Gauge and Handwarmer Problems

M

mssdriver8

Free Member

Dec 27, 2010

35

10

8

Washington

• Dec 13, 2012

• #1

I've been trying to solve this problem for a year now and am having no luck. 2008 800 X, on start up the gauges go through their test cycle, the digital display comes on for about 10 seconds then goes out. When it goes out the DESS light comes on, the speedo and tach both stay working. My hand warmers don't work, and my thumb warmer comes on hi and stays there the whole time the sleds running. Here's what I've done... inspected all the wiring i could see with the motor out, replaced the wiring harness, tried another dess post, gauge cluster and ecm, tried it running with the handle bar harness and speed sensor un plugged with no change. The sled runs fine it's just making me nervous having the DESS light staying on and a little cold with no hand warmers. I'm gonna try un hooking the fuel level sender and tail light tomorrow night to see if that changes anything. Anyone have any other thoughts?

 

2

2188

Member

Dec 30, 2007

146

19

18

63

sd

• Dec 13, 2012

• #2

My xp guages will "reset/recycle" just like at startup at anytime, but everything works,,unplugged everything I could find and it still does it, got a new DESS cause the old was was getting hard to make good contact, that did not help either. Makes me nervous that everything will quit...puzzled.

 

R

Red-eye

Well-known member

Dec 3, 2008

1,342

328

83

Sparwood, B.C. Can.

• Dec 13, 2012

• #3

Take the back of your gauges apart and look at the main feed pins on the block that the wiring harness plugs into. I have seen a few that have cracked the solder around the pins that are soldered to the main board from the main block. You will see a circle crack in the solder around the pin. Use a strong magnifying glass.
The weight of the harness puts pressure on these pins and makes them crack. Just take a soldering gun and resolder the pin, watching that you dont heat the board too much. A dab of solder on the gun tip and just enough time on the pin to remelt the connection. Not hard at all.

 

Lander

Well-known member

Premium Member

Nov 12, 2011

120

83

28

50

Casper, WY

• Dec 16, 2012

• #4

You need to check the resistance in the wiring on the handlebar first, there is no reason to tear into the gauge. If you are getting 7.5 - 8.0 ohms you have power. #2 The handwarmers DO NOT engage until 2000 rpms with a DIGITAL cluster. When you click them on they will read for about 5 seconds on the cdisplay and then disappear, that is the standard operating procedure. I am willing to bet you just need new elements.

 

M

mssdriver8

Free Member

Dec 27, 2010

35

10

8

Washington

• Dec 17, 2012

• #5

Lander said:

You need to check the resistance in the wiring on the handlebar first, there is no reason to tear into the gauge. If you are getting 7.5 - 8.0 ohms you have power. #2 The handwarmers DO NOT engage until 2000 rpms with a DIGITAL cluster. When you click them on they will read for about 5 seconds on the cdisplay and then disappear, that is the standard operating procedure. I am willing to bet you just need new elements.

Click to expand...

The handwarmers not working is just part of the problem, it's the whole digital display that goes out, the thumb warmer goes to hi and is uncontrollable, and the DESS light flickers. Yesterday I un hooked everything else I could find that wasn't essential to the sled running and the problem stayed. I'm pretty well at a loss here as to what could be causing this. Stator or voltage regulator possibly?? I checked power at the 12v accessory plug under the cowel and am getting 14.5vdc there.

 

Last edited: Dec 17, 2012

R

Red-eye

Well-known member

Dec 3, 2008

1,342

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83

Sparwood, B.C. Can.

• Dec 17, 2012

• #6

At least wiggle the plug at the back of the gauge to see if it makes a difference and that what im saying is the problem. Press firmly and wiggle it, it should make contact temperarily and change something in the cluster. Same year sled with the same problems is how I found it out. It is worth the try no?

 

Last edited: Dec 17, 2012

M

mssdriver8

Free Member

Dec 27, 2010

35

10

8

Washington

• Dec 17, 2012

• #7

It's not in the gauges, that was the first place i started. I gave everything a wiggle and swapped clusters with a known working sled to rule that out.

 

R

Red-eye

Well-known member

Dec 3, 2008

1,342

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83

Sparwood, B.C. Can.

• Dec 17, 2012

• #8

My mistake, must of missed that in your first post.:face-icon-small-blu

 

M

mssdriver8

Free Member

Dec 27, 2010

35

10

8

Washington

• Dec 18, 2012

• #9

No problem, I had alot going in that first post.

 

L

Lower_the_dynamite

Free Member

Dec 27, 2016

2

0

1

• Dec 27, 2016

• #10

I'm sorry to bring this back from the dead. But I have the exact same issue with a new to me 08 800 XP. Replaced the button module, dess post and have dove into the electrical system with no fix.

If there was a fix, please let me know. Thank you!

 

A

AKlowmarker

Free Member

Jan 31, 2010

42

32

18

• Dec 27, 2016

• #11

Lower_the_dynamite said:

I'm sorry to bring this back from the dead. But I have the exact same issue with a new to me 08 800 XP. Replaced the button module, dess post and have dove into the electrical system with no fix.

If there was a fix, please let me know. Thank you!

Click to expand...

Have you had your engine out recently?

I had a similar issue after removing the engine. Checked wiring, and it turned out that one of the wires that goes from the stator to the voltage regulator was never fully reset into the plastic connector housing, causing low voltage. Check that connection thoroughly.

 

M

mssdriver8

Free Member

Dec 27, 2010

35

10

8

Washington

• Jan 2, 2017

• #12

Lower_the_dynamite said:

I'm sorry to bring this back from the dead. But I have the exact same issue with a new to me 08 800 XP. Replaced the button module, dess post and have dove into the electrical system with no fix.

If there was a fix, please let me know. Thank you!

Click to expand...

I replied to your pm.