Rejecting a twelve month old bike?
Discussion
At what stage do you think enough is enough?
Spent £16k on a brand new BMW R1200GS last December.
So far:-
16 Dec 14 Bike delivered to me new
26 Jan 15 Bike recovered as dead and wouldn’t start
5 March 15 Bike recovered dead and wouldn’t start
9 April 15 Kill switch replaced
23 Sept 15 Kill switch replaced again
5 Nov 15 Bike recovered dead and wouldn’t start. Kill switch replaced again too
2 Dec 15 Bike recovered dead and wouldn’t start. It was returned to me on 10 December
12 Dec 15 Bike recovered dead and wouldn’t start – it is with them now.
When not in use, the bikes is kept indoors and put on a trickle charge when unused for a few days. Despite this, the battery fully discharges.
BMW don't seem to have a clue...
What would you do?
Spent £16k on a brand new BMW R1200GS last December.
So far:-
16 Dec 14 Bike delivered to me new
26 Jan 15 Bike recovered as dead and wouldn’t start
5 March 15 Bike recovered dead and wouldn’t start
9 April 15 Kill switch replaced
23 Sept 15 Kill switch replaced again
5 Nov 15 Bike recovered dead and wouldn’t start. Kill switch replaced again too
2 Dec 15 Bike recovered dead and wouldn’t start. It was returned to me on 10 December
12 Dec 15 Bike recovered dead and wouldn’t start – it is with them now.
When not in use, the bikes is kept indoors and put on a trickle charge when unused for a few days. Despite this, the battery fully discharges.
BMW don't seem to have a clue...
What would you do?
Battery has been replaced by BMW a couple of times and is supposed to be okay. Both dealer and BMW Assist can't find the fault.
It's keyless to but when dead it is absolutely dead. No click, no lights nothing.
Fully charged one night - rode the next day and dead the day after.
On trickle charge if unused for a bit.
It's keyless to but when dead it is absolutely dead. No click, no lights nothing.
Fully charged one night - rode the next day and dead the day after.
On trickle charge if unused for a bit.
Edited by Davel on Monday 14th December 11:57
Davel said:
At what stage do you think enough is enough?
I'd say that's more than enough. Refuse to have it back, say you want a brand new replacement or a full refund. Threaten to name and shame with letter to MCN, Twitter, Facebook etc.Social media is great for complaints. Recently had a dispute with Viagogo. About £250, not £16K. Got nowhere with them for weeks. One negative post by me on Twitter and they were all over me like a rash. Full settlement of my claim agreed on the same day!
Has it got a tracker?
Only thing to do is to fully charge the battery then measure the battery drain. Systematically pull fuses/relays until the drain goes away. Also check the alternator is working. If BMW can't do that then they're thick!
Are all keyless entry fob thingies kept out of range of the bike at all times apart from when you go and use it?
Only thing to do is to fully charge the battery then measure the battery drain. Systematically pull fuses/relays until the drain goes away. Also check the alternator is working. If BMW can't do that then they're thick!
Are all keyless entry fob thingies kept out of range of the bike at all times apart from when you go and use it?
No Tracker
They say that the battery isn't being drained of power when turned off and nothing is showing up on the diagnostic kit.
They also say the battery is fine.
I've always thought that they'd find the problem and fix it - but clearly not.
Last week they suspected a drain from the sat nav feed even though dead when turned off.
They really are clutching at straws now and just fumbling around.
Yes the key fob is kept in the house whilst the bike is either outside or in the stables. They are not close to each other.
I really thought that it would be a simple fix but not so apparently.
They say that the battery isn't being drained of power when turned off and nothing is showing up on the diagnostic kit.
They also say the battery is fine.
I've always thought that they'd find the problem and fix it - but clearly not.
Last week they suspected a drain from the sat nav feed even though dead when turned off.
They really are clutching at straws now and just fumbling around.
Yes the key fob is kept in the house whilst the bike is either outside or in the stables. They are not close to each other.
I really thought that it would be a simple fix but not so apparently.
Edited by Davel on Monday 14th December 12:53
Davel said:
nothing is showing up on the diagnostic kit.
To the main dealer, that means there's nothing wrong with the bike, in my experience.Some of their mechanics need to learn how to use a test meter, and BMW for their part could stop building bikes with such fault prone and complex electrical systems.
No, it was returned last Thursday from BMW.
They'd had it over a week and reckoned that they had fixed it- again.
Rode it onto the stables at that time.
Not put on trickle charge because I was planning to do a toy run on the Saturday morning.
Went to it on Saturday morning - nothing.
The bike should be able to hold the charge for much longer than that anyway.
I've only used the trickle charger if parked up for more than a few days.
BMW have tested the bike, the batteries and the trickle charger (supplied by them) several times.
They'd had it over a week and reckoned that they had fixed it- again.
Rode it onto the stables at that time.
Not put on trickle charge because I was planning to do a toy run on the Saturday morning.
Went to it on Saturday morning - nothing.
The bike should be able to hold the charge for much longer than that anyway.
I've only used the trickle charger if parked up for more than a few days.
BMW have tested the bike, the batteries and the trickle charger (supplied by them) several times.
The trickle charger is a bit of a red herring TBH.
A new battery (as yours is) should last weeks without being used.
I'd keep it OFF the charger to discount that completely.
Something is draining the battery and seriously shouldn't be that difficult to spot.
A new battery (as yours is) should last weeks without being used.
I'd keep it OFF the charger to discount that completely.
Something is draining the battery and seriously shouldn't be that difficult to spot.
Edited by Drawweight on Monday 14th December 15:39
teabelly said:
Only thing to do is to fully charge the battery then measure the battery drain. Systematically pull fuses/relays until the drain goes away. Also check the alternator is working. If BMW can't do that then they're thick!
This.In more detail, with the "keys" (I know it is keyless) far away from the bike just remove the wire(s) from the earth terminal on the battery and put an ammeter (OK, multimeter set to "ammeter", the 200mA setting should be fine to start off) between the earth terminal and the wire(s) and then note any current measurement. You can remove fuses etc until the drain disappears (or is reduced), as described. And there is the faulty circuit (or there could be more than one fault) when a significant reduction is noted - but you will always find some current in the region of a few mA flowing even when all is good.
You can check the basic alternator function by checking the voltage across the battery when the engine isn't running (it could be anything around 11v to 13v approx) then start the engine and check the voltage across the battery again (you'd be looking for something in the region of 14.4v to 14.8v with headlights OFF).
You mention that the garage's diagnostic machine is showing no fault. It is, to be frank, going wrong at that stage
- and I will wager that the checks described above have NOT been carried out at any time at that garage... 
Thanks all.
I hate to admit it but I buy new to keep within warranty etc. I know absolutely fanny all about engines and electrics.
I can do fuel, oil, water etc but then I leave it to those in the know.
I thought BMW would be in the know but now fear that they are fumbling. Get it running and return it to me in the hope that it will last for a while.
Let's see their response to my notice to get it sorted or replace.
I hate to admit it but I buy new to keep within warranty etc. I know absolutely fanny all about engines and electrics.
I can do fuel, oil, water etc but then I leave it to those in the know.
I thought BMW would be in the know but now fear that they are fumbling. Get it running and return it to me in the hope that it will last for a while.
Let's see their response to my notice to get it sorted or replace.
Have they changed the battery?
I see you say they have checked it but normally that is just a current output test which will not show up what is wrong with your bike.
The first thing I would do is to disconnect the battery and measure the voltage with a digital multimeter. Keep the multimeter attached for several hours and note the voltage reading. I have a suspicion that you will see it slowly counting down 1/100th of a volt every few seconds.
If this is the case then the internal resistance of you battery is breaking down flattening the battery internally over time.
If the battery is not losing voltage then reconnect via an ammeter and start the pulling of fuses but do check the battery first so you have a known good starting point.
I see you say they have checked it but normally that is just a current output test which will not show up what is wrong with your bike.
The first thing I would do is to disconnect the battery and measure the voltage with a digital multimeter. Keep the multimeter attached for several hours and note the voltage reading. I have a suspicion that you will see it slowly counting down 1/100th of a volt every few seconds.
If this is the case then the internal resistance of you battery is breaking down flattening the battery internally over time.
If the battery is not losing voltage then reconnect via an ammeter and start the pulling of fuses but do check the battery first so you have a known good starting point.
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