Got the Dreaded ABS Red Brake Failure Light 2007 R1200RT

[deilenberger]

Plen,

Might be worth reading: http://bmwsporttouring.com/ubbthread...gonew=1#UNREAD - about the 8th posting..

[WestHautianPlen]

Plen,

Might be worth reading: http://bmwsporttouring.com/ubbthread...gonew=1#UNREAD - about the 8th posting..

I visited the site; they do show a rebuild option for various BMW Motorcycle models pre-2007 for $350.00.
I sent them an email asking if they are rebuilding the newer ABS modules yet, specifically my bike model and year. I will update after their response.

Thanks again for your help.

[deilenberger]

I visited the site; they do show a rebuild option for various BMW Motorcycle models pre-2007 for $350.00.
I sent them an email asking if they are rebuilding the newer ABS modules yet, specifically my bike model and year. I will update after their response.

Thanks again for your help.

The posting I was referring to on this site (which is another BMW bike forum) is in reference to someone who got BMW to pay for his ABS module, despite it being out of warranty. Just a heads up that it can be done..

[deilenberger]

Just an update on the ABS modulator "fix".. this was discussed in a Google Group for the GS-911, and I take no credit (aside from finding the photos again) for the following. Since I haven't had a failure, I haven't looked at what is suggested here, but based on Modulemaster's very reasonable price to do the job, this is what I suspect is being done (I could be ALL wrong on that..)

Apparently the problem is the brushes on the modulator motor sticking in the brush holders. This causes the electronics to see an open circuit, and it then knows this is wrong so it throws a code and disables the ABS.

The photos I'm going to post were from Yut from Dynamic Motors, and the drawing was from "Jebo"

First - the problem:

[deilenberger]

As you may be able to see in the photo above, the brushes aren't actually contacting the commutator of the motor armature (part that spins).. without that contact, the motor just isn't going to work.

Here is the brush assembly with the armature removed:

[deilenberger]

I would expect the brushes to move toward the center hole in the backing plate as soon as the commutator/armature was removed. Since they didn't it's rather obvious they are binding.

What to do? Jebo posted this drawing that suggests bending the brush holder and adding some reinforcement so it won't close up again. I have a slightly different suggestion.. that I'll suggest in the next post (since we can only do one attachment per post.)

[deilenberger]

I'll preface this - I have NOT seen the brush holder in question (if someone wants to send me a kaput modulator, I'd be real interested in disassembling it..) so I may be talking out of my butt... but here goes:

I can see two ways the brushes might bind.

1. The brushes themselves are slightly oversize for the brush holder, and as they move down the brush holder (which may well taper a tiny bit due to the open vs closed end) they start to stick due to an interference problem.

OR:

2. The braided wire going to the brushes might bind on the slot in the brush holder if it's too large.

The fix of bending the holder open will probably end up with an even worse taper on the brush holder since one end of the slot isn't open and can't be spread. So - fixes I would try to perform:

- If #1 appears to be the problem, I might try removing the brush from the brush holder (normally there is a spring on the end opposite the contact to the commutator - that has to be moved out of the way), and lightly sanding it on a flat surface to very slightly reduce it's cross-section, allowing it to slide freely in the brush holder.

- If #2 appears to be the problem, I'd again try removing the brush, and then use a fine jeweler's file to very slightly open the slot all along it's length. Doing this will require making certain none of the filing dust gets into anywhere electrical.

It may well be that the brushes can't be removed from the holders (if the end opposite the contact end) has a folded over piece of metal that retains a simple coil spring pushing on the end of the brush.. in that case, bending and soldering that end as is suggested is probably a good solution (and may be the only solution.)

As I said - if anyone cares to send me a broken modulator, I'll try to do a detailed set of photos on disassembly/fix/reassembly that we can put in the DIY subforum.

Best,

[miltonbland]

Thought others might be interested in my experience. I ride a 2007 R12GSA with abs, about 18,000 miles. About three weeks ago I got the dreaded brake failure light. Brakes were acting normal, except when I tried them on wet grass it was obvious the ABS was not working. I bit the bullet and ordered a GS 911 code reader. I then used my Samsung Android phone's bluetooth to read codes 24048 and 24049. Both say power supply to pump motor faulty. I then contacted Tyler at Module Masters, Moscow Idaho. He seem confident he could rebuild the motor for $150.00 and take care of the problem. I removed the entire ABS control unit (ugh!) and shipped it. Eight days later, yesterday afternoon, it arrived back. Tyler had warned me there would be a few new screws in it when I got it back. Cosmetically that may be an issue, but since the entire module is hidden, I was not too worried. I reinstalled it last night, bled the brakes, and checked for error codes. NONE! By the time it was finished it was past midnight so I waited until this morning to test ride the bike. I rode about 60 miles this morning with everything operating as it is supposed to. Tested the ABS a couple of times, once on wet grass and once on loose gravel. Worked perfectly. My total cost of having the unit rebuilt was as follows: Shipping from Arkansas to Idaho, $17.00, rebuid $150.00, return shipping $30.00. And the 5 year warranty beats anything BMWNA has ever offered.

[FLETCHDUDE]

I removed the entire ABS control unit (ugh!) and shipped it.

I have the same problem so I really appreciate this thread. I spoke to Tyler a he said he would rebuild the motor for $150. I'm a newbie to the '07 R12R and no luck with a search. Is there a thread on how to remove the ABS control unit. He said he just needs the motor.

Thanks in advance, Jim

[racer7]

I don't know about you guys but my reaction to this is when that sort of extremely simple repair is all that is needed to address a large part of the ABS failures that have plagued this brand worse than anything else with wheels that I can recall, its pretty clear proof that yet another German engineering bunch is either stuoid or sleeping.

There is a reason the worlds most reliable vehicles come from Japan and now Korea- they understand continuous reliability improvement by fixing known issues. A "permanent" fix for these issues is both obvious and trivial to execute so the obvious question is why hasn't BMW done it? Of course, poor quality electrics is and always has been the bane of German makers- maybe its the outsourcing that causes it??

[ponch1]

I don't know about you guys but my reaction to this is when that sort of extremely simple repair is all that is needed to address a large part of the ABS failures that have plagued this brand worse than anything else with wheels that I can recall, its pretty clear proof that yet another German engineering bunch is either stuoid or sleeping.

There is a reason the worlds most reliable vehicles come from Japan and now Korea- they understand continuous reliability improvement by fixing known issues. A "permanent" fix for these issues is both obvious and trivial to execute so the obvious question is why hasn't BMW done it? Of course, poor quality electrics is and always has been the bane of German makers- maybe its the outsourcing that causes it??

May be BMW engineers should spend some time at Honda and Toyota...

[DAVEYD]

The Bike: 2007 R1200RT 21K miles. Has had brake line and cable recall performed.

I am a little on the nauseated side as I write. I rode over to the in-laws yesterday evening and on the way the Brake Failure light blinked and then stayed on. Paranoia set in immediately, tried both the front and rear brakes independently and both worked but the rear seamed to require a little more pressure. I tested the brakes several times hoping it would reset or clear. On the way back home I realized that the ABS was not working, because I could lock up both the front and rear tires. After I arrived home I checked the front Brake fluid level via the sight glass and it was filled to the tip of the glass. I check the rear brake level and it was at the top. I check the brake lights and both lamps were working. I checked the cables from the rear Final drive and from the front sender unit and both appear to be without any physical damage. I started the bike and as it idled the brake failure light blinked like normal so I proceeded out of the drive the blinking brake failure light went out until I applied enough pressure to lock the rear tire and then the dreaded brake failure light came on and stayed on again. I have turned the key of and restarted the bike, however the failure light stays on. I disconnected the battery in an attempt to wipe the fault, but the light stayed on.

Now for the $3500.00 question of the day. Is there anything else I can check prior to scheduling a service?

I live in Tallahassee FL. We now have six (!!) ABS pump failures in bikes ... two 'whizzy' systems and four R 1200 with ABS 4. Bikes have all had brake services done...mileage is 18,000, 23,000, and 40,000 plus. Only one new bike in our group out of seven has not failed...my R 1100 GS with 110 K miles!! There is a problem because Tallahassee does not have that many BMW's!!

[WestHautianPlen]

I would expect the brushes to move toward the center hole in the backing plate as soon as the commutator/armature was removed. Since they didn't it's rather obvious they are binding.

What to do? Jebo posted this drawing that suggests bending the brush holder and adding some reinforcement so it won't close up again. I have a slightly different suggestion.. that I'll suggest in the next post (since we can only do one attachment per post.)

Don,
I want to Thank You for your follow up on this problem!!

It is hard to tell, but I do not see a spring behind the brushes. If they are there, good, they are needed to insure pressure to push the brush into the armature commutator, however Without the springs the brushes would be basically in a fixed position and as soon as there is sufficient wear to the brush, no contact and the result is ABS failure.

Thanks again

[WestHautianPlen]

I have the same problem so I really appreciate this thread. I spoke to Tyler a he said he would rebuild the motor for $150. I'm a newbie to the '07 R12R and no luck with a search. Is there a thread on how to remove the ABS control unit. He said he just needs the motor.

Thanks in advance, Jim

As soon as it is to cold to ride, I want to address my ABS problem as well. I too would appreaciate any simplification of removal proceedure.

Thanks

[deilenberger]

Don,
I want to Thank You for your follow up on this problem!!

It is hard to tell, but I do not see a spring behind the brushes. If they are there, good, they are needed to insure pressure to push the brush into the armature commutator, however Without the springs the brushes would be basically in a fixed position and as soon as there is sufficient wear to the brush, no contact and the result is ABS failure.

Thanks again

I had, just about the time I posted this, disassembled a brush holder on SWMBO's vacuum cleaner that looked almost identical to the one in the ABS motor.. and there is a spring hidden in the housing. It's installed and then the end of the housing is bent over to keep it in place. I would guess that you're not going to get much more then one shot at unbending it and then bending it back after clearing whatever makes it stick. On her vacuum it wasn't the brushes - it was a thermal overload that was acting up.

As you noted - the design wouldn't work without springs behind the brushes..