Continues starting without me holding the start switch

[frogseatflies]

I went to start my 2007 Kymco People 150 scooter (silver) today.  It started up and ran as I rolled out of the gate, but it kept on starting and starting as if I was holding down the start switch.  I tried what I could to make it stop:  Hit the kill switch, hit the starter switch a few times, pumped the brakes a few times, turned the ignition off, took the key out.    It kept starting and starting and you could hear it get weaker, draining the battery.   It eventually quit or ran out of juice.   All of this took about 25 seconds.

I ran an errand and returned in 20 minutes.  I took out the battery in case it was draining the battery.  The battery was warm and the voltage reading is now at 4 volts.

Not sure if this pertains: but often when I depress the starter switch, it doesn't immediately start, it does a 1/3 second delay like it wants to start but doesn't but then decides "yes, let's do start now".    I never considered it a problem because it would always start.

Any thoughts?

History:
New solenoid (6 months ago)
New starter (6 months ago)
Recently cleaned the starter switch contacts. (1 month ago)
New Battery (12 months ago)

[CROSSBOLT]

Some switch got welded shut.
1. Start push button
2. Start relay/solenoid
Don't recall anymore than that...

[Stig / Major Tom]

From cyclepedia....troubleshooting a LIKE200i.


Stig

[Viper254]

If you switched off the ignition and took the key out, we can rule out the starter button.

Sounds to me like the solenoid/starter relay got stuck. It's a common Kymco issue and thankfully very, very cheap to replace.

I don't know where the starter relay is on your bike though...

[scooterfan]

The most common starter Solenoids have two “thick” wires and one thin wire connected to the solenoid.
The thin wire comes from the starter button.
You could disconnect the thin wire at the Solenoid, press the starter button, and do a voltage test at the (disconnected) thin wire . You should get a Voltage reading.
Then leave the starter button, and do the same Voltage test at the disconnected thin wire. If you still get a voltage reading, the starter Button (switch) should be faulty.

If if you didn’t get a voltage reading at the thin wire when you did’nt press the starter Button, the switch at the button will still be good - but the starter Solenoid should be faulty.

If you have a problem in finding the Solenoid,  just follow the wire which connects to the Starter Motor backwards - it connects directly to the solenoid.

[frogseatflies]

Well, a couple months later I took off the solenoid and inspected it.   It's new and so is the starter.   I didn't see anything with the solenoid that looked like it had welded itself together.   Nothing looked awry.   So I charged up the battery and put it back in.  She started without issues multiple times yesterday.   Oh well, we'll see if she keeps up the good behavior.