Extremely Weird Yellow Triangle Issue

[Corazon de Pollo]

BMW R1200RT 2017 model, 43,000km on it, completely stock and always serviced by BMW. I am presently on a motorcycle trip in Spain and I still have about 1,500km to get home so forgive my manners. A few days back the yellow light started to flash for a second or so with the ESA symbol. It’s not solid and the suspension can be adjusted and they seem to work. Bothersome but hardly catastrophic. As I started the long way home I had a few extra symptoms: the yellow triangle flashed alone a few times and then I had the traction control light came up at random. Finally I am pretty sure the speedometer went to zero and back to work but I could be wrong. My only worry is to get back home, but I honestly don’t know if this is just a BMW quirk. (I already had one), a pinched wire, or if my ecu is plotting to strain me. This problem is completely unknown, or so it seems. I had thought this was the bike reacting to the ultra new Michelin Road 5 GT but at this stage I don’t know. Thanks for hearing me out and for all the advice you’ll offer.

[dirtrider]

27 minutes ago, Corazon de Pollo said:

BMW R1200RT 2017 model, 43,000km on it, completely stock and always serviced by BMW. I am presently on a motorcycle trip in Spain and I still have about 1,500km to get home so forgive my manners. A few days back the yellow light started to flash for a second or so with the ESA symbol. It’s not solid and the suspension can be adjusted and they seem to work. Bothersome but hardly catastrophic. As I started the long way home I had a few extra symptoms: the yellow triangle flashed alone a few times and then I had the traction control light came up at random. Finally I am pretty sure the speedometer went to zero and back to work but I could be wrong. My only worry is to get back home, but I honestly don’t know if this is just a BMW quirk. (I already had one), a pinched wire, or if my ecu is plotting to strain me. This problem is completely unknown, or so it seems. I had thought this was the bike reacting to the ultra new Michelin Road 5 GT but at this stage I don’t know. Thanks for hearing me out and for all the advice you’ll offer.

 

Afternoon Corazon de Pollo

 

Without a GS-911 or dealer failure code (or codes it is just a big guessing game).

 

So  a quick guess would be a problem with a wheel speed sensor, or a problem with  a wheel sensor wire, or a damaged front ABS tone ring. (this could happen during a tire change if care wasn't taken with front wheel removal/re-installation). 

 

Start by looking at the  front wheel ABS tone ring (that toothed ring on the front wheel) to make sure it isn't bent or a tooth bent or distorted, next, make sure the front wheel speed sensor wire isn't rubbing on the front brake rotor, then make sure the wheel speed sensor wires are not stretched out extremely tight. 

[Corazon de Pollo]

Thank you very much for the reply. Make no bone about it: one way or the other the bike is going to a dealer.  

For no other reason it was serviced immediately before I left home. 

Tomorrow morning I’ll check the tone wheel and sensor before leaving. 

Funny thing is, if I remember correctly, this whole charade started after I stopped a few minutes to take some pictures and rode on a freshly paved stretch of road. The error codes are completely random, so no help there…

[Corazon de Pollo]

Just a quick update. Today the bike threw zero coded and behaved well. The only things I can think of is the temperature today was a little bit cooler than yesterday (and very cold this morning) and that I found a thick splotch of tar on the tone ring while inspecting it, which I cleaned. I am honestly stumped but I won’t complain as I had a lot of road to cover today. I will keep you posted.

[Corazon de Pollo]

Judging by today problems and how I solved them, it’s a wheel speed sensor on its way out. In the specific I think the wiring is either pinched or stretched to the breaking point. This means voltage/amperage fluctuations with their corollary of random codes. Did I sound remotely believable? In case anybody is interested, I just remembered a free trick we used on agri machinery in my youth: gently stretch wire and slowly squeeze it with your fingers. Never thought it would work but what could I lose? Hopefully tomorrow I will be able to get home and leave the bike in the cares of the Three Stoog… I mean the maintenance staff of the local BMW dealership.

[alegerlotz]

Anything that involves electrical gremlins on these bikes can be related to a battery on its way out.  Having that load tested might be worth doing.

[dirtrider]

2 hours ago, Corazon de Pollo said:

Judging by today problems and how I solved them, it’s a wheel speed sensor on its way out. In the specific I think the wiring is either pinched or stretched to the breaking point. This means voltage/amperage fluctuations with their corollary of random codes. Did I sound remotely believable? In case anybody is interested, I just remembered a free trick we used on agri machinery in my youth: gently stretch wire and slowly squeeze it with your fingers. Never thought it would work but what could I lose? Hopefully tomorrow I will be able to get home and leave the bike in the cares of the Three Stoog… I mean the maintenance staff of the local BMW dealership.

 

Afternoon Corazon de Pollo

 

Hopefully the malfunction was trapped so your dealer can get a failure code read-out, if it has a trapped  failure code it will say what end wheel speed sensor was the problem. (or possibly it is another problem, so hopefully it was trapped)

[Corazon de Pollo]

44 minutes ago, alegerlotz said:

Anything that involves electrical gremlins on these bikes can be related to a battery on its way out.  Having that load tested might be worth doing.

 

I haven’t had much luck with OE Exide batteries. The first one was replaced under warranty in March and this one hasn’t got much to live judging by load tests (my brother has the rig and it gave discordant readings during two different tests, never a good sign). Replacing it with an old and boring but reliable Yuasa is already budgeted.

10 minutes ago, dirtrider said:

 

Afternoon Corazon de Pollo

 

Hopefully the malfunction was trapped so your dealer can get a failure code read-out, if it has a trapped  failure code it will say what end wheel speed sensor was the problem. (or possibly it is another problem, so hopefully it was trapped)

I hope as well: ISRA+ should be able to read at least some phantom codes. Otherwise I’ll figure something out. That’s how I earn my living. I will keep you posted and thanks for everything.

[John]

Gidday Corazon,

 

I agree with what Dirtrider wrote. The flashing occurs (normally) when a traction event triggers the ESC. An intermittently faulting sensor (or associated problem) could cause that.

Good luck!

[Corazon de Pollo]

While a complete diagnostics session will be carried out on Wednesday, I already got news from the BMW dealership.

 

They found the bike to be completely dead after it delivery, so they checked the battery and found both battery poles to be slightly loose and the negative one to be oxydized. After cleaning and tightening the bike instantly came to life, but... they found the battery to be basically dead at just 12.1V. Note this is a six months old genuine BMW/Exide battery.

They strongly suspect the oxydized battery terminal is the cause of all my problems, and the reason of the random yellow triangle with no other warning, but only diagnostics will tell that. Let's see how this will evolve...

[Marty Hill]

Odd, I just had a red triangle then it went to yellow.  Dealer has the bike/hope to know more when they re-open on tuesday.

[Corazon de Pollo]

31 minutes ago, Marty Hill said:

Odd, I just had a red triangle then it went to yellow.  Dealer has the bike/hope to know more when they re-open on tuesday.

 

My bike is patient zero and infecting every single one on the planet.

Joking aside my experience with electronics is limited to Honda's and I am still learning the ropes with BMS-X BMW's. I hope yours is something as easily (and cheaply) fixed as a peeled wire or bad battery.

[Marty Hill]

Many thanks, hopefully your's is a simple issue as well.

[Corazon de Pollo]

After a full diagnostic session, a battery test and a charging system test the dealer confirmed their diagnosis of loose/oxyidized battery terminals and I have been handed the bike back this evening. 

While I am pretty convinced about the diagnosis I am still puzzled at how it could have happened: battery terminals can come loose with vibrations (pretty common on some Honda twins) or they may have not been tightened properly, but oxydation on a battery terminal two and a hafl years old smells to me of "let's find something more serious than loose battery terminals to make the customer feel less of an idiot".

Battery terminals coated with grease and added to the list of regular maintenance items.

 

Thanks everybody for the help.

[alegerlotz]

3 hours ago, Corazon de Pollo said:

... While I am pretty convinced about the diagnosis I am still puzzled at how it could have happened: battery terminals can come loose with vibrations (pretty common on some Honda twins) or they may have not been tightened properly, but oxydation on a battery terminal two and a hafl years old smells to me of "let's find something more serious than loose battery terminals to make the customer feel less of an idiot".  ...

 

You mentioned in an earlier reply about having a battery changed under warranty, etc...  If that wasn't tightened down properly when it was replace then the corrosion could have been a result, along with it loosening up over time.

 

Glad its sorted out.