ST1100 Starting problems

Joined
Dec 22, 2011
Messages
12
Location
Llangynwyd, South Wales UK
Bike
ST1100AY 2002
Hello all
Been hankering after an ST1100 for years and have just returned to biking after a gap of 10 years or so.
Just Bought myself a 2002 ST1100 ABS/TCS with 75000 miles, not ridden it yet but its in nice condition and sounds lovely.
The previous owner has had it standing in his garage since the MOT 6 months ago and sometimes it starts and other times it doesn't.
The Meta alarm system seems to be not working as there's no flashing LED and the key fobs don't do anything.
The symptoms are when i turn the ignition on all the dash lights come on including the TCS Active amber lights on the left hand side and i can hear the fuel pump winding up then the TCS Active lights go out, and she'll start.
However mostly when i turn the ignition on the TCS Active lights wont come on, the fuel pump doesn't wind up and she won't start.
I keep trying all sorts of pressing of the key fob, but when the amber TCS Active lights don't come on the fuel pump doesn't activate and she wont start.
Anyone experienced this and can help me to fix it.
Thanks very much
Beargrease
 
Hi Beargrease,

It is possible because the bike has been lying up that there maybe a weak cell in the battery or poor battery. If the bike has a weak cell / poor battery it will struggle to provide enough amps to run your electronics when the bike is runing, therefore when switched off and then going to start it again the battery is a little drained. How long has the battery been in the bike before you purchased it?? When the bike is switched off and has sat for a while put a meter across the battery, you should have have a reading of approx 12.7 volts. Also try cleaning the connections at the battery as you would be surprised what a dirty connection can do. Have you tried putting booster cables to the battery when no lights come on a it fails to start??
I would be looking at the poor / dirty connections / poor battery before going deeper.

Hope this helps bro.

Dec (Ireland)
 
Does the clock reset? If so battery or ground (mains?) issue.

I have noted a number of bikes have had to replace their ground (again mains) wire due to corrosion on the Isles.
 
All the dash lights come on every time i turn ignition on except the amber TCS Active lights, i know then the fuel pump won't activate and the bike won't start.
Occasionally the TCS active lights will come on and the bike starts and runs lovely.
I have attached booster cables from fully charged car battery, taken fuel tank out, cleaned all the connections i could find and also cleaned the earth on engine block, nothing has worked yet.
Do you think it is probably the Meta M357 alarm has gone dead and this is stopping the bike starting, as the alarm LED doesn't flash only lights solid when ignition turned on.
Kind regards
Beargrease
 
Thanks for all your replies, starting problem turned out to be the Meta M357 alarm/immobiliser stopping the bike from starting.
After searching for days for electrical gremlins i called the previous owner who luckily still had the alarm code card and i was able to use the code to disarm the alarm.
Very relieved.
Kind regards
Beargrease
 
Hi Mate, I'm having the same type of issue today with my 01 st1100, the meta alarm seems to be playing up.
I have the code so whats happening is I switch on the bike and nothing happens,the dash lights up etc,so I proceed to put in the code and the alarm beeps and the bike will then start,
but when I switch the ignition off and try again to start the bike I'm back to square one,can't figure it out?
 
the alarms autoset, try new battery in fob and resync it with the box, i ended up ripping one out or a mates vara, and one out of a k1100 because of starting issues, just a matter of tracing those little black wires.
 
How do you resync it? It was working fine till 2day when I decided to power hose the bike,It wouldn't start then and I thought the water must have got in and caused a short or something. thats the last time I'll use the power hose on her anyway.
I have a spare key with a fob attached so I'll try that in the morning, thanks
 
Hi Broc11
The only way i could get mine to start every time was to pull out the fuse from the alarm.
Leave the alarm fuse in then turn the ignition on all the dash lights come on, use the code to disarm the alarm then the alarm will beep and bike will start, then pull out fuse.
This worked for me and now i can start the bike every time, however don't have an alarm system now but don't mind this until i can get a new alarm, but at least i can start the bike.
Kind regards
Beargrease
 
Hi Beargrease,

Is the fuse for the alarm in the alarm control box itself?
mine is located under the left side cover,

thanks broc11
 
Got the problem sorted today, just bought a new meta 357 T and fitted the unit into the previous wiring,now using the new fobs obviously,
working perfectly and now I have an actual alarm,before all it was doing even when it was working was immobilising.
Cost me 140 euro delivered and took 15 mins to fit,so very happy with the outcome.
The old unit had been in the bike from new,11 years so it's time was up I suppose.
 
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