[inky]

I just passed 200 miles, doing 35-40-45 up and down (gently working in my engine) at the backside of town and my oil light came on. I pulled over and turned him off.
I had been out about an hour and already cooled my bike twice (10 and twenty min)
I called up my shop and they said good thing to turn him off. And had shop pick me up.
My bike had oil. The oil light was on when we arrived at the shop. They were busy, then closed for two days, so my bike sat for about four days before a test drive. The light was off at that point and the test didn't recreate the light.
They said they think it could be a piece of plastic that can come off new parts, float through oil system and trip the light. If that was the case, wouldn’t it have stuck in the filter and not occurred again?
I picked my bike up today, five mile ride home.
I made it to my driveway, sat in 1st waiting for my garage door to lift... and the light came back on.
Shop said they wanted me to see if it was on in the morning. If not drive it a short trip between my home and the shop in attempt to trip it again, knowing I have oil and wanting to test my bike while the light is on, if it’s on.
That is where I am.
I wanted to ask if anyone else has had this issue with the 2020 Rebel 500?
Did the first oil change resolve it?
Safe to ride?
I have had three manual vehicles, but this is my first non-scooter motorcycle.
That oil light is a concern for new rider who rides alone, mostly.

 

[Foggy 1]

I have the 2018 version, no issues & 18,000 km's . Call your dealer for appointment, oil change & scan
while you wait or a drive home if you have to leave it. It's under the Honda 1 year warranty so you're
just on the hook for an oil change service. Likely a minor issue, these engines have a very good
reputation.

 

[rws]

I wouldn't run it with the oil light on.

You have a couple of things YOU can check.
1. check oil level with bike in upright level position
2. remove rubber boot from engine oil pressure switch and make sure wire is firmly attached

If the oil light still stays on with engine running turn it off and get it to your dealer. There are procedures in the shop manual to determine if there is an open in the switch wiring or if the switch itself or speedometer head is bad. They can also attach an oil pressure gauge to verify the bike is producing correct oil pressure or not.

 

[inky]

Thanks for the replies.

Foggy 1, yeah my bike was in the shop for 12 days. They didn’t want me to get the oil change till 600 miles. Picked it up yesterday which is when the problem repeated. The Honda rep is why I went with this bike for entry level. I hope it gets sorted easy enough.

rws, thanks for the detail. Yeah, the oil was cleared at shop. I put my camera on a box and sat straight on the bike to confirm myself, level middle in the window.
Checked the wires (great tip too thanks) and all are set in place as expect to be.

This morning turned it on, the oil light still on, wouldn't clear. Called shop and said not to ride with light on (zero plans to) Gonna tow again somewhere between here and new year. Rotten luck.

I’ll update with info as it happens, in case it can help others down the road.

 

[Devilman]

Sounds like the EOP sensor is shot. Electrical gremlins are a pain to diagnose I would have changed the sensor if I was the mechanic. Honda motors are pretty reliable that is why they cost so damn much. LOL! I have a 2018 with 4500 miles and never have had an issue. It was my first bike also, now I have that and a 2019 MT-07.

 

[rws]

Sounds like the EOP sensor is shot. Electrical gremlins are a pain to diagnose I would have changed the sensor if I was the mechanic. Honda motors are pretty reliable that is why they cost so damn much. LOL! I have a 2018 with 4500 miles and never have had an issue. It was my first bike also, now I have that and a 2019 MT-07.

could be the pressure sensor...could be wiring...could be low oil pressure...could be the speedometer head

that's why they have service manuals with drilldown steps to diagnose problems...trouble is a lot of dealer mechanics are no better than Uncle Joe the backyard mechanic who just replace parts hoping they eventually fix the problem

 

[Devilman]

could be the pressure sensor...could be wiring...could be low oil pressure...could be the speedometer head

that's why they have service manuals with drilldown steps to diagnose problems...trouble is a lot of dealer mechanics are no better than Uncle Joe the backyard mechanic who just replace parts hoping they eventually fix the problem

Nope, Uncle Joe would have changed sensor or checked the connection to the speedometer head. I believe the EOP is a pressure sensor but I could be wrong. It was common on ground equipment in the USAF for the sensor to break. Easier than tracing the wire and the odds of low oil pressure would be rare on a new engine. The speedometer head could be messed up or loose connection to it. That happened when I put a windscreen on my MT-07. It was doing all kinds of goofy stuff and I pushed on the connector and heard a click. Works fine. Sounds like they turned it on and seen it was good and did nothing which sucks.

 

[Sammyray]

There is nothing wrong with changing the oil soon than 600 miles. I would change the oil and oil filter and inspected the oil for metal or debris.

 

[inky]

Thanks for all the extra feedback. Will mention all.
As for sensor/wires. That was mentioned when they revved the engine arriving from tow. They said the engine sounded perfectly normal, and with oil good too it might be the issue.
Unfortunately for me the three semi local shops are booked for service through the end of next month. I hope its seen to before my warranty runs out (dry humor). Call to Honda today, they won’t extend warranty for shop delays, they had no other suggestions...
Might just be quicker and happier with a different bike and different brand. 220 brand new miles to a two month garage ornament doesn’t boost my emotional connection.

Will update if learn anything.

 

[Jason-Short]

Might just be quicker and happier with a different bike and different brand. 220 brand new miles to a two month garage ornament doesn’t boost my emotional connection.

That is terrible. I had a similar experience with an Audi car I bought. For 4 months it was unable to even make it to my office! But since they finally fixed it I have put over 70,000 miles on that car and love it.

I hope you are able to get past this rough start. The Rebel is a great bike. Sorry you got your bubble burst right out the gate.

I take it you didn‘t buy it from one of those local shops? They will usually squeeze you in if you bought the bike there. It’s tempting to change the oil and filter yourself, and then try to ride it. But then if it is something more, they will blame it all on you changing the oil. Ugh.

 

[jdock]

Why dont YOU change the oil and see if the problem goes away?????

 

[inky]

Jason-Short That’s really great with your audi. I wanted to have this bike for a long time, stick it in the corner of the garage when I found my dream Triumph, etc so hopefully this will turn out the same way as your car. It’s now finally at the shop I bought it from.

jdock, Oh I could easily change the oil, but as Jason-Short said I’m not touching the bike till the warranty runs out.

Update:
Purchase shop picked it up. A young kid (the shop manager is away) called me the next day and said the oil was low, they topped it up and it was ready to go home....
Evidently something shook (other) in the bike to where the oil light went off in the hour tow ride to the shop. I took pictures as it left and the oil light was on dash, didn’t clear. Driver saw it too.
I mentioned to the kid it’s not normal for this brand new bike to be low on oil at 215 miles (when problem started) with gentle riding. That’s as many top-ups as gas. Ridiculous. So they are keeping it for a while to ride it and “see how it goes”. sigh

 

[Jason-Short]

Purchase shop picked it up. A young kid (the shop manager is away) called me the next day and said the oil was low, they topped it up and it was ready to go home....

Ugh, that is terrible. Hopefully it wasn’t anything serious. If something does go wrong down the road, that is why you have the warranty.

At this point if it comes back and has the oil light I would probably change the oil and filter, then ride it hard. Make something go wrong so it gets covered under warranty. They cannot invalidate the warranty for you changing the oil.

 

[inky]

Unbelievable.
So my bike is still at second shop.
They called second day there and said bike was ready, “it was low on oil (no leaks) they put oil in and the light went off”. ....
I reminded them that oil had only just been “topped up” at the first shop just five miles prior. Kid replied that they would “keep it a couple more days and maybe ride it around”... Well, they didn’t. They kept it, but they didn’t test it.
It’s now had just as much oil “top ups” as gas put in tank.
Its been in the shop for weeks.
I have left thirty some odd messages on the shop answering machine, never pick-up, zero replies. (I’ve recorded this procedure many times.)
Contacted Honda last week to file, the shop evidently picks up for their number ID, first call.
Nothing has been done to my bike.
It’s been sitting for weeks without running (brand my new bike.... I would have turned it on at least three times a week to run a few min.....so absolutely pissed at this even further)
I have to pay tow home.. after all this time, ride it only to have it happen, inevitably, again. And tow back.
The children running this shop are jokes (I recorded this conversation, I would be happy to share the audio when this is all over, its unbelievable. These are just snips.)

• “Rebel is a solid bike and engine” (Yet mine only made it to 215 miles and has required two tows due to the oil light coming on, twice....) No reply.
• “No you don’t need to ride around with an oil bottle” (Yet it only made it to 215 miles before requiring two tows, 20 miles apart, due to the oil light coming on, so in my case, yes I do) Laughed.
• “You shouldn’t have to check your oil if you keep with the maintenance schedule, no not even have to worry about it” (Yet...... it only made it to....) Laughed.
• “The factory prob didn’t fill it with enough fluids” (WTF? The factory? I bought it dry, in a box, from this current shop! Probably put together by this quack child. Not to mention already “topped up at other shop” and now, again this shop.... weeks ago. It’s been sitting, not turned on, long enough for some of that oil to have evaporated and sludge while I waited for them to return my endless messages) All laughs. WTF....
• Now less than Four months left in this POS’s warranty something obviously wrong with this bike and not fixed yet.
• Been sitting in two shops, over two months and honda will do nothing, to the shop or let me out of this thing. “Let us know how it goes”. Not happy. Now livid.

sigh

 

[Smallplanetradio]

Sorry you’re going through this. What a nightmare.

I can’t believe Honda has no other suggestions for you. I can buy that a local dealer would be that dumb, but it seems like a relatively easy thing for Honda to fix to protect their reputation.

 

[Jason-Short]

Have they dumped the codes from the bike? Surely they have to be storing SOMETHING if the light is coming on? I haven't hooked up an ODB to mine yet (haven't needed to), but you might want to try it and see what codes the bike is showing when it happens. If it says the sensor isn't reading pressure then you have an answer.

That seriously sucks though. I would be tempted at this point to just ride the hell out of it and hope it breaks so they have to cover it. If they can't tell you what is going on now, then they won't know what happened then either.

 

[rws]

Have they dumped the codes from the bike? Surely they have to be storing SOMETHING if the light is coming on? I haven't hooked up an ODB to mine yet (haven't needed to), but you might want to try it and see what codes the bike is showing when it happens. If it says the sensor isn't reading pressure then you have an answer.

That seriously sucks though. I would be tempted at this point to just ride the hell out of it and hope it breaks so they have to cover it. If they can't tell you what is going on now, then they won't know what happened then either.

the Rebel only stores codes for the PGM-FI (programed fuel injection) system and does not monitor oil pressure electrical problems
if there are errors in the PGM-FI the MIL (malfunction indicator light) on the speedometer face will stay on

as I mentioned in a post above the service manual has information on diagnosing the problem he is having

OP
if your dealer is incompetent to diagnose this problem take it to another dealer who is

or order an official Honda service manual for $25 from this site and do it yourself LINK to order service manual

 

[longbeachgary]

Does your state have a lemon law?

The California Lemon Law applies in general with some exceptions to:

New, used or leased vehicles, which also includes motorcycles, boats or recreational vehicles. Usually but not always within the first 18 months or 18,000 miles but not always when:

• There are two or more repairs that would be considered likely to cause death or serious bodily injury.
• The same nonconforming repair four or more times
• The vehicle is out of service for more than 30 calendar days since delivery

If we are successful on your California lemon law claim or lawsuit, the manufacturer will pay the attorney’s fees and court costs. These costs will not come out of your portion of the settlement.

 

[Jason-Short]

Lemon law wouldn't apply because they haven't actually fixed anything (just added oil).

And if the computer doesn't store any codes for oil, then I would change the oil and ride the hell out of it. Make it fail to get it covered.