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Self Cancelling turn signals not working

9K views 37 replies 27 participants last post by  fla_rider 
#1 ·
I turn on my signal. Make a stop, turn left or right it doesn't matter and the turn signal stays blinking after I have made my turn and am driving straight down the road.
I have stopped twice in the last week and checked the settings and the box is checked.
Sometimes they work, but most of the time they don't.
I guess I will have to get the manual out and figure it out, because I think the dealer would do the same thing.....plus scratch some of the plastic while doing it.
Anyone have any problems with their turn signals not cancelling after a turn?
 
#8 ·
I am a bit confused about this post. I thought the self-cancelling of the turn signals was controlled by either time or speed, not the turning of the bike. If I activate my turn signal a little too soon for my turn, it will self cancel before I began to turn, so I have to re-activate it. This will happen while driving straight before any turning of the bike. I usually only get about 8-10 flashes before it self-cancels. If I am sitting still at an intersection to make a turn, it will stay on until I turn and my speed gets back up, then it will self-cancel. Does turning have anything to do with the self cancellation, or is it speed and time?
 
#13 ·
Does turning have anything to do with the self cancellation, or is it speed and time?
Both.

Next time you do a right turn put the turn signal on late (assuming no one is behind you and it is safe) so you know the cancel isn't from speed and distance. Make it a hard right, turn late and throw the bike into the corner so it leans over far.....they will go off before you finish the turn. So there are sensors somewhere that are trying to figure out if you made a turn or not. Other times it is clearly speed and distance, put them on while on the highway and keep going straight. They will turn off after awhile.

I don't like how they work, too unpredictable and often cancel too soon. I wish it was just pure speed and distance.
 
#11 ·
I know in the GL1500's they used a turn signal cancel unit at the bottom of the steering stem.
I am not sure what they did when they started building the GL1800's.
On the 2018 all I can find is troubleshooting for the turn signal itself, and/or the front control unit. I am not getting any codes, so I would imagine it is working correctly.
I cannot find in the service manual any sensor connected with the turning/steering of the bike.
I still think the signals should stop right after you make a turn, and not after a certain time/distance while riding down the road.
The following is what the owners manual says.


The turn signal will automatically stop when you complete the turn.

When used for a lane change, the turn signal automatically stops after 7 seconds or after riding 131 yards (120 m).

You can manually cancel the turn signal by pressing the switch in.

In some cases, the timing at which the turn signal stops is changed.

I don't know what "In some cases" means.


 
#14 ·
Are you checking the self-canceling box with the bike 'ON' or in the 'ACCESSORY' mode. I've found sometimes changes will show they have been made in the 'ACCES' position but in reality they have not. Put the bike in the 'ON' mode and it works every time. No idea why . . . . go figure.:rolleyes:
 
#15 ·
Did you ever find a solution. Mine is at the dealers now and they say it's normal to turn off long before the turn. mine will turn off after 7 blinks no matter whether I have made a turn or changed lanes. I guess they should have called it an auto lane change instead of an auto turn signal cancellation system.
 
#16 ·
The turn signals will turn off prematurely while you are riding, I am used to it so I hit them again say at a off slab ramp or anywhere this is necessary. If you stop at a light and turn them on, they will stay on until you make the turn or a bit beyond the turn but they will turn off.
 
#17 ·
Mine still does the same thing.
I have made hard right turns, drove slow and then turned real sharp, also making turns where I lean way over and sometimes the turn signal goes off and sometimes it doesn't.
The only thing I can think that would make this work crazy like it does is in the manual where it says...

"In some cases, the timing at which the turn signal stops is changed."

I have no idea what that means and think it must mean the computer is deciding when to cancel the turn signals and when not to.
 
#18 ·
In my observation, the self cancel works only on speed. If I'm going down the road and not slowing, the turn signals will cancel after 7-10 seconds as if I am signaling for a lane change. If I am slowing down or coming to a stop, they will stay on until I start moving again, and will blink for the 7-10 seconds. I think the movement controls them not any turning at all. I've even tested this by signaling for a turn then stopping at a traffic light, then going straight, and it acts just like I turned anyway.
 
#19 ·
How long do they stay on after you've made the turn? Mine do that too, but once I've finished the turn and am driving straignt, they do turn off after a few seconds.

Probably won't do any good, but in some computerized systems, you need to unset/reset a setting for it to take. Were it me, I would first to to settings and uncheck the turn-signal box, save the settings, then go back and recheck the turn-signal box and resave the settings.
 
#20 ·
Ok, so here's what the dealer says HONDA told them.

HONDA said the owners manual says the system is designed to turn off after 7 seconds or 131 yards. I personally would be happy if it stayed on for 131 yards. But what they said is Not totally true. It actually says; "WHEN USED FOR A LANE CHANGE" the turn signal automatically stops after 7 seconds....etc etc. Making it sound like there are two modes to the switch. However, it does not explain how to use it for other than a "LANE CHANGE".

So it is designed not to stay on for longer than 7 seconds no matter how far away the intersection or corner is. Because according to them, leaving a signal on is dangerous.
Basically, they're saying it was only designed for lane changes not normal turns or where you want to give plenty of notice to other drivers.

I believe HONDA knows they have a problem with this and they couldn't fix it (like use the same type of switch in every other vehicle) so they added a selection to convert it to a Manual operation. Never heard of that option on a car or any other motorcycle before this.

They also added; "In some cases, the timing at which the turn signal stops is changed". Another OUT for them if someone complains.

My current bike/cars have both a lane change function and "normal" turn signal built into it.

Bottom line is everyone will have to live with it the way it is or switch to the manual mode or install the Muth LED Turn signals which will definitely let you know you forgot to turn them off after the turn.
 
#25 ·
Ok, so here's what the dealer says HONDA told them.

HONDA said the owners manual says the system is designed to turn off after 7 seconds or 131 yards. I personally would be happy if it stayed on for 131 yards. But what they said is Not totally true. It actually says; "WHEN USED FOR A LANE CHANGE" the turn signal automatically stops after 7 seconds....etc etc. Making it sound like there are two modes to the switch. However, it does not explain how to use it for other than a "LANE CHANGE".

So it is designed not to stay on for longer than 7 seconds no matter how far away the intersection or corner is. Because according to them, leaving a signal on is dangerous.
Basically, they're saying it was only designed for lane changes not normal turns or where you want to give plenty of notice to other drivers.

I believe HONDA knows they have a problem with this and they couldn't fix it (like use the same type of switch in every other vehicle) so they added a selection to convert it to a Manual operation. Never heard of that option on a car or any other motorcycle before this.

They also added; "In some cases, the timing at which the turn signal stops is changed". Another OUT for them if someone complains.

My current bike/cars have both a lane change function and "normal" turn signal built into it.

Bottom line is everyone will have to live with it the way it is or switch to the manual mode or install the Muth LED Turn signals which will definitely let you know you forgot to turn them off after the turn.
I'm not sure how it is on the GL1833, but on my GL1832 (and my GL1200), there is a time and distance component - both had to be satisfied.

At highway speeds, you would satisfy the distance requirement first (at 60 mph, it only takes about 4.5 seconds to travel 131 yards), so the determining factor would be time (7 seconds?).

At around-town speeds, or when stopped for a light, the time component would easily be met before the distance was, so the signal would stay on indefinitely, until you had traveled the required distance.

On my GL1832, I think that the time requirement and the distance requirement were about equal at 30(ish) mph. I could do the math, but I'm too lazy.😇
 
#21 ·
In this evening's ride I intentionally made sharp intersection turns several times in each direction. Some from a stop at the intersection and some from a normal no stop approach. In each case the signal lamps would blink through the turn, continue to blink 4 blinks after the turn then self cancel. Right, Left, signal initiated from stop or at normal approach speed without stopping. My lane change/off ramp program seems to be spot on too. I initiate the signal before the lane change or the approach to the off ramp, it blinks about 7 times, by which time I have gained the new lane or entered the off ramp. What more can Ya want? No reason to blinkity-blink 50-11 times before getting over to where you want.

prs
 
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#23 ·
This is the problem.
Sometimes when I make a turn, and as soon as I am straight and have finished the turn the turn signal turns off.
No more blinks that's it.
Other times, it will blink for another 4 or 5 seconds as I am driving down the road. By then I have passed 3 houses.
My question is why does it turn off correctly sometimes, but other times it doesn't?
It should either do it all the time, or not at all.
 
#26 ·
It’s definitely screwy as designed. I leave it in self-cancel mode. When I am signaling a turn, I hold my thumb on the turn signal button until I enter the turn, then release the button. This way I can signal the turn as long as I see as necessary, and it will cancel after the turn is made according to whatever goofy algorithm Honda designed it to do. Simple function that shouldn’t be a potentially dangerous PITA.
 
#31 ·
Regardless of how this system actually works on this 2018, out on the road its no different than how my 03 worked...it simply cuts off too soon when making a turn...like with my 03, I have to hit the turn signal button two or three times while making some turns to keep the turn signals flashing while still making the turn...its such a simple fix for Honda..just keep it flashing for a longer time...should be a easy thing....Yamaha has had the self canceling turn signals right since 1978.
 
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