R1200ST Headlight issues

[DUBLINCHRIS]

Its been a while since I have been on here - things up to now have been pretty good with bike and my enjoyment of the ST continues to be excellent, however........

 

It started back in April when bulb and forward facing arrow came up on display to indicate a bulb failure - except everything was working ok I did not pay to much attention until returning from trip 2 weeks ago when the dipped beam - lower bulb went out altogether. Ok so I go out and buy new bulb and decide to try replace it myself - something I have done for 40 odd years on various 2 and 4 wheeled vehicles

After fiddling around for an hour or so and with the "simple" stages shown in handbook I managed to change the bulb.

 

Now there must be an easier way for someone with arthric hands and failing eyesight working in a restriced area as in the inside of the headlight shell trying for most of the time to remove the block from back of bulb with bulb in situ - because there is not enough free length of cable on loom to allow bulb while connected to block - to be taken out of H/Light shell. At least that way I could see what I might be doing.

Also putting gloves on to save finger tips from sharp objects did not work again due to lack of space.

Does someone really sit down and decide to make simple tasks as difficult as posible - maybe to discourage home mechanics and therefore keep dealers busy.

 

Well after that rant my basic question is why having changed bulb is the fault still showing up on display? I have same symbol with arrow - any easy reboot ways to deal with this - or is there a reason why it is still on bearing in mind from April to August symbol was showing with all lights working. Maybe a wiring/short issue?

 

Any replies appreciated - then I will post my second more potentially expensive question (following use of search option re headlight adjuster - say no more for now )

[TestPilot]

Chris,

 

In the last year I've changed both upper and lower bulbs. I've found that removing the windscreen and the instrument cluster makes the job much easier.

 

Regarding your current problem, is your city light working? I don't know if that will trigger the bulb warning on the instrument cluster, but check any way.

[Alfred02]

The Alarm works when a bulb in one of the circuits is dead/burned out.

The way it detects it, is by measuring current flow or voltage drop.

In your case, my guess is that you have a high resistant joint or the current flows back via earth instead of a return cable.

So to check the first possibility will require a Multimeter.

Identify the negative lead of each bulb and then measure between battery negative and that negative at the bulb end (on the connector with the bulb disconnected).

The resistance should be very low, if not, you would have to look at the cable ends and look for corrosion or bad connection.

 

The 2nd possibility would require a wiring diagram and disconnecting the bulb cable at both ends, then measuring between the now disconnected cable and chassis. It should be open circuit and if not, the short has to be found by visually tracing the cable all the way.

 

 

[DUBLINCHRIS]

All 3 bulbs working and were during the period April to August when low beam blew. I did eventually remove windscreen - simple enough and right side upper bodywork to get more access but the hole at back of shell remains the same size

 

Did you find it difficult initially on lower bulb to get the block of back of bulb?

[DUBLINCHRIS]

:)Thanks that does sound like a good explanation -open circuit/voltage drop. If this was initial/current problem would it contribute to bulb failure over period of time?

[Alfred02]

Mine is an RT but still same basic engine management.

A bulb can blow at any time for no reason.

 

But an intermittent change of resistance (connector getting hot?) will cause constant change of the amount of current flow. This will cause the bulb to run through lots of heat cycles, which would certainly be the early death of a bulb.

 

What year is your bike???

[DUBLINCHRIS]

Bike is my original 2005 ST as per avatar. Still giving me lots of enjoyment in saddle

 

No previous bulb blowing issues until now. I appreciate a bulb can go at any point and even down to choice of replacement bulbs - cost wise- but just wanted to tease out if there was an underlying problem like as you describe which might cause warning to show in display without initially having bulb failure but then leading on to bulb failure. Will get circuit checked out to see if there is an open circuit/other problem as you describe.

 

Now for the bigger issue as per my second post

[duckbubbles]

I was able to do mine recently (did both since last time one was out, the second went out shortly thereafter). If it's really a problem and you don't mind the extra work, you can remove the lower forward fairings, windshield, inner upper fairing "fillers" and with four more bolts, loosen the entire forward upper fairing and let it sit on the padded front fender. The hole is still the same size, but you can see what you are trying to do much better.

 

Frank

[DUBLINCHRIS]

Thanks Frank. I did remove screen and fillers but as you say hole still same size

[GRB60]

Sorry if I'm stating something that you've already done, but I'd check every light on the bike to see if they're working. Might be a different bulb causing the trouble.

[DUBLINCHRIS]

All are working

[WestyLancs]

Chris, just a thought, but I've read on here of LED bulbs causing the failure icon to come on, i.e. the bulbs light,

but the CANBUS say "NO the current flow isn't right." Could it possibly be corrosion on one or more of the bulb

holders on your bike, causing the CANBUS to illuminate the icon due to 'seeing' a current flow outside its 'norm'.

I do know that my '06 RT icon comes on when ANY of the front bulbs fails, and wonder if one of the side / parking light

bulbs may have a contact sufficient to light the bulb, but too much resistance for the CANBUS to ignore.

[DUBLINCHRIS]

:)Going to check out the open circuit aspect in next day or two. There has to be something amiss other than bulb failure as every bulb is working fine and all bulbs are standard issue.

[Deckdr]

Greetings, I went through the same thing...the warning indicator was still on after replacing the burned out bulb. What I discovered was that if you look closely at those bulbs they both have two filaments in them and if one of the filaments is broken, you may still think the bulb is working (visually), but the computer senses the difference and will indicate the error. I had to replace both bulbs at the same time and the warning went out. After close inspection, I noticed that one of the filaments on the other bulb was broken.

[DUBLINCHRIS]

Greetings, I went through the same thing...the warning indicator was still on after replacing the burned out bulb. What I discovered was that if you look closely at those bulbs they both have two filaments in them and if one of the filaments is broken, you may still think the bulb is working (visually), but the computer senses the difference and will indicate the error. I had to replace both bulbs at the same time and the warning went out. After close inspection, I noticed that one of the filaments on the other bulb was broken.

 

:)Good advice will check this. I noticed that the faulty bulb I removed had one of 2 filaments broken. I never thought to check the high beam bulb to see if possibly one of those filaments is also out. Will check and see if it is as simple as this

[DoctorC]

Thought Greg seems to have solved his problem, posting a suggestion. Per above, remove the instrument cluster to get to the bulbs. This is much easier than the instruction manual method. I rotated the clip-on to give me some room. I was able to change both bulbs last year with no problem and did not mess with the tupperware. Thanks to whomever posted this simple technique.