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Reading codes

157617 Views 204 Replies 79 Participants Last post by  TaxmanHog
The IM (instrument module) is capable of displaying DTC's (diagnostic trouble codes).

  1. Ignition off
  2. push the odometer reset button in & hold. Make sure the run switch is on.
  3. turn ignition to run and release the button (you will see P, S &C displayed)
  4. each letter represents an area of diagnostics... the one that is flashing is the one you are going to check. To move from one letter to the next, you push the button one time. (from P to S to C and back to P, etc.)
  5. to get DTC within an area, you push and hold the button in for 5 seconds and if there are any, it will be displayed... you can release the button. As you push the button again, other codes will appear if they are there. If there are not any the word 'none' appears.
  6. Record the codes.
  7. To determine if a code is current or historic, you clear the codes while being displayed by pushing in and holding the button until 'clear' comes up. Turn off the ignition... then crank or restart the bike... turn off, and then repeat the coding process. If a code is there now, it's current... if not, it was historic.
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Don't know what a key FOB is. I have a round key that came with bike. I'm pretty sure it's a TSSM coz the key flashes yellow before I screwed it up.
Would the battery light indicator lit up for battery issues? If I have battery issues why would the key turn red?
I'll take to the dealer for a load test. Good advice.
Don't know what a key FOB is. I have a round key that came with bike. I'm pretty sure it's a TSSM coz the key flashes yellow before I screwed it up.
Would the battery light indicator lit up for battery issues? If I have battery issues why would the key turn red?
If you have a round plastic thingy (technical term) on a key ring with the locking Key, then you have a security device & a TSSM.

There are several lights on your Instrument Cluster, (as I see it on my 07 ultra) they are close together but are distinct indicators, if you want to see all the lamps illuminated place your key in the accessory position (if they still have that in 08's) this will force a test mode on the ICM and flash all ICM lamps.

You may also see the RED KEY, this is the security minder lamp, when the bike is parked, and the ignition is off, the system will passive arm then when you & the KEY/FOB are removed from the bike and +30 feet away the alarm system goes into full ARM. Every second or so the red lamp will flash to indicate the armed condition.

Check Engine Light is yellow lamp the illuminates when the key is on and the run switch is in the Run position, while the lamp is on, the ECM is synchronizing/calibrating the servos & sensors, do not twist the throttle while the lamp is yellow, a few seconds later the lamp goes off. You can now press the Starter Button, the lamp may re-illuminate after start to indicate stored/active ECM error codes. eventually it will go out.

The security lamp (RED KEY) might come on to indicate that the alarm system was disturbed while you were away, it also may come on to warn of bulb out conditions.

If there is voltage indicator (Battery Lamp), it's an idiot lamp that would only show only if your alternator was not putting out current/voltage. Chances are your alternator is (working hard to replenish a tired battery).

The other battery is a watch sized unit inside the plastic (Thingy) aka FOB, these go bad after a couple of years. once it craps out completely the chip in the FOB will not send out the signal code to the TSSM receiver on the bike and will not disable to the alarm system, if you tried to move the bike w/o a good FOB in hand or attached to the key ring in the ignition, the alarm will flash your hazard lamps & sound the alarm (if that option was included).

Maybe the sales dude could give you a walk through on the pre-ride checks, pulling your diagnostic codes, etc while testing the BIKE battery & FOB battery.
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Well,after 10min. riding the key light was back.There are no symptoms,everything works and runs fine.Still getting po134 and 61154 when checking S. So far as open sensor I run a pc3 so all that is bypassed but I will look for damaged/pinched wire. Here's what I did recently that may give a clue. New bars that required longer clutch&brake lines&throttle cables.Wiring was done internally.As I said,everything electrical works including hndlbr. radio controls. I hope this doesn't turn into sumthin like the **! evap code on my chevy.
As I mentioned before, what you're calling po134 is DTC P0134 and it means "front O2 sensor open/not responding". IOW your front O2 sensor isn't working and your ignition and fuel management for that cylinder is running in open loop. What you're calling 61154 is DTC B1154 and it means your clutch switch is shorted to ground. This is probably because the switch is damaged or the clutch lever isn't installed properly. It won't change the way your engine behaves except that you've lost the neutral/clutch starter interrupt.

The Power Commander doesn't bypass the sensors when working properly (it's a piggyback device that alters the ECM output).
OK Steve,I understand what your sayin but I'm sayin the o2 sensors are removed and the bungs in the pipes are plugged.I will check the clutch switch and see if there's anything obvious wrong but I just went out and tried the neutral lock out and that also works properly.I appreciate the effort-don't leave me now!
Hey! Finally went to HD dealer and found out that the key alarm is RED ALWAYS. Did not know that. But I'm absolutely sure that it was yellow upon start up. The service manager is accommodating enough to give me a free battery diagnostics. Not only that, the parts manager also gave me a 20% off my battery and deluxe battery tender. $170.00 total. Battery tender comes with convenient quick disconnect adapter. I haven't rode it yet but hoping this will cure my issues. Thanks.
OK Steve,I understand what your sayin but I'm sayin the o2 sensors are removed and the bungs in the pipes are plugged.I will check the clutch switch and see if there's anything obvious wrong but I just went out and tried the neutral lock out and that also works properly.I appreciate the effort-don't leave me now!
Removing the O2 sensors and leaving the O2 connectors unplugged will cause the P0134 DTC but you should also have a P1054 DTC for the rear O2 sensor. I don't have a Power Commander but there must be a better way to set it up then just unplugging the O2 sensors. I wouldn't ride around looking at a check engine light all the time.

Concerning the B1154 DTC; what do you mean by the neutral lock out working properly? If your starter motor works with the transmission in gear, it's not working properly and with a B1154 DTC set I would guess that your starter will never be deactivated like it should. I could be that the TSM/TSSM just ignores the clutch switch when this code is set but if it was my bike I'd fix the defective clutch switch so I could clear the B1154 DTC.
The power commander has 02 eliminators that plug into the harness to keep the code from setting
Ya hey,what Hal said for the o2 sensors.It is my understanding that the clip that plugs into the harness makes the ecm think the engine is always cold-delivering max fuel that the pc administers per programing. Anyway it's fixed.I bought c.levers on the forum and either I misread the p/n or they were mislabeled in the ad. Without the original pkg. you can't verify. They are wrong.Put stock lever back on and po134 was done.As far as the sensor code,as long as I was workin on the bike anyway I checked all the conec.,you know,wiggle em make sure there tight,and that code is also done.I think it was the stern talkin to I gave it.As far as the clutch switch testing-I put the bike in gear and tried the starter(foot firmly on brake)and it would not turn even tho as far as I can tell the lever was not contacting the switch.As you say Steve the tsm may ignore the code as far as in gear starting goes.Thanks for the ideas they did get me movin in the right direction.1130 forum rocks!
It's a few weeks later & now, the only code I get along with a CEL is P0505. (air idle control) The other code (Fuel Sender Voltage) is gone, I never fixed it, wtf? FML
It's a few weeks later & now, the only code I get along with a CEL is P0505. (air idle control) The other code (Fuel Sender Voltage) is gone, I never fixed it, wtf? FML
DTC P0505 is loss of idle speed control. It can be set for a number of reasons.

The P0505 DTC sets whenever the idle RPM is ±200 from the target idle RPM for more than 5 s and the IAC motor pintle is maxed out (RPM is too high and pintle is closed or RPM is too low and pintle is open).

Some possible problems that can cause this DTC to set without setting other DTCs include intake air leaks, contaminated fuel, and miss-adjusted throttle cables.
DTC P0505 is loss of idle speed control. It can be set for a number of reasons.

The P0505 DTC sets whenever the idle RPM is ±200 from the target idle RPM for more than 5 s and the IAC motor pintle is maxed out (RPM is too high and pintle is closed or RPM is too low and pintle is open).

Some possible problems that can cause this DTC to set without setting other DTCs include intake air leaks, contaminated fuel, and miss-adjusted throttle cables.
The dealership loosened my throttle cables, they said they were kinda tight. The CEL went away for about 3 months. Then this year I started to get the DTC & CEL all over again.

It ONLY happens when the bike is hot & I've been going through the gears @ WOT. Then I come to a stop & the CEL pops up. I can hear the idle hanging up & see it go to around 1400 rpm.

If I put it in 1st gear & let the clutch out slowly (while stopped) & bring the revs down this way. The CEL will go away. :chair:

I have a brand new throttle body gasket on the bike & I always use (93) Shell/Sunoco/Exxon. So I really don't think it's bad gas or an intake leak.... hmmm....
The dealership loosened my throttle cables, they said they were kinda tight. The CEL went away for about 3 months. Then this year I started to get the DTC & CEL all over again.....
You need to have a good VRSC mechanic diagnose/adjust your throttle cables.
You need to have a good VRSC mechanic diagnose/adjust your throttle cables.
Exactly. This is why I'm taking a trip to Pennsylvania to have my 10K service done. I hear the VRSC machanics out there (2 hours away) really know what they are doing when it comes to the VRSC. Vreelands HD is probably when I'm going to end up. Thanks for all your input Steve. You're an asset to this forum.:notworth:
i need some help. bike is acting very weird. i keep trying to pull some codes, and it's not cooperating. perhaps i'm doing it wrong, but my father and i both cant seem to get the codes to show. i hold the odometer button and the miles lights up and shows my current milage. i have the switch to run, and i move the ignition to ign and when let go of the odometer button as soon as i do (i've also tried holding it longer, and much much longer) and it just functions as normal. when i turn the bike on, it lights up as normal for the most part, except i cant get the neutral light to glow, regardless if it's in neutral or not, and i cant get the light to come on either. the headlights with still go from high to low beam, but the turn signals wont function. when i hit the start, nothing happens. and neither of the lights that show up after turning on the ignition or run switch and go away after starting light up either. i realize this is a lot of information and it's not exactly well written, i'm just kinda panicing.

yesterday it was fine. what i did was add an autotune to my powercommander. the ecm fuse was pulled during the entire process. we did go through and check all the fuses and they all seem to be fine. i also went through and checked all possible plugs and connections to make sure they were all tight. any info will be helpful, thanks.
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Eerror code: "P1653 Tachometer low 4.6"

I've pulled the following error code from my 2006 VRSCA: "P1653 Tachometer low 4.6 -- instrumentation module self diagnostics". I've cancelled the error code but it comes back on after start-up. Can anyone tell me what it means and how to solve it. I will appreciate your help.
I've pulled the following error code from my 2006 VRSCA: "P1653 Tachometer low 4.6 -- instrumentation module self diagnostics". I've cancelled the error code but it comes back on after start-up. Can anyone tell me what it means and how to solve it. I will appreciate your help.
That is not a "normal" DTC to see on a VRSC bike except the '05 and '06 VRSCE models that have analog tachometers.

Are you sure it's P1653? The digits are sometimes hard to read.

If it really is a P1653 then the next question to ask is, do you have any aftermarket electronic device connected to pin #3 of the ECM?

If so, then it would've been helpful to mention that and you'll need to disconnect it and have it checked out before you connect it again.

If nothing is connected to pin #3 and this DTC keeps returning, you'll need a new ECM.
Thanks for the feedback. It is indeed error code P1653. There is nothing connected to pin #3. The bike has a brand new battery, and the tank had to syphoned empty recently for shipping, if that could lead to any conclusion.
Any further feedback will be highly appreciated.
Thanks for the feedback. It is indeed error code P1653. There is nothing connected to pin #3. The bike has a brand new battery, and the tank had to syphoned empty recently for shipping, if that could lead to any conclusion.
Any further feedback will be highly appreciated.
I have nothing further to add to my last post. The battery and fuel tank have nothing to do with pin # 3 of the ECM so, according to the HD documentation on the P1653 DTC, you'll need a new ECM to fix this.
2008 vrscdx codes

hello everyone i just signed up on the v-rod forum ,just heard about the site ,looks pretty cool...have a question about my 2008 vrscdx codes my check engine light came on for the first time in 4 yrs ,it just flashed on for about 3 sec then went out ,about 5 minutes later it flashed again for 3 sec then went back out. this all happened while i was driving , got home checked the codes came up with code
po113 before i cleared the code pn32376-08 came up then cleared it
then went to next letter 's' i checked for codes 'none' came up but a different pn# and a different pn# for 'c' and went to 'b' and pushed the button and the display went blank then 4 sec later it displayed 'no r5p' ....what do all these #s mean ? ps. i unplugged the intake air temp sensor all looked good i put some dialectric grease on plug pins put back together , the po113 code was historic
now everything is back to normal ..hope someone out there can help....
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