'06 Ultra intermittently dieing. ( electrical issue?)

    • 6 posts
    November 28, 2009 12:24 PM PST
    I've got an 2006 Ultra Classic FLHT/C/U/I  EFI. For the last 2 rides it has been cutting out on me. At a stop it shuts down, but starts right back up. When in motion it will die for a milisecound, but jump itself back runnig right away. When in  motion, the radio, CB etc. will turn off and reset back on, as if I just turned it on bye the on/off button. The speedometer also jumps back and forth. I've check the battery, starter,and grounds on the frame. They seem tight and secure. I took off the out faring and could find no freyed or loose wires or conections there. I Haven't taken off the faring cap or inner faring off yet. To get the faring cap off I need an ignition alighnment tool, which is not sold retail to my knowledge. Has anybody else experienced this issue before. Thanks for any input you all can send my way......Ray
  • November 28, 2009 12:36 PM PST
    sounds like loose/bad connections, or corrosion in a plug, clean everything, apply dielectric grease to every socket. ford uses a "wiggle test" which is exactly what it sounds like, with the bike running, wiggle the crap out of the connectors and wiring, if it is there it will show, past that. don't know what to say
    • 1040 posts
    November 28, 2009 12:42 PM PST
    sounds like loose/bad connections, or corrosion in a plug, clean everything, apply dielectric grease to every socket. ford uses a "wiggle test" which is exactly what it sounds like, with the bike running, wiggle the crap out of the connectors and wiring, if it is there it will show, past that. don't know what to say

    Good ideas....Also maybe open the starter button cover and check for looseness, corrosion, short at starter switch. Had basically the same problem on my FXR a few months back and it turned out to be a loose wire inside the starter switch cover. May not be your problem; but something to think about. Let us know what ya find and good luck
  • November 28, 2009 12:49 PM PST
    I had some electrical problems and I had a plug under my faring that looked good but one of the wires leading into the plug was loose I just pushed it in and wala Good luck
  • November 28, 2009 1:09 PM PST
    I had a similer problem on my flhtp, electra glide. Had to remove the flairing, an found a bracket that held about 5 relays. One of the wires was frayed due to turning, an rubing on the steering neck. Maybe can help maybe not. But this ole police bike had, all the police modules left in an when taken out of service, they just cut all kind of wires when they removed the siren etc.
    Hopefully this will give you ideas, an places to look.
    • Moderator
    • 19007 posts
    November 28, 2009 11:53 PM PST
    I had a similar problem with Rex (04 Road King) momentarily cutting out while driving. Never did happen while idling. Finally narrowed it down to the Kill switch. It would intermittently short as if it were actuated.
    • 6 posts
    November 29, 2009 1:58 PM PST
    Got all your replies. Thanks. Iooked at it again today. I took the seat and side covers again. I volt tested the battery with the engine off it showed 12.7+ volts. Once started it was charging fine with the idle up ( 14.3 volts ). I didn't get to the kill switch yet , or take the faring apart again. What I did do is role it out of the garage and let it idle in the driveway, while wiggle testing all the exposed plugs and connections. Nothing happened. However, it did die 3 times without me doing anything. I did notice that all the gauges, lights and accessories stayed on, when it died, as if I turned the kill switch off. I plan on looking at that tomorrow. What I also did was disconnect ECM pulg and reconnected it. I also unplugged and reconnected the EFI fuse block. I started it back up and it kept idling wihout dieing for at least 15 minutes. I took it around town and put it through it's paces. after about 20 minns. it cut out only once when I pulled the clutch in to downshift. It started itself back up when I put it in gear, and let the clutch out. For what it's worth I got a good lean on it in an extended corner scraping the floorboard for a couple secounds. I don't like doing that much, cause a little to far and an Electraglide will jack on the floorboard mount . Anyway, Thanks again for the input.
  • December 31, 2009 1:43 PM PST
    You have a weak main circut breaker. It will kick out just about any time .But will do it more when the weather is hot. I had this problem with a 03 ultra classic.Once the breaker kick out the frist time it continue doing it. the reason the speedo jumps is it is electric and it go off when the breaker kicks
  • December 31, 2009 2:35 PM PST
    You might want to check your voltage regulator
    • 6 posts
    January 3, 2010 3:48 AM PST
    About three weeks ago I took my bike to the dealer, and explained to them what was happenning. My svc. mgr. seemed to make note of the speedo jumping in particular. He said he replaced a relay, but only charged me for the labor because he wasn't sure if that was gonna fix it. He said take it and ride it for a while, then let him know the result. He said he'd lone me their ECM, but it was already out on loan to someone else. So I took the bike and have put over 200 mls. on it since. I haven't had any problems since taking it in a few weeks ago. I haven't gotten back to report and find out which part exactly was replaced. When I do I'll let you all know what part was replaced. I'm glad it wasn't the ECM 'cause that would run between 500 & 600 bucks for the part. Thanks for the replies.
    • 6 posts
    January 5, 2010 2:20 PM PST
    It was the ignition relay ( module ). It can be found behind the inner faring cover , somewhere behind the cruise and accessory switches. My svc. mgr. said he never saw one go bad before. I told him what H. said about it maybe being the voltage regulator. Vin. said he wished that was it, it would have been alot easier. As for it happenning in hot weather; It was actually happenning in the cold weather. Anyway thanks for the comebacks
  • April 7, 2010 11:28 AM PDT
    If it has not been fixed by now. You might want to pull all the fuses and clean the contacts. If a fuse gets some corrosion on the contact blades it can act like a resistor. As it heats up it will drop the link. Cool down and start again. Actually had this happen to me on a ham radio took me 2 days to figure out the cause.
  • April 8, 2010 12:44 AM PDT
    I hope thats the cure, nothing worse than having to worry about if your motor is gonna make it home or not. You mentioned accessories, if it happens again I would check to see if any are not factory installed, sometimes things get added that draw too many amps, bad ground, wire guage too small and can cause problems like this.
    • 6 posts
    April 9, 2010 7:15 AM PDT
    It was the ignition relay module. It was replaced and hasn't given any trouble since. Thanks
  • June 17, 2010 12:29 PM PDT
    I hope I'm not repeating a problem but my situation is this, When i run for a period of time (cruise control or not) my 07 Ultra will not idlke down when I get off the throttle. I have to hit the kill switch and then restart. It restarts great and idles down. Other times it will cut off because it is ideling very low. Have a powercommander installed. Can anyone give me a solution.
  • June 17, 2010 2:15 PM PDT
    Hey Jerry ~ how long have you had the PowerCommander on the bike? I just had a friend who went through a bunch of crap with a miss / cut out after the install / upgrade. Not a 'specialist' in bikes ~ but when something with an ECU doesn't idle down, I'd start looking at throttle position sensor or possibly the ECM ~ for the money ~ have it scanned... Just my humble opinion...
  • June 28, 2010 11:43 AM PDT
    Thanks blackpearl. Had it installed right after I got the bilke. I was running so hot it scorchhed the pipes and the commander seemed to eliminate THAT problem. Willo try having it scanned. Ride safe





  • June 29, 2010 12:54 AM PDT
    I know this is not related to the problems mentioned here, but since we are talking "Ultra's"
    One of those little fairing brackets that break once and a while in the "batwing" broke on my bike.
    When removing the fairing found a big ol' mouse nest in there!!!!!! Those little bastards chewed some of the wires in there. Easy fix but now my bike is surrounded with mouse traps and rat poison!!!! I heard if you put one of those Bounce sheets in there it keeps the rodents away...I don't know.
  • September 17, 2010 7:47 AM PDT
    My 06 ultra is doing the same thing just shuts down for no reason, sometimes just trying to start it it wont start, have to turn ingition switch on off and the run / off switch a few times finally it will start. Going down the road it will just shut down, turn the run / off switch and pop the clucth or hit the start button. HELP where is this relay and what is the part number?
    • Moderator
    • 19007 posts
    September 17, 2010 11:32 PM PDT
    RexTheRoadDog wrote...
    I had a similar problem with Rex (04 Road King) momentarily cutting out while driving. Never did happen while idling. Finally narrowed it down to the Kill switch. It would intermittently short as if it were actuated.


    Have you looked into this? I posted it a while ago.

  • September 20, 2010 3:05 AM PDT
    Yeah I did, I guess I will check out the kill switch wiring and switch itself but feel its a relay or wiring harness problem. I dont here the fuel pump start when I turn on the ignition anymore, but will start after awhile, had this problem ever since I bought the bike, HD dealer cant find the problem and warranty is out now.
  • September 21, 2010 7:00 PM PDT

    My first two weeks on my 2007 Bob the bike cut out and rode all crazy... thought maybe it could've been a bunch of things but never owning an EFI model I didn't think to check the battery connection. The dealership had put one of those battery tender wires on it and the negative connection came loose and with all the EFI models, when you don't have a connection you aint got no gas or electronics.

  • September 22, 2010 12:26 AM PDT
    Most all now have a power control relay that turns the battery supply on and off to the bike with the key switch. I have seen the relay contacts burn to a point of high resistance to flow causing low voltage supply and poor performance.
  • September 22, 2010 12:41 AM PDT
    That's one of the good things about "old school" electrical. No PC boards or other $200 bullshit parts to go bad. I threw all of my old "Lucas" electrical in the trash can! Everything is on it's ownseperately fused circuit. Ignition, head & tail light, brake light & turn signals, horn & accessory. 4 circuits with 4 fuses. If anything other than ignition goes wrong, I still ride! Plus, by taking a fuse out, you can isolate & trace problems faster. If you build your own bike, don't use those damn crimp connectors either! Solder everything, heat shrink everything and use dielectric grease on all connectors to prevent corrosion. The key to not having electrical problems is doing it right the first time and making it as easy as possible to troubleshoot on the road.
  • January 30, 2012 12:54 AM PST
    I replaced the ignition relay and sovled the problem.