I've got a 2011 Bonneville with just over 2,000 km on the clock. Every so often it is reluctant to start. The starter motor engages as normal, a solid engage no clicking like when you have a flat battery, but it fails to turn the motor over. This is normally repeated for three or four attempts, then it will fire as normal. And for weeks later it will start as normal. I've talked with the dealer who advised intermittent faults are difficult to trace which I have to agree with, I was wondering if anyone else had experience the same problem and how they cured the problem.
New Bonneville starting problems
- Thread starter nzkiwi
- Start date
Chris Gilmour
Scooter
This'll probably offer no help, so sorry. My 2009's battery dies anytime I go for several short runs. I had to buy a battery tender. Your problem doesn't seem battery related, since it starts after several attempts.
strokerlmt
Moderator
Start simple.....take the battery leads off clean grease put back on. Check every connection on the wiring harness. Take apart check grease put back together. Get battery tender and see what happens is my two cents before spending dealer money.
LMT
LMT
Failure to start
My 2011 SE sometimes fails to start: It begins to turn over, then quickly dies. If I keep the starter button pushed in, it will - after a couple of seconds - turn over again and start. This happens maybe once or twice each week, and has not increased in frequency in 4,800 miles. I believe it's a computer glitch, and as long as it doesn't happen more often, I can live with it.
My 2011 SE sometimes fails to start: It begins to turn over, then quickly dies. If I keep the starter button pushed in, it will - after a couple of seconds - turn over again and start. This happens maybe once or twice each week, and has not increased in frequency in 4,800 miles. I believe it's a computer glitch, and as long as it doesn't happen more often, I can live with it.
Update on fault searching
I disconnected the battery and cleaned the contacts. Went to start and same problem. Checked the battery voltage. 12.8 volts with no load. With the key on 12.2 volts. I then left the ignition on for about 10 minutes to put some drain on the battery and it stayed at 12.2 volts. And apart from that first attempt after reconnecting the battery, has started first time since.
I disconnected the battery and cleaned the contacts. Went to start and same problem. Checked the battery voltage. 12.8 volts with no load. With the key on 12.2 volts. I then left the ignition on for about 10 minutes to put some drain on the battery and it stayed at 12.2 volts. And apart from that first attempt after reconnecting the battery, has started first time since.
I had similar problems with my 2010 SE. When I pulled the choke half out, it started straight away. Triumph [not my dealer] sent me a letter in October last year [just before my first 12 months were up] talking about this exact problem and indicating that when I put my bike in for its 12 month service, the dealer would download the appropriate 'fix'. Given that I was away for 2 months last year, I only just got the service done last week. Everything now seems OK.
This is an electronic glitch causing the starter motor to begin to turn over, then almost-immediately cut out, then restart by itself. It doesn't seem to be a battery problem, and it certainly isn't a fuel problem. It is infrequent, however, and only a minor inconvenience that doesn't even begin to dilute my pleasure with owning the Bonnie!
TC_Dick
TT Racer
I had the exact same problem on my 2007. the starter relay under the side cover was pushed too far against the body of the bike, and had created an intermittent short.
to see if maybe that's your same problem, pull the side cover next time it clicks when you try to start. see if the starter relay feels warm. if it does, pull it out away from the frame just a little tiny bit, and try again.
sounds nuts, but it fixed my starting problem.
to see if maybe that's your same problem, pull the side cover next time it clicks when you try to start. see if the starter relay feels warm. if it does, pull it out away from the frame just a little tiny bit, and try again.
sounds nuts, but it fixed my starting problem.