Left turn signal intermittent

So this past week my SWing started acting a bit funny with the turn signals. Only the left turn signal mind you, the right works fine. The problem is that when i hit the left turn signal, most of the time it will flash once and turn off, and i will have to hit the switch again for it to begin flashing. if i hold down the turn signal switch, it will flash normally, but after letting it go it will sometimes shut off. Again, the right turn signal does not do this, so I have no idea what could be causing it. The mechanic i have close to me works on chinese scooters, and have said to me that they wont do any major work on the bike, as they do not know enough about the SWing. I wanted to post here first before bringing it to them to get an idea of what is going on. By the way, i have an led turn signal/brake light strip on the back of my bike hooked up with one of Dennis's perfect connectors if that might be the problem.

Your contacts in the switch might have some corrosion. Try spraying a contact electrical spray and the connection.Keep working it and see if it helps.

would it be worth it to just replace the switch? if so how much would it cost me and/or where would i get one?

Its been my experience that what ever you think it cost, triple it,then add $10. I paid $70.00 for a kill switch on a 450 cb motorcycle 15 years ago.

tinman wrote:

Your contacts in the switch might have some corrosion. Try spraying a contact electrical spray and the connection.Keep working it and see if it helps.

+1 some contact spray in the switch slot may solve your issue...otherwise dismantle the switch for contact check

I think this is what you need if cleaning it doesn't work:http://www.cheapcycleparts.com/products/357235-honda-35020-mct-680-hard-parts-switch-set-turn-signal

It is a reasonably complex assembly with pigtail included, hence the $67 price. Your dealer might do better for price after you figure in shipping unless you can find one used. Should be a small amount of labor time (an hour or so for someone not learning at your expense). If you have a mechanic that can do Chinese scoots, this should be cake for him to replace.

That said, I hope the cleaning works - easier and cheaper. If it didn't, I would be tempted to try to disassemble and fix - if you have to replace it anyway, might as well give it a go!

I just fixed mine. It was getting VERY hard to push to cancel, especially in the cold. I took out the two screws holding the switchgear together on the handlebar and opened it up, exposing the guts of the switch. I then cleaned it out real good with WD40 (sits on the podium next to duck tape and zip ties) then packed it with dielectric grease. Works real nice now.

WD40 also did the trick for my parking brake indicator switch...

I've got exactly the same problem on my '03 SW --however only on the right turn signal. I loosened the switch on the handle bar then spritzed in some electrical contact cleaner. Reattached the switch to the handlebar and Do'h!...same problem.

After giving the problem some judicious pondering, I've come to realize that the issue is in the mechanical bits of the switch. So my next task will be to remove the handlebar cowling along with the switch so that I have better working access. I suspect that one of the internal screws or springs has gone awry. Then after a good n' proper poking & screwing I'll reassemble using some dielectric grease --as Clay suggests.

Regarding replacing the switch assembly; the other end of the switch wire harness is a large plug which attaches to the speedometer ECU. So you may find that your mechanic will have to remove the entire front end in order to replace the switch & wires. Sounds like a big labor charge to me.

Tim

Follow Up: I had the chance to remove the turn signal switch today. After sufficient poking & prodding and checking the internal screws I couldn't find any obvious problem.

What I did notice though was that there was a bit of very stiff grease on the turn signal lever. Not quite hardened grease, but certainly stiff enough to cause difficulty for the lever movement.

I got out the heat gun & toasted the switch innards and softened the grease while moving the lever back and forth.

That seems to have done the trick. My turn signal lever is working fine and no longer has the tendency of returning to the off position as soon as my thumb leaves the lever.

So it looks like the "problem" is temperature related; with the grease freezing up in cold temps.

So maybe the quick 'n dirty fix for this might be to get out the hair dryer and toast the underside of the turn signal switch to bring the grease up to working temperature, all the while operating the switch lever.

Tim

Cosmic_Jumper wrote:

So it looks like the "problem" is temperature related; with the grease freezing up in cold temps.

So maybe the quick 'n dirty fix for this might be to get out the hair dryer and toast the underside of the turn signal switch to bring the grease up to working temperature, all the while operating the switch lever.

Trying this on my 03. I too have temperature-related issues with my switches (both sides). I'm tempted to pull the switch off and rebuild it with new grease.

KB

theMotorCycleMD made a good guide on Honda switchgear cleaning...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ob4JWFQ6aTc

My 2 cents:

When I first got my 08 SWing it had been sitting under a tarp for two years. Got it running and the turn signal switch was stiff, for lack of a better explanation. I sprayed it down with WD-40 where the lever goes into the switch, worked it back and forth several times, and haven't had a problem with it since.