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Gauge and Handwarmer Problems

I've been trying to solve this problem for a year now and am having no luck. 2008 800 X, on start up the gauges go through their test cycle, the digital display comes on for about 10 seconds then goes out. When it goes out the DESS light comes on, the speedo and tach both stay working. My hand warmers don't work, and my thumb warmer comes on hi and stays there the whole time the sleds running. Here's what I've done... inspected all the wiring i could see with the motor out, replaced the wiring harness, tried another dess post, gauge cluster and ecm, tried it running with the handle bar harness and speed sensor un plugged with no change. The sled runs fine it's just making me nervous having the DESS light staying on and a little cold with no hand warmers. I'm gonna try un hooking the fuel level sender and tail light tomorrow night to see if that changes anything. Anyone have any other thoughts?
 
My xp guages will "reset/recycle" just like at startup at anytime, but everything works,,unplugged everything I could find and it still does it, got a new DESS cause the old was was getting hard to make good contact, that did not help either. Makes me nervous that everything will quit...puzzled.
 
Take the back of your gauges apart and look at the main feed pins on the block that the wiring harness plugs into. I have seen a few that have cracked the solder around the pins that are soldered to the main board from the main block. You will see a circle crack in the solder around the pin. Use a strong magnifying glass.
The weight of the harness puts pressure on these pins and makes them crack. Just take a soldering gun and resolder the pin, watching that you dont heat the board too much. A dab of solder on the gun tip and just enough time on the pin to remelt the connection. Not hard at all.
 
You need to check the resistance in the wiring on the handlebar first, there is no reason to tear into the gauge. If you are getting 7.5 - 8.0 ohms you have power. #2 The handwarmers DO NOT engage until 2000 rpms with a DIGITAL cluster. When you click them on they will read for about 5 seconds on the cdisplay and then disappear, that is the standard operating procedure. I am willing to bet you just need new elements.
 
You need to check the resistance in the wiring on the handlebar first, there is no reason to tear into the gauge. If you are getting 7.5 - 8.0 ohms you have power. #2 The handwarmers DO NOT engage until 2000 rpms with a DIGITAL cluster. When you click them on they will read for about 5 seconds on the cdisplay and then disappear, that is the standard operating procedure. I am willing to bet you just need new elements.

The handwarmers not working is just part of the problem, it's the whole digital display that goes out, the thumb warmer goes to hi and is uncontrollable, and the DESS light flickers. Yesterday I un hooked everything else I could find that wasn't essential to the sled running and the problem stayed. I'm pretty well at a loss here as to what could be causing this. Stator or voltage regulator possibly?? I checked power at the 12v accessory plug under the cowel and am getting 14.5vdc there.
 
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At least wiggle the plug at the back of the gauge to see if it makes a difference and that what im saying is the problem. Press firmly and wiggle it, it should make contact temperarily and change something in the cluster. Same year sled with the same problems is how I found it out. It is worth the try no?
 
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I'm sorry to bring this back from the dead. But I have the exact same issue with a new to me 08 800 XP. Replaced the button module, dess post and have dove into the electrical system with no fix.

If there was a fix, please let me know. Thank you!
 
I'm sorry to bring this back from the dead. But I have the exact same issue with a new to me 08 800 XP. Replaced the button module, dess post and have dove into the electrical system with no fix.

If there was a fix, please let me know. Thank you!


Have you had your engine out recently?

I had a similar issue after removing the engine. Checked wiring, and it turned out that one of the wires that goes from the stator to the voltage regulator was never fully reset into the plastic connector housing, causing low voltage. Check that connection thoroughly.
 
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