Buddy Kick Weirdness

Amanda Buddy · Post by **Amanda Buddy** » Sun Aug 09, 2020 2:05 am

So I accidentally left my Daisy, a 2018 Buddy Kick on without turning the key all the way off, and it discharged completely. Ugh!!! I hooked it up to my Batter Tender Junior and the the screen is on, but blank (no little "Genuine" logo start up screen, no wiles, fuel level, etc. nothing!) and the scooter battery now never charges up at all.

I can take the scooter off the charger, and am able to start it with some fancy throttle twisting upon start, but it is not smooth at all, and again, the screen continues to stay on, but blank.
To make things even weirder, I can't turn the scooter off!!! The engine cuts off, but the screen and dash lights stay on...with the Battery Tender plugged in or unplugged. I suppose if it wasn't connected to the battery Tender it would just stay on and drain out completely.

I included a pic to show you what I get to see now when I want to ride Daisy.

I have googled this and searched this issue, but I find nothing!
Can anyone help shed some light on what happened or what I did?

olhogrider · Post by **olhogrider** » Sun Aug 09, 2020 2:27 am

A couple of points. A charger is meant to maintain a battery so that it lasts longer. It isn't designed to bring one back from the dead. It has circuitry designed to prevent damaging the charger or the battery if the voltage has dropped too low.

Also, it was never designed to power a vehicle. I'm sure it says that somewhere in the battery charger instructions. You may have damaged the scooter by trying it.

The only way I have ever brought back a battery that was below the limit for a charger was by hooking the dead battery to a live battery in parallel, meaning positive to positive, and leaving it there for a few hours. If that doesn't work you will have to buy a new battery and hope you haven't damaged the scooter.

Amanda Buddy · Post by **Amanda Buddy** » Sun Aug 09, 2020 2:54 am

Interesting.

I never tried using the Tender to start the vehicle, so I apologize if that was conveyed. I did hope that it would somewhat restore some "juice" after many hours, but apparently I should not have expected that.

I noticed that when it was plugged in and I turned the scooter on after having it on the Tender for several hours, that the screen went on but no information or regular things I would see on start up, and after hitting the off switch the scooter display and dash lights stayed on.

Anyway, it sounds like it WAS a battery issue, and worse case now, an electrical issue as my scooter is now damaged.

Thank you for the reply!

sc00ter · Post by **sc00ter** » Sun Aug 09, 2020 3:03 am

Pull the battery and look for a Batteries Plus in your area. Ask them to trickle charge it and test it. Its a free service they offer, and they know their batteries. The battery should be fine and it will give the scooter computer a chance to power down and reset/reboot while the battery is out. Worse case is somehow the battery got damaged somehow and you'll have to buy a new one. Batteries Plus has a good warranty to.

Amanda Buddy · Post by **Amanda Buddy** » Sun Aug 09, 2020 3:43 am

Thank you, Sc00ter!
That sounds like a good start! I have heard that the scooter batteries aren't that robust to begin with, and my bad habit with turning off the scooter certainly doesn't help!
There is a Batteries Plus a few miles away, so I'll check that out tomorrow.
Thank U!

babblefish · Post by **babblefish** » Sun Aug 09, 2020 4:10 am

I've been able to bring a battery back by leaving it on a trickle charger for several days. No guarantee, but it couldn't hurt to try.

scootERIK · Post by **scootERIK** » Sun Aug 09, 2020 5:07 am

Amanda Buddy wrote:I never tried using the Tender to start the vehicle, so I apologize if that was conveyed. I did hope that it would somewhat restore some "juice" after many hours, but apparently I should not have expected that.

If my math is correct it could take ~9.5 hours for your battery to fully charge*.

*Assuming a 7ah battery being charged at 750mah.

Just spitballing some ideas-
What would happen if you started the scooter and let it idle for 5 minutes to warm up then shut it off. Then re-start it without giving it any gas.

Can the ECU on the Buddy Kick be reset like the 170i? It so it might be worth a try.

Amanda Buddy · Post by **Amanda Buddy** » Sun Aug 09, 2020 5:06 pm

Thanks for the electrical advice everyone.
So I took the battery out, took it to Batteries Plus and replaced with a new battery (other battery wouldn't keep charge).
I put the new one in, and it behaved correctly as it used to in terms of the display screen says Genuine, miles displayed, etc., and now turns off and on!
Yay, HOWEVER when I hit the run button (heard the familiar whir of what I think is the fuel pump?), and then the ignition/start button, but just the sound of a thump/light knock within my scooter and NOTHING! No Daisy coming back to life.
Oh no!
I have looked in the very thin manual but found nothing that talks about this.
So...close... Sighhh.
Anyway, I am think this is a bad starter? Some fuse replacement? An impending visit to the dealer?
Hate to plead again for insights, but my dealer doesn't open back up until Tuesday so any thoughts are appreciated!

babblefish · Post by **babblefish** » Sun Aug 09, 2020 8:29 pm

Did you charge your new battery? Not all batteries come pre-charged from new. It can take quite a while to fully charge a battery with just a battery tender. They're mainly used to keep an already charged battery topped off. If that's all you've got then you'll have to keep it on the battery for a least one full day, if not longer.

Amanda Buddy · Post by **Amanda Buddy** » Sun Aug 09, 2020 9:58 pm

Hi Babblefish!
I just took the new battery back to Batteries Plus, had them exchange the new one for ANOTHER new one and then charge it fully and test before I left. Volt reading was 13.9
I brought it home, put it on my Battery Tender and the light is red indicating it is charging STILL and apparently not at 80% since at 80% it flashes green.
It has been on that Battery tender for almost an hour now and is still red.
Starting to get frustrated with all things battery-related (of course reminding myself I am responsible for the demise of the first battery).
It never ends.

Amanda Buddy · Post by **Amanda Buddy** » Sun Aug 09, 2020 11:07 pm

Well, scratch all of that. The battery went solid green. Put it into the Scoot, turn the kay and dsiplay goes on with comforting "Genuine logo," dash lights go on and the familiar whirr of the fuel pump.
I hit the ignition switch, hear the thump (of what I assume is the starter?), and nothing.
Apparently whatever electrical went wrong when I drained the battery completely now has done something to the scooter electrically.
Thank goodness for trailers with wheel chocks, because I'll be using it to see my dealer's service department soon.
Thank you to Babblefish, Sc00ter, Olhogrider, ScootERIK for your help and comments, and anyone else who took the time to think my issue through.
I feel an expensive lesson coming on, but oh well...

Have a good day.

sc00ter · Post by **sc00ter** » Sun Aug 09, 2020 11:33 pm

Double check the kill switch on the handle bar. Someone bumped mine to off (I think a kid climbed on it) and when I came out of the grocery store it wouldn't start. I about had a cow but my wife noticed the switch. If you blew a fuse the locations will be in the owners manual. Let us know your findings.

Amanda Buddy · Post by **Amanda Buddy** » Sun Aug 09, 2020 11:52 pm

Thank you, Sc00ter.
After I read your reply, I checked the run switch. I also pulled each of those three little fuses near the battery and inspected their little wire and all were still intact.
Like I said, I hit the ignition switch and just a click/light thump sound from the scooter engine area and no start.
I will say, I am becoming rather fearless about checking things, so your suggestions are empowering nonetheless.
Thank you again for the suggestion!

Stanza · Post by **Stanza** » Thu Aug 13, 2020 10:32 pm

Amanda, when you reconnected the battery, did you reconnect BOTH black wires? There are two, and you need both to have a happy bike.