I will definitely do), but I'm just wondering if it's only me with this issue, or is a known issue that others have too.

Cheers

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[superfunkomatic]

If it is flashing all three lights simultaneously it means that the fuse circuit has interrupted power or there is not enough current from the bike/battery. There are only a few leads that plug into the bike or wiring, so I'd just trace them back and make sure they are connected and maybe rewrap them tightly with electrical tape. I pressure wash my bike and have ridden a few times in epic rain with the Honda grips and haven't had any issues with water causing the flashing lights.

Hi All, just wondering if anyone else has this issue, or if it's just me.

I have a second hand 2010 model that was already fitted with original Honda heated grips. They work quite well, apart from when they get wet. I've found that when it rains or when I wash my bike, they sort of... malfunction. The light will single flash on/off repeatedly until such time that they 'dry' out, or somehow sort themselves out.

Initially I thought it was the cabling that comes from the handgrips, the cabling that you need to electrical tape up. But after going over the top of the tape with another sealed roll of tape, I've found that's not worked.

I haven't fully unwound the tape, or followed the cabling to the circuitry of the bike (that's something I will definitely do), but I'm just wondering if it's only me with this issue, or is a known issue that others have too.

Cheers

Sent from my Surface Pro 2 using Tapatalk

[SimonAudi]

The issue is probably the control box - normally fitted in left hand fairing panel

Water gets in there and corrodes circuit board

This is down to bad fitting by the dealer who did not seal where the wires enter the control box and mounted it - wire exit up - so the water runs down the wire into the box.

Hopefully you can clean it up, spray with contact cleaner, seal it up with tape and refit it wire end down

and your problems should go away.

[elfreako]

I've uploaded a video to help show what's happening: http://youtu.be/N9P609Q19VI

[zaq123]

if you read user manual for this grips (not installation manual), it says that repeated flash indicates low battery. Basically heated grips control switch also serves as low battery indicator. A few things can be happening when your bike is wet:

1. and most likely one. water shorts something out somewhere between aux harness and heated grips themselves

2. water shorts out something in aux circuit on the bike.

3. water shorts out your harness anywhere on the bike and grips detect low voltage. Worst case scenario.

I'd remove left side panel and go over the installation/ grip connections. If that does not help, measure the output voltage from aux harness and aux circuit connected when this issue occurs again.

[elfreako]

if you read user manual for this grips (not installation manual), it says that repeated flash indicates low battery. Basically heated grips control switch also serves as low battery indicator. A few things can be happening when your bike is wet:

1. and most likely one. water shorts something out somewhere between aux harness and heated grips themselves

2. water shorts out something in aux circuit on the bike.

3. water shorts out your harness anywhere on the bike and grips detect low voltage. Worst case scenario.

I'd remove left side panel and go over the installation/ grip connections. If that does not help, measure the output voltage from aux harness and aux circuit connected when this issue occurs again.

Don't suppose you have this in a digital version I could read? I bought my bike 2nd hand and I only have the installation manual.

[iamzombie]

I scanned my operation manual for you (large images):

[elfreako]

Cheers for that. I pulled apart the cabling/tape near the handlebars and found no issues. Had a squiz where it connects to the charge adapter thing, seems OK. I haven't been able to look at the controller yet, that's hidden tightly behind the Honda charge unit thingo, need more time to see that.

[hvfrdave]

As already been said, its water in the control module, you may be lucky, if you dry it out thoroughly, once dried out, check to see if it works correctly, if so, then seal it properly, to stop any water getting back in.

[elfreako]

Cheers guys. I've discovered that whoever installed them put the rubber cover on the wrong way. I pulled it apart like the above photo and found evidence of water leakage and 'slight' corrosion. I cleaned it up, used electrical tape to help keep it sealed against water and put the cover on right. I guess I will only find out if I did works next time it rains.

[elfreako]

hi all, was hoping to revive this post again.

long story short; i posted an issue with my electrics on this site a few weeks back that has had no replies. basically my stator burnt out and i had to get it replaced. my heated grips stopped flashing 12hrs before the final death of the stator, and never turned on until it was fixed. since replacing the stator and battery, and to what i 'think' everything is working fine again, it still flashes and won't fully turn on.

i have checked the battery is 12v, gets charge to 14-something when turned over. the sub harness kit receives 12v on the connectors, and 14-something when the bike is turned over. my GPS device works, and the iPod work off the GPS (they didn't before the stator died). i was lucky enough that my local dealer had a brand new heated grip controller that i could try to see if that fixed the fault, but it hasn't. i tested the ohms on the grips like the manual says. they should be 2.4 with allowed variance, and both of mine sit at 2.6.

i'm unsure of what to test next, as the manual says if anything else doesn't work, replace the grips themselves...? which kinda sucks

nonetheless, i tested the 3 main wires coming from the controller/harness, and the volts 2 of the 3 cables read is just under 5v. i'm not too sure if that's a good thing or not, if the controller limits the voltage, as not to overheat the grips.

anyone have any other ideas...?

[elfreako]

So I thought I'd finally update this topic for anyone that cares, or has the same issue I did.

I managed to fix the problem in December, and it wasn't any of the parts that failed which people suggested. Instead it was actually the button that turns them on/off.

I was fortunate enough to have my local Honda shop throw away some old heated grips they ripped off a customers bike. So I was able to use the left grip to test if it would work on mine, and sure enough it did. Hoping it wasn't the whole grip I would have to replace, I took apart the controller and put it on mine.... and VOILA! it worked. I was able to re-assemble the button controller and I am now happy to say that both grips now work fine. Thanks to my local Honda shop, they saved me over £200!

Oh, and I couldn't identify what actually failed on the button controller, it still looked in good condition. Even cleaning with with some methelated spirits didn't work. I guess this also explains why it would fail after rain or a wash. Needless to say, putting the other one back on now, I have covered the sides in electrical tape to try and seal it better and prevent this in the future.