Error Code 81 - no gripwarmer, no headlights, no taillights, no backup buzzer, and no kill switch

[WisconsinChad]

Hello, I have a 2008 Yamaha RS Vector GT that has the error 81 which I know is pointing at the grip warmers. When the error first started showing up we thought it was related an internal gas leak from the fuel pump connections. After the gas leak was repaired the electrical connections had contact cleaner and dielectric grease applied. It worked for about a week and then the season ended. With the 2020/2021 season arriving I started the machine and noticed it had the same error code. I should also say the error code is accompanied by no gip warmers, no headlights, no tail lights, no back up buzzer, and no kill switch. I have ohmed out the grip warmers and they’re each at 7 ohms and after flexing the cable I couldn’t get them to cut out. I again reseated all of the electrical connections and applied dielectric grease to the edges of the connectors. This didn’t seem to fix the issue. As a last resort I reseated the ECU connection and applied contact cleaner and dielectric grease. After that, voila, it was fixed! I rode around the lake for 3 days with no other issues.

The unit then sat for a week in the garage on the battery tender. Upon starting the error was back. We reseated connections again including the ECU but to no avail. We headed to the lake to do a few laps and then all of a sudden it started working. I’m thinking it’s a bad connection somewhere but it’s very odd how random it is. Any suggestions? From what I’ve read there may be 4 grounding blocks in the machine? Does anyone have a picture of what these look like and where they’re located?

 

[RobX-1]

These are pictures of the 5 grounding blocks I found in my wiring harness on my 08 Apex GT:

 

[WisconsinChad]

Great, thanks RobX-1! I'll go searching

 

[steiner]

Get rid of the dielectric grease. It insulates the connectors from making good electrical contact.

 

[WisconsinChad]

Thanks Steiner!

 

[maim]

wisconsinchad, see if you can find a product made by tectran called pendilube. made for trucking industry to work as a dielectric grease that promotes good electrical contact and cleans terminals as well. use it with good sucess on engine ecu plugs on transports.

 

[WisconsinChad]

I'll see if I can find it. Oddly enough the snowmobile has continued to work for the last few days. Typically when I'm not going to be riding it for many days I put it on a battery tender. I'm doubtful that has anything to do with this issue but I'm planning on not putting it on the tender to see if I get a different outcome. If the battery was being charged incorrectly by the charger could it create and issue like this?

 

[maim]

battery charger shouldn't be causing this kind of issue. usually they either don't charge at all or overcharge when they break.

 

[Terry Brum]

I have a 2009 vector Ltx gt and started having same problem as you. I have cleaned and reseated all connections that I could see and worked fine for 2 days. Today, I started the sled and code 81 appeared and no hand warmers, headlight, tailight, back up alarm, and key switch won’t shut the engine down.Please post when you cure it and I will do the same.

 

[Terry Brum]

Update.I ended up taking my sled to a Yamaha tech/mechanic privately and he ended my frustration. Apparently there is a ground block to which several ground wires plug into. One of the ground wires was blackened and melted looking. He cleaned and repaired the connection and all is working properly now. No parts needed. Hope this might help!

 

[TrueBlue]

Update.I ended up taking my sled to a Yamaha tech/mechanic privately and he ended my frustration. Apparently there is a ground block to which several ground wires plug into. One of the ground wires was blackened and melted looking. He cleaned and repaired the connection and all is working properly now. No parts needed. Hope this might help!

Where was that ground block located

 

[Terry Brum]

He didn’t say exactly where the ground block location was. Sorry. I ran the sled all day yesterday and the hand warmers and thumb warmer are definitely putting out more heat than they previously had before my code 81 started. I guess the ground connection was poor causing arcing and melting. If the tech will divulge the location, I will post it.