1200gs has a problem

[jeddy]

We'll I'm stumped on this one. Returning from an excellent ride in Wyoming, I pull over to fuel up in the middle of South Dakota. Fill up, close the cap, turn the key, electronics cycle, fuel pump kicks in, hit the start button and nothing. I glance at the display and see in big letters "EWS". I left the manual at home, but as I recall, this message pertains to the coded key. Turn it off and cycle it again. Nothing. Again and nothing. Again and then it's fine. Hit the start button and I'm off. Pull over for fuel 200 miles down the road and same darn drill, only the number of times I have to turn the key on/off before it clears increases.

 

Long story short, I make it home and try the other keys but same situation. Now it will not clear now matter how many times I cycle it. Plenty of power in the battery.

 

I spoke to the dealer who is placing a call to BMW for some guidance but it looks like the bike will have to be trailered to the shop which is 130 miles away. I'm off to find my manual, which I will forever leave on the bike going forward, to do some more research.

 

Anybody have any ideas or encounter this problem before? I was running an Ipod in the tank bag controlled by a remote that uses radio frequencies for communication. However, problem persists even with remote and Ipod removed.

 

The good news is that this did not happen in some of the more remote sections of the Big Horn mountains we were enjoying over the last several days.

[steveknapp]

My understanding is that after so many unsuccessful attempts it turns off for a time.

 

Do you have an speedpass? Or some sort of other RFID type device (ipass, work ID...) nearby?

 

It might just be broken.

[PaulW42]

Do you have any other keys on your keyring? This I believe has been known to cause problems with the immobiliser.

 

Paul

[Tasker]

John, I've had this happen to me on several occasions. Scary, for sure.

 

At the time of the incidents, I've had to play around with everything to get "fire in the hole", including the side-stand. I just can't remember getting the code on the dash you speak of.

 

It will be interesting to hear what your dealer finds.

[ClearwaterBMW]

ummm

has anyone else had problems with a speedpass...

i've had one on my LT intermittently and never had a problem but will be picking up my GS in 4 hours and will have my speedpass on board

 

just wondering

greg

[jeddy]

Thanks guys. No speedpass or other keys on the key ring or anywhere near the bike. I went through the drill of checking the sidestand switch and "jiggling" the key to see if that did it. I disconnected and reconnected the battery as well. No luck.

 

I have to say, I have a love affair with this bike that not even this problem is going to change. Over the last five days, I did miles and miles on the freeway, twisties, dirt, gravel, sweepers, 10,000 ft. elevations, 109 degree heat one day and 40 degrees the next. All, and I mean all of it, was good.

 

[steveknapp]

has anyone else had problems with a speedpass...

 

Once and awhile mine trips the EWS thingie.

 

I just turn off the bike and make sure to hold it as far from the key and antenna ring (around the keyhole) when I turn it back on.

 

Agreed tho, there are some times that the GS just doesn't want to start and needs to first be rebooted.

[MattS]

Agreed tho, there are some times that the GS just doesn't want to start and needs to first be rebooted.

Sometimes embarrasingly so. Haven't seen the EWS outside of initalization though.

[Marty Hill]

Sure glad both of mine were built on wednesday. Never had any problems.