Survived-til-now Posted November 25, 2005 Share Posted November 25, 2005 Freezing night in the UK, anxious to get home, ice on R1200RT seat, battery dead as a dodo. Sure that I hadn't put sidelights on by accident when I left the bike so I have been reading this site to hear if anyone else has suffered same problem. I have got the message about switching on ignition and turning it off before computer has gone through full checks - I could be guilty of that one. Oddly enough Motor Cycle News this week (big in UK) features article about staff writer's R1200RT having a flat battery. He put it down to leaving CD player on but obviously doesn't know that CAN-BUS is supposed to switch it off if he forgets. Contacted dealer on morning after (NCI to the rescue -jump started 1st time) and dealer offered to check battery and for any unusal parasitic drain. Then I read about a sotware version 4.1? on this site and phoned dealer back. I was told that they now have a version 6 software upgrade that BMW had instructed them to input when bikes came in for service OR if customer had read about it on internet and demanded upgrade. Yes I did want upgrade and no I wasn't going to pay. Guess what? Bike to dealer next week and I don't care if it does take 50 minutes and they are only allowed 3 minutes to do the job........... Link to comment
TowJam Posted November 25, 2005 Share Posted November 25, 2005 ... I have got the message about switching on ignition and turning it off before computer has gone through full checks ...Huh? Link to comment
Survived-til-now Posted November 26, 2005 Author Share Posted November 26, 2005 Sorry should have been more clear Elsewhere on the site riders are complaining about flat batteries. Seems that switching on ignition and then switching off before computer has gone through full checks etc is a bad thing that sometimes fools CanBus computer into staying on (search under flat batteries or dead) for more Link to comment
PaulW42 Posted November 27, 2005 Share Posted November 27, 2005 Yes I did want upgrade and no I wasn't going to pay. I'm amazed your dealer even suggested you might pay. Mine just went ahead and did it when the bike was in earlier this week. The upgrade seems to do much more than just sort the battery issue. The fuelling is improved (not that it was bad before) and the temperature guage has been tweaked. There maybe other changes but I haven't spotted them yet. Unfortunately, it looks like they've overdone the correction on the temp guage - it now reads 5C too high! Paul Link to comment
Geraldh Posted November 28, 2005 Share Posted November 28, 2005 I was told that they now have a version 6 software upgrade that BMW had instructed them to input when bikes came in for service OR if customer had read about it on internet and demanded upgrade. Sorry to be stupid but I didn't know about s/w upgrades! So, the dealer should automatically apply new updates? Link to comment
Geraldh Posted November 28, 2005 Share Posted November 28, 2005 Just checked with my dealer and was told that there are no updates outstanding for my bike. Is ver. 6 only for European models? Link to comment
Ken H. Posted November 28, 2005 Share Posted November 28, 2005 It appears that the software flashes on all the 1200 series that the EU market benefits from are not being made available in the US. I'm guessing because of EPA certification requirements. Link to comment
R4ND0M_AX3 Posted November 29, 2005 Share Posted November 29, 2005 I just read a bulletin today that covered this issue. If you turn the ignition on for less than a second then off again the ECU would stay on drawing some power. Software update fixes this. Also adds the delay to the parking light turn on sequence (have to hold the left turn signal down for 3 seconds to activate). My ST already works like this but I've heard of GSs turning on immediately. There was some other update to the ZFE that was power related. Shops are allowed 3 FRU to get the job done. P.S. the info I read was for U.S. dealers. Link to comment
Survived-til-now Posted November 29, 2005 Author Share Posted November 29, 2005 Thanks for the replies to this thread. I hate black boxes that do odd things - its unnerving to come back to a bike at the end of the day and wonder if the bike is going to start or not - and I now know it is not the battery or alternator. The comment was made: I'm amazed your dealer even suggested you might pay. Mine just went ahead and did it when the bike was in earlier this week. I think that was the problem, my bike has done about 7000 miles and the next service is way off. Naturally I didn't want to wait but the dealer was looking at a job they might not get fully re-imbursed for doing. I think I ought to put the record straight by saying that my dealer is usually unstintingly helpful and gives a first class service. Could have just caught them on a rare off moment. Anyway if I learn more when I get the update done I will post it on this thread. Thanks again for the useful info. Link to comment
TowJam Posted November 29, 2005 Share Posted November 29, 2005 Also adds the delay to the parking light turn on sequence (have to hold the left turn signal down for 3 seconds to activate). What's this "parking light turn on sequence" that thou speakest of? Link to comment
R4ND0M_AX3 Posted November 30, 2005 Share Posted November 30, 2005 Also adds the delay to the parking light turn on sequence (have to hold the left turn signal down for 3 seconds to activate). What's this "parking light turn on sequence" that thou speakest of? It's in the manual. Turn off the ignition then very soon afterwards press and hold the left turn signal switch until the 'sidelight' turns on. Some bikes don't have a delay and can accidentally turn the sidelight on. Link to comment
TowJam Posted November 30, 2005 Share Posted November 30, 2005 It's in the manual. Turn off the ignition then very soon afterwards press and hold the left turn signal switch until the 'sidelight' turns on. Damn. Learn something every day. My bike has a manual. Link to comment
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