Polaris ATV Forum banner

Wont Start Checklist

439009 Views 151 Replies 60 Participants Last post by  nskiver974
How to trouble shoot a no start issue

Okay so your quad does not start here is a logical step by step diagnosis to help determine what your problem may be. This guide is not meant to fix your issue just to help you determine what it is so you don’t throw away useless time and money. It is intended to help the person who has not had a lot of experience in fixing these issues. The seasoned mechanic knows these and the short cuts you can take while doing this stuff.
Something to consider: Occam’s razor says that the simplest solution is most likely the right one. If you hear hoof prints you should think Horses and not Zebra’s. :)

NO CRANKING:

You put the key on and it does not start:

1) Make sure the run switch is on

2) Make sure the quad is in Neutral

3) Make sure the battery is in good shape and fully charged

4) When you turn the key do you get a clicking from the solenoid

a. If you don’t hear a clicking then you have to make sure that you have power to the solenoid from the key switch. You can meter it from the thin wire on the solenoid. If you don’t then you have an issue in the switch.
b. If yes, then meter the contacts of the solenoid while turning over the key. You should have 12 volts on both sides. If you do not then clean both the terminals, reattach the wires and recheck. If you still don’t then replace the solenoid. Just because it clicks does not mean that it is working.
c. If you do, then you need to check voltage at the starter motor. Meter the wire lug on the starter and check to see if you have continuity from it to the solenoid lug that is not powered. If you do have continuity, then put a jumper cable directly to the battery positive terminal and touch it to the starter motor lug.

5) If it does not turn over then you need to pull the starter motor out and rebuild it. It will be one of three things: The brushes are broken or work out (most likely), the starter is rusty and filled with sludge and crap or that the magnets have become unwelded from the side of the starter case. The first two can be easily fixed with an inexpensive rebuild kit and a cleaning. The third makes the starter motor useless except for parts.

6) If it does turn over then your next step is make sure you have spark. Remove the plug and put it back in the spark plug boot and ground the tip on the motor and turn over and make sure you have a solid spark. If you don’t then you have an ignition problem. If you do have a spark then pour some gas down the spark plug hole and put back in the plug and see if it fires. If it does then you have a fuel issue.

7) If it wont start with the starter until the motor is warm then you likely have water in the starter that is either freezing and then thawing when motor warms up or until some of it is evaporating letting the brushes make contact with the armature or loosening up the bearings so that it spins easier. Either way it need to come apart.

Hopefully this will help some people figure out what direction to work toward.
See less See more
  • Like
Reactions: 4
121 - 140 of 152 Posts
I would next check starter to see of you’ve got voltage there......2 suspects= starter and ignition switch
I would next check starter to see of you’ve got voltage there......2 suspects= starter and ignition switch
Thanks, I'll check those in the am.

Sent from my SM-A715W using Tapatalk
  • Like
Reactions: 1
I would next check starter to see of you’ve got voltage there......2 suspects= starter and ignition switch
How can I check the starter other than at the starter, is there another point I can use the multimeter on?. The HL's have all the snorkeling blocking access,

Sent from my SM-A715W using Tapatalk
Ignition switch went bad.
Is this common? The machine had been great until this. And like I've said, I don't do anything crazy, no deep water or mud. Less than 1 year old.

Is there something inside the switch I can check? I don't know if it's unique to the HL's, but it has a lot of grease inside the switch. Assuming for water protection. The manual I have shows a 6 pin and so I cannot use the instructions on this one which is 4 pin.

Sent from my SM-A715W using Tapatalk
2
The 4 pin switch is simplistic - when in the on position, red/blk connects to red/wht - when turned to the statrrt position 12v is supplied to the blue wire - the blu wire goes to the start relay in the fuse box connected to pin 42 - pin 46 is a brn/wht wire - brn/wht is ground when the brake is applied and the start relay closes sending 12 v to the starter solenoid via wht/red wire.

You should check the key switch first, the start relay second and the start diode third.
149729

149730
See less See more
The 4 pin switch is simplistic - when in the on position, red/blk connects to red/wht - when turned to the statrrt position 12v is supplied to the blue wire - the blu wire goes to the start relay in the fuse box connected to pin 42 - pin 46 is a brn/wht wire - brn/wht is ground when the brake is applied and the start relay closes sending 12 v to the starter solenoid via wht/red wire.

You should check the key switch first, the start relay second and the start diode third.
View attachment 149729
View attachment 149730
So it raining like mad and I between I've tried a few things. I'm not tearing all the snorkeling apart in the rain. But I put some wd40 on the only wire I can reach of the starter. Wiped it up. No corrosion. I turned the key and got a single click. Did that a few times and then nothing. Then it started a single click again a couple times. Now nothing again.

But I'm ruling out the switch for now I think. The click comes from the starter, but is the solenoid attached the the starter making me feel the click on the starter?

I called the dealership 2x and they never called me back. Kinda passed now that I can't even discuss it with them let alone bring it in.

I'm a decent home mechanic but electrical is my weakness. I have a multimeter for basic or well instructed directions, but can't use it on my own. And unfortunately with the rain I. Not removing the snorkels. I know HL's have a shorter warranty, but this is BS being 8 months old, and not used for mud and deep water.

Sent from my SM-A715W using Tapatalk
See less See more
The solenoid is part of the starter motor - when you turn the key, the relay in the fuse box should click and then the solenoid should close and the starter motor spin. If you turn the key on, set the brake so the brake light is on and jump pin 42 to 45 in the fuse box and the starter motor spins, then the starter and solenoid are good and the start relay is the probable culprit, but it could be something to do with the CPU also.
The solenoid is part of the starter motor - when you turn the key, the relay in the fuse box should click and then the solenoid should close and the starter motor spin. If you turn the key on, set the brake so the brake light is on and jump pin 42 to 45 in the fuse box and the starter motor spins, then the starter and solenoid are good and the start relay is the probable culprit, but it could be something to do with the CPU also.
Pretty sure it's the starter/solenoid. Turn the key and with the fuse box open, the relay clicks. But nothing happens at the solenoid/starter.

Sent from my SM-A715W using Tapatalk
Dealership is going to try and get an out of warranty coverage. $591 for a new starter. That's robbery. When you spend this much on an ATV, having a starter fail within 8 months is disgusting. It's been 20 years since I've had a starter go bad on anything. There is just no excuse for them not to cover it imo.

Sent from my SM-A715W using Tapatalk
Be sure to test the relay - they typically fail before the starter motor, but to get warranty on the starter motor, you will either have to take the quad to the dealer and have the work done or (if the dealer is amicable) you take the starter to them and they will test it before warranting it - it will really suck if you remove the starter and then find out there is nothing wrong with it, but those Chinese starters are renown for short life. BTW - the starter motor is the same for the older 850's and can be gotten for about $250 from Rick's or FirePower
Be sure to test the relay - they typically fail before the starter motor, but to get warranty on the starter motor, you will either have to take the quad to the dealer and have the work done or (if the dealer is amicable) you take the starter to them and they will test it before warranting it - it will really suck if you remove the starter and then find out there is nothing wrong with it, but those Chinese starters are renown for short life. BTW - the starter motor is the same for the older 850's and can be gotten for about $250 from Rick's or FirePower
If the relay clicks it's working though, right? Since all the relays are the same in the fuse box, I even swapped them around with no change in anything.

Sent from my SM-A715W using Tapatalk
Just because a relay clicks does not necessarily mean it's working - it's doing something, but it may not be making contact - if you swapped the relays around and it it still won't work, at least the possibility of a bad relay is reduced to near zero - now you need to know there is power on the wire that the relay is making contact to - do you have 12v on pin 42 of the relay socket? If yes, short pin 42 to pin 45 - if nothing happens, pull the starter motor
I don't see any pin identifiers on the fuse box or in the manual, how do I know the pins?

Sent from my SM-A715W using Tapatalk
Look closely at the pic in post 126 - when looking at the back side row 1 is at the bottom and row 4 is at the top - the pic of the location of the relays and fuses are from the top side - the pins are numbered from top to bottom - 41 is coil high or 12v in (hot when the key is turned to the start position) and 42 is 12v relay in (hot when the red/blk wire is connected to the red/wht wire by the handlebar switch) - 45 is 12v relay out to the starter solenoid and 46 is coil low or ground
Look closely at the pic in post 126 - when looking at the back side row 1 is at the bottom and row 4 is at the top - the pic of the location of the relays and fuses are from the top side - the pins are numbered from top to bottom - 41 is coil high or 12v in (hot when the key is turned to the start position) and 42 is 12v relay in (hot when the red/blk wire is connected to the red/wht wire by the handlebar switch) - 45 is 12v relay out to the starter solenoid and 46 is coil low or ground
Got it, thanks

Sent from my SM-A715W using Tapatalk
12v but nothing when shorted. Looks like I'm taking the snorkels off

Sent from my SM-A715W using Tapatalk
Spoke to the dealer, Polaris will replace it for free. Being an HL the warranty is only 6 months and it's been 8. So awesome that Polaris has stepped up.



Sent from my SM-A715W using Tapatalk
Spoke to the dealer, Polaris will replace it for free. Being an HL the warranty is only 6 months and it's been 8. So awesome that Polaris has stepped up.
Sent from my SM-A715W using Tapatalk
Your warranty is only as good as your dealer - be thankful you have a good dealer.
  • Like
Reactions: 2
2010 Sportsman 850
New starter, new battery, all grounds and connections cleaned and tight. Have 12 volts at starter power lug and 12 volts at the solenoid lug. Still won't start. When I jump the starter power lug to the solenoid lug the starter engages. Any thoughts?
Did you ever figure out the issue? My 2010 sportsman 550 is having the same issue and I have replaces key switch, and solenoid, but still wont crank with key, jumping the starter works fine..
121 - 140 of 152 Posts
Top