Battery Issue

[Joseph Levandoski]

The 2021 season was not easy on my 'Winder - first I had to have both rails replaced (both cracked), I then bent the tunnel and kind of trashed the jackshaft and chaincase bearings (rideable until the end of the season) and finally went through a few batteries (thanks to a bad voltage regulator).

I pulled both my sled and my father's 'Winder (100% identical, but he's had ZERO issues since new) into the garage a couple weeks ago to use the trailer as a makeshift camper. Yesterday, I was in the garage last night and turned my key, but the sled showed 6.5V and falling (the fuel pump drew so much that the gauge and lights wouldn't power on until that cycled) while my father's powered up normally (note, nothing was actually started - the keys were just moved one click). Everything I listed above was replaced, so she's pretty much a half new snowmobile.

Last season, we were coming down Portage Lake and she was running fine - turned 'er off to wait for our turn at the gas pump and...nothing (and that's when I started to chew through batteries). Has anyone had this many issues back-to-back with the SideWinder electrical system? I'm getting nervous about being in the middle of Maine again and having it decide it's not going to turn over. Yamaha has been pretty good to deal with through the YES process, but that means I'm already out of riding while the snowmobile is getting fixed. I know the grass always looks greener on the other side, but god damn was it painful to watch every other make and model of sled ride past (and I was about two minutes from throwing in the towel and trading it in)

 

[Big Daddy SRX]

The 2021 season was not easy on my 'Winder - first I had to have both rails replaced (both cracked), I then bent the tunnel and kind of trashed the jackshaft and chaincase bearings (rideable until the end of the season) and finally went through a few batteries (thanks to a bad voltage regulator).

I pulled both my sled and my father's 'Winder (100% identical, but he's had ZERO issues since new) into the garage a couple weeks ago to use the trailer as a makeshift camper. Yesterday, I was in the garage last night and turned my key, but the sled showed 6.5V and falling (the fuel pump drew so much that the gauge and lights wouldn't power on until that cycled) while my father's powered up normally (note, nothing was actually started - the keys were just moved one click). Everything I listed above was replaced, so she's pretty much a half new snowmobile.

Last season, we were coming down Portage Lake and she was running fine - turned 'er off to wait for our turn at the gas pump and...nothing (and that's when I started to chew through batteries). Has anyone had this many issues back-to-back with the SideWinder electrical system? I'm getting nervous about being in the middle of Maine again and having it decide it's not going to turn over. Yamaha has been pretty good to deal with through the YES process, but that means I'm already out of riding while the snowmobile is getting fixed. I know the grass always looks greener on the other side, but god damn was it painful to watch every other make and model of sled ride past (and I was about two minutes from throwing in the towel and trading it in)

 

[Big Daddy SRX]

One place to check is at the very front of the sled at the fuse box. I had an electrical problem with my 2018 Sidewinder and found a wire rubbed through where the wires come up through the bottom of the fuse box. I have heard others have had the same problem. I repaired the wire and put a thin piece of rubber under the fuse box to prevent it from rubbing through. Problem solved. Very easy to lift up the fuse box and check.

 

[maim]

that would be a good place to start.

you could also have a bad fuel pump or relay. pull the fuel pump relay and try it again if under fuse box wiring is good.

 

[Joseph Levandoski]

All squared away - after all the electrical work and replacement parts were installed, the sled was never run long enough to give a full charge after it was moved around the dealership, into the trailer, and at home.

Plugged ‘er into a battery tender end of last week and she’s happy as a clam now (and holding a full charge after the tender was unplugged Friday).

 

[Zizgig81]

The 2021 season was not easy on my 'Winder - first I had to have both rails replaced (both cracked), I then bent the tunnel and kind of trashed the jackshaft and chaincase bearings (rideable until the end of the season) and finally went through a few batteries (thanks to a bad voltage regulator).

I pulled both my sled and my father's 'Winder (100% identical, but he's had ZERO issues since new) into the garage a couple weeks ago to use the trailer as a makeshift camper. Yesterday, I was in the garage last night and turned my key, but the sled showed 6.5V and falling (the fuel pump drew so much that the gauge and lights wouldn't power on until that cycled) while my father's powered up normally (note, nothing was actually started - the keys were just moved one click). Everything I listed above was replaced, so she's pretty much a half new snowmobile.

Last season, we were coming down Portage Lake and she was running fine - turned 'er off to wait for our turn at the gas pump and...nothing (and that's when I started to chew through batteries). Has anyone had this many issues back-to-back with the SideWinder electrical system? I'm getting nervous about being in the middle of Maine again and having it decide it's not going to turn over. Yamaha has been pretty good to deal with through the YES process, but that means I'm already out of riding while the snowmobile is getting fixed. I know the grass always looks greener on the other side, but god damn was it painful to watch every other make and model of sled ride past (and I was about two minutes from throwing in the towel and trading it in)

My Sr Venure 2018 had a moisture leak in the gauge pod and it kept cycling the backlight and killing the battery. I had the cover off for another issue and noticed it when I closed the garage door. I changed the gauge and no more dead battery, but the Speedo won't work now.

 

[Joseph Levandoski]

Ended up toasting my voltage regulator. TWICE. First one was in after all the warranty work and rebuilding was complete on my sled. Second one was just put back in last week when we got the sleds up north.

My dealership hasn't seen much of this issue before (back-to-back voltage regulators going bad), but apparently it's a known issue on 2019 models (according to other Yamaha groups). We'll see how she does through the winter - VERY thankful to still have warranty until December 2023.

 

[Turboflash]

Why?
Any chance of shorted wires up front by fuse block?

 

[Joseph Levandoski]

Why?
Any chance of shorted wires up front by fuse block?

Not a clue - it looks there's a batch of bad voltage regulators out there.

Wiring looked just fine on the sled, especially in areas of known issues. When they tested the regulator, voltage going in was good, coming out was not good.