Charging Defect with YFZ 450

[Iamkazam]

This is to notify all owners of the Yamaha YFZ 450 that there is a charging defect with this machine in the 2005 and previous models. Yamaha has not formally acknowledged this problem for obvious legal ramifications. The symptoms of this problem are as follows: after riding this machine (normal riding conditions) between four and six hours the battery no longer has sufficient energy to start the machine. There have been numerous “quick fixes” offered from dealers to repair this reoccurring problem (from resistor kits to coolant replacement to fan switches), unfortunately these efforts usually fail or at best will mask the true problem which lies with the design of the charging system itself. To Yamahas benefit, most owners will eventually fix this problem themselves by spending their own money and replacing the production Stator with an after market “rewound” version and changing the charging system to a true DC circuit. This can be achieved for approximately $200.00 (+ or - depending on your aftermarket supplier). This action by owners is admirable but is not the proper course of action! Yamaha needs to acknowledge this problem and take the appropriate measures to repair ALL the affected machines. I welcome any owners who have experienced this problem (not everyone has) to contact me or post their experience on this or any other forum. The manufacturer of any product is responsible for the correction of quality/defect issues that arise. Keep you eyes and ears open for possible class action lawsuit/s which may be resulting from this issue. The 2006 model has had significant changes made to it and I do not have any compiled information as to whether this problem exists in the newer version. We should all be willing to pay for what we break or wear out, not what is broken to begin with.

[VIGILANTE MAN]

Not to sound like a smartass, but any '04 or '05 owner on this or any other ATV related website is well aware of the potential "problem".

Why are you posting this now? Are you a lawyer? Are you the one pushing for a lawsuit?

[Pappy]

whats a yfz:confused:

[stc416rider]

Originally posted by Pappy
whats a yfz:confused:

"what u talkin about Pappy":rolleyes:

[user101]

Originally posted by Pappy
whats a yfz:confused:

i thanks it da last fer ledders of da alfabet

[drgnerth]

I've heard of a couple 06's still having this problem.

[jshtex]

Guess what I heard they also had some trouble with the transmissions in the 01 Raptors too.... Just messing.

Seriously though if anyone hears anything about a class action suit or factory backed (paid for) repair please post up. I would love to see it. Although I don't expect it.

My battery has never gone down but I did have to replace a stator and voltage regulator due to blowing headlight bulbs. Since the swap I have also confirmed that it runs a lot cleaner on the top end with the lights on. But still no dead battery.

[G Impala 63n70]

Keep the effin lights on...:rolleyes:

[Toadz400]

Originally posted by G Impala 63n70
Keep the effin lights on...:rolleyes:

That's what I do on my '05, haven't had a problem yet. I don't race and I ride at night a lot, so lights are always on. Not like it makes a difference having them on during the day, so I figured I wouldn't take the risk of finding out whether or not mine is one of the bad ones.

[smokeum99ta]

Originally posted by G Impala 63n70
Keep the effin lights on...:rolleyes:

That didn't do sh-- for me. My dealership replaced something that was susposed that fix that problem and nothing changed.

[popo]

Originally posted by drgnerth
I've heard of a couple 06's still having this problem.

Hope not, I just bought one.

[Ride1Rob]

Yeah... this is a late thread. I just put a resistor kit on mine. Then something in my wiring harness went bad. The bike won't start w/ my starter. They've had it for 2 months now. Told them "ENOUGH IS ENOUGH!" Whether fixed or no Friday I'm going to pick it up and take it to someone that can fix it :mad:

[dimnova36]

just got a new battery and its dead in two rides. around 4-6 hours of use. I took the lights off so that might be my problem. i hope i can find another way to charge that damn battery.

[YFZ450 11x]

I've had my 05 a year now and have never had a problem. I took my lights off on day one and even have an alarm system w/ a flashing led still have never had to charge my stock battery. Hell my bike even sat all winter w/o starting it. this spring started fist try.
You guys are gettin me a little woried. does this problem occure after a year or two or what??
http://www.upload-picture.com/images/Wsd30349.jpg

[Toadz400]

Originally posted by YFZ450 11x
[B]I've had my 05 a year now and have never had a problem. I took my lights off on day one and even have an alarm system w/ a flashing led still have never had to charge my stock battery. Hell my bike even sat all winter w/o starting it. this spring started fist try.
You guys are gettin me a little woried. does this problem occure after a year or two or what??

I don't think you have anything to worry about.

[Les Davis]

I've got an '04 and I've been through two batteries in the last year. I ride with the headlights on and the damn thing still dies!!! Just my two cents. I would love to see Yamaha step up and admit some fault on this one but I agree with the others. There's a snowballs chance in hell that will ever happen now.

Should have stuck with the Honda!!

[jshtex]

Originally posted by Les Davis
I've got an '04 and I've been through two batteries in the last year. I ride with the headlights on and the damn thing still dies!!! Just my two cents. I would love to see Yamaha step up and admit some fault on this one but I agree with the others. There's a snowballs chance in hell that will ever happen now.

Should have stuck with the Honda!!

Go read thru the 450r section it ain't like they don't have any problems....

[ACEwrench]

Originally posted by drgnerth
I've heard of a couple 06's still having this problem.

thats the first ive heard of this.... the 06's have a resistor already attached to the wiring harness. it looks like a rectifer on the trottle side below the CDI hmmmm....i guess ill have to look into this. Were the symptoms the same???

[Quad18star]

Originally posted by YFZ450 11x
I've had my 05 a year now and have never had a problem. I took my lights off on day one and even have an alarm system w/ a flashing led still have never had to charge my stock battery. Hell my bike even sat all winter w/o starting it. this spring started fist try.
You guys are gettin me a little woried. does this problem occure after a year or two or what??
http://www.upload-picture.com/images/Wsd30349.jpg

Mine had a charging problem from day 1 . The night I brought it home from the dealer , I had to push it into the garage cuz it wouldn't start ... Brand New machine and here I was pushing it ... I wasn't impressed . :grr: So the next day I took it to the dealership and they gave me a new battery ...... went out riding with friends , turned off the quad , when i went to start it up again .... it was dead ... so I had to get it boosted . Take it back to the dealership and they look it over and give me a new battery . 2 Days later ... click click click !!! OK so now I'm pissed ..... bring it back to the dealer once again , drop it off at their doors and tell them to call me when the problem is fixed . I get a call that faternoon and they tell me my stator is toasted and that it'll take 3 weeks cuz they're on backorder . Off to the dealer I go to pick up the quad and they give me ANOTHER battery . Ever since then I haven't had a problem ..... not bad for a " toasted" stator , huh !!!

I've always ran with my lights on and the quad was always in the higher RPMs ( heard stories about killing the battery when dogging it in the woods) .

I'm still waiting for someone to tell me what the problem really is .... 3 batteries later and all of a sudden it decides to work ?!?!?! :confused: I know with my luck I'm gunna be 20 miles from nowhere this summer and the quad is gunna die out ... I just have that feeling !!!!! :grr:

[YFZ450 11x]

Ride in the high rpms huh that explains why my battery hasnt died. If mines on its pinned :D

[ACEwrench]

thats sounds like a toasted stator...your quad was most likely runnin off the battery causing, as you have found out, the battery dying. most of the time its the opposite problem as you have probably noticed, with OVERcharging the battery and toasting it. well good luck hopefully you wont have anymore problems...