ABS Won't Engage

[Deltamark]

Several weeks ago my ABS stopped engaging in my 1999 R1100RT. I start the bike and go but the ABS lights continue to blink. In the past, this appeared to be related to the battery not being strong enough. I put in a (cheap) Staab UB12220 Universal battery about a year ago and am wondering if it perhaps is too weak of a battery to engage the ABS. Does that sound like it may be the case?

[Johnny Meccano]

Happened to me as well. BMW dealer said voltage had to be 14.4v at startup. Battery was three years old at the time and replacing it fixed the ABS.

 

There is an interesting article on this prob and a suggested fix here... http://ibmwr.org/r-tech/oilheads/ABS-II_low_voltage_modification/index.shtml

[Deltamark]

Thanks for the article, Johnny. Sounds like it is possibly the battery.

 

Happened to me as well. BMW dealer said voltage had to be 14.4v at startup. Battery was three years old at the time and replacing it fixed the ABS.

 

There is an interesting article on this prob and a suggested fix here... http://ibmwr.org/r-tech/oilheads/ABS-II_low_voltage_modification/index.shtml

[biometrics]

Have your year old battery load tested. Sounds like you may have had a bad one or you didn't ride enough to keep up the charge... A new battery should eliminate you blinking ABS lights. It has happened to me too when I failed to maintain a battery over the winter months when I wasn't riding.

[Michaelr11]

When you turn the key On, the two ABS lights should be flashing together. Are they? If they aren't - if they are wig-wag alternating at key On, then you have a different error - one that is not self clearing.

 

Read Anton's ABS Fault web page.

http://www.largiader.com/abs/absfault.html

 

Report back.

[CoolTouch]

 

There is an interesting article on this prob and a suggested fix here... http://ibmwr.org/r-tech/oilheads/ABS-II_low_voltage_modification/index.shtml

 

I did this on my bike recently and it works perfectly. BUT, if you are saying that the two lights flash in unison and continue flashing after the bike rolls faster than 5mph then I would check the gap between the ABS sensors and the serrated tooth discs on the rotors.

[JamesW]

Hi Mark, Just curious, after your ABS fails to initialize what happens if you go for a short ride then shut off and restart the motorcycle? Does the ABS initialize properly after this restart?

[JaySc]

Hi Mark, Just curious, after your ABS fails to initialize what happens if you go for a short ride then shut off and restart the motorcycle? Does the ABS initialize properly after this restart?

 

This was my first thought as well. If this is the case, it's definitely the battery.

 

For what it's worth, I experienced the same thing as you intermittently before swapping for a new battery.

[Deltamark]

Hello all,

 

biometrics, I didn't do the best job in maintaining my battery over the winter months. When I did put a charger on, I plugged it into the cigarette lighter adapter. I was wondering if that would actually charge the battery, though.

 

Michaeir, the ABS lights are always flashing in alternate fashion. Thanks for the article link!

 

JamesW, there is no change when I go for a ride, turn the bike off, then restart. The lights always continue to flash.

 

I think I will first try a higher-quality battery. Any recommendations there, I'm open!

[Michaelr11]

Hello all,

 

biometrics, I didn't do the best job in maintaining my battery over the winter months. When I did put a charger on, I plugged it into the cigarette lighter adapter. I was wondering if that would actually charge the battery, though.

 

Michaeir, the ABS lights are always flashing in alternate fashion. Thanks for the article link!

 

JamesW, there is no change when I go for a ride, turn the bike off, then restart. The lights always continue to flash.

 

I think I will first try a higher-quality battery. Any recommendations there, I'm open!

 

Yes, you can charge your battery through the accessory outlet. Just don't exceed the capacity of the fuse for that circuit.

 

If the lights are alternating at key-on you have a non-cancelling error code. Follow the instructions to "reset" the ABS and clear the error code. Once you do that, the lights at key-on should flash together. Then pay careful attention if the ABS goes into an error condition. When does it happen, any noises at the time it happens. Make sure your battery is fully charged before you try this.

 

Until you reset the ABS, the lights will continue to flash alternately. Only the reset will clear this condition.

 

Nothing wrong with installing a new battery but until you clear the ABS error code you really don't know if the battery is an issue. A low-voltage ABS error is a self-clearing error. When you turn off the key and turn it back on, the low voltage error code is cleared by the ABS. If your error doesn't clear, it's not a low-voltage error.