Burn through in RDL heated saddle

[kpax]

I rode to our BMW Christmas dinner on 12/6/15. It was chilly so I turned on the saddle heater. It got much hotter than normal and I turned it off. Same on the ride home.

Next day I noticed a hole in the saddle and a wire from the heater showing. I called Russell and they said send it to them. Saddle left on 12/8. Russell called and said it's a BMW problem, and service bulletin 61 002 14(010) deals with it. Haven't located the bulletin yet. Russell will repair the saddle, but the heater is fried. It's not their fault, according to them. BMW is still doing whatever BMW does after 5 emails, pics and 3 phone calls. No decision at all on replacing either the heating element or saddle. We'll see what happens here, but it's not very pretty so far.

I have lots of pics if I knew how to attach them.

 

Anyone else have this problem? This really sucks. I'm stuck between the 2 and NO saddle.

[Skywagon]

Not exactly...when the seat was stock, it was very hot on low setting so had to turn it on and off. When BarryBeemer on this list got his RDL back, he told me I should discuss with Russell before I had mine made. I talked to Kim at Russell prior to the build and ask them if they could bury the heater a little deeper....Apparently they did as my seat heater works well on low and doesn't over heat. I'm not aware of a BMW service bulletin, but may go to the dealer tomorrow and ask.

 

On a side note I dropped my seat while removing it. It pulled the wires out of the connector on the seat. After 3-4 weeks BMW Dealer has been unable to find that connector so no heat at all at the moment. I know I can cut and splice both ends, bike and seat, replace with any 2 wire, but that just doesn't seem right for a connector to not be available. They did order one part they thought was it, but when it came in...it was not.

 

If you end up having to buy a new heater, I would gladly buy your old heater with the connector attached.

 

 

I looked up Service Bulletin and don't see that one listed.

 

http://www-odi.nhtsa.dot.gov/owners/

 

Keep us posted on what the motherland says.

[gordiet]

BMW may not be willing to do anything because the seat has been modified.

I tried to find the recall bulletin but found nothing. Good luck.

 

GT

 

 

[strataj]

This provably won't help, I remember a service bulletin for a heat issue with the passenger seat a long time ago, it was a software upgrade.

 

Jay

[kpax]

Thanks Guys. David I'll keep you posted if the connector is available.

 

Right now it just looks like I'm the one who will get stuck w/ the expense. We'll see. A year ago I had some body panel connectors literally break on the 14 RT and BMW replaced body panels. I was impressed by their integrity on that.

 

Forgot to mention, not only did the freakin' heater burn through the saddle, my Stich has a corresponding hole in the crotch!!! Did I mention it was really hot?

 

Tomorrow will be another attempt at contacting BMW.

 

 

 

 

 

[realshelby]

While there was/is a TSB about the seats heating setup, yours sounds like it goes beyond that. Hot enough to burn/melt plastic to that degree is really HOT! BMW won't have a part to offer, only a complete seat assembly. Probably a court case to get any real help, as the seat was modified. My Russell was built after all this was figured out, my bike was bought in September '14 and all is well with the seat. I actually run it on the 2nd and 3rd bar often.

 

You might look into an aftermarket heating element and have Russell install it.

 

David, someone should offer a seat wiring extension! The factory setup is simply too short. I jerk on it too often when removing the seat.

[kpax]

WOOOHOOOOO!!!!

BMW Customer Service just agreed to send a "good will" front saddle.

 

WOW!!!!! I'm impressed.

 

Actually it probably didn't cost them that much, but as far as back up this speaks volumes, imo.

[Skywagon]

kpax..That's awesome. Now if RDL will help that will be great. If you get hung with RDL for a few weeks, I have a spare stock seat you would be welcome to borrow.

 

Terry...yep wire way too short and I suspect I won't be the last one to pull the wires out..I can't find that stupid connector with the tab for attaching to the seat anywhere. I sure wish I could. I am watching Ebay for a wrecked bike with torn up seat I could buy and cut the connector off...no luck so far. I wish I could figure out who makes that stupid connector for them and I would reach out to the mfg.

[dirtrider]

I can't find that stupid connector with the tab for attaching to the seat anywhere. I sure wish I could. .

 

I can't say they do have but I have had some luck finding non-available BMW motorcycle connectors at a good BMW auto dealer parts counter. (you need a savvy parts man to match them for you though)

 

If you decide to try this then try to find a time to visit the BMW dealer when no one else is at the parts counter as you need the parts guy to spend some time with you.

[fourteenfour]

out of curiosity, does the element turn off immediately when dialing it to off or does it have some cycle it has to finish? I could swear the other day it actually got hotter after turning off

[Skywagon]

i went to the local dealer today. They said they've worked with the motherland and they know what connector to send me....supposedly it will be here Tuesday. I'll believe it when I see it.

 

In the mean time I found out the connectors are made by Tyco. Tyco will not sell to the public.

 

Chris....Im taking a long ride tomorrow and see if my seat cycles off immediately or it takes a while. Will post Sunday evening or Monday.

[Mike the Ghoul]

Are you talking about the plug sockets that are on the seat? I bought a new heated seat and didn't want to cut the wires on the bike to wire it up, so ordered a spare set of plugs, the ones that are on the seat and installed them on the new seat. My local dealer got them for me. I have the two parts bags, sorry I can't tell which is front and which is rear. One is four wire and one is two. The part numbers are

83 30 0 402 344

83 30 0 413 584

worked fine. Only issue is that the wires on the plugs are all the same color.

[CWRoady]

When I bought my '15 it had a low seat on it and the dealership exchanged it with a standard seat from a '14 that was sitting near us. Fast forward to sending my seat to RDL and I receive a phone call from them about burn marks on the foam of my seat. They were surprised because they said they have seen this on '14's but hadn't on '15's ... until I told them the seat was off a '14.

 

Not surprisingly, my dealership says they have never heard of any issues with seat heaters elements.

[alexp]

Russell has my seat right now and is going pass two weeks from the production date. I just hope I don't end up having heating issues too.

[Skywagon]

Chris...used the factory heated seat this weekend. I didn't find that it kept going after ignition off. It began to cool off fairly soon.

[The Rocketman]

RE:

I found out the connectors are made by Tyco. Tyco will not sell to the public.

 

Many Tyco connectors are also manufactured by AMP. I've had success getting both Tyco and AMP connectors from these guys:

http://www.mouser.com/?gclid=CIGO9MSu7ckCFYEYHwodpD4NJg

 

See this thread for details too:

 

http://bmwsporttouring.com/ubbthreads/ubbthreads.php?ubb=showflat&Main=82834&Number=915263#Post915263