R1100RT - ABS Fault
Discussion
Can anyone help me please? I've just bought a R1100RT (9 years old but in very good nick). However, the ABS lights just flash which indicate a fault (the person who sold it to me decided not to tell me this about the bike) - does anyone know if this is a serious fault or can it be fixed easily? - any help or sugggestions most welcome.
Never been near ABS on a bike but must be similar principal to a car.I've just fixed the ABS on my Citroen.There is a sensor which sits very close to a toothed wheel,there is a very small gap(a few thou)between the sensor and the toothed wheel it takes the reading off.This gap has to be bang on and no crud in betwwen the gap.When you imagine crud on the road and all the brake dust floating around they clog up really easy.I was getting the light on all the time,took sensor off,cleaned the end with WD40,regapped the sensor when i put it back on to the correct gap,light doesn't come on anymore!This was after loads of people telling me its the wiring,its the wiring!What you can do as well is just follow the lead coming from the sensor until it reaches its first multi-plug connection,pull that apart and clean with WD40,You'll be surprised where water will get into,it will probably have some of the white,furry residue on the connections.Good luck!
Problems with the ABS units on BMWs often come from a low battery. Even if the battery is charged/replaced the system will report a fault until re-set. I can't remember the exact method of re-setting the system (other than paying the dealer £50 to do it!) but you can chaeck out www.ibmwr.org/r-tech/oilheads/index.shtml Just in case you are not sure, the R1100 series was fitted with ABS2
I had an R1100RS SE until recently, and I would agree with black-k1, check the battery first.
On mine there was an ABS switch on the dash, when I first got it I assumed it was a system test switch and pressed it to see what happened, as both warning lights come on with the ignition............silly me should have read the hand book first! Doh! The switch should only have been pressed if the ABS fails to set after you pull away, as it manually tells the bikes brain to register a fault, and turns the ABS system off until you get it checked.
However, if this has happened on yours, simply disconnect the battery for about five minuets and the 'fault report memory' will be wiped clean. When you reconnect a good battery, all should be fine.
If you haven't ridden a BMW with working ABS before, the warning lights come on with the ignition, the system sets itself with a big clunk as you pull away and the warning lights don't go out until you have touched both brakes for the first time.
Other than a low / weak battery from lack of use, the only other time I had the ABS play up is when I had a fault with the 'french' starter motor causing a power drain, but this was obvious due to sluggish starting.
Hope that helps.
On mine there was an ABS switch on the dash, when I first got it I assumed it was a system test switch and pressed it to see what happened, as both warning lights come on with the ignition............silly me should have read the hand book first! Doh! The switch should only have been pressed if the ABS fails to set after you pull away, as it manually tells the bikes brain to register a fault, and turns the ABS system off until you get it checked.
However, if this has happened on yours, simply disconnect the battery for about five minuets and the 'fault report memory' will be wiped clean. When you reconnect a good battery, all should be fine.
If you haven't ridden a BMW with working ABS before, the warning lights come on with the ignition, the system sets itself with a big clunk as you pull away and the warning lights don't go out until you have touched both brakes for the first time.
Other than a low / weak battery from lack of use, the only other time I had the ABS play up is when I had a fault with the 'french' starter motor causing a power drain, but this was obvious due to sluggish starting.
Hope that helps.
There are other causes. Do you have the owners manual, as the rate of flash and which lights denotes different things.
One thing I do suggest you try before anything else is a new tail light bulb.
The BMW set up includes a dash warning (just like the one you describe in the OP) if the tail light filament burns out. Don't just look at the back, see a light and say "it's not that". The BMW electrics, sensing a broken filament, put a half-current through the brake light filament so provides you with a normal looking illumination from the tail lamp to complete the journey. When you press the brake, full voltage and a "Brake Light" appears.
Bulbs are cheap, and if it's not that then you have a spare anyway.
One thing I do suggest you try before anything else is a new tail light bulb.
The BMW set up includes a dash warning (just like the one you describe in the OP) if the tail light filament burns out. Don't just look at the back, see a light and say "it's not that". The BMW electrics, sensing a broken filament, put a half-current through the brake light filament so provides you with a normal looking illumination from the tail lamp to complete the journey. When you press the brake, full voltage and a "Brake Light" appears.
Bulbs are cheap, and if it's not that then you have a spare anyway.
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