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Fredm21

Honda foreman 500 2005 electronic shift issues

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Hey guys, I have a Honda foreman 500 2005.

Of course the electric shift didn’t work when I bought it last week. I had the angle sensor error code which I replaced, then no error code but still wouldn’t shift. I diagnosed the motor, resistance was good but when i opened the motor, it was burnt. I replaced the motor and still having issues. No error code, motor is not even trying, 30amp ( motor ) fuse is good. anyone has an idea or has the electrical diagram for the electric shift please.
 

next step is to diagnose up/down switch and ecm. 

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You can find the service manual in the main menu of the forum. I take it, it will shift fine manually?

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Just now, toodeep said:

You can find the service manual in the main menu of the forum. I take it, it will shift fine manually?

Just found the service manual, yeah manual shift works and gear display will show the correct gear it’s in. 

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9 hours ago, toodeep said:

You can find the service manual in the main menu of the forum. I take it, it will shift fine manually?

Previous owner was actually using the manual shift all the time thinking it was good to do. Thanks for your help by the way 

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There are a few 500s , I would guess you have the 500 ES model ,  I have heard shifting with the emergency tool is hard on the shift shaft and they break off or the bolt comes loose or sheers off --- #18 / #19 are the two shift shafts for foot shifter and ES 

 

image.png

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2 minutes ago, Fishfiles said:

There are a few 500s , I would guess you have the 500 ES model ,  I have heard shifting with the emergency tool is hard on the shift shaft and they break off or the bolt comes loose or sheers off --- #18 / #19 are the two shift shafts for foot shifter and ES 

 

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My foot shift works, the es is not working. Motor is not even trying to move. I’m assuming either ecm or switch but I’d like to be able to diagnose before I keep spending money here and there. Previous owner burned the shift motor by putting grease in the brush motor. His skills was definitely not so great. 
 

im not suspecting any mechanical issues inside the trans but I’ll keep this in mind if it’s having issues to engage gears after I fix the ES.

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Not sure if it is available for your 500 , but did you ever research the ES by-pass harness  ?  --- It is plug and play , eliminates the angle sensor , all you need is a good shift motor and switch 

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12 minutes ago, Fishfiles said:

Not sure if it is available for your 500 , but did you ever research the ES by-pass harness  ?  --- It is plug and play , eliminates the angle sensor , all you need is a good shift motor and switch 

I’m going to make myself a bypass if I fail to fix it the right way. I’m an oem type of guy and I like to know all my stuff is fixed like it was born. But worst case I’ll do that 🙂 

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I would recommend following Retro's post on prepping ES system.

I have done it to a few different non shifting machines now without replacing parts and got them going better than ever.

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On 12/3/2022 at 12:39 PM, THH said:

I would recommend following Retro's post on prepping ES system.

I have done it to a few different non shifting machines now without replacing parts and got them going better than ever.

I did all this when I changed the motor. Really great post he made. But this is not the answer to my issue unfortunately 

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12 minutes ago, Fredm21 said:

I did all this when I changed the motor. Really great post he made. But this is not the answer to my issue unfortunately 

When you say you changed the motor , I would presume you  mean the shift motor ?   Or did you do a engine swop ---- next question , did you use a OEM shift motor 

 

 What's happening >>>>  no shift  >>>>  can you hear the motor 

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4 minutes ago, Fishfiles said:

When you say you changed the motor , I would presume you  mean the shift motor ?   Or did you do a engine swop ---- next question , did you use a OEM shift motor 

 

 What's happening >>>>  no shift  >>>>  can you hear the motor 

Sorry, I replaced the shift motor with an oem Honda motor. I am getting a 3 flash neutral error code, shift motor is not even trying to engage. Previous shift motor was burnt. 

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Do you have the emergency shift tool and used it to try to shift it manually ?--

 

I have read quite a few times that the bolt in the end of the shift shaft backed  out or sheared off 

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32 minutes ago, Fishfiles said:

Do you have the emergency shift tool and used it to try to shift it manually ?--

 

I have read quite a few times that the bolt in the end of the shift shaft backed  out or sheared off 

I do have the emergency shift and it works great, I don’t think it’s an internal issue since I can’t get the motor to work or even trying. 

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9 minutes ago, Fredm21 said:

I do have the emergency shift and it works great, I don’t think it’s an internal issue since I can’t get the motor to work or even trying. 

 

 

That's good news ,,,

 

@retro  @jeepwm69 @AKATV

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On 11/30/2022 at 9:46 PM, Fredm21 said:

I had the angle sensor error code which I replaced, then no error code but still wouldn’t shift.

 

Hi Fredm21,

 

Is the angle sensor that you installed an OEM Honda part? If not, replace the angle sensor with the original angle sensor that you removed and see if it shifts. The angle sensor must be OEM.

 

If the angle sensor is OEM, then unplug the 5p connector plug from the ECM.  Using a multimeter measure the DC volts between the Green wire and the Red/Yellow wire terminals inside that 5p plug on the wiring harness half of that connector (not the ECM, leave the ECM alone). Let us know if there is battery voltage measured between those two terminals or not.

 

Then find two lengths of wire that you can use for jumper leads that are long enough to reach from the battery to that 5p connector. Attach one jumper wire to the positive post on the battery and the other jumper wire on the negative post of the battery (or frame ground). Then touch the two jumper wires on the Orange wire terminal and the Green/Red wire terminal inside the wiring harness half of that connector momentarily. The shift motor should attempt to make a shift, either a shift up or a shift down. Swap the jumper leads on those same two terminals inside the 5p connector and the shift motor should attempt to shift the opposite (up or down) direction. Remove those two jumper wires from the battery.

 

Let us know the results of those tests.

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1 minute ago, retro said:

 

Hi Fredm21,

 

Is the angle sensor that you installed an OEM Honda part? If not, replace the angle sensor with the original angle sensor that you removed and see if it shifts. The angle sensor must be OEM.

 

If the angle sensor is OEM, then unplug the 5p connector plug from the ECM.  Using a multimeter measure the DC volts between the Green wire and the Red/Yellow wire terminals inside that 5p plug on the wiring harness half of that connector (not the ECM, leave the ECM alone). Let us know if there is battery voltage measured between those two terminals or not.

 

Then find two lengths of wire that you can use for jumper leads that are long enough to reach from the battery to that 5p connector. Attach one jumper wire to the positive post on the battery and the other jumper wire on the negative post of the battery (or frame ground). Then touch the two jumper wires on the Orange wire terminal and the Green/Red wire terminal inside the wiring harness half of that connector momentarily. The shift motor should attempt to make a shift, either a shift up or a shift down. Swap the jumper leads on those same two terminals inside the 5p connector and the shift motor should attempt to shift the opposite (up or down) direction. Remove those two jumper wires from the battery.

 

Let us know the results of those tests.

Hi Retro, yes I am using a oem Honda angle sensor. I will do what you said and get back to you asap. Thanks for your time trying to help me out. 

9148D5DA-BBEB-4AD2-8208-240B41DEEC6F.jpeg

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On 12/8/2022 at 12:00 PM, retro said:

 

Hi Fredm21,

 

Is the angle sensor that you installed an OEM Honda part? If not, replace the angle sensor with the original angle sensor that you removed and see if it shifts. The angle sensor must be OEM.

 

If the angle sensor is OEM, then unplug the 5p connector plug from the ECM.  Using a multimeter measure the DC volts between the Green wire and the Red/Yellow wire terminals inside that 5p plug on the wiring harness half of that connector (not the ECM, leave the ECM alone). Let us know if there is battery voltage measured between those two terminals or not.

 

Then find two lengths of wire that you can use for jumper leads that are long enough to reach from the battery to that 5p connector. Attach one jumper wire to the positive post on the battery and the other jumper wire on the negative post of the battery (or frame ground). Then touch the two jumper wires on the Orange wire terminal and the Green/Red wire terminal inside the wiring harness half of that connector momentarily. The shift motor should attempt to make a shift, either a shift up or a shift down. Swap the jumper leads on those same two terminals inside the 5p connector and the shift motor should attempt to shift the opposite (up or down) direction. Remove those two jumper wires from the battery.

 

Let us know the results of those tests.

 Hi @retro, I finally got my foreman back. So I tested what you asked. I’m not getting any dc voltage between red/yellow and and green on the connector side.  Also after sending 12V directly to the green/red wire and orange wire on the connector side. Motor tried to shift gear. 

At this point, I would think that I need to confirm continuity between 5p connector red/yellow to the fuse holder since fuse is good and test ground frame to green wire. 
 

thank you! 

1492E50F-1CF9-47B5-B94D-E5F9431E4BBC.jpeg

Edited by Fredm21
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1 hour ago, Fredm21 said:

At this point, I would think that I need to confirm continuity between 5p connector red/yellow to the fuse holder since fuse is good and test ground frame to green wire. 

 

Yep exactly. I suspect that the fuse holder socket terminal(s) overheated and lost it's grip on the 30 amp Motor fuse terminal. The 30 amp Motor fuse should have two tiny exposed contacts on the top of the fuse.... look closely you'll see them, there is one on each end of the fuse, where you can probe with your voltmeter to trace battery voltage through both ends of the fuse. I suspect that one side of the fuse holder socket is not pinched on the spade of the fuse, due to overheating.

 

You may have to open the 2p connector between the battery and the fuse box as well, to see if there is any corrosion or overheated terminals inside that connector.

 

Here is a partial wiring diagram image of the circuit you're working on in case it's useful. Let us know what you find....

 

05fe-partial-wiring.png

 

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12 hours ago, retro said:

 

Yep exactly. I suspect that the fuse holder socket terminal(s) overheated and lost it's grip on the 30 amp Motor fuse terminal. The 30 amp Motor fuse should have two tiny exposed contacts on the top of the fuse.... look closely you'll see them, there is one on each end of the fuse, where you can probe with your voltmeter to trace battery voltage through both ends of the fuse. I suspect that one side of the fuse holder socket is not pinched on the spade of the fuse, due to overheating.

 

You may have to open the 2p connector between the battery and the fuse box as well, to see if there is any corrosion or overheated terminals inside that connector.

 

Here is a partial wiring diagram image of the circuit you're working on in case it's useful. Let us know what you find....

 

05fe-partial-wiring.png

 

 

Main fuse on my 06 Foreman did that.  I "bubba'd" it and just cut the wires off the bottom of the fuse box, and wired in an in line fuse to the two wires. 

 

Did that about 5-6 years ago and haven't had any problems from it since.

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16 hours ago, retro said:

 


 

 

Alright, so I found the problem and solved it like it should. Thanks all for your help. I now have a working quad and 2 happy children’s. The fuse harness wasn’t secured and was rubbing on the battery. I cut the wire until the copper was clean and solder a new wire, heat shrink it and used wear resistant tape. Electronic shift is working flawless now! 

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94E4AFF9-7EAE-4F5F-B971-9FCC6E6CCAC0.jpeg

Edited by Fredm21
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Thanks for showing us what you found!  Will likely help someone else out in the future when they're searching for a solution to a similar problem.

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