Flat Battery - Constant engine management light

[JackP]

Hi all,  Advice please, 2014 TTSE - After several weeks no riding due to Covid, tried to start bike today would not start due to flat battery. The battery has been connected to a CTEK during the lay off.  Lights on CTEK green.  CTEK light went red as soon as bike failed to start.  Using a jump starting device bike started immediately but had all sorts of odd messages on display, included heated seat 'on'.  Heated seats are not fitted to this bike and there was no reading on fuel gauge at all.  I ran bike which seemed performed fine and after short while the fuel gauge came back but the time clock was totally wrong.  The engine management light remained on constantly. 

My question is does the fact that the engine management light permanently on indicate a problem with a flat or defective battery?

On return home after about 10 mile ride bike would re start no problem but engine management light remained on.  Any info gratefully received.
 
The battery is less than two years old and is always kept when not in use on the CTEK battery minder.

Happy to buy new battery if necessary but worried about engine management light. Will a new battery be likely to fix the problem?

Prior to lay up bike had performed perfectly no issues at all.

Thanks in advance for any advise.

[Coconut]

Hi Jack Pinfold !

The Engine Management Light ( which Triumph refer to as a Malfunction Indicator Light, or "MIL" )
comes on whenever a Fault Code ( which Triumph call a Diagnostic Trouble Code, or "MIL" )
is stored in the ECU.

It is quite common for DTC's to be generated and stored when Battery Voltages get low.
( "P1698 - 5 volt sensor supply malfunction" crops up quite often for this ! )

The MIL will be extinguished after a certain number of "No Fault" starts, typically 3,
and the DTC will be erased from the ECU Memory after a certain number of "No Fault"starts -
typically 40, making it important, especially when intermittent faults might be involved,
to check for DTC's sooner rather than later, and record them for later reference if needed.
( Photographs are a good way of doing this ! )

Have a look at this Topic, where you will be able to find out HOW to display any stored DTC's on your
Instrument Panel, and where you can download a Document listing all of the DTC's and their meanings :

Servicing Data, Reference Info. & DTC ( Fault ) Codes -
Scroll down to Reply #5 dated 11 March 2015,
titled, Diagnostic Trouble Codes ( DTC's ) / Fault Codes 

Reply back here with any DTC's that you have for further advice. 

Meanwhile it would probably be a good idea to get your Battery professionally tested,
to check the Battery terminal connections are clean and tight, and also check inside
the Main Fuse ( the one on top or adjacent to the Main Battery ) 
for any signs of corrosion that could cause a poor contact. 

Cheers 

[JackP]

Many thanks for this information most informative, very clear and extremely useful.
I'll give it a go tomorrow.
Much appreciated.

[1675]

I dont know if this is any help to you, but here goes.
My bike performs in its own way when the weather is very cold (ie under 2 degrees)
The display will show the MIL, ABS not connected and traction control inoperative and thats when I start it in the garage and ride it out side (over 4mph so the engine management light should go out). When the weather warms up we are back to normal.
Had me worried until I figured t was just down to the cold. Hope it's the same for you

[JackP]

Hi, Thanks for your response, my symptoms were very similar with the addition of fuel gauge not working, time clock on another planet and heated seat warning light came on (I don't have heated seats).  After boost start and riding the MIL lamp does not go out even when ridden and bike stopped and re started a number of times.  The bike does restart on the button every time now.  Just on my out to get new battery.  Hopefully that will fix problem.
grateful you took time to share with me.
Cheers.

[JackP]

To Coconut and Trophy Master, thank you both very much for your expert help.  Everything happened exactly as Coconut described.  The fault code was P1698, the battery was failing, when new battery installed MIL lamp returned to normal after four restarts.  So easy when you know how.  Top marks guys very grateful one old man very happy!!

[Coconut]

Thanks for the update - Happy to be able to help,
though I don't usually go in for actually predicting stored DTC's ! 

Cheers