Trip meter resetting during startup

[reloader]

On a number of occasions now the trip meter on my 06 Nomad decides to reset back to zero on its own during start up. Sometimes it resets at first start after sitting for a few days. Other times after stopping for a brief pit stop.
Although the original battery is still in the bike there is no lack of cranking power for starting and all lights are burning bright.
My first thought is there is probably a small watch sized back up battery in the circuit to provide a memory voltage. But looking at the service manual shows no such battery. Again this only occurs intermittently.
Of course the manual just gives "Replace Unit" for any troubleshooting fix.

[garyo4]

If memory serves, I think I read on this forum a while ago that it's an early indication the bettery is on the way out. Can you borrow someone else's to determine if the trip meter resets with a fresh battery?

[woods27x4]

Get a new battery. Mine was doing the same thing, put in a new battery and hasn't happened since.

[caper]

Good info to Know :) reloader is that an american flag on the bike .can't make it out ....LOL.....Couldn't help myself...kidding ya know :)

[ells]

It would be great if the trip meter resetting itself would be a sure sign that the battery is going bad. Would a heck of a lot simpler than Mac's tests. :) Actually, I've seen similar things happening in the high-tech electronics in cars these days - get few wacky indications on the instrument panel and sure enough the battery is the culprit.

[ringadingh]

Mine has been resetting itself a lot this past summer, I'll be getting a new battery for the upcoming season. I did stretch that battery out for a long time though. To bad the odometer doesn't reset itself as well.

[macmac]

I like my wacky tests, because they are for free.. This is a for sure indicator that the battery is no longer capable of holding a charge, which means it won't hold a load too.


These tests are a cake walk for me since I run a volt meter all the time the bike is in use.

And I use a auto flpat charger any time the bike is parked, other than a odd over night away.

But then I plan to have the same battery when it is 8 years old.

The battery in my cage is pre 2002, the only way I know if the blue over spray from painting that relic.

The tests are easy.

A good Nomad battery standing over night not on a charger should be about 13.3 dcv. No less than 12.8.

pop off the spark plug wires so the engine can't start, and crank the engine over with a watch and a second hand, the voltage should not drop below 10.5 volts in 10 seconds.

What's so hard about that?

I have never agreed with adding things that come on the instant the key is tirned on, but I sure can't stop anyone from doing that.

My opinion is that there is already too much stuff ON at that time. Then when you crank up the start motor most anything but that is starved for juice. The lesser the draw the more likey wire resistance will cause what ever to fail. The first things that fail are the clock and trip meter.

This little battery at 20Ah gets slammed with a draw of 365 amps each time the start motor is used.

This battery in theory can run 1 amp 20 hours, 20 amps 1 hour, and 356 amps for a few seconds..

[mercianbike]

I've had this happen a few times to both the ODO and clock when I hit the starter button before the speedometer needle had a chance to return to zero.

[trosco]

just curious, I don't have the trip meter reseting but if I am running down the road and set it on trip meter or odometer it stays there but if I switch to clock it stays there about 60 seconds then switched to odometer. Actually thought that was the way it was supposed to work for quite a while. I normally leave it on trip meter so it doesn't bother, but just seems odd. Any one else see that?

[cactusjack]

Originally Posted by trosco

just curious, I don't have the trip meter reseting but if I am running down the road and set it on trip meter or odometer it stays there but if I switch to clock it stays there about 60 seconds then switched to odometer. Actually thought that was the way it was supposed to work for quite a while. I normally leave it on trip meter so it doesn't bother, but just seems odd. Any one else see that?

I'm pretty sure if I set my clock display on, it stays there until I change it to something else.

[Yellow Jacket]

Originally Posted by trosco

just curious, I don't have the trip meter reseting but if I am running down the road and set it on trip meter or odometer it stays there but if I switch to clock it stays there about 60 seconds then switched to odometer. Actually thought that was the way it was supposed to work for quite a while. I normally leave it on trip meter so it doesn't bother, but just seems odd. Any one else see that?

It's not supposed to act like that. The clock display should stay on until you switch it. If you are still under warranty get the dealer to fix it.

[pagemastr]

Reloader:
On mine for a while the ODO AND clock would both reset when starting the bike. Turned out it was a bad ground from the battery. to the chassis. No problem since cleaning and tightening it.

[dabull]

New Battery, or perhaps just check battery connections

[macmac]

Originally Posted by Jack C.

Reloader:
On mine for a while the ODO AND clock would both reset when starting the bike. Turned out it was a bad ground from the battery. to the chassis. No problem since cleaning and tightening it.

Yeah that can happen even if the battery is brand new.. All it takes to make a bad connection is a finger print.

Just looking by eye at a connection is pretty useless. To clean one you need to brighten the metals, with sand papers, wire brushes, or scrapers.

.................................
My meters don't change unless I press a button.

[AlabamaNomadRider]

Same here for me Mac, mine stay set where I set them. Sounds like a weak battery or the connection isn't good enough to keep power going to the instrument cluster when attempting to start. I do know that if there isn't power going to the speedometer and trip meter the trip meter will reset.