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[BrianTRice@gmail.com]

Pre-2013 Zeros were small-batch designs, each year different.

They also used brushed DC motors which to me (former Navy electrician) is a risk.

I'm sorry you're having trouble, but a Magura throttle replacement as suggested above is straightforward, and electrical cable connections do need maintenance over time, and this is why I maintain zeromanual.com

[togo]

> Am I the only sucker who ever made the mistake of buying a Zero? ...

Haha, my 2011 Zero S had me thinking the same thing.  It could go freeway,
but it could not go anywhere near the rated 45-58 miles (going 35 miles to
Fremont once a week, even with the gentlest non-freeway riding, failed consistenly,
and I had to push it off the Bay Bridge once, and got close a couple more times).

Eventually, Zero offered the "early adopter trade in rebate" and I used that credit for
a 2014 SR at the end of 2015, intending to flip it, but it's so much better that I kept it.

I will continue to caution people against getting pre-2013 Zero motorcycles.

And I feel for you, Alan, I have felt some of your frustration.

[Alan. Yes THAT Alan]

Update with new problems.

 I ordered the $65 replacement throttle and it arrived yesterday. I measured it and it goes from 0.03 to 5.6K ohms. I spent all day putting the new throttle on my Zero and... nothing. Just a CLICK sound when I twist the throttle. I put the old throttle back on, and the same thing occurs. No red lights on the dashboard, just a sound like a relay clicking somewhere in the belly of this motorcycle. The motor never even tries to spin.

  I logged into the AXE controller and everything looks OK there. But I did notice that after the initial green blink, its LED is flashing 3 red (something it's never done before). The manual says that means "Throttle hasn't gone to zero during this power on cycle."

 I unplugged the 2 throttle wires that go to the controller and clipped my ohmmeter to them. When I turn on the Zero and twist the throttle, the ohmmeter only goes up to about 1K, then suddenly goes to infinity and I hear that CLICK noise again. I hit the kill switch, ohmmeter goes back down to near zero, hit the kill switch again, twist the throttle, and CLICK, ohmmeter jumps back to infinity. The AXE controller is never given a chance to do its thing.

 The AXE controller seems good. The old and new throttles are both good. The two throttle wires don't attach directly to the AXE controller; they go into Mysteryland someplace under the 'gas tank', and then two other wires come out from Mysteryland and attach to the AXE controller. That in-between-place is where the problem lies.

  What is in between those two pairs of wires? What broke in there? Does something need resetting? Replacing? Repairing? How do I get to it? What do I look for?

 I hate Zero.

[Two2010Ss]

I have a 2010 S so not exactly the same setup. The "Click" as I understand it, is the 12V system being enabled. If you're getting the "click" that should mean that the Main Bike Board (the bike computer) passed its checks.


So, to me it seems like the current issue is at the AXE controller.
If the AXE controller is flashing red with that code, it could be because the throttle never goes fully to 0? You mentioned the lowest being 0.03. I don't know how sensitive the AXE are, but I'd try to make sure the throttle can go to zero.

Note: Your old issue with that sensor not clipping in would definitely cause the bike to shut down if you hit a bump and it came loose. I would think it's the motor temperature sensor? If it looks like https://cdn-images-1.medium.com/max/800/1*EByP2kS-xZwclxbFhX-7mA.jpeg (without the extra sensor sticking out of the plug) then it was the temperature sensor (assuming its the same as the 2010)

[Alan. Yes THAT Alan]

The "Click" as I understand it, is the 12V system being enabled. If you're getting the "click" that should mean that the Main Bike Board (the bike computer) passed its checks.

No. Everything boots up and passes. It's not a bootup 'click'. It's a relay 'CLICK'. It happens as soon as the computer's output ohms go to infinity. Again, the AXE controller is not being given the throttle resistance that it needs to work.

  I suspect that somehow the Main Bike Board has an error. Does anybody know if these can fail? Are they replaceable? Are they repairable?

I hate Zero.

[Two2010Ss]

Looks like you can disable that error check if you connect to the AXE serial port. https://alltraxinc.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/03/Doc120-053-A_TN013-AXE-NPX-Troubleshooting-Guide.pdf

[Alan. Yes THAT Alan]

Looks like you can disable that error check if you connect to the AXE serial port.

 I unplugged the 2 throttle wires that go into the controller and clipped my ohmmeter to them. When I turn on the Zero and twist the throttle, the ohmmeter only goes up to about 1K, then suddenly goes to infinity and I hear that CLICK noise again. The 'throttle' wires are NOT plugged into the AXE controller; they are connected to my ohmmeter. The problem is not with the controller. It is bypassed during this troubleshooting. NOT the controller.

[cpallenjr]

Are you measuring the circuit voltage or ohms? You typically wouldn't use an ohm meter on a powered circuit it would not give you any useful information. Probably wouldn't hurt anything in the electronics but IDK maybe it could blow an input component. You should try voltage measurements. Resistance is fine for wires and switches that are not under power but that's about it.

[Alan. Yes THAT Alan]

Update: My Zero hasn't given me that 1-3 code for several months and it's been running mostly well. It still accelerates at full-throttle, no matter how much throttle I actually give it, but at least it isn't stalling at 35 MPH any more. (2 weeks ago, I had it up to 69 MPH; a new record for me.)
 The only difference between when I first started this post and now is the temperature outside. It's in the mid 90s every day and the motorcycle is running great. But back when it was in 60s (Texas winter), the Zero kept dying on me. Fortunately, south Texas has a really long, hot summer and really short winter, so the bad MCC is just a part-time inconvenience right now.
 I know the problem is still in the black box, the MCC. For whatever reason, something inside it is worn out and the hot weather is keeping it running for now. I don't know where to get another MCC. I tried contacting Zero several times and they refuse to acknowledge their faulty product that fails after only 5,000 miles.
 I hate Zero.

[Alan. Yes THAT Alan]

Solved it!

  The problem was not the throttle. I tried 3 different throttles, and they all gave that 1-3 flash code.
 The problem was in the wiring that the throttle plugs into. Somewhere in that harness, there is an intermittent short. If the harness is pulled to the port side of the motorcycle (where it plugs into the throttle), the error comes and goes. But when I shoved the wiring harness to the starboard side, then secured it all with a zip-tie, everything works great.
 All this trouble fixed with a little zip-tie.

[togo]

Good to hear!

You probably still have an intermittent connection or short somewhere, I guess, but you are past it for now.  : - )