Need Help 2015 NC700XD Parking Brake Indicator

[MrNCRider]

I recently acquired a 2015 NC700X DCT. When I turn the ignition key from "Off" to "On" the dashboard goes through its initialization routine where the various indicators light up and turn off again. However, the parking brake indicator doesn't light up at all. It doesn't light up when I engage the parking brake so I don't know if it works. Is the parking brake switch that controls this indicator broken? Or is the indicator light on the dashboard broken? Anyone have any advice on troubleshooting?

 

[670cc]

The schematic I have for a 2012 NC700XD shows a brown wire running from the dash (what Honda calls the combination meter) to a parking brake switch that appears to be on the left handlebar. In another section of the service manual, it describes how to service the parking brake switch. If the switch is good, check the wire. Reseat the connector on the combination meter. If all that is good, the fault may be inside the combination meter. Your 2015 model is probably the same as the 2012 I am reading about. It might we wise for you to purchase a 2015 service manual from Helm, Inc. via their web site

 

[dduelin]

The parking brake indicator red light is not part of the start-up diagnostics routine and will not illuminate during start-up. Lifting the lever on the left handlebar should illuminate it when the key is ON.

I would start by checking the two wires that connect side-by-side underneath the front lower corner of the parking brake. It's fairly easy to displace one of them, make sure they are both connected tightly to the switch unit. If the light still does not work when lifting the lever then disconnect the two wires at the switch and take a paper clip or other small wire and jump across the two wire connections. This is what lifting the lever does - connect the two wires and complete the circuit. If jumping the switch causes an audible "click" the switch is good yet if the light still does not illuminate it must be a problem in the instrument pod or in the wire harness connection to the pod.

 

[MrNCRider]

The parking brake indicator red light is not part of the start-up diagnostics routine and will not illuminate during start-up. Lifting the lever on the left handlebar should illuminate it when the key is ON.

I would start by checking the two wires that connect side-by-side underneath the front lower corner of the parking brake. It's fairly easy to displace one of them, make sure they are both connected tightly to the switch unit. If the light still does not work when lifting the lever then disconnect the two wires at the switch and take a paper clip or other small wire and jump across the two wire connections. This is what lifting the lever does - connect the two wires and complete the circuit. If jumping the switch causes an audible "click" the switch is good yet if the light still does not illuminate it must be a problem in the instrument pod or in the wire harness connection to the pod.

Would touching the two cables of the wire harness together work the same as using a paper clip or small wire? In any case I used an aluminum wire to connect both cables from the wire harness together and there is no audible click nor does the indicator illuminate. Does that mean the wire harness from the left controls (turn signal, horn, hazard lights, etc) need to be replaced? If so, it seems I would need to replace this part: https://www.hondapartshouse.com/oemparts/p/honda/35200-mjl-a52/switch-assy-turn-signal-hand-shift

I have a voltmeter and it seems I am getting current flowing when I connect the leads to each wire and the ignition switch in the "On" position. This would indicate the wiring harness is OK and the parking brake switch is faulty. What do you think?

 

[lootzyan]

...This would indicate...the parking brake switch is faulty. What do you think?

No, this does not mean that parking brake switch is faulty, because your voltage measurement description is incomplete.
We don't know if the parking brake was engaged or not during the measurement.
If the parking brake was engaged and the voltmeter showed voltage on both leads, it means that one of the wires has no connection to the ground.
I don't want to speculate on whether this is the real reason so I advise you to check the voltage and conductivity measurements again.
This part of the wiring diagram can help.
There is a slight difference between the different models but the general principle is the same. The brown wire is connected to the combination meter, the green one is ground.

 

[MrNCRider]

I wasn't sure if I was using the voltmeter correctly so I looked up some videos to educate myself on it. I tested again by setting the voltmeter to test resistance: apply the leads of the voltmeter to a circuit and a reading of zero indicates a closed circuit. I applied each lead to a connector on the parking break with the parking parking break dis-engaged and the voltmeter reading was 1 (open circuit). Applying the parking brake causes the reading to go to 0 indicating the parking brake switch is working fine by closing the circuit. This means nothing is wrong with the parking brake switch and the issue is either with the cable from the parking brake switch to the combination meter (dashboard) or the combination meter itself. I have the service manual and it looks like replacing the wiring harness means I have to replace the entire left control switch assembly which would involve removing all of the panels on the left side. The ROI is definitely not there for me to tackle this project. However, if I could isolate the issue to be the combination meter (dashboard) it would then become a trivial project to replace it.

 

[670cc]

I wasn't sure if I was using the voltmeter correctly so I looked up some videos to educate myself on it. I tested again by setting the voltmeter to test resistance: apply the leads of the voltmeter to a circuit and a reading of zero indicates a closed circuit. I applied each lead to a connector on the parking break with the parking parking break dis-engaged and the voltmeter reading was 1 (open circuit). Applying the parking brake causes the reading to go to 0 indicating the parking brake switch is working fine by closing the circuit. This means nothing is wrong with the parking brake switch and the issue is either with the cable from the parking brake switch to the combination meter (dashboard) or the combination meter itself. I have the service manual and it looks like replacing the wiring harness means I have to replace the entire left control switch assembly which would involve removing all of the panels on the left side. The ROI is definitely not there for me to tackle this project. However, if I could isolate the issue to be the combination meter (dashboard) it would then become a trivial project to replace it.

Have you simply reseated the connector on the back of the combination meter yet? One of the members on the forum here, davidc83, can describe easily how to access the connector.

As lootzyan said in post #5, one of the two wires at the switch should connect to motorcycle frame ground. You can verify this with your ohmmeter. With the motorcycle off, connect one meter lead to an unpainted frame fastener, or to the battery negative terminal, and probe the switch wires with the other meter lead. One of the two switch wires should always show continuity to ground.

 

[lootzyan]

You absolutely don't need to replace the wiring harness.
First check this part of the circuit from the combination meter connector 16P(Gr) to ground.
Disconnect the connector from the combination meter and check that you have conductivity (0 ohms) to ground with parking brake engaged.

 

[MrNCRider]

Have you simply reseated the connector on the back of the combination meter yet? One of the members on the forum here, davidc83, can describe easily how to access the connector.

As lootzyan said in post #5, one of the two wires at the switch should connect to motorcycle frame ground. You can verify this with your ohmmeter. With the motorcycle off, connect one meter lead to an unpainted frame fastener, or to the battery negative terminal, and probe the switch wires with the other meter lead. One of the two switch wires should always show continuity to ground.

I tried re-seating the connector at the back of the combination meter and it didn't make a difference. If I connect one lead of the multimeter to a wire from the parking brake switch and the other lead to the top bolt of the fork (unpainted fastener) the multimeter shows continuity.

 

[MrNCRider]

You absolutely don't need to replace the wiring harness.
First check this part of the circuit from the combination meter connector 16P(Gr) to ground.
Disconnect the connector from the combination meter and check that you have conductivity (0 ohms) to ground with parking brake engaged.

View attachment 47197

Disconnected the combination meter and engaged the parking brake. Attached one lead of the meter to the top bolt of the fork and the other lead to the parking brake switch and the meter shows a continuous circuit (0 ohms). Doesn't matter which parking brake wire I use at the switch the result is the same.

 

[670cc]

Disconnected the combination meter and engaged the parking brake. Attached one lead of the meter to the top bolt of the fork and the other lead to the parking brake switch and the meter shows a continuous circuit (0 ohms). Doesn't matter which parking brake wire I use at the switch the result is the same.

It sounds like the wires are still connected to the parking brake switch, and the switch is closed because the parking brake is engaged. If so, repeat the test, but with the wires disconnected from the switch. With the combination meter and switch disconnected, only one switch wire should show continuity to ground.

 

[MrNCRider]

Yes -- with the wires disconnected from the switch only one wire shows continuity to ground.

 

[lootzyan]

I suggested that you check the conductivity between the brown wire (PARKING) in the meter connector and the ground.
(that's it for today)

 

[MrNCRider]

I suggested that you check the conductivity between the brown wire (PARKING) in the meter connector and the ground.
(that's it for today)

How do I check this?

 

[lootzyan]

How do I check this?

You perform the conductivity measurement in the same way as you did before. Connect one lead of the ohmmeter (or test probe) to the brown wire of the combination meter connector (a paper clip may be helpful) and the other lead to the ground. If the circuit is closed, then the combination meter has an internal fault.
But on one thing I need to ask. In tread #4 you wrote: "I have a voltmeter and it seems I am getting current flowing when I connect the leads to each wire and the ignition switch in the "On" position". Which would mean no connection to the ground.
Do you remember what the voltmeter reading was?

 

[MrNCRider]

You perform the conductivity measurement in the same way as you did before. Connect one lead of the ohmmeter (or test probe) to the brown wire of the combination meter connector (a paper clip may be helpful) and the other lead to the ground. If the circuit is closed, then the combination meter has an internal fault.
But on one thing I need to ask. In tread #4 you wrote: "I have a voltmeter and it seems I am getting current flowing when I connect the leads to each wire and the ignition switch in the "On" position". Which would mean no connection to the ground.
Do you remember what the voltmeter reading was?

I just did the test again and the reading is 10.10 volts. I'll check the brown wire and report back.

 

[lootzyan]

...I'll check the brown wire and report back.

Stop. You don't need to check the brown wire connection because you have a voltage measurement on the parking meter switch.
I understand that the reading of the voltage is only with the parking meter switch disengaged, right?

 

[lootzyan]

I just checked the voltage on my parking brake switch. There is also 10.10 VDC.
Sorry but I think your combination meter has an internal fault.
But to be absolutely sure, check again if the connection to the ground is secure.

 

[MrNCRider]

Stop. You don't need to check the brown wire connection because you have a voltage measurement on the parking meter switch.
I understand that the reading of the voltage is only with the parking meter switch disengaged, right?

Yes - the reading was taken with the parking brake disengaged.

 

[MrNCRider]

I just checked the voltage on my parking brake switch. There is also 10.10 VDC.
Sorry but I think your combination meter has an internal fault.
But to be absolutely sure, check again if the connection to the ground is secure.

Well the combination meter is inexpensive and easy to access so I'm happy to replace it if it will fix the issue.

I wonder if there is a “combination meter" with additional functionality that is compatible with this bike. Would like a unit that shows the outside temperature and doesn't have a delay when showing the "instant mpg" measurement.