ABS Startup Issues 2000 r1100rt

[deweybr]

Hello Everyone,

 

Being a new beemer rider I have many questions but my most pressing revolves around the ABS system and the startup test. About half the time now when I start the bike and go, the ABS light do not go out and continue to alt flash. I also do hear the "click clack" of the ABS system (I'm assuming thats what it is) anyway, when the lights remain flashing, I stop and power cycle the bike and I'm good to go. Always works the second time.

 

Previous owner thought battery, but my battery tender tell me battery and charging are good. Whenever I put the tender on it completely goes to solid green after just a few minutes (sometimes seconds)

 

Anyway, love the bike and no 12yr old is perfect. Bike has 21k miles and has been dealer maintained until me ( I put plugs and fluids and clean the air cleaner)

 

Any thoughts ?? I also posted on bmwmoa

[OoPEZoO]

Mine used to fault out occationally if I started the bike to quickly after turning the ignition on. I got into the habit of turning on the key and waiting a few seconds for all of the electronics and gizmos to sort themselves out, and then start the bike.

 

Your issue sounds like it is a typical weak battery problem though. What kind of battery do you have in it? It also could be that you have a so-so connection at your starter, or potentially a starter that is pulling high current. It wouldn't hurt to pull the starter out to check the connections and clean it up. At this point in its life, it could probably use a good cleaning and some new grease anyway.

[deweybr]

I have a new Bikemaster Gel Battery just haven't put it in yet. I guess that's my next project...

[MT Wallet]

1+ to Keith's comments. I have a 2000 R1100RT with 10K more miles than your bike and had the same problem. New battery solved it!

[mneblett]

As with most diagnostics, the key is to understand *why*.

 

In all likelihood it is a weak battery, even though it shows fully charge. The way to confirm before you pitch your money at a new battery is to put a voltmeter across the battery terminals, and observe the voltage during starting.

 

A battery-related ABS fault occurs because the ABS system has a low system voltage monitor. During start-up, a good battery has enough capacity to supply the starter motor without the battery voltage dropping much. A useable, but weak or discharged battery won't be able to supply a lot of amps to the starter without voltage dipping below ~10V -- at which point the ABS low voltage monitor trips and sets the flashing lights.

 

Another indication of the problem being a weak battery is if you get the ABS lights on cold start-up (heavy starter current draw), then ride for ~10 min. to warm up the bike, turn off the ignition and then restart -- if you have no ABS lights, it's because a warm motor is easier to turn over, so the starter doesn't draw as much current and the battery voltage doesn't drop below the ABS system threshold.

 

There is a method of rewiring the bike so that the ABS self-test is performed after starting, and thus the weak battery/ABS light issue is not longer a problem. That said, I haven't done it because I don't care to hack up the bike's harness for a minor annoyment, and I use this as a battery condition indication -- start seeing flashing lights on start-up which clear after a few minutes riding, start looking for a good deal on a battery so I can change it when *I* want, rather than being stranded somewhere with an unexpectedly dead battery.

[deweybr]

I just looked up what I need to do to replace the battery.. First bike ever where it was more than remove seat! Oh well Welcome to the BMW world.....

[Danny caddyshack Noonan]

Do everything you can to maximize good contact between the connections as well as the cable to battery one. Little voltage drops accumulate and can cause the fault. If you can avoid doing the re-wire, I would. It is a pain but can help.

[Trullion]

I just looked up what I need to do to replace the battery.. First bike ever where it was more than remove seat! Oh well Welcome to the BMW world.....

 

Count yourself lucky you didn't get an 1100S!!

 

Re the problem I belive it could well be the starter motor. These are known to cause the problem you describe. I say this because your battery appears to be fully charged. Not infallible, I know, but I wouldn't discount a starter motor issue - it happened to my bike.

[philbytx]

And buy yourself the later R1150RT battery terminal extension kit

[smiller]

ABS faults after startup are very common on the R1100 bikes and not necessarily indicative of anything wrong, the ABS system on these bikes is just very sensitive (too sensitive) to voltage as mneblett described. A replacement battery is only a 'kinda' solution because if you keep replacing batteries just to prevent ABS startup faults you'll be replacing it way too often. The real fix is the mod to prevent the ABS self check untl after the engine is running, it's a simple mod and cures the problem forever. I'll post a link if I can find it.

[Michaelr11]

This is the link to the ABS-II low-voltage mod on the IBMWR Oilhead tech pages:

 

http://www.ibmwr.org/r-tech/oilheads/ABS-II_low_voltage_modification/index.shtml

 

 

[smiller]

That's it, thanks. One note to the procedure... it isn't really necessary to go to the trouble of removing and disassembling the ABS connector, the same line is available at the fusebox and is easier to tap there. But either way works.

 

I've had this mod installed for years with no problems. It's true that resetting the ABS fault is easy, but I just got tired of the drill. Since the mod I've never had to think about it again and I found myself wondering why I just didn't do it earlier.

[scottnew]

While we're on the topic can someone instruct me or point me in the direction of how to reset the ABS fault ? I owuld like to do the mod to bypass this issue but for now a reset would be nice

[Danny caddyshack Noonan]

While we're on the topic can someone instruct me or point me in the direction of how to reset the ABS fault ? I owuld like to do the mod to bypass this issue but for now a reset would be nice

 

That and more on this site. Largiader

[RAMBLIN RED]

This happens every time I ride, whether the battery maintainer is used or not. I ride to my first stop sign(1/4 mile), and restart and it goes away. I'm ready to try a new battery.

[scottnew]

Thank ya much +just what I needed