One-side heated grip failure

[GoNoPo]

Any suggestions for a dumby tracking down one-sided heated grip failure (96 rt) on throttle side?? Other side working fine.

Thank you in advance.

-Tomas

[GoNoPo]

I should add that I was messing with the Throttlemeister the other day (i.e. had to take cover off the switch to make adjustments to TM).

[MotorradMike]

Hi Tomas:

I have a '96 RS. I've had that end off twice and both times was afraid of breaking the heater wires. They are delicate and I would guess your right side has a broken wire. There are after market grip heaters available. If this was my bike I'd look into those rather than BMW parts.
To verify this 'broken wire guess' you'll need to take it apart again and I think it will be obvious.


Mike

[GoNoPo]

Very much appreciated. I will have a look.
Thanks,
Tomas

[knary]

FWIW,
It took some delicate soldering, but I twice repaired BMW heated grips. The failure was where the wire attached to the heating element (aka wire) at the outboard end of the grip.

[gnavecky]

FWIW,
It took some delicate soldering, but I twice repaired BMW heated grips. The failure was where the wire attached to the heating element (aka wire) at the outboard end of the grip.

I am having the same problem. How far down in the faring is the plug. Can the wires be fixed without removing the grip?

[knary]

I am having the same problem. How far down in the faring is the plug. Can the wires be fixed without removing the grip?

I did it on the bike. The grips I fixed had the closed end rubber grips and so necessitated removing the rubber.

On a new bike I would imagine that you could get to it just be removing the end weight and rolling up a little of the rubber. The connector for the grips is, IIRC, just under the front of the "tank" by the steering head.

I wish I could be of more help. I think you're going to have to do some digging. :D

[fire08]

I have a 00 1100RT, the throttle side heated grip quit working. I carefully rolled the rubber grip off to expose the brown plasticy covering over the wire. The wire appeared to be intact so I used a test light to check for power and I do have power at the beginning of the wire and at the end. SOOOO, my question is...if I am getting power why is it not heating? What do I check next?
Thanks!

[rlswim]

... The wire appeared to be intact so I used a test light to check for power and I do have power at the beginning of the wire and at the end. SOOOO, my question is...if I am getting power why is it not heating? What do I check next?


If you have voltage at both wires on the grip element, then your problem lies downstream on the ground wire side. There may be a break in the wiring on the return (i.e. negative or ground), or a connector issue. Without a negative return, you will see a potential that lights up your test light on both sides of the grip wiring. When it is working properly, you will see your test light at the positive wire of the grip heater, and no test light on the negative wire.

I noticed the same symptom this last weekend in Arkansas with my left-side grip, but I haven't had time to troubleshoot it yet. Sure did miss that warmth on my left hand.

[Texpaul]

I had a similar problem on my '00 RT. I removed the switch in the dashboard and found the back very dirty and lots of green gunk. I removed the wires, cleaned everything well with contact cleaner. Did the same where the wires from the grips connect in to the plug harness on the left side of the fairing.
That solved the problem.

[fire08]

Yipee, thanks K75swim! My grip heater failure was as simple as one little wire working itself out of connection. Your response helped me find it quickly.