17 Chieftain’s voltage regulator went out

Question

More than a little upset right now… on Oct 20th my 17 Chieftain’s voltage regulator went out. It took a full week to get the bike back due to the shop being busy and then needing to order the part once it was diagnosed. I’ve ridden through one full tank of gas since I picked it back up, but due to rain I didn’t ride Friday or Saturday. This morning I started it and drove 30 feet and got the blinking battery light and the P1354 code that means the coil isn’t getting enough voltage. The shop did a battery diagnostic. Seems like they should have put in a new battery anyway. It’s on a trickle charger for the day, so now I need to decide if I want to deal with a second week in the shop… or just get a good battery like Indian should have done in the first AND second places. But why should I have to buy a good battery? I already paid Indian for one!

Taylor 6 years 24 Answers 2407 views 0

Answers ( 24 )

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    That new of a bike I’d be calling the dealer and expressing my disappointment for sure.

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    You already lost riding time with a bad battery, and if you replace it with another cheap battery you will loose more time riding when it also goes bad, and even more time waiting for a replacement when the third one fails. Or you can go to your local high quality battery dealer that sells motorcycle batteries and replace it once and get 5 years instead of 5months of Service. The question becomes, what is your riding time worth?

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      The real question is why is Indian supplying it’s customers with poor quality batteries? My bike cost more than my wife’s car. It seems Indian is aware to some extent that there was a problem with batteries. They should be telling all dealers to replace the battery at the first hint of a problem, and the new battery should be from a reliable manufacturer.

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      Batteries get bid on by suppliers, lowest price meeting the requirements wins.

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      That’s not true, for some companies maybe, but not polaris or indian.

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      Every part on an indian is bid out to the cheapest supplier. You must live in lala land if you believe differently. Several of the parts are made by Kuryakin. Motor for the faired windshield is made by Mitsubishi, the label is still on it. The radio is made by the same company that makes them for HD. Brakes are by Nissin. Tires by Dunlop. Engine designed in Switzerland. Main computer by Bosch, spark plugs made in Japan. The list goes on and on.

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      Tom Hufford Tom you are misinformed, I work for Indian and that is just not true, please check your facts.

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      I don’t care who you work for, I can prove all of it. Everything I have said was either published in many major motorcycle magazines with quotes from meneto or I have seen the labels as I quoted to you. My facts are checked.

      Cindy, what position and where at do you work for Indian?

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    Very disappointed with the dealers I’ve dealt with so far

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    I would get this into the Gold Certified Tech at the Dealer. Let him resolve it with the factory and get you a replacement battery. Don’t have a Gold certified tech at your dealer, find another dealer!

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    Well, It seems I owe Indian an apology for griping about the battery. I got home this evening and put a voltage meter on the battery, it was at 12.87 volts. I turned on the ignition and the battery stayed above 12.8. Then I started the engine and the voltage dropped to the low 8’s. I should have been griping about another bad voltage regulator.

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    I guess. The real bikers are far & few in between . I remember when something broke … Ya fixed it yourself. WTF Happened?

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      Like most mechanical things today; way to much electronics controlling the function!

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      This bike is less than a year old and still under warranty. WHY THE FUCK should I need to fix it myself? Voltage regulators are very simple to replace. Sure, I could do it myself. But I’m not gonna spend money to buy a part that shouldn’t have failed in the first place.

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      I remember simpler days also… But luxuries creep up on you… I started being seduced when electric starts came along…next thing I knew, I had to get a laptop to tune the bikes… its an evil plot. I blame The Transformers.

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      hmmm fix some thing yourself and ride, or let a dealership that obviously does not care about your business fix it and wait? I won’t say that it is right, but it seems to be the only options you have unless you want to try another dealership. OBTW I solved my battery problem by putting in a better one myself, because after all the dealership will put in new battery for you, but it will be the same type of crappy one that failed in the first place.

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      Exactly what I am saying David Ohhh An Leonard Warrentees are a joke its a market tool to insure them that you ain’t stupid enough to fuck it up & by being so smart, your still making them money for maintenance and the mechanics & parts (as David had pointed out) sometimes Ain’t the best soloution . You got an owners manual.

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      That was back before bikes costs $25-30K also

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      No one forced you to pay it. Now did they ?

      Bottom line is SHUT UP AND RIDE

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    Every time a battery is completely discharged, it loses 40% capacity. That’s even car batteries,,,, ALWAYS keep a bike on a trickle charger and be careful of how many accessories that draw battery current you put on.

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    It sounds like you don’t care for anymore down time, and rightly so. If that’s the case then sadly, you have your answer.

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    I have 2 Indians, chief and chieftain when I have problems I don’t miss out on riding time, always good to have backup

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    You shouldn’t have to buy a battery, should be a warranty issue and they should replace it while you wait.

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    Awww it took a whole week to get it back?? when my VCM went out it took 45 days to get one from Spirit Lake!

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