2012 FZ6R Speedometer/Tach Dead

[Daniel86]

Hi All, new to the forum however I have had my 2012 FZ6R Yamaha since 2012. Love the bike and it has been great however yesterday I encountered a pretty interesting issue.

Bike has been stored during winter in the garage, battery on a tender, and it started right up a couple of weeks ago for a ride. I went to start it yesterday and again, started right up however the digital speedometer and analog tachometer are lifeless! The orange backlighting works on both and all of the indicator lights work (highs, turn signals, neutral light, etc) however no needle sweep or any display on the digital screen when the bike is on/running. I have no speedometer, odometer or gas gauge.

I have checked all of the fuses, battery, removed all body pieces and cannot find anything. I have disconnected the gauge display and reconnected...Nothing! Bike is in like-new condition, never wrecked and the wiring looks normal.

Anyone every experienced this issue and if so, have any solutions? Thanks for your help!

 

[Chris12]

I've never heard of an issue like this. But the first thing I would try is disconnect the battery for a minute or two then hook it back up and see what happens.

 

[Daniel86]

I've never heard of an issue like this. But the first thing I would try is disconnect the battery for a minute or two then hook it back up and see what happens.

Thanks Chris12, I have tried this but nothing! Very odd that power is getting to the speedo/tach display but no data is displayed...

 

[Scott_Thomas]

There are different wires for tach input and gauge lights. Don't know which wire offhand, but believe all are accessible under the gas tank. Possible that some critter got in there and chewed a wire. Not sure which wire inputs to speedo. There is a speed sensor wire which is tapped if running advanced gear maps on Power Commander 5's. I am sure someone here should be able to offer a more definitive answer.

Thanks Chris12, I have tried this but nothing! Very odd that power is getting to the speedo/tach display but no data is displayed...

 

[Daniel86]

There are different wires for tach input and gauge lights. Don't know which wire offhand, but believe all are accessible under the gas tank. Possible that some critter got in there and chewed a wire. Not sure which wire inputs to speedo. There is a speed sensor wire which is tapped if running advanced gear maps on Power Commander 5's. I am sure someone here should be able to offer a more definitive answer.

Thanks Scott_Thomas. I lifted the tank and didn't notice anything that looked out of place. Unfortunately without any feedback from experience from members here, diagnosing an electronic issue might need to be left to a Yamaha Service Center. I checked voltage on the wiring connector to the dash meter but need to better understand each wire and it's voltage specs.

Looking for anything from anyone! I hope it's something simple because it's sure puzzling me!

 

[Final Impact]

Tach, speed, CEL, engine and air temp all pass through one wire but it of course needs power and ground. The fact that the back light leds are on implies it has ground but there is split for power and wire colors. The data line to the ecu is yellow blue trace and short of unplugging the ecu and doing an ohm check from ecu to gauge is the only thing you can do to verify...
- ohm the wire point to point
- battery disconnected both + & - , verify it is not shorted to ground or +12 battery wires with the Key ON...
- look inside the gauge for moisture or damage.

- I've repaired two for internal damage where corrosion erroded traces and they failed.

Don't be afraid to open and look.

No connectors should be green, pins pushed, burned or discolored. Be sure to look at the ecu connection too.

 

[Daniel86]

Tach, speed, CEL, engine and air temp all pass through one wire but it of course needs power and ground. The fact that the back light leds are on implies it has ground but there is split for power and wire colors. The data line to the ecu is yellow blue trace and short of unplugging the ecu and doing an ohm check from ecu to gauge is the only thing you can do to verify...
- ohm the wire point to point
- battery disconnected both + & - , verify it is not shorted to ground or +12 battery wires with the Key ON...
- look inside the gauge for moisture or damage.

- I've repaired two for internal damage where corrosion erroded traces and they failed.

Don't be afraid to open and look.

No connectors should be green, pins pushed, burned or discolored. Be sure to look at the ecu connection too.

Thanks, @Final_Impact. I think we are getting somewhere! I did open up the gauge and didn't see any obvious issues. I can say that on a couple of occasions, after a wash, I have noticed a small amount of condensation inside the tach. It dries quickly and hasn't ever been any other than that.

As for the Yellow w/ Blue trace wire...when the bike is running, I am getting approximately 5v at the meter side of the wiring harness. If this is the data cable and I'm getting 5v, does that tell you anything? Thanks again!

 

[Final Impact]

Not really as its some unknown protocol. Perhaps as simple as I2C but ya, it has multiplexed data over a 5v ttl signal.

If you measured that from ground at the gauge and the gauge has 12v power to both red/white and red/green its very likey the gauge itself.

Use ground from 16 pin connector at gauge black/white trace and verify both red wires have power.

If they do, I go back to gauge....

Open it and take some high resolution photos. Post up. If Insee something odd, I'll detail it...

Good luck!

 

[BluePill]

Daniel:

When you say "No display" on the speedo, do you mean it reads zero mph or that the display is actually blank?

 

[Final Impact]

Pretty sure the LCD and tach are DOA as well CEL. Its only the LEDs for backlight, turn, N, and highbeam are working as they are not powered by logic within the gauge.

 

[Chris12]

...I can say that on a couple of occasions, after a wash, I have noticed a small amount of condensation inside the tach. It dries quickly and hasn't ever been any other than that...

Did you hose down the bike when you washed it?
Did you happen to wash the bike before you put it away for the winter?

 

[tho9504]

Speed Sensor checking:

 

[Daniel86]

Daniel:

When you say "No display" on the speedo, do you mean it reads zero mph or that the display is actually blank?

Correct, nothing displayed and needle doesn't move on tachometer. Backlight works on both. Indicator lights for high ram, signals, neutral gear indicator all work as normal.

 

[Daniel86]

Did you hose down the bike when you washed it?
Did you happen to wash the bike before you put it away for the winter?

Yeah I did wash it and it worked for a quick ride but after parking it for a week, it was dead. When I took off all of the bodywork, I noticed that the rubber grommet that covers the connection to the meter display wasn't even over the connection. The bike has never been taken apart so I bet it left the factory incorrectly and now, as a result, I have to pay $700 plus labor to fix something that never should have happened. Pretty frustrated with a Yamaha. Anyone tried calling customer service to help with these things - I don't have a 1000 bucks to spend on a new meter display!

 

[Chris12]

Yeah I did wash it and it worked for a quick ride but after parking it for a week, it was dead. When I took off all of the bodywork, I noticed that the rubber grommet that covers the connection to the meter display wasn't even over the connection. The bike has never been taken apart so I bet it left the factory incorrectly and now, as a result, I have to pay $700 plus labor to fix something that never should have happened. Pretty frustrated with a Yamaha. Anyone tried calling customer service to help with these things - I don't have a 1000 bucks to spend on a new meter display!

That sucks man. Arguing with Yamaha would probably be tough.

They have a bunch of displays on eBay, here's one for $200 shipped:

Look at this on eBay:

https://www.ebay.com/itm/302177397172

C377 2009 2010 2011 09-16 Yamaha FZ6R Gauge Tach RPM Speedometer Cluster 19K

 

[Daniel86]

Yeah I called Yamaha and they didn't care to listen at all that the rubber grommet that was designed to cover the electrical connection at the meter gauges was never installed properly, wasn't close to covering the connection, and likely allowed moisture in from the day it left the factory. Their mistake, my huge expense! Crappy design for something that is designed to be exposed to the elements.

I might have to try the eBay route however if I buy a gauge display, will the odometer correct to my bikes mileage based on the ECU or do I adopt the mileage displayed on the replacement gauges (keep in mind the odometer is digital)?

 

[Final Impact]

Repeating myself, but open it and take some high resolution picture of the PCBA on both sides and post them up. Granted a chunk of it is covered by the tach and on the FZ6 the needle does not come off willingly so repairs where the tach needs to come off the pcba could be a problem. But, maybe they changed their process since then????

I repair this type of stuff and may see things you do not.

If you need voucher, look up the same user name on 600riders.com - I have a few posts over there.

The last one repaired was infused w water and c0ckroach pooh which formed an acid and ate the copper from the pcba. I pulled the LCD from the pcba and repaired the trace damage....

Post up....

 

[Final Impact]

BTW - no. The ECU does not store the miles traveled. The gauge does.

 

[Daniel86]

Repeating myself, but open it and take some high resolution picture of the PCBA on both sides and post them up. Granted a chunk of it is covered by the tach and on the FZ6 the needle does not come off willingly so repairs where the tach needs to come off the pcba could be a problem. But, maybe they changed their process since then????

I repair this type of stuff and may see things you do not.

If you need voucher, look up the same user name on 600riders.com - I have a few posts over there.

The last one repaired was infused w water and c0ckroach pooh which formed an acid and ate the copper from the pcba. I pulled the LCD from the pcba and repaired the trace damage....

Post up....

Thanks and I will post pictures tonight. I am certain you will see things I do not. I will take it apart and send images. About how much is the cost for a repair for something like water and roach poo?!! Haha epic

 

[Final Impact]

Thanks and I will post pictures tonight. I am certain you will see things I do not. I will take it apart and send images. About how much is the cost for a repair for something like water and roach poo?!! Haha epic

A good bottle of Bourbon worked last time, but it depends how long it takes and/or what's wrong. Some of the components are proprietary yamaha only (integrated circuits etc), if damaged, you're looking at a fleabay purchase.

Lets see what we see.... fingers crossed!

The thing is clean water is pretty harmless, it is detergents, acids, pooh (in some cases) that if left too long do the damage. Although sugars move up the list fast too.