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FredZ

TRX500FA6 (2018) Fault codes

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Hello all

 

Trying to diagnose a fault code on my 2018 TRX500FA6 (auto/IRS).

 

The code on the display is 2 long 4 short

 

This fault occures when the bike decides not to change down gears when slowing to a stop. I then turn of the bike to reset things and I get the "-" for the gears and then it starts flashing. The bike won't start in this mode. After a while I can turn on the ignition and the display comes back and I can start the bike but the shifter buttons don't respond in both auto or ESP modes. I thought it may be heat related as I can take the bike for a short test ride and it performs properly, but when I take it out for a hour or so it then plays up. The temp stay in the normal range and the radiator is full. I also removed all the front plastic and cleaned the radiator. The fan also turns on and off as expected, so most likely not heat related. 

 

The bike has less than 350 hours and less than 4000 Kilometers.

 

I would also appreciate it if I could locate a service manual for the same bike.

 

Many thanks in advance for any guidence.

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Hi FredZ, welcome to ATVHonda!

 

We have free service manuals available from the link in the top menu. That thread is here:

 

 

I don't see a 2018 manual in there, but there is a 2016 manual that should be pretty much the same info as you'd find in a 2018 manual. Here is a shortcut to the 2016 manual:

https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1QvEKFzoIUuZ809T18CwVIDToUJfelcG-

 

I don't have much experience with your model, but I'll try to help ya until someone comes along.... Basically you need to determine whether the issue is a hydraulic one or an electrical one. I would try to rule out a hydraulic issue first, because it's generally less time-consuming to troubleshoot a hydraulic issue than troubleshoot an electrical fault.

 

So start with the motor oil.... Is the oil level in the motor full? Is the oil and oil filter relatively fresh and clean, and have the oil and filter been changed regularly? Is the motor oil a quality brand, proper viscosity, and does the oil have the required MA or MA2 specification for wet clutches?

 

Does the transmission shift hard (sudden, abnormally hard shift, causing driveline shock or lurching) while upshifting, just before the transmission fails to downshift and the electrical errors out? In other words, do the upshifts become progressively more sudden and abnormally hard as the motor warms to full operating temp?

 

The next time your 500 fails to shift and while the motor is still hot, test the shift solenoid (see the service manual) and unplug the two-wire shift motor connector to inspect the connectors for corrosion in the terminals. Also look for any indication of those connector terminals overheating. They'll be discolored if they've been hot. You can test the shift motor by applying battery voltage to the unplugged motor connector terminals. See the manual for more info.

 

EDIT:

DTC 24-1 indicates a shift motor circuit fault. However, insufficient oil pressure or a hydraulic circuit issue may possibly result in the PCM to report a DTC 24-1 fault. Rule out possible hydraulic issues before proceeding with electrical component testing.

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Motor Oil: Motul 5100 10W-40 This was supplied by the Honda dealership that sold me the bike and I never questioned it. Oil and oil filters were replaced less than 10 hours ago and the oil appears clear. Again the filters were sullpied by the Honda dealership. Oil level is full.

 

The transmission changes gears normally up until when it stops responding. No clunks/bangs/jolts at all. If I leave the bike running after I notice the fault the shifter buttons are completely unresponsive. 

 

I have done some recent work in an attempt to resolve this issue. They include replacing all 5 bearings and the seal in the control motor housing. Three of the five had failed (noisy). The control motor tested correctly at that time so was not replaced. Grease used was ROCOL Saphire Ultraplex which is a lightweight bearing grease that was applied with an artists paint brush to lightly apply to the gear surfaces, the bearings were lightly packed with the same grease. This grease was applied sparingly and is not prone to solidifying like the grease used in production.

 

Prior to that I had to replace the valve body assembly as the connector broke off. I use the bike recreationally so I assume something has clobbered it and broken it off.

 

I have done nothing else as I don't have a manual and I couldn't find the fault code diagnosis.

 

I will use the manual you suggested to diagnose the 24-1 fault so see if that highlights anything.

 

Regards

 

Fred

 

 

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8 hours ago, FredZ said:

I have done some recent work in an attempt to resolve this issue. They include replacing all 5 bearings and the seal in the control motor housing. Three of the five had failed (noisy). The control motor tested correctly at that time so was not replaced. Grease used was ROCOL Saphire Ultraplex which is a lightweight bearing grease that was applied with an artists paint brush to lightly apply to the gear surfaces, the bearings were lightly packed with the same grease. This grease was applied sparingly and is not prone to solidifying like the grease used in production.

 

Wow those support bearings should not have failed so rapidly! I wonder if something is still not right inside that housing. Perhaps there are a misaligned bearing causing binding of a gear (friction increasing with heat expansion), or causing a gear to rub on the housing or cover? I have found several support bearings in the past installed from the factory crooked inside their bores on older models.... those small diameter bearings can get cocked pretty easily.... perhaps that is what happened to your bearings? Each bearing must be pushed into it's bore straight so that the outer bearing race is perfectly aligned with the bottom edge of the narrow bore chamfer. Any misalignments will cause gear binding inside the housing.

 

Also critical to shift motor operation is the fact that if any of the housing cover bolts are over tightened, the aluminum can warp slightly which may pinch the gears and bind them.

 

I suspect that your issue is inside the control motor housing.... look for signs of gears rubbing on the housing leaving scratches or gouging of the aluminum. Inspect each small support bearing insuring that they are each pressed into their bores straight. The control motor may be going bad too, since it was operating in a high friction gear case for quite some time.... the brushes inside that control motor might be worn out.

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Update:

 

After the comments made I removed the controller housing and checked for marks etc.

 

I found that the 2 bearings on the engine side were ever so slightly proud. These have now been completely seated. I have also tested for alignment of the bearing and they are true to the face of the housing.

 

No marks were found in the housing, and the gears show no sign of wear throughout the entire gear faces.

 

After I reassembled the unit I noted that when transferring from R to D there was a distinct clunk. D to R was normal. I checked the oil level and it was just below the full mark, so added another 500ml. The clunk went away.

 

Now for a test ride.

 

Will keep you posted.

 

Fred

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So I've taken the bike out on a 2.5 hour beach ride. Worked the gearbox fairly hard by slowing down or stopping periodically to ensure the gearbox was changing up/down properly. The bike performed without a glitch. It actually brought a smile to my face and I am starting to feel a little more relaxed and started enjoying riding my bike again.

 

Thanks for the comments that steered me in the right directiion. It is pleasing to see that there are still people out there willing to offer some friendly advice.

 

Regards

 

Fred

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Hi Fred,

 

Great news! I am as tickled as you are that you have fixed your bike, I assure you.... :)

And we all appreciate your friendly advice comment... we all learn and grow from others repair experiences, so we really appreciate every opportunity to help others that comes along.... there is a great bunch of folks here and we'd love to see you stick around and share with us!

 

You mentioned that you rode on a beach, is that a salt water beach? The reason I ask is because the electrical systems on ATVs (all manufacturers) are not as waterproofed as they appear to be and when operation is in salt water environments simple failures can occur quite rapidly. The main problem you're likely to encounter sooner rather than later are failed electrical connectors that allow moisture and air to seep into the plugs, which then allows corrosion to begin on the metal terminals inside them. The rubber seals inside connectors are dry when assembled at the factory and so eventually a small percentage of them will fail (no matter the environment), it's a very common problem but one easily avoided by opening every electrical connector and coating them (coat the metal terminals too) with Dielectric grease. You can generally find Dielectric grease for sale at your local auto parts stores. Dielectric greasing the connectors prevents most electrical failures from ever occurring, so it's the single most important preparation you'll ever do to insure reliability of your Honda.

 

Shift motors also frequently fail due to moisture/water seeping into the motor past the rubber gasket where the nose housing attaches to the magnets housing. Whenever you encounter a shift motor that is bolted together (rather than riveted together) it's sound practice to take those motors apart and apply gasket sealer to the rubber gaskets. I posted an ES prep thread for older Honda bikes here that explains how easy it is to bulletproof a shift motor and electrical plugs. These infos and procedures can be applied or adapted to newer models as well:

 

https://atvhonda.com/topic/570-how-to-properly-prep-your-honda-es-shift-system/

 

Thanks for sharing how you fixed your bike!

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Yes you are correct, it was an ocean beach ride. And whilst I am fairly festidious about waterblasting and cleaning my bike after every ride whether on the beach or bush track riding I didn't think about the connectors.

 

I will go through the connectors today and inspect/clean them as per your guide.

I will also order a replacement control motor to have on hand for when it does finally stop/play up again.

 

Regards

 

Fred

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14 minutes ago, FredZ said:

Yes you are correct, it was an ocean beach ride. And whilst I am fairly festidious about waterblasting and cleaning my bike after every ride whether on the beach or bush track riding I didn't think about the connectors.

 

I will go through the connectors today and inspect/clean them as per your guide.

I will also order a replacement control motor to have on hand for when it does finally stop/play up again.

 

Regards

 

Fred

 

OEM on that control motor.  Used OEM is preferable to new chyna/aftermarket on these Hondas.


Powersportsnation.com stands by what they sell.  Not as cheap as they used to be though.

 

And go ahead and get a pint can of dialectic grease.  The little pouches at the auto parts store will cost you $$$ by the time you buy enough to do what you need to do.

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