UPDATED Sun Burned my LCD Display

[556ALPHA]

My wife and I are on our BRP vacation and decided to stop at a rest area for a little break, maybe 20 minutes.  Upon returning to the road I noticed that my Display area was burned by  the sun between the Speedo and the Tach in the black plastic area.  The display had a large black spot that covered the clock area but after about 30 minuted it returned to normal.  The area just below the clock where the clear display meets the platic is now deformed like a lighter was held to it.  I will post pictures when I return home.  I thought I remember reading about this but forgot and did not cover the area.  It is kind of ridiculous that the bike cannot be left in direct sunlight.  Has anyone had theirs replaced under warranty?  Thanks. 

[maxtog]

Search is an easy function (although not terribly good on this board software)

http://www.zggtr.org/index.php?topic=3473

http://www.zggtr.org/index.php?topic=2595

http://www.zggtr.org/index.php?topic=2540

[Khrome]

Is there a difference in the different year models or do we all have the same one?

[556ALPHA]

Search is an easy function (although not terribly good on this board software)

http://www.zggtr.org/index.php?topic=3473

http://www.zggtr.org/index.php?topic=2595

http://www.zggtr.org/index.php?topic=2540

Thanks, evidently your skills or search words were more effective than mine.  Believe me this forum is tame when giving search related answers in comparison to some others so I definitely tried first with advanced google.  I also tried the COG forum but had less than stellar results. 

[556ALPHA]

Most of my reading has seemed to focus on the display that has gone back to normal.  The part that bothers me is that the black plastic above the selector buttons where it meets the display looks like a heat gun was left on it and deformed.  I will take it to the dealer when I get back, the front TPM battery is flashing now since its cooler so they should be able to fix that too. 

[maxtog]

Is there a difference in the different year models or do we all have the same one?

The display should be identical (or nearly identical) on all C-14's.

[maxtog]

Most of my reading has seemed to focus on the display that has gone back to normal.  The part that bothers me is that the black plastic above the selector buttons where it meets the display looks like a heat gun was left on it and deformed.  I will take it to the dealer when I get back, the front TPM battery is flashing now since its cooler so they should be able to fix that too.

Thank goodness we have a real warranty on the Concours, unlike so many bikes.  Your situation does sound rather odd.  I have read many thousands of messages on the forums and have never heard of the plastic actually melting.  Perhaps there was an electrical short of something odd going on with yours.  There is no way normal direct sun could be hot enough to melt plastic.... unless it was lensed...

[Freddy]

It's been an issue since they first came out, thought to be caused by the edge of the screen magnifying the sun's rays. Some have had the red needles distorted/melted.  Always cover the dash if leaving in the sun, or fit a tinted screen.

[Conrad]

My wife and I are on our BRP vacation and decided to stop at a rest area for a little break, maybe 20 minutes.  Upon returning to the road I noticed that my Display area was burned by  the sun between the Speedo and the Tach in the black plastic area.  The display had a large black spot that covered the clock area but after about 30 minuted it returned to normal.  The area just below the clock where the clear display meets the platic is now deformed like a lighter was held to it.  I will post pictures when I return home.  I thought I remember reading about this but forgot and did not cover the area.  It is kind of ridiculous that the bike cannot be left in direct sunlight.  Has anyone had theirs replaced under warranty?  Thanks.

How hot was it outside?

[maxtog]

There is no way normal direct sun could be hot enough to melt plastic.... unless it was lensed...

It's been an issue since they first came out, thought to be caused by the edge of the screen magnifying the sun's rays. Some have had the red needles distorted/melted.  Always cover the dash if leaving in the sun, or fit a tinted screen.

Lensing!  Bingo!  Wow- I was just hypothesizing about it, I didn't know it has really happened before!  I wonder, would something like THAT be covered under warranty?

[Aussie in AZ]

I had my dash replaced when the needles melted. I have another theory on why the distorting/melting might happen.  I always cover my bike with a bike cover as I live in Tucson and the sun is brutal.  My needles melted when covered.  The dash is not far from the toaster oven glove box and is made from the same or similar plastic.  We all know that gets hot enough to melt ipods and such.  After a ride, could it not be a combination of prolonged heat from the sun with heat from the engine and or radiator and headers that warp the plastic?

Aussie

[stevewfl]

KiPass has warded off all evil rays and heat heat waves on my C14.

But being in FL, or when riding in Phoenix/South Cali, I always cover my gauges up with a hand towel.  Not to protect them because KiPass does that, but i like mine looking brand new and on my old ZX14 the sun sorta had faded the ornage and it was a pet peev

[So Cal Joe]

I had had the display go dark on my 09 but came back to normal after about 15 minutes, Now when I stop I put my gloves over that area. As far as the sun melting the dash it can happen.  On Gold Wings with a certain after market windshield, if you park in the direct sunlight the sun would come through the windshield and reflect on the dash and melt it.

[jjsC6]

Sorry, but if I have to remember to carry a towel to cover my gauges then I'll go buy another bike if Kawasaki doesn't cover it under warranty.  They certainly can't expect us to only ride at night or on rainy days!!!

[MrPepsi]

Before the server crash, there were plenty of these threads. Kawi blames them on aftermarket shields. If you take it in for warranty work, make sure you put a stock shield back on first or it may not be covered. It happened to mine, I just left them without having them replaced.

[stevewfl]

Sorry, but if I have to remember to carry a towel to cover my gauges then I'll go buy another bike if Kawasaki doesn't cover it under warranty.  They certainly can't expect us to only ride at night or on rainy days!!!

I use the towel only to prevent long term fading of the needles in the sun, such as they all do over time bikes/boats/my old Zx14/etc

The goldwinger guys hang their jackets on the windscreen, i haven't got that far yet 

And lookie, early 2010 model and gauges look BRAND NEW

[556ALPHA]

How hot was it outside?

70's

[Whatever]

I think I remember reading about a warranty claim and they referred to it as Sun Branding.  So you might look that up and see if it's a term Kawasaki would recognize and replace the damaged part under warranty.

[stevewfl]

I think I remember reading about a warranty claim and they referred to it as Sun Branding.  So you might look that up and see if it's a term Kawasaki would recognize and replace the damaged part under warranty.

If you go that route you may want to pop a stock windshield back on....just sayn'

[MrPepsi]

Hmmmm 

If you go that route you may want to pop a stock windshield back on....just sayn'

Before the server crash, there were plenty of these threads. Kawi blames them on aftermarket shields. If you take it in for warranty work, make sure you put a stock shield back on first or it may not be covered. It happened to mine, I just left them without having them replaced.