Big Safety Issue: R1150RT Headlight Problems

[Daddyrabbit]

 

I need a headlight for a 2004 R1150RT.

 

After researching the web and scouring my bike for an intermittent headlight problem I have discovered the source of my issues. Underneath the high beam bulb is an attachment for the ground wires. This connector and the wiring had worn through and shorted against the housing and arc/melted the housing. Safety issue you BET!: Fire, sudden lights out at night etc...My bike has 21,700 miles. I am taking pictures and will post a full report on the forum. BUT, for now, I need a headlight assembly really bad! I am in search of a parts bike with a good one.

 

If you have experienced any of the following on your RT take a look at this issue. PM or email me and I tell you the easy way to check for the problem.

1. Very light electrical smoke smell after riding

2. Your riding buddies ask you why you are tapping or riding your brakes on straights, when you know you dont do it!

3. Your High or High and Low beams are not working or intermittant BUT the HIGH BEAM BLUE PANEL LIGHT STAYS ON.

 

vanthurston at gmail dot com

[RandyBailey]

The headlight bucket is around $1,000 or so. Replaced mine at 18k miles under warranty. I don't know how common the issue is, but I recall my dealer telling me they had done several.

 

 

[Boffin]

This is quite a common problem. From a subjective veiw, I can only recall seeing complaints of this failure affecting late '04 bikes (mine included). edit: just seen that code_3 had a failure on an '03.

 

The problem is a poor connection at the healamp ground connector leading to heating, leading to oxidisation, leading to a worse connection and so on until the whole thing fails.

It is possible to repair the broken headlight by drilling the metal part of the lampholders and attaching a new ground lead, taking this to the bikes frame.

 

Andy

[E30TECH]

you can check with Mike at www.beemerboneyard.com

[Dave Faria]

Sorry to hear about your misfortune. I have a 2004 RT as well. I looked at my headlight with the access port open to the back of the lamps. I see wiring with high temperature wiring insulation on the left side going to what appears a common point. Is this the location where the burn occurs??? I have none of the tell tale signs you mention in your post. Also I rarely use the high beam or fog lights - meaning ther is no electrical load on the common ground. I have seen the headlight assemblies on ebay for as little as $100. It's be there right time right place.

 

Thanks for the warning

[tobyzusa]

Yep, just had this failure about a month ago riding with Ron - Mistral. As Andy mentioned, the ground attachment was corroded. I was able to put on a new connector and reattach, but did contemplate running an entirely new ground wire. If it happens again, that will be the next fix.

[Uncle Beemer]

I had the same problem to occur on my '04 RT about 3 years ago. The ground wire had corroded and burned to the point that it would not conduct electricity anymore. High beam indicator light stayed on, can't remember if the high was actually on or not. Fortunately, it was fixed under warranty as the repair bill was over $1000.00 bucks. Haven't had any more problems. (knock on wood)

[Uncle Beemer]

Why don't you just go ahad and post what you think is the easy way to check for this problem.

I need a headlight for a 2004 R1150RT.

 

After researching the web and scouring my bike for an intermittent headlight problem I have discovered the source of my issues. Underneath the high beam bulb is an attachment for the ground wires. This connector and the wiring had worn through and shorted against the housing and arc/melted the housing. Safety issue you BET!: Fire, sudden lights out at night etc...My bike has 21,700 miles. I am taking pictures and will post a full report on the forum. BUT, for now, I need a headlight assembly really bad! I am in search of a parts bike with a good one.

 

If you have experienced any of the following on your RT take a look at this issue. PM or email me and I tell you the easy way to check for the problem.

1. Very light electrical smoke smell after riding

2. Your riding buddies ask you why you are tapping or riding your brakes on straights, when you know you dont do it!

3. Your High or High and Low beams are not working or intermittant BUT the HIGH BEAM BLUE PANEL LIGHT STAYS ON.

 

vanthurston at gmail dot com

[NonComp]

Given my recent stock wiring issues, one can't help thinking 'Lucas'.

[Daddyrabbit]

Sorry guys, been out of town and no internet! DOH!

To see the problem area you must remove the "cover" that's over the headlight assembly. It snaps out easily. Then take a small telescoping mirror and look UNDER the bottom (low beam) bulb.There are two ground wires connected underneath there on my bike. BROWN wires are the ground wires. On my bike the connector most aft on the assembly was the culprit, the wire having chaffed enough to make contact to the area below it. The wire was "burnt" back about 1" and the area adjacent to the connector has basically melted for and aft for about 1 1 /4 inches.

Here's an idea for a fix: if you inspect and you have no problem or its not progressed to the point it has on my bike:

Get a tube of clear silicone and put a "glob" around the 2 ground connectors and basically use this to put a barrier of silicone between the vibrating wire and the housing.

I have rewired my ground wires and used this silicone idea to prevent recurrence.

If you have a 2004 RT and you are confused please email me directly and I will do all I can to help you check/fix this. It really could be serious. Your lights could go OUT while riding at dark or your bike might catch on fire and burn, Folks, I am an optimist but I am a realist. This thang ain't right!

Daddyrabbit in Georgia

 

 

 

[Boffin]

Sorry Daddyrabbit you are mistaken as to the nature of the fault. Shorting a ground wire to the area around it is shorting ground to ground - ie not an issue they are the same potential so there is no current flow. The problem is that the connector to the lamp assembly has a high-resistance and this causes heat, which leads to corrosion, which leads to higher resistance, more heat and eventually burning. A glob of sillicone will not fix the problem and could make it worse because it would hold the heat in.

 

The fix is to securly attach a good ground to the metaled area - I used the low-beam mount - and run that to the main ground.

 

Andy

[Daddyrabbit]

Thanks for your input Andy and perhaps you are correct. I replaced the last 8" of the rearmost ground wire(which is a ground for on of the running lights)and its connector. It was burned and the wire covering very brittle from the heat you describe. I agree that another ground wire can certainly help. Thanks for your input.

Cheers,

Daddyrabbit

[Dave Faria]

I have not found a mirror yet that allows me to look into the headlight. Is the ground connection to the reflector housing thru spade lugs and connectors??? The reason I'm asking is I would have to remove the headlight from the bike to fix that type of connection. I may opt for another solution than fixing the ground lugs. I don't what what that would be yet. As ofnow I have no wire damage I can see. The two brown wires on my 04 RT are routed from the back of the lamp to and into a plastic channel on the right side of the access port. They then go down in the channel and disappear underneath the reflector. I'm assuming underneath the reflector is where the bad connector is located. Tell me if I'm wrong because my wiring looks fine. Keep in mine I rarely use the high beam and fog lights so my wiring is never carrying full current.

[tobyzusa]

One connects to the copper metal clip. That connector is the one that corrodes. As Andy mentioned, find a secure way to attach that wire to the copper metal clip and you should be golden.

[tatt2tony]

I need a headlight for a 2004 R1150RT.

 

After researching the web and scouring my bike for an intermittent headlight problem I have discovered the source of my issues. Underneath the high beam bulb is an attachment for the ground wires. This connector and the wiring had worn through and shorted against the housing and arc/melted the housing. Safety issue you BET!: Fire, sudden lights out at night etc...My bike has 21,700 miles. I am taking pictures and will post a full report on the forum. BUT, for now, I need a headlight assembly really bad! I am in search of a parts bike with a good one.

 

If you have experienced any of the following on your RT take a look at this issue. PM or email me and I tell you the easy way to check for the problem.

1. Very light electrical smoke smell after riding

2. Your riding buddies ask you why you are tapping or riding your brakes on straights, when you know you dont do it!

3. Your High or High and Low beams are not working or intermittant BUT the HIGH BEAM BLUE PANEL LIGHT STAYS ON.

 

vanthurston at gmail dot com

 

Yep, #3 is the problem I'm having on my 04 RT now, high and low not working and high beam light on all the time. Fog lights WORKING, as well as the turns and brake lights. Guess I will plunge my meat hooks into the light assembly and see what's up.

[lkchris]

Just for interest and maybe helpful ...

 

German vehicles are built to electrical standards published by Bosch.

 

Anywhere on a vehicle, a solid brown wire is a ground wire. Brown is the color of "earth," after all.

 

A headlight low beam wire is always yellow.

 

A headlight high beam wire is always white.

 

White is clearly brighter than yellow, right?

[roger 04 rt]

Thank you for posting this information. It was immediately useful to a guy over on the BMWMOA site who had the indicator on, no lights symptom. It was even worse, maybe unrelated, but his engine cutout the second time it happened. Not sure how, but ...

 

As soon as I read it, I had the cover off with a mirror and flashlight. All is well.

 

The reason the high beam indicator light comes on, even with high beams off, on the RT, is that the low beam is always on and the (now floating) ground for high and low beam are wired together. That allows the 12V from the low beam to go through the filaments on both bulbs to the high side of the indicator, which turns it on.

 

RB

[tatt2tony]

One connects to the copper metal clip. That connector is the one that corrodes. As Andy mentioned, find a secure way to attach that wire to the copper metal clip and you should be golden.

 

Bingo! That's exactly where mine if corroded, I can see the brown to the copper clip with a small mirror, whitish color with half the strands eaten away. But I can't get my hands on that little mofo and do anything without major disassembly. Grrrrrr!

[tatt2tony]

One connects to the copper metal clip. That connector is the one that corrodes. As Andy mentioned, find a secure way to attach that wire to the copper metal clip and you should be golden.

 

Can I remove the damaged ground wire off the copper clip and solder in a wire and ground it to the frame, using the bolt on the horn assembly? Anyone think this would create some type of electrical issue? Thanks.

[rustyfingerz]

Hopefully someone with more wisdom than I will second that suggested fix. so i can repair that also,. whilst we wait, can

yall send me to were the "KNOWN ISSUES" of 04 r1150rt are listed . I swear this bike is starting to where me down.

sorry for the rant, just found and repaired a short circuit in my signal system I have had for over a year,w/out turn signals. If anyone lost there signals, I found the short in the connection plug where both left and right signal harnesses meet and plug into main harness.located right side upper, just above the headlight bucket wire wore thru and grounded on frame.

[wcp58]

I recently purchased an 02 R1150RT with 40K. After a ride on Easter, I found my low beam to be out. After reading this thread, I'm going to be looking for a potential corroded ground. Once I have all the plastic off, what other gremlins should I be looking for, since I'm already in there? I'd prefer to not make this a weekly occurance.

 

[tatt2tony]

I recently purchased an 02 R1150RT with 40K. After a ride on Easter, I found my low beam to be out. After reading this thread, I'm going to be looking for a potential corroded ground. Once I have all the plastic off, what other gremlins should I be looking for, since I'm already in there? I'd prefer to not make this a weekly occurance.

 

Could just be the bulb or fuse, I'd check that first.

[tatt2tony]

Here is what the corroded ground looks like. I going to try to re-attach ground to copper ground strip without taking apart the front end by using a terminal lug.

 

[raporte]

Thanks for the heads up. I'll check mine today. Where is that puppy located? Thanks again....

[BriSco]

That doesn't look corroded now, but looks like it has been really hot. Probably from a loose or corroded connection causing high resistance.

[tatt2tony]

Pull the back light housing cover off and use a telescoping mirror on the bottom of the housing. You will see two brown ground wires attached on the bottom of a copper ground strip. Looking into the back of the housing you can see the two brown wires routed in a plastic channel on the right side. Just follow them downward.

[AndyS]

A headlight low beam wire is always yellow.

 

A headlight high beam wire is always white.

 

White is clearly brighter than yellow, right?

If you look at the Haynes Manual, the Hi beam feed wire to from the switch to the headlight connector is white, then it turns White/Yellow.

 

If you look at the wiring from the lowbeam switch to the headlight connector it is White/Yellow....until it gets to the connector, then it becomes White.

 

Maybe a mistake with the Haynes manual - Can anyone confirm?

 

Now lkchris, as far as I can make out, Yellow appears nowhere as a major colour in the headlight lighting ccts?

 

Andy

[Swell-Daddy]

Did mine a couple of months ago. I got a new gold connector and soldered a heavier copper wire to it. I then put shrink tube on the first three inches of wire. I cleaned the tab on the bottom of the light assembly and then came back about 6 inches and soldered onto the old existing wire that I shorten. Idea was to put a heavy better insulated wire under the headlight. And put a better quality connector at the connection. Another thing I did was replace the small 164 bulb at the bottom of the light assembly with a LED bulb. Less heat and draw. So far my headlights are brighter and work great. Time will tell if I did a good fix.