macec3(TX) 4 Posted December 25, 2020 I have an electrical problem that has me baffled. When I turn on the key, the neutral light will come on after about 10 seconds. Then press the start button and the neutral light goes out and no start. When the neutral light comes back on if I use the recoil starter, it will start and run just fine. Just don't know why the neutral light is going out using the start button. What is going on. I am about one click above moron when it comes to electrical problems. Any help would be appreciated. Thanks. 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
oh400ex 629 Posted December 25, 2020 5 minutes ago, macec3(TX) said: I have an electrical problem that has me baffled. When I turn on the key, the neutral light will come on after about 10 seconds. Then press the start button and the neutral light goes out and no start. When the neutral light comes back on if I use the recoil starter, it will start and run just fine. Just don't know why the neutral light is going out using the start button. What is going on. I am about one click above moron when it comes to electrical problems. Any help would be appreciated. Thanks. Welcome! Could be many things but off-top sounds like a weak battery or ground. Load test (replace) the battery, clean all connections and see if that fixes the issue. Let us know! 2 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
_Wilson_™ 6,498 Posted December 25, 2020 sounds like a battery connection .... if the battery was week the light should dim, maybe blink, then come back on when you let off the starter button, that's how most I've seen do. check your battery post. what year and model honda do you have ? welcome aboard! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
macec3(TX) 4 Posted December 25, 2020 2003 trx350 rancher with manual shift. I checked the battery earlier. Meter reading 12.05 amps.This battery is not but a few months old. I know it could still be too weak. Used jumper cables and hooked up a motorcycle battery 13+ amps, no change. I will check the ground cable connection and the connections at the battery. 1 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
_Wilson_™ 6,498 Posted December 25, 2020 my bad on missing the topic. indeed sounds like a week battery if the bike pull starts and runs fine. has the bike been sitting very long ? if you didnt hear a click from the starter solenoid, or engine bump, and have had no other electrical issues, chances are it's the battery. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
macec3(TX) 4 Posted December 25, 2020 That 4 wheeler is ridden daily unless it is raining. Got to work in the morning but maybe tomorrow afternoon I will get a chance to pull the battery and hook it up to a good 12 V battery and see what happens. Just went to start it and no neutral light. Just don't know. Maybe with ya'lls help I will get it operating right. Sure do appreciate all the replies. I am just at a loss when there is an electrical issue. Thanks. 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
_Wilson_™ 6,498 Posted December 25, 2020 glad to help, with no neutral light now, sounds like it's almost dead, what happens when you turn the key on and flip on the lights ? if you have access to a low amp 12 volt charger, or trickle battery maintainer, you might get just enought juice, in, and after that if the nut rail light comes on, then it's the battery. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
shadetree 5,791 Posted December 26, 2020 bad battery ?, or bad starter solenoid ?. bad cable connections from battery to ground/starter ?. bad starter ?. any one of these issues can cause your problems :-). start with the simple stuff first, check your battery cables !. 2 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
retro 3,984 Posted December 26, 2020 Welcome to ATV Honda @macec3(TX)! As the others have mentioned, its probably just a bad battery cable connection, either at the battery itself or where the positive (red) battery cable connects to the starter solenoid next to the battery, or where the negative (black) battery cable connects to ground on the motor and also on the frame. You'll understand better once you clean & tighten those connections on the ends of each battery cable. When you get done the neutral light should come on right away when you turn the key on and the starter button should work. Let us know how that goes.... in case the charging system is suspect too, so we can help ya. 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Fishfiles 20,140 Posted December 26, 2020 I would start with load testing my battery , would guess you don't have load tester ----- so with out a load tester , then I would try turning on the head lights , when the neutral light is not on , if the lights don't come on this will tell you if the entire electrical system is out or if they do come on then it is just the starting circuit ---would check all battery connections , fuses and then connector plugs and wiring 2 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
macec3(TX) 4 Posted December 26, 2020 These are the things I have done: Checked all fuses. They are good. Put trickle charger on ATV battery. It now checks at 13.5 Volts. Removed ATV battery and connected jumper cables from truck to ATV terminals. No change. Cleaned ground connection at engine. Cleaned battery terminals and put battery back on ATV. Battery is not very old. Terminals weren't dirty. Cleaned them with steel wool. Lights work and they are bright. Wiggled the shift lever and the neutral light will flicker. Hold the shift lever up and the neutral light will stay on. It is very touchy. The lever must be just right or no neutral light. Press start button and neutral light will go off. Wait a few seconds and it will come back on. ATV will start with recoil starter when neutral light is on.. I think there is something wrong on the neutral position sensor. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
TBRider 1,392 Posted December 26, 2020 Is your quad a foot shift or electric shift? Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Melatv 775 Posted December 26, 2020 HI: Unplug the gear position switch -- on the harness side ground the Lg/R wire to the frame or to neg. of battery and try starting the bike. 2 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
macec3(TX) 4 Posted December 26, 2020 TBRider - It is a manual foot shift. Melatv - I have been looking for that Lg/R wire. Haven't found it yet. "harness side ground" doesn't mean anything to me. I am just not electronic savvy. Could you be more specific? Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Melatv 775 Posted December 27, 2020 Hi: Unplug the gear position switch -- look for a light green/ Red wire on the harness side of the plug and ground that wire to the frame or battery neg. of the battery 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
macec3(TX) 4 Posted December 30, 2020 (edited) This is what I did yesterday. Found the light green/red wire near the battery. Cut it, added a connector and attached the connector to the negative post on the battery. Have a neutral light 24/7 and the 4 wheeler will start in any gear using the recoil rope starter. No start with the start button. This is good enough on this old half wore out 4 wheeler. Many thanks to all that have responded. I would not have got it going without ya'lls help. Sure do appreciate all the help. Mac. Edited December 30, 2020 by macec3(TX) not worded correctly Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
AKATV 785 Posted December 30, 2020 Glad you got it working Looks like you bypassed the faulty gear postion switch to get the neutral light to stay on I have seen that done before on a few Ranchers/Foremans I dont understand why the electric start is not working though, it should crank if CDI is seeing the Neutral light/ground? Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
