water in the ignition switch : Kawasaki ZX Forums: Kawasaki Ninja Forum

zzr14 · 07-27-2009, 01:18 PM

Went to the BSB at Mallory last week and as you may know it rained hard. When I got back to the GTR it wouldn't register the fob. The alarm light wasn't flashing. Also because the fob wasn't recognised the steering lock couldn't be taken off. Eventually I arrived home in a hire car @ 01.10 the next morning. The GTR was in a compound in Coalville. It turns out that water got into the ignition switch and basically blew it up. It isn't the only one apparently that has failed in this way. Mine has now been sold and I await a new Hayabusa. If it can't be trusted it ain't no good to me. I was in France in May and dread to think of the fiasco getting it back that would have ensued if it had failed.

If you have one I strongly suggest covering the switch if there is a possibility of it raining whilst parked.

Good bike but can't be trusted.

jonathan · 07-27-2009, 03:22 PM

Was the factory stove knob key in the ignition or was the lock cylinder completely exposed to the elements?

You state "It isn't the only one apparently that has failed in this way." Can you provide some more details?

I hope that your new Hayabusa has 0 defects.

zzr14 · 08-05-2009, 01:30 PM

Yes the big knob was still installed and should have been safe.

I have no specifics about others that have failed. All I can say is that my dealer (Robspeed in Grimsby) rold me that others had failed.

My Busa will be fine I'm sure.

Brian K · 08-06-2009, 08:27 PM

Hey guys.

The ignition problem is not unknown. The diode thing the fob contacts can be suspectible to water, dust or corrosion. It happened to me last weekend 1,000 klms from home.

A quick fix is to spray an large amount of water displacement liquid (WD40 etc) down the ignition switch, leave it for some minutes and then press the fob multiple times. It can take some time but it does seem to work.

When I got home (Perth, Western Australia) I had the dealer strip it and put some protective grease around it. Your local dealers can find out aboutthe process and the grease from Kawasaki (computer) if they don't know about it already. Mine didn't.