Jump to content
IGNORED

ABS Faults: Update


Green RT

Recommended Posts

For several months now I have been cursed (maybe that is too strong) with intermittent hard ABS faults. I seem to have cured it, and thought I would share my experience.

 

The problem.

R1100RT 1999. 80,000 miles. Occasionally, while riding the ABS lights will start blinking alternately. This does not occur on startup. It occurs usually at low speed when hitting a small bump, like the uneven pavement in a driveway. It is often associated with hitting these small bumps with the steering turned slightly. It doesn't matter if it is turned right or left. It never happens at speed (possibly because the bars remain fairly straight).

 

The ABS fault is a "hard" fault. It is not cleared by turning the key off and restarting. It is cleared by grounding Pin 2 of the diagnostic connector, turning on the key and holding down the ABS switch for 8 seconds.

 

The ABS fault code indicates a front sensor failure, 3, I believe, It was a while ago last time I bothered to read the fault code.

 

This has occurred intermittently for several months. It had gotten to the point recently where the fault would occur in every ride. I put a jumper on Pin 2 so that I can clear the fault without removing the seat. So the drill has become: Clear the code, start the bike; ride to the first low speed bump; ignore the flashing lights until the next stop; repeat.

 

The cure.

On Saturday, following an earlier hint from someone on this Board, I clipped all of the cable ties holding the cable. There are about 15 or 20 of them between the the sensor and the reservoir. Since doing this, I have had 0 (zero) failures in about 150 miles, all of it around town, up and down driveways and bumps.

 

A tentative explanation.

The cable ties were put on extremely tightly at the factory. My guess is that one of them, in a location that is worked when the handlebars are moved, has been wearing on the conductors, and has resulted in an intermittent connection. I guess the next step will be to replace the wire and closely examine the old wire and see if I can find the bad spot.

Link to comment
For several months now I have been cursed (maybe that is too strong) with intermittent hard ABS faults. I seem to have cured it, and thought I would share my experience.

 

The problem.

R1100RT 1999. 80,000 miles. Occasionally, while riding the ABS lights will start blinking alternately. This does not occur on startup. It occurs usually at low speed when hitting a small bump, like the uneven pavement in a driveway. It is often associated with hitting these small bumps with the steering turned slightly. It doesn't matter if it is turned right or left. It never happens at speed (possibly because the bars remain fairly straight).

 

The ABS fault is a "hard" fault. It is not cleared by turning the key off and restarting. It is cleared by grounding Pin 2 of the diagnostic connector, turning on the key and holding down the ABS switch for 8 seconds.

 

The ABS fault code indicates a front sensor failure, 3, I believe, It was a while ago last time I bothered to read the fault code.

 

This has occurred intermittently for several months. It had gotten to the point recently where the fault would occur in every ride. I put a jumper on Pin 2 so that I can clear the fault without removing the seat. So the drill has become: Clear the code, start the bike; ride to the first low speed bump; ignore the flashing lights until the next stop; repeat.

 

The cure.

On Saturday, following an earlier hint from someone on this Board, I clipped all of the cable ties holding the cable. There are about 15 or 20 of them between the the sensor and the reservoir. Since doing this, I have had 0 (zero) failures in about 150 miles, all of it around town, up and down driveways and bumps.

 

A tentative explanation.

The cable ties were put on extremely tightly at the factory. My guess is that one of them, in a location that is worked when the handlebars are moved, has been wearing on the conductors, and has resulted in an intermittent connection. I guess the next step will be to replace the wire and closely examine the old wire and see if I can find the bad spot.

 

 

Nice work and thank you for your insight into your problem. The ABS systems on our BMWs are rather mysterious to many of us. You have seen the light or, more accurately, you no longer see the light.

 

Thank you again.

Link to comment

Archived

This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.

×
×
  • Create New...