PROBLEM:
When I push the starter button nothing happens. The battery is fine. I'm holding the break lever and the kickstand is up and then I keep pushing the starter button sometimes I turn the ignition key on and off then suddenly it starts up fine. When I push the button I noticed that there are no sound. I suspect that maybe the switch on the brake lever is faulty and preventing the starter from operating?
SOLUTION: (Updated: 05-06-2014)
Corrosion on the Rear Brake switch. Here's the deal. The two brake levers have a switch that is Normally Closed (NC) meaning power is allowed to flow through the switch when it is NOT pressed. Pressing the brake lever (un-press's) the switch and which closes (completes) the connection and puts the brake light on and allows you to start the scooter.
Weird - when the switch is mounted it is pressed in by the brake lever which breaks the connection (no brake light). When you press the brake lever you hear a click as the lever moves away from the switch and stops pressing it which cause the switch to close the connection.
Diagnostic Steps:
When things were working (most of the time). I noticed that if I had the kickstand up, scoot switched to Run, ign key in starting position and I pressed the brake lever then touched the start button (even for a second) the LCD screen resets (same as when you first turn the key to on) and the head light goes off (to maximize power to the starter). But, when the problem happened and I pressed the start button the screen did not change and neither did the head light. I then suspected the Left brake light switch. I found if I held the starter in and pumped the brake lever a bunch of times the starter suddenly worked. Also, I found when it was not working that the rear brake light did not go on with the left lever but it did go on when the front brake (right lever) was pressed.
After I parked the scoot for 3 weeks due to losing the drain screw on my carb the scoot would not start at all. I removed the switch and manually connected the wires and the scoot started perfectly every time. I priced the switch online and it costs $20 + s&h. I then pried open the switch, cleaned the contact with sand paper, reinstalled it and everything is working great.
Interestingly, the switch never failed to make the clicking nose. Moral of the story: just because it clicks doesn't mean the connection is ok.
PaulC
2005 12,600 miles.
