Self Cancelling Turn Signals

[Buster-boy]

How are these supposed to work? There are two positions each side of center. If I go one click either side I get nothing. If I go two clicks sometimes it'll blink and shut off after the turn (like it should), sometimes it'll stay on after the turn, other times (if I'm stopped) it'll blink but shut off before I've moved.

What gives?

[BassCliff]

Hi,

Either the control unit is going south or you need to clean up some connections. You should clean all the electrical connections anyway. Your bike will love you for it.


Thank you for your indulgence,

BassCliff

[KEITH KRAUSE]

Never liked the self-cancelling thing. It either shuts off too soon or stays on longer than needed. Supposed to be a convenience/safety idea but it can be the opposite as far as I'm concerned.
I disconnected mine long ago. I'd rather be in control of when they're on and off. If you disconnect, there should be a couple of speed sensor/distance wires inside the headlight area.
Sounds like you have a problem with the unit but maybe a good cleaning of the switch might help. If not, maybe the disconnect will clear the problem.

[bonanzadave]

I'd rather be in control of when they're on and off.

Auto cancel still works like manual....Just push the switch to the middle. If you do forget its a life saver. A guy up here went through an intersection with his signal on and was hit and killed.

Most of the E owners manuals at Cliffs site explain the auto shutoff switch.

[Redman]

Doesnt cancel after you turn.
It cancels after a period of time if above a certain speed.

.

[bonanzadave]

It cancels after a period of time if above a certain speed.

10 Seconds above 9.3 mph

[Buster-boy]

Ahhhh, so THAT'S what the distance sensor if for!! I saw it in the wiring diagram in Clymers but had no friggin clue what it was for, and Clymers doesn't explain. I'll look at the maunals Basscliff has and learn something.

Thanks guys!!

Jim

[Steve]

How are these supposed to work? There are two positions each side of center.

All good information, so far, but I will answer your question as asked.

Arbitrarily number the positions 1 to 5, from left to right.
#1 will turn on the LEFT signal, and the switch is spring-loaded to go to #2
#2 will keep the LEFT signal on (but only after it was started in position #1) until the control unit turns it off or you move it to #3.
#3 is the manual cancel position.
#4 is like #2, but for the RIGHT side.
#5 is like #1, but for the RIGHT side, and is spring-loaded to return to #4.

BonanzaDave gave some particulars, but in English equivalents. Since the bike was designed in Metric, the values are 10 seconds and 15 km/hr. Supposedly, when you activate the system by moving the control lever to either position 1 or 5, the control unit will turn on the flasher relay (using the third terminal). When the control unit sees that the bike has traveled faster than 15 km/hr (9.3 mph) for 10 seconds, it turns off the flasher relay, but does not move the control lever. This is why, after a LEFT turn, the lever is still in position #2, and if you want to signal a RIGHT turn, you have to move the lever to the right three 'notches'. If you had wanted to signal another LEFT turn, however, you would only have to push it to the spring-loaded #1 position (again).

Many of the guys who say they don't like them mainly complain that they turn off too soon. Easy to fix, hit the button again. You don't even have to wait for them to stop automatically, just hit the button, the timing cycle re-starts. I like to signal a bit longer than the control unit will keep them on, especially for a LEFT turn. I will signal before I move to the left turn lane, then re-start the LEFT signal before I come to a stop at the light. After I go around the turn, about the time I get into second gear, the signals are OFF. Oh, and this short timing cycle is not exclusive to Suzuki, I do it all the time on my Wing, too. Slightly different parameters that turn off the signals, but similar concept.

Another thought, that "third terminal" on the flasher relay is what makes them so "special". They are NOT anything at all like ANY flasher you are likely to find at Auto Zone. Even the three-terminal flashers that you can find are not even wired the same, so you have to watch out for them. Some of the three-pin flashers have the flasher relay on adjacent (perpendicular) terminals and the third terminal is a ground. Others will have the flasher relay on opposite (parallel) terminals and the center one is a ground. OUR flashers don't have a ground, that third terminal receives a signal from the control unit and turns the flasher relay on and off for the auto-cancel.

.

[Steve]

Ahhhh, so THAT'S what the distance sensor if for!! I saw it in the wiring diagram in Clymers but had no friggin clue what it was for, and Clymers doesn't explain. I'll look at the maunals Basscliff has and learn something.

Thanks guys!!

Jim

Which Clymer book are you using?

I have the M376 book, which covers shaft-drives from 850-1100cc.

Look on page 153, bottom-right corner:
"The self-cancelling turn signal system consists of a control unit and a speedometer mounted speed sensor used in conjuction with a turn signal relay. After the turn signal system has been engaged it should cancel within about 9-10 seconds when a speed of approximately 15 kmph[sic] (9mph) has been reached."

Page 154 is a wiring diagram that only covers the turn signal system.

Page 155 continues with the text that started on 153, and includes tests on the individual components.

.

[KEITH KRAUSE]

Auto cancel still works like manual....Just push the switch to the middle. If you do forget its a life saver. A guy up here went through an intersection with his signal on and was hit and killed.

Most of the E owners manuals at Cliffs site explain the auto shutoff switch.

I'm aware of how they work. If the auto thing worked as intended and I could trust it I'd use it. When it starts acting up you don't know what it's going to do. It's a distraction. It's just my preference. To each their own.
I never forget to turn off the signal just like I never forget to fold up the sidestand or turn off my Pingel.