abs lights

[41107]

1998 r1000 rt/p abs warning lights are sometimes setting other times not.
could do the relay trick to fix time permitting.battery (both) up to full charge
with battery tender.Just like to know what happens when i pull the bulbs.
They can drive me nuts.

[CTHalk]

My RT-P would occasionally give me an ABS fault. It would happen like this: I would be riding for a while, and as I do a rolling deceleration towards a stop, the bike would just cough once, barely perceptible, and would continue to run.....but the ABS light would come on. It seemed that the bike was momentarily stalling or shutting off...and then would catch again from rolling forward. I used a can of injector cleaner and got fresh gas from a different station, and the problem stopped. I also notice if I start the bike and immediately grab the brake, it seems to confuse the ABS. So, I start it, let it idle for a little bit before grabbing the controls. No problems since. I would miss not having functional ABS. I think it has saved me from a possible spill already! H.

[bmwmick]

1998 r1000 rt/p abs warning lights are sometimes setting other times not.
could do the relay trick to fix time permitting.battery (both) up to full charge
with battery tender.Just like to know what happens when i pull the bulbs.
They can drive me nuts.


Pulling the bulbs on your ABS-II will do nothing but prevent you from knowing when the ABS is sucessfully initialized or not. :)

[kitze2]

Not trying to highjack this thread but....On the subject of ABS lights/faults. About 75% of the time mine will show a fault (der bliinkin lights) when I start it in the am. Only seems to happen when I start it and let it warm up for a few minutes. If I turn it off for a second, using the key, and restart it everything is OK. When I start it I use the center stand and don not apply the brakes. Is there some sort of time-out on the system that kicks in after a few minutes without movement?

[deilenberger]

Not trying to highjack this thread but....On the subject of ABS lights/faults. About 75% of the time mine will show a fault (der bliinkin lights) when I start it in the am. Only seems to happen when I start it and let it warm up for a few minutes. If I turn it off for a second, using the key, and restart it everything is OK. When I start it I use the center stand and don not apply the brakes. Is there some sort of time-out on the system that kicks in after a few minutes without movement?Nope - no time-out. What's happening is you have a weak battery and you're getting a low-voltage fault caused by the voltage drop when cranking the engine over. Once the engine has been started and warmed up a bit - it cranks over much easier, so the second startup doesn't fault the ABS.

Cure is a new battery and/or the relay setup others have posted about that hooks the power to the ABS to the load-shed relay, preventing it from engaging until the starter stops turning.

[SNC1923]

Two things I've been schooled on lately.

One: When you start the bike, turn on the ignition and wait for the ABS blinking light to blink slowly. This allows the computer to cycle, or something like that. Can't vouch for the veracity of this statement, but it comes from someone who knows his stuff.

Two: As already stated, your battery has dropped below 12V. A new battery will solve this (if it is the problem). You may also want to look into a charger, which is what I did. ABS problem solved.

BTW, the first time this happened to me was on a trip to Colorado. Dealer in Colorado Springs diagnosed it immediately and changed the battery under warranty.

[sgtboring]

Two things I've been schooled on lately.

One: When you start the bike, turn on the ignition and wait for the ABS blinking light to blink slowly. This allows the computer to cycle, or something like that. Can't vouch for the veracity of this statement, but it comes from someone who knows his stuff.

Two: As already stated, your battery has dropped below 12V. A new battery will solve this (if it is the problem). You may also want to look into a charger, which is what I did. ABS problem solved.

BTW, the first time this happened to me was on a trip to Colorado. Dealer in Colorado Springs diagnosed it immediately and changed the battery under warranty.

This is what I learned from a European BMW mechanic. Keep the Battery Charged.

If I am on a trip with out the charger and the ABS ligts are blinking and not setting I will pull the clutch at about 30 miles an hour and turn the bike off with the key. I will then turn it back on with the key and pop the clutch in third gear. The bike starts up smooth and I do not drain the battery. The computer is happy and the the ABS brakes are set. :thumb

[EastTNBeemer]

What Don Eilenberger said. I tore my hair out trying to get the ABS light on my K75 to reset. A new battery cured everything.

[41107]

well thanks for the info on the removal of the bulbs.was just curious as to what efect
it would have on the system.I will put the relay in as writen up by ibmwr.seems to be the right fix here.this to me is just an other typ.bmw thing letting the customer figure out whats wrong.should have been a recall from the get-go.
my batt. is only 2 years old and holds a charge from the trickel charger just fine.
can,t see replacing it ,should have an other 2 years to go.

[alien_hitchhiker]

well thanks for the info on the removal of the bulbs.was just curious as to what efect
it would have on the system.

Alternative to pulling the bulb: place a piece of black electrical tape over the ABS dash light. Cut it to size & position it so that a sliver of the lights is still visible. This way you can still monitor the ABS function, but when it faults, as mine does frequently during the winter, the !#@$% flashing won't drive you &%$#@! nuts.

[dbrick]

Cure is a new battery and/or the relay setup others have posted about that hooks the power to the ABS to the load-shed relay, preventing it from engaging until the starter stops turning.

Close, but the load shed relay isn't used, as it passes current as soon as the ignition switch is turned on, even before you hit the starter button.

The modification - described at http://www.ibmwr.org/r-tech/oilheads/ABS-II_low_voltage_modification/index.shtml - adds an additional relay to the relay box; the relay's primary coil is connected to the alternator's D+ terminal. When the motor starts and the alternator turns, there's current at D+, the coil is energnized, and the relay's secondary closes; the secondary allows system current to flow to the ABS and begin its self-test. With the motor running and the starter having ceased drawing on the battery, things are propitious for a no fault ABS initialization.

[sgtboring]

Alternative to pulling the bulb: place a piece of black electrical tape over the ABS dash light. Cut it to size & position it so that a sliver of the lights is still visible. This way you can still monitor the ABS function, but when it faults, as mine does frequently during the winter, the !#@$% flashing won't drive you &%$#@! nuts.

Its faults more in winter since your battery is taxed by the cold. I spent 80$ on the BMW Charger that plugs into the power outlet. It was money well spent. If your ABS lights are blinking independently this means the charge is low. The bike has to charge and then "rebooted" re-started for the fault to clear. The charger saves the restarts. Also there are know ABS Brakes working until the fault is cleared.

[alien_hitchhiker]

Sarge, I may have to invest in that BMW charger. I've been using a Battery Tender Jr, but it doesn't seem to bring the BMW gel battery up to a full charge.

My real problem though is when the bike sits out in the cold in the parking lot at work. I'm thinking hard about the relay fix - or maybe just putting an off/on toggle on the ground side of the ABS power circuit. I could mount the switch on the dash and go at it.

[dbrick]

I'm thinking hard about the relay fix - or maybe just putting an off/on toggle on the ground side of the ABS power circuit. I could mount the switch on the dash and go at it.
I considered that, as it'd be easier than the whole new relay route. Two issues made me choose the relay: 1) the simplest place technically to interrupt the ABS power is at the green wire power feed, terminal #15 on the multi-pin connector that plugs into the side of the ABS module. But accessing the connector is a fairly good proportion of the effort to do the whole relay job; and 2) a manual switch is...manual. I'd like the ABS to initialize on its own without my intervention.
YMMV.

[kitze2]

The low voltage on start up causing the fault made sense. Of course leaving the grips on high didn't help.:doh Haven't had the fault in the last few days now that I turn 'em off.:clap