Engine Light and Flat Battery?

[johnwilton]

My battery was not strong enough to start the bike this morning. I bumped it down the road and did a one hour trip. As I got nearer home the engine light came on so I limped home.

When trying to start the bike again the battery is still too low to start it. Would this be the cause of the Engine Light too? I am hoping it is.....

[Helmet_Hair]

Sounds likely. I'm finding that these bikes (S3, Daytona) are SO sensitive to battery strength. Low batteries can be responsible for a whole host of issues on these bikes from simple non-starting, sudden MIL's, stalling, and seemingly unrelated fault codes popping up on the ECM. Spend a coupld of bucks and get a good battery with at least 200 cold-cranking amps. That's what I'm doing.

[martinyoung]

Could well be John. Get it on an Optimate. 3 cold hot cold cycles will put the MIL out.

[J_DOGG]

YES, my dealer told me I do not want to let the battery get low or go dead.
He specifically said it would cause the bike to run like ***** or not run at all.

I bought a trickle charger that came with an adaptor I can keep attached to the battery all the time and caps off when not in use. I zip tied the lead to the tube under the seat.

[johnwilton]

Thanks guys. I bought a new battery (prior to reading this though) I replaced it like for like. Started and fired up lovely but the management light still shows? 3 cold hot cold cycles to extinguish right??? Doesn't just go out once everything is back to normal?

[johnwilton]

I am really going to show how naive I am, what is the 3 cycles routine? run then switch off? then run til hot then switch off? I usually ride them but dont do more than that....

Thanks for all your help so far.

[Timan]

As you can see with an earlier post by me; I feel your pain with that engine light. Evidently some bikes are more prone to be enlightened. As for the cycles; mine needs some time between heat-up and cool-down. As a guesstimate I would say couple hours with my bike.

[DEcosse]

It will go out when you have completed the 3 warm-up cycles.

A warm-up cycle is defined as:

<UL>
<LI> Coolant must be raised to > 72 C
<LI> After 72 C coolant must be raised by 23 C from start temp
<LI> Controlled Power down must take place[/list]
In simple terms start it up & let temp come up, then let it cool off a bit; repeat a couple more times.

[johnwilton]

Superb guys! Thanks for all of your help! I am a happy S3 owner again.... See you all on the road.