Inverter Throttle Fault


revoltlution

Keep yer cool, don't get hurt, and never give up!
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I got a throttle inverter fault day after I got my EXR. Had to switch off the key to get it reset. Kevin at Alta suggested I contact the dealer #toohard. He also changed my request title to "Suspected Rollback Issue."
Since then I've had another... Both while practicing wheelies and bike went WAY back (but not all the way).
Hard to believe the bike would fault out and force a key restart to get going again on something that I would expect dirty bikers to be trying :)
Dealer is too far away, maybe others can shed more light.
 

Fod

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CA
I got a throttle inverter fault day after I got my EXR. Had to switch off the key to get it reset. Kevin at Alta suggested I contact the dealer #toohard. He also changed my request title to "Suspected Rollback Issue."
Since then I've had another... Both while practicing wheelies and bike went WAY back (but not all the way).
Hard to believe the bike would fault out and force a key restart to get going again on something that I would expect dirty bikers to be trying :)
Dealer is too far away, maybe others can shed more light.

Turn on your bike so it's live, ready to go (green lights). Turn the throttle backwards against the negative spring. If your like me and a few others, it will fault. I recently got a replacement and it was faulting also. Tested it on fog's bike also with same results. I have a feeling the recent batches of throttles are faulty because it was just a replacement issue and now we are seeing them fault on the latest model, EXR.
 

revoltlution

Keep yer cool, don't get hurt, and never give up!
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St Johns, Portland, OR 97203
Thanks for the heads up @Fod - I have easily confirmed my July 5, 2019 EXR has the dreaded ”inverter throttle fault" when rolling throttle in reverse from zero position!
Yikes... This seems like an easy one to check before it leaves the factory and/or dealership. I guess we're still beta testing for these guys :p.

So happy to have the diagnosis. I'll call to the dealership tomorrow and report back support response/schedule for future reference.20180724_220526.jpg
 

Mark911

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Corona Ca
Based on the pictures posted of the throttle assembly I'd try squeezing epoxy between the coils of the rollback spring, basically making it solid and preventing the throttle from going past the closed position (more closed?). Obviously, the "overclosed" position is causing the throttle position sensor to send a signal that the motor controller doesn't like. Probably a signal for some future functionality that's not programed into the firmware right now, like variable motor braking (note, the inverter would be intimately involved with something like variable motor braking or regen so the fault code is not surprising).
 

Philip

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I will not be modifying my throttle. Some future cool functionality might come in, and I do not want to miss out. Also, I think I like that there is no hard stop right now. It could be reducing the stress on my right wrist, perhaps.
 

Fod

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CA
...also I don't know how you would take those screws out to get to the spring.
 

Mark911

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Corona Ca
I will not be modifying my throttle. Some future cool functionality might come in, and I do not want to miss out. Also, I think I like that there is no hard stop right now. It could be reducing the stress on my right wrist, perhaps.

Phil, another way would be to simply remove the spring and replace it with something solid. Then you could revert back.

...also I don't know how you would take those screws out to get to the spring.

There's a third screw that holds the throttle to the bars, it's pretty tiny. Once off the bars you could drill the heads off the two "non-tamper" screws and simply replace them upon re-assembly.

I'd be doing this in a heartbeat if my bike ever suddenly stopped just because I overclosed the throttle, just too dangerous on the track. So far I've never had it happen but I'm going to purposely overclose it as a test next time I'm in the garage (it's freaking 120 degrees in there right now!!!!!, maybe crazy Jerry Brown is right?).
 

Fod

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CA
Phil, another way would be to simply remove the spring and replace it with something solid. Then you could revert back.



There's a third screw that holds the throttle to the bars, it's pretty tiny. Once off the bars you could drill the heads off the two "non-tamper" screws and simply replace them upon re-assembly.

I'd be doing this in a heartbeat if my bike ever suddenly stopped just because I overclosed the throttle, just too dangerous on the track. So far I've never had it happen but I'm going to purposely overclose it as a test next time I'm in the garage (it's freaking 120 degrees in there right now!!!!!, maybe crazy Jerry Brown is right?).

Haha!!! Nobody mentions Global warming in February!
 

Fod

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Its definately a defect issue. My MX didnt do it, but my EXR certainly does.
Any chance you can test your EXR with your MX throttle and vice versa? No need to remove the throttle park them head to head and switch the connections!
 

Mark911

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Haha!!! Nobody mentions Global warming in February!

I keep telling myself I'll get to the track as soon as it dips below 90 for a day. I never remember it being this hot in July, 95F was considered scorching up to about 4 years ago. Now 95+ is typical with triple digits being common. WTH?
 

Fod

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CA
Montana property is going to skyrocket!!!! Oh yeah.....Throttle!
 

WoodsWeapon

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USA
Any chance you can test your EXR with your MX throttle and vice versa? No need to remove the throttle park them head to head and switch the connections!
Negative, MX is gone, but that would have been the tell tale.
 

Bionicman

E powertrain proponent
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WA
To add to this mess I’ve experienced a significant occurrences of the inverter fault. Cycle ignition power clears it up but kinda affects confidence when it occurs...
Bike: 2019 EXR
 

WoodsWeapon

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I appreciate that your working on this issue, but Ive been sending emails since last weds and not a single reply yet. I just got my area reps phone number and called him and he has graciously offered to come to my house saturday to plug in and run diagnostics to verify its the throttle and not the inverter.
 

revoltlution

Keep yer cool, don't get hurt, and never give up!
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394
Location
St Johns, Portland, OR 97203
I appreciate that your working on this issue, but Ive been sending emails since last weds and not a single reply yet. I just got my area reps phone number and called him and he has graciously offered to come to my house saturday to plug in and run diagnostics to verify its the throttle and not the inverter.

How did you get a hold of your area rep contact info?

2 weeks ago, Kevin at Alta suggested I see the dealership... I need to wait another 2 weeks before they can even look at my bike. I'm not feeling confident they'll have a solution ready to go :(

I get it, Alta wants the dealership to handle the bulk of service to coordinate issues and solutions, but sheesh. I would love to go direct with area rep!
 

WoodsWeapon

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2 weeks ago at the RedBud national he was the only guy there other than myself wearing an Alta Tshirt. I struck up a conversation and he told me hes the area rep and gave me his business card. I didnt want to call and bother him, but since Alta has been unresponsive, it was my next logical option.
I also believe they currently dont have a solution ready to go, and are probably awaiting another batch of throttles from a vendor. But so far in my experiences of owning 2 Altas, Im educating the dealers, and I’d like to avoid that this time.
 
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