2004 Sportster XL1200R: Unknown Electical Problem (Codes Included)

Odingaard

First of all, thanks for all the great information in the forum. I have already found it to be of great benefit to me.

Now, for the onion. I bought my first HD, a 2004 XL1200R with 5k miles in May of this year. It's been a pretty smooth ownership thus far. I have done no mechanical or electrical work - other than adding the factory smoked lenses/orange 1157s to the turn signals. Lately, a random electrical problem seems to have come up for no reason I can see. The check engine light began flashing sporatically while driving. It does not stay on, it just flashes here and there, then does not flash at all after driving for 20 mins or so.

I pulled the codes and got the following. I used the book at the HD dealership to notate the codes like they have them in their reference manual:

B1006: Acc line overvoltage.
B1007: Ign line overvoltage.
B1121: Left turn output fault.
P0562: Batt voltage low.
P0563: Batt voltage high.

I reset the codes a few days ago. When I started today, I'm getting the same codes thrown again.

The only thing that I have really noticed is that when using the HD-brand 1157 bulbs, my left front turn signal seemed dimmer than normal. When switching to standard 1157s, the problem went away.

Additionally, I had some corrosion on the positive battery terminal that was causing a short when starting, but this has not been an issue since I cleaned the terminal and connections.

Bike runs fine, no other noticable problems.

Any insight would be helpful! Thanks in advance for your answers!

SledDog

B1006: Acc line overvoltage.
B1007: Ign line overvoltage.
P0562: Batt voltage low.
P0563: Batt voltage high.

These seem to indicate a voltage regulator problem. Check the connections for voltage regulator. Also, if you have a manual, do the tests listed for the regulator.

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glider

You sure about the 1157 in the real lights, they should be a single filament not a double, The 1157 goes in the front lights.

We know you can't have over voltage and low voltage, I would suspect a bad ground somewhere.

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NEWHD74FAN

Glider is correct, the 1157 is the dual filament, an 1156 is the single filament bulb (harkening back to the ol' Happy Days era)...check the manual and go backwards from the "last mod/rework that was done."

Generally while doing "routine" things we disturb things inadvertently, such as flexing a wiring harness, may unseat connections or break brittle/old wiring; or when we unplug things, sometimes the contacts "creep" back and do not engage etc...

It is part of taking on maintenance of a rugged but complex machine. It is 1950's simple, but with many years of technology and dense packaging added on...but not too bad...RIGHT?!!!

Odingaard

Thanks for all the good advice. I located the source of the problem this afternoon.

Checked the connections, wiring harness, and voltage regulator: All ok. As far as the 1157s go, I have them in the front signals and the 1156s (single element) in the rear, I should have specified this in my original post. Everything is in order as far as these issues are concerned.

The problem: apparently, the original owner of the bike installed the charging doggle for the HD battery trickle charger. It's about a foot long length of cable with a 7.5 amp fuse box in the middle of it. The negative-side connection of this doggle was sporatically shorting between the frame and battery connection because it was bent as to not clear properly. I had a sizable chunk of negative battery terminal blown off from the arcing and pretty burnt terminal connections. I removed the charging doggle, cleaned the connections, reconnected the battery and wrapped the whole negative side terminal in electrical tape just in case.

Reset codes, drove around 50 miles, put it though aboiut 20 start/stop cycles. No codes being thrown, signals acting normal, everything fine.

***Free OEM HD charging doggle to a good home if anyone wants it.***

Thanks for your help!

glider

Glad you found the culprit. The 7.5 amp fuse is too large in that anyhow.

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NEWHD74FAN

Had a similar problem with the Battery Tender doggle due to improper installation (it had a blown 7.5A fuse which is indeed too large).

BTW I still have not received my 2004 Sportster service manual from my dealer...so how do you setup and download those codes you wrote about? Do you have a OBEDII reader like the automotive guys and plug in to a diagonostic port on the bike?

Sorry, I am into electronics design and cars, but not this "new for me" Harley thang... yet!

glider

04-07 HD DTC Codes and Activation - Harley Davidson Community

08 07 DTC Codes - Harley Davidson Community

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