Where's the 'RESET' button for my brakes?!?!?!

ColombiaGS · 11-04-2009, 06:03 PM

2005 R1200GS with ABS

So here I am in the final hour of an 8 hour drive from Cali, Colombia to Medellin - heading down out of the final mountain pass - when I pull over to put on the raingear. I make the mistake of stopping where I will need to angle it back onto the road over a steep shoulder dropoff. Long story short, I have a problem getting back up, slide sideways and have to forcefully exchange some action between clutching, gassing and braking to get back on the road and out of a silly situation that almost makes me dump it over.

IMMEDIATELY after this I end up with a brake failure alert and as I round my first corner in the rain going downhill I realize I have about 10% brakes in the rear with no ABS servo sound and only about 25% in the front with ABS servo sound. I have no choice but to slow down my trip and take her easy using the gears to control speed for the next 60 minutes until I make it home.

Today I unload the bike, unplug the battery to reset everything and fire it up. BRAKE FAILURE and now to make it better they are locked up. Will not roll in idle and have to hit hard gas to make it move. I'm thinking there must be a simple fix for this - something I don't know yet about my bike - but haven't found it yet after a basic search. Don't slam me and send me on a stupid goose chase - I know there's not actually a "reset" button - but it must be that simple based on how it occurred.

So now I am throwing it out to open forum and all you experts, hoping for a response while I delve a little further into GS-land online.

Thanks in advance!

Gadget Boy · 11-04-2009, 06:26 PM

Did you check the handguard to make sure it's not touching the lever?

ServoABS issues that trip off the servos:

micro switch at the lever or pedal not working
failed ABS sensor at the wheel
handguard touching the brake lever
low battery

and there's one more thing but I can't think of it

ColombiaGS · 11-04-2009, 06:37 PM

I just got done reading the big handguard post - heading down the elevator in a minute to check.

I did have some problems with the battery BEFORE my trip where the light was coming on but hooked it up to the BMW tender and I was good for the trip UNTIL Ipales, Colombia at the border with Ecuador where the bike would not start because it was f----ing freezing at 6:00am. Hooked it up to the charger again and about an hour later had the charge to start. Did not have any more problems with the battery and now no problems either. Just can't believe that the incident which put it into play would be related to the battery in this case.

I did bottom out and bang around trying to get it up out of the rut and over the uneven cement onto the road so also going to check for damage/bent parts.

ColombiaGS · 11-04-2009, 06:50 PM

Update:

Handguard not an issue.

DID find that the rear pedal system took a big hit (as mentioned above the underside got banged up trying to get up and over without falling over) and was not moving direct up and down, causing it to catch on the black plastic part of the assembly on its upward return. Between the damage and having to brake hard, this was causing the pedal to extend so low that it would catch on its way up. I bent the lever back into place and it is now connecting with the brake light trigger and servo is activating again.

"BRAKE FAILURE" has gone from blinking to solid, and front brake lever seems a bit tight but not sure until I take it out for a nighttime drive in a bit. Battery warning on the digital dash is now BACK ON!

peterman · 11-04-2009, 06:52 PM

also check the rear brake switch,, I had a tiny, tiny, little rock stuck in there, which caused a problem on my GS.

ColombiaGS · 11-04-2009, 09:17 PM

Just got in from a nice nighttime ride...

The bent-but-unnoticeable rear brake lever was definitely 95% of it. The front brake is not as tight as I thought - I had just lost proper feeling after riding through the mountains for a while with everything jacked up.

I am still getting a brake-failure AND battery (graphical) warning after startup until I put it into gear and get moving - then they both disappear? Maybe due to as mentioned in my original post? Time for a new battery?

Thanks so far for the input Peterman and Gadget Boy!

CheckerdD · 11-04-2009, 10:44 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ColombiaGS

I am still getting a brake-failure AND battery (graphical) warning after startup until I put it into gear and get moving - then they both disappear? Maybe due to as mentioned in my original post? Time for a new battery?
!

Isn't this normal. Your brake failure light turns off after your going more than 2mph. Correct. Dave

DeFens · 11-04-2009, 11:38 PM

With ABS you always get a blinking brake failure on startup until you've rolled a few feet and the system calibrates (or whatever the heck it does.) Sounds like your battery is on its way out though - it might take a charge for awhile, but might have a bad cell, etc.

ColombiaGS · 11-05-2009, 09:20 AM

Thanks for the brake failure light info...tough getting use to all the quirks of this German steed.

Agreed on the battery - think it's time for a new one....

Thanks for all the help guys!

PukaWai · 11-05-2009, 12:08 PM

I've had the battery light stay on after starting at idle, but if I blip the throttle it'll go out and stay off... til next time.

mb90535im · 11-05-2009, 01:04 PM

Weak battery will cause some weird symptoms. I was having the entire taillight/brake light circuit shut off because of a weak battery. Guy that run diagnostics said he was seeing faults registered across multiple systems from one end of the bike to the other.

All disappeared with a fresh battery, and it was only so weak that it would not start the bike and had to be bump started once and that was the morning that I took it in to have the rear light issue diagnoised. I was certain I had a short or broken wire. Nope, weak battery.

ColombiaGS · 11-06-2009, 06:02 PM

I'm thinking that the battery, after all which has been posted, is my next investment!

rebake · 11-07-2009, 04:50 AM

You want to keep an eye on the rear abs sensor wire.Mine had worn through the insulation and was grounding out on the metal clip that holds it to the rear housing.Ed

CheckerdD · 11-07-2009, 05:28 AM

I think too much is blamed on weak batteries. Yes BMW cut a corner when it tried to keep battery weight to a minimum - 12 Amp hours. One of the lowest required outputs in the industry. But I don't assume its the battery until I run a multimeter across the poles and get a low reading. IE less than 12.5.
That being said don't buy another stock battery. You either get the Oddesy and trim it a bit to get it to fit, or get the Yuasa YTX14H-BS. Which is the high output version of the YTX14-BS which will also fit and run the bike. Any MC shop such as a dirt bike shop has or can get the battery. Most BMW dealers will try to shove another stock battery down your throat. Dave

ColombiaGS · 11-10-2009, 06:57 PM

Thanks rebake...

AWESOME advice CheckerdD!!! Will do...

11-04-2009, 06:03 PM	#1
ColombiaGS Two-up in Colombia! Joined: Dec 2008 Location: Colombiaaaaa Oddometer: 257	Where's the 'RESET' button for my brakes?!?!?! 2005 R1200GS with ABS So here I am in the final hour of an 8 hour drive from Cali, Colombia to Medellin - heading down out of the final mountain pass - when I pull over to put on the raingear. I make the mistake of stopping where I will need to angle it back onto the road over a steep shoulder dropoff. Long story short, I have a problem getting back up, slide sideways and have to forcefully exchange some action between clutching, gassing and braking to get back on the road and out of a silly situation that almost makes me dump it over. IMMEDIATELY after this I end up with a brake failure alert and as I round my first corner in the rain going downhill I realize I have about 10% brakes in the rear with no ABS servo sound and only about 25% in the front with ABS servo sound. I have no choice but to slow down my trip and take her easy using the gears to control speed for the next 60 minutes until I make it home. Today I unload the bike, unplug the battery to reset everything and fire it up. BRAKE FAILURE and now to make it better they are locked up. Will not roll in idle and have to hit hard gas to make it move. I'm thinking there must be a simple fix for this - something I don't know yet about my bike - but haven't found it yet after a basic search. Don't slam me and send me on a stupid goose chase - I know there's not actually a "reset" button - but it must be that simple based on how it occurred. So now I am throwing it out to open forum and all you experts, hoping for a response while I delve a little further into GS-land online. Thanks in advance! __________________ Last edited by ColombiaGS : 11-05-2009 at 10:32 AM.

11-04-2009, 06:26 PM	#2
Gadget Boy ADV Plenipotentiary Joined: Aug 2002 Location: Toronto, Canada Oddometer: 39,256	Did you check the handguard to make sure it's not touching the lever? ServoABS issues that trip off the servos: micro switch at the lever or pedal not working failed ABS sensor at the wheel handguard touching the brake lever low battery and there's one more thing but I can't think of it __________________ ADV flag, decals & patches? Here

11-04-2009, 06:37 PM	#3
ColombiaGS Two-up in Colombia! Joined: Dec 2008 Location: Colombiaaaaa Oddometer: 257	I just got done reading the big handguard post - heading down the elevator in a minute to check. I did have some problems with the battery BEFORE my trip where the light was coming on but hooked it up to the BMW tender and I was good for the trip UNTIL Ipales, Colombia at the border with Ecuador where the bike would not start because it was f----ing freezing at 6:00am. Hooked it up to the charger again and about an hour later had the charge to start. Did not have any more problems with the battery and now no problems either. Just can't believe that the incident which put it into play would be related to the battery in this case. I did bottom out and bang around trying to get it up out of the rut and over the uneven cement onto the road so also going to check for damage/bent parts. __________________ Last edited by ColombiaGS : 11-05-2009 at 10:34 AM.

11-04-2009, 06:50 PM	#4
ColombiaGS Two-up in Colombia! Joined: Dec 2008 Location: Colombiaaaaa Oddometer: 257	Update: Handguard not an issue. DID find that the rear pedal system took a big hit (as mentioned above the underside got banged up trying to get up and over without falling over) and was not moving direct up and down, causing it to catch on the black plastic part of the assembly on its upward return. Between the damage and having to brake hard, this was causing the pedal to extend so low that it would catch on its way up. I bent the lever back into place and it is now connecting with the brake light trigger and servo is activating again. "BRAKE FAILURE" has gone from blinking to solid, and front brake lever seems a bit tight but not sure until I take it out for a nighttime drive in a bit. Battery warning on the digital dash is now BACK ON! __________________ Last edited by ColombiaGS : 11-05-2009 at 10:35 AM.

11-04-2009, 06:52 PM	#5
peterman cop magnet Joined: Jan 2006 Location: Springfield,,,,like the Simpsons,,,orygun Oddometer: 5,230	also check the rear brake switch,, I had a tiny, tiny, little rock stuck in there, which caused a problem on my GS. __________________ peterman ___________________________ "Life isn't about waiting for the storm to pass,,it's about learning to dance in the rain." I don't know,, it's kinda weird, but the constant chest pains seem to go away when I let the clutch out on my bike,,

11-04-2009, 09:17 PM	#6
ColombiaGS Two-up in Colombia! Joined: Dec 2008 Location: Colombiaaaaa Oddometer: 257	Just got in from a nice nighttime ride... The bent-but-unnoticeable rear brake lever was definitely 95% of it. The front brake is not as tight as I thought - I had just lost proper feeling after riding through the mountains for a while with everything jacked up. I am still getting a brake-failure AND battery (graphical) warning after startup until I put it into gear and get moving - then they both disappear? Maybe due to as mentioned in my original post? Time for a new battery? Thanks so far for the input Peterman and Gadget Boy! __________________

11-04-2009, 11:38 PM	#8
DeFens Gnarly Adventurer Joined: Jun 2006 Location: Monroe, WA Oddometer: 193	With ABS you always get a blinking brake failure on startup until you've rolled a few feet and the system calibrates (or whatever the heck it does.) Sounds like your battery is on its way out though - it might take a charge for awhile, but might have a bad cell, etc.

11-05-2009, 09:20 AM	#9
ColombiaGS Two-up in Colombia! Joined: Dec 2008 Location: Colombiaaaaa Oddometer: 257	Thanks for the brake failure light info...tough getting use to all the quirks of this German steed. Agreed on the battery - think it's time for a new one.... Thanks for all the help guys! __________________

11-05-2009, 12:08 PM	#10
PukaWai Gnarly Adventurer Joined: Nov 2007 Location: Hawaii, So. Cal. Oddometer: 162	I've had the battery light stay on after starting at idle, but if I blip the throttle it'll go out and stay off... til next time.

11-05-2009, 01:04 PM	#11
mb90535im '05 R1200 GS Joined: Jun 2008 Location: NW GA Oddometer: 860	Weak battery will cause some weird symptoms. I was having the entire taillight/brake light circuit shut off because of a weak battery. Guy that run diagnostics said he was seeing faults registered across multiple systems from one end of the bike to the other. All disappeared with a fresh battery, and it was only so weak that it would not start the bike and had to be bump started once and that was the morning that I took it in to have the rear light issue diagnoised. I was certain I had a short or broken wire. Nope, weak battery.

11-06-2009, 06:02 PM	#12
ColombiaGS Two-up in Colombia! Joined: Dec 2008 Location: Colombiaaaaa Oddometer: 257	I'm thinking that the battery, after all which has been posted, is my next investment! __________________

11-07-2009, 04:50 AM	#13
rebake Gnarly Adventurer Joined: Jan 2007 Location: central Eleenoise Oddometer: 198	rear sensor You want to keep an eye on the rear abs sensor wire.Mine had worn through the insulation and was grounding out on the metal clip that holds it to the rear housing.Ed

11-07-2009, 05:28 AM	#14
CheckerdD Gnarly Adventurer Joined: Apr 2005 Location: Dave Rankine, Reno NV Oddometer: 367	I think too much is blamed on weak batteries. Yes BMW cut a corner when it tried to keep battery weight to a minimum - 12 Amp hours. One of the lowest required outputs in the industry. But I don't assume its the battery until I run a multimeter across the poles and get a low reading. IE less than 12.5. That being said don't buy another stock battery. You either get the Oddesy and trim it a bit to get it to fit, or get the Yuasa YTX14H-BS. Which is the high output version of the YTX14-BS which will also fit and run the bike. Any MC shop such as a dirt bike shop has or can get the battery. Most BMW dealers will try to shove another stock battery down your throat. Dave __________________ Pavement! We don't need no stinkin pavement.

11-10-2009, 06:57 PM	#15
ColombiaGS Two-up in Colombia! Joined: Dec 2008 Location: Colombiaaaaa Oddometer: 257	Thanks rebake... AWESOME advice CheckerdD!!! Will do... __________________

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