BMW R1200 ABS problem fixed????

StormyBob · 06-19-2012, 05:24 PM

Hi, Gotta admit, the main reason I joined was to get some advice on a persistent brake problem, but as soon as I joined up, I fixed it! Fate!
A couple of months ago the ABS light started flashing, and a general warning light stayed lit on my R1200CL. The ABS would function for maybe an hour, and then fade away leaving almost nothing behind but a feeling of terror, and those damn lights! Was told this could be a less then perfect battery, (it wasn't) damp in the ABS area, (OK, I'm in Ireland, and its damp, but it wasn't) or a faulty sensor (it wasn't) Was about to bite the bullet and hand over a stack of euros to BMW for some diagnostics, ( I live on the other side of the country to any BMW dealer. We have to be pretty self-reliant) when an obliging tourist biker made a suggestion. Basically, I took out the fuse for the on-board computer, and tried to start the bike (it wouldn't start).
Replaced the fuse, started up and no red lights!!! It seems to have cleared the memory of the problem, which may not have existed in the first place.
I know it sounds too good to be true, but 600 miles later, still no problem!
If anybody else had a similar experience, let me know........ the brakes have been perfect since.

Dodsfall · 06-19-2012, 05:51 PM

The brakes were actually not working correctly or was it just a trouble-light coming on?

StormyBob · 06-19-2012, 06:28 PM

They would work for maybe 20 minutes, then fade to almost nothing. Stop, turn off, turn on again, and repeat. It sure took a long time getting places.

Dodsfall · 06-19-2012, 06:51 PM

That's scary. I would think the brakes should default to a standard hydraulic-only operation if something went wrong with the ABS computer instead of simply failing.

Bede5man · 06-20-2012, 01:06 AM

Software glitch that set a bit and had to be "purged"???

StormyBob · 06-21-2012, 05:29 PM

Believe me, BMW's idea of 'standard hydraulic operation' in this case was pretty close to my idea of 'total failure'. Really, I could just about feel something there, but maybe 5% of full braking. Yes, scary, but very frustrating 'cos all would come back when I re-started. Right now, when I brake,I pray a lot, but all seems to be well........

StormyBob · 06-21-2012, 05:35 PM

Yep, Bede5man, inclined to agree. Often, all this electronic stuff is more trouble than it's worth. I'm showing my age, harking back to the days when a bad set of spanners could strip a bike down in the time it takes to have a beer.

StormyBob · 06-21-2012, 05:38 PM

Well....maybe a large beer!

Bede5man · 06-21-2012, 05:58 PM

Maybe 2 large beers.

StormyBob · 06-21-2012, 06:05 PM

Any more beers and we won't be able to put the damn thing back together...

Bede5man · 06-21-2012, 06:08 PM

And it would take longer trying...might run backwards.

Manolao · 03-21-2013, 04:48 PM

once we had a problem with the rear brake of a 1200R... it suddenly got locked, never understood why

06-19-2012, 05:24 PM	#1
StormyBob Verified Join Date: Jun 2012 Location: Republic of Ireland Posts: 16	BMW R1200 ABS problem fixed???? Hi, Gotta admit, the main reason I joined was to get some advice on a persistent brake problem, but as soon as I joined up, I fixed it! Fate! A couple of months ago the ABS light started flashing, and a general warning light stayed lit on my R1200CL. The ABS would function for maybe an hour, and then fade away leaving almost nothing behind but a feeling of terror, and those damn lights! Was told this could be a less then perfect battery, (it wasn't) damp in the ABS area, (OK, I'm in Ireland, and its damp, but it wasn't) or a faulty sensor (it wasn't) Was about to bite the bullet and hand over a stack of euros to BMW for some diagnostics, ( I live on the other side of the country to any BMW dealer. We have to be pretty self-reliant) when an obliging tourist biker made a suggestion. Basically, I took out the fuse for the on-board computer, and tried to start the bike (it wouldn't start). Replaced the fuse, started up and no red lights!!! It seems to have cleared the memory of the problem, which may not have existed in the first place. I know it sounds too good to be true, but 600 miles later, still no problem! If anybody else had a similar experience, let me know........ the brakes have been perfect since.

06-19-2012, 05:51 PM	#2
Dodsfall Administrator Join Date: May 2008 Location: Illinois, USA Posts: 15,923	The brakes were actually not working correctly or was it just a trouble-light coming on? __________________ 2008 XL1200R To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 10 or greater. You currently have 0 posts.

06-19-2012, 06:51 PM	#4
Dodsfall Administrator Join Date: May 2008 Location: Illinois, USA Posts: 15,923	That's scary. I would think the brakes should default to a standard hydraulic-only operation if something went wrong with the ABS computer instead of simply failing. __________________ 2008 XL1200R To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 10 or greater. You currently have 0 posts.

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06-19-2012, 06:28 PM	#3
StormyBob Verified Join Date: Jun 2012 Location: Republic of Ireland Posts: 16	They would work for maybe 20 minutes, then fade to almost nothing. Stop, turn off, turn on again, and repeat. It sure took a long time getting places.

06-20-2012, 01:06 AM	#5
Bede5man Senior Member Join Date: Sep 2010 Location: Baltimore, MD Posts: 339	Software glitch that set a bit and had to be "purged"???

06-21-2012, 05:29 PM	#6
StormyBob Verified Join Date: Jun 2012 Location: Republic of Ireland Posts: 16	Believe me, BMW's idea of 'standard hydraulic operation' in this case was pretty close to my idea of 'total failure'. Really, I could just about feel something there, but maybe 5% of full braking. Yes, scary, but very frustrating 'cos all would come back when I re-started. Right now, when I brake,I pray a lot, but all seems to be well........

06-21-2012, 05:35 PM	#7
StormyBob Verified Join Date: Jun 2012 Location: Republic of Ireland Posts: 16	Yep, Bede5man, inclined to agree. Often, all this electronic stuff is more trouble than it's worth. I'm showing my age, harking back to the days when a bad set of spanners could strip a bike down in the time it takes to have a beer.

06-21-2012, 05:38 PM	#8
StormyBob Verified Join Date: Jun 2012 Location: Republic of Ireland Posts: 16	Well....maybe a large beer!

06-21-2012, 05:58 PM	#9
Bede5man Senior Member Join Date: Sep 2010 Location: Baltimore, MD Posts: 339	Maybe 2 large beers.

06-21-2012, 06:05 PM	#10
StormyBob Verified Join Date: Jun 2012 Location: Republic of Ireland Posts: 16	Any more beers and we won't be able to put the damn thing back together...

06-21-2012, 06:08 PM	#11
Bede5man Senior Member Join Date: Sep 2010 Location: Baltimore, MD Posts: 339	And it would take longer trying...might run backwards.

03-21-2013, 04:48 PM	#12
Manolao Verified Join Date: Mar 2013 Posts: 28	once we had a problem with the rear brake of a 1200R... it suddenly got locked, never understood why