Voge DS900X will not start: interlocks, key codes and checks

The manual separates two conditions that owners tend to describe in the same words: an engine that turns over without firing, and a motorcycle that does not power up at all. The checks differ, and the keyless ignition switch reports its own faults through a code that is worth reading before anything is touched.

The motorcycle does not power up

Where pressing the ignition switch produces no response, the red light on the switch itself carries the diagnosis. The manual defines three codes:

Red light	Meaning
3 flashes	Wireless communication between the key and the motorcycle has failed
4 flashes	Immobiliser authorisation has failed
5 flashes	The steering lock is not functioning correctly

For three flashes, the manual gives three causes:

• The key is more than 1.3 m from the ignition switch. The manual states this as the working distance while the motorcycle is in use.
• Strong radio interference nearby. The remedy is to bring the key closer and power up again.
• The key's own battery is exhausted. Pressing a button on the remote shows a noticeably dim indication when this is the case.

Starting with a flat key fob

The manual sets out a procedure rather than leaving the motorcycle stranded. The key is held against the indicator ring of the ignition switch, which powers the motorcycle up. From that point the engine can be started provided the key does not leave the ignition switch. Once the engine is running, the key may be taken away and the motorcycle used normally.

Two related behaviours are worth knowing. Where the motorcycle is powered up with the key resting on the switch but the engine is not started, it powers itself off after one minute. And where the steering lock tongue fails to extend, the manual asks that the fuse be checked first; if the fuse is intact, the matter goes to a service point.

The remote also has a search function: a short press of its left button flashes the indicators ten times, at a range of 30 m in open ground and less where the ground is not open.

The engine turns over but does not fire

The interlocks come first. They prevent starting by design and account for most reports of a motorcycle that will not start:

• Where the motorcycle is in gear, the clutch lever must be held in.
• The side stand must be up.
• The engine kill switch must be in the run position.

Then the two basics the manual names: sufficient fuel in the tank, and sufficient charge in the battery.

The engine is hard to start rather than dead

The manual gives three separate causes for this condition:

• Cold weather. The throttle is turned slightly while the starter is operated.
• Loss of battery charge. A battery with enough charge to turn the starter can still be too weak to run the ignition and the fuel pump correctly. The charging figures and the 12.6 V threshold are in battery removal, charging and what it resets.
• Oil that has become too thick. Oil that is old, or of a grade unsuited to the temperature, makes the engine harder to turn. The grades and capacities are in engine oil grades and capacities.

The manual's own limit

The troubleshooting chapter closes with a warning that deserves repeating: incorrect checks and adjustments can damage the motorcycle and conceal the actual fault, and work carried out in that way falls outside the warranty. Where the sequence above does not locate the cause, the manual directs the owner to a dealer.

Related pages

Where the motorcycle starts but the malfunction light remains on, the case is covered in engine warning light. Where a circuit is dead rather than weak, the amperages are in fuse ratings by model.