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2000 R1100RT ABS Fault, New Battery


twowheelsonly

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twowheelsonly

Hi

 

I experienced a problem with my ABS flashing, the lights flash sequentially from top to bottom, I have tried to reset the system by shorting the middle blue connector middle pin to the battery ground and holding the abs switch down for 8 to 10 seconds which used to cause the ABS lights to flash together at the same time, when the abs system worked I used to hear the brakes engage when I first rode off and the light was off.. I thought it was a battery problem and bought a new Oddessy battery PC680 and installed it. I tries to reset the ABS but it will not stop flashing sequentially!!

 

I tried to search this subject but came up with nothing so I appreciate any input you have

 

Thanks

Stewart

 

 

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Had this issue and it tuned out to be low brake fluid in the ABS.

According to the original poster's sig line, he has a 2000 R1100RT which has ABS2, not the later 1150 IABS. There wouldn't be a separate fluid circuit in the ABS Unit.

Check the code of the fault to see what is actually causing the fault. You have to check the fault code when the flashing ABS fault is there; it will be cleared when you perform the reset. Once you know the fault code, you should be able to clear the fault from the ABS, but depending on the problem it might just happen again.

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Morning Stewart

 

One thing that might help to diagnose your problem is WHEN do your lights go from flashing together to flashing alternately?

In most cases that will indicate when you problem occurs. If after ride-off, then look at things like wheel sensors or broken sensor wire.

If before ride-off then something like low battery voltage or something wrong with your ABS controller like a stuck piston or power relay problem.

 

In any case you should be able to grab the stored code(s) ONCE the problem re-occurs.

 

 

-(Reading ABS 2 controller stored fault codes)-

“Make sure battery voltage is at or above 12 volts”

 

1)- First,, place analog voltmeter between pin #2 of ABS diagnostic connector & ground.. (don’t use a digital voltmeter as most won’t respond quick enough to show stored codes correctly).. Another way is to use a LED & resistor in place of the voltmeter..

2)- Then,, turn ignition S/W on..

3)- Voltmeter should indicate (close to) a steady 11volts,, (IF) no fault codes are stored..

4)- If it has stored fault code(s) in the ABS controller it should show as voltage swings or drops.. To find ABS code or codes just count the voltmeter needle swings towards zero volts..

 

 

-(Here are the ABS 2 fault codes)-

 

1)- front pressure modulator..

2)- rear pressure modulator..

3)- front sensor..

4)- rear sensor..

5)- battery voltage low..

6)- ABS relay..

7)- ABS control unit..

8)- sensor gap front or rear..

 

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This happened on my '99 R1100RT when it was about 1.5 years old. It was an intermittent problem at first and not associated with counting to 5 before hitting the start button to allow the ABS to fully come on line. I replaced the battery on the advice of local mechanic with no result, and then the problem became a 100% fault on start up. It turned out to be a faulty front wheel ABS sensor. Once that was identified and replaced there have been no more ABS problems.

 

Down the road a bunch of years I replaced OEM battery going to the Universal AGM battery from Staab Battery which upped the amp hours from 19 to 22. Now I never ever have the irritating ABS fault on start up even if I hit the start button as soon as I turn the ignition key on. This battery is much less expensive than Oddessy ($53 shipped to my door) and I am going into year 3 on it with no issues. I am not saying that the Oddessy is not a great battery…..I just don’t personally value the premium required to having a mil-spec battery. I don’t and will not use my RT battery in the extreme environments that a mil-spec battery must perform in. Maybe if I road a GS off road, or lived in Death Valley that would be a different story!!! But I appreciate the peace of mind for those who sleep better at night knowing their battery is designed for such rugged duty.

 

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Morning Paul

 

“became a 100% fault on start up”

 

Any chance you remember that incorrectly?

 

A faulty wheel sensor usually shows up at ride-off not start-up.

 

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I've got a 2000 R1100RTP with the alternating ABS flash that happens as soon as I turn on the ignition and never goes away, even if I wait the requisite 5 seconds before starting. I thought it might be the fluid level (that was the case with my KLT) but it isn't. Where is this ABS diagnostic plug? My ABS has both front and rear circuits. The weather here in Hawaii is not extreme, but it IS extremely boring.

 

Harrison

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twowheelsonly

There is a blue connector behind the fuse box, its a few inches behind the fuse box towards the rear fender, it is a 3 pin plug, you can reset the ABS system by using a wire inserted in the middle terminal of the 3 pin plug, you need to jumper from the connector and run it to a good ground, preferably the negative - battery post on the left side of the bike.

 

Turn the key on and hold the ABS button on for 8 to 10 seconds, the abs light will stop flashing as soon as you hold the ABS button down, Turn the key off after 8 to 10 seconds, remove the jumper wire to the 3 pin connector. Turn the key on and the ABS lights will flash at the same time if the ABS system is reset.

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I tried resetting the ABS but the lights stayed the same ie. alternate flashing, although the brakes seem to work OK. What else could it be?

 

Harrison

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Morning Paul

 

“became a 100% fault on start up”

 

Any chance you remember that incorrectly?

 

A faulty wheel sensor usually shows up at ride-off not start-up.

 

You got me on that one. It was so many years ago now that the fault could have occured on initial roll away after starting. Although, I am not sure when this fault is registered by the ABS computer? If the sensor was 100% dead then it would be as if it was not connected with no continuity or, improper resistance level if shorted. I am not sure if that condition is caught on the initialization of the ABS computer or only when the wheels start turning and it gets no signal. The shop diagnostic computer never caught it at first because the little bugger was working on the two visits to the shop so the computer did not not register a fault. Hate is not too strong a word for intermittent problems as they are the toughest to sort out. Only when the wheel sensor was in a state of 100% failure did the diagnostic computer catch the issue.

 

In any case the point is that those ABS wheel sensors can go intermittently bad before 100% failure and you will get ABS fault intermittently, which is nearly impossible to relate to any other causation event.

 

Steward's post seems to put him be on a similar path I took. ABS fault, a new batter purchase with no resolution. With the Oddessy battery that should have also ruled out the other fault which is a bad initialization because the voltage is too low at start up. Assuming Steward is not hitting the starter button before the ABS initialization is complete, which can cause a low voltage ABS fault with the OEM battery, the next likely source is an ABS wheel sensor and I am here to tell you these wheel sensors do not always go 100% dead when they fail. It will drive you batty until it goes 100% failure

 

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Morning Paul

 

Not sure what your dealer was looking at (sounds like they weren’t proficient with their equipment) but if one of your wheel sensors failed enough to put the fault light on then a sensor code was stored in the controller as that was a hard failure. I agree an intermittent sensor can be a pain but once the failure light is lit that is than a hard failure. Not all disabling failures are stored but the wheel sensors are as well as sensor air gap issues. So unless you did a controller reset before having the dealer look at it they should have seen a wheel sensor code.

 

 

 

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Hold the ABS button for 1 min, not 10 sec ;) It will work.

 

Dan.

 

 

If this is indeed the problem 10 seconds is plenty.

 

This is what happened to a friend of mine after changing the alternator belt on his r1150GSA. We only took the tank backwards a little so that we would have access to the 3 alternator screws. After putting it all back, he had an ABS failure, the bulbs were blinking the wrong way.

 

We searched the net for info on what pins to ground and such for his bike and on a german forum it was listed that you should do so for 8 sec. Tried that and it did not work.

 

Then we checked advrider.com hall of wisdom where it was listed to keep it for 1 min. We did so and it worked :)

 

Dan.

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Well D.R. you got me again thinking back through the fog of time as I did do a reset by jumping the center contact of the computer link cable to ground and cancel the faults. But if memory serves (apparently not so much) I would get another fault at some point again which could occur right after roll away or during the ride. I seem to remember having it happen several times and the ABS computer was likely not showing a fault given your feedback the first time I took the RT to the shop. When the bad sensor was identified it would likely have been when presenting the bike with a fault I did not cancel. Or maybe I left my bike with them and let them use my bike for a parts and lunch mule until it went into a fault.......it was about 9 years ago now so I am not sure. But they finally had the bike with the ABS fault showing at some point.

 

Once the front wheel sensor was replaced the ABS system has run flawlessly since only having a low volt fault condition show if I did not count to 5 after ignition on and hitting the starter button, which the bike did from new with the OEM 19AH battery. Two years ago when I went to the 22AH AGM battery the low volt fault stopped completely even when I did a rather rude test where I held the starter button down and then went ignition on. So I was happy to be able retire the count to 5 after ignition on BMW R259 ownership ritual by installing the higher 22AH battery.

 

Trying to bring this back around to Steward's case. Given he installed a new highly regarded brand aftermarket battery and assuming he did not play with the wheel sensor gap, I would suspect a faulty wheel sensor which may be an intermittent fault if he is not getting a fault every time he rides off after start up and has been resetting has computer to cancel the ABS fault.

 

What I do know for sure is that the older I get the better I was. I'm just glad that camera phones and flip video did not exist then because it would have clearly documented that I was pretty mediocre then too!

 

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Check your ABS sensor gap with feeler guage. If the gap is out of spec your ABS LIGHTS WILL FLASH. you need to buy the shims from BMW if needed. Mine had this problem and was the last thing I checked :(

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  • 5 months later...

My ABS lights have been flashing this year. I keep resetting the system. After resetting it, when I start out, it makes an aweful sound, then starts back to flashing again. Just found out from my dealer that the ABS controller module code pops up on mine. When this goes bad, does anyone know if it makes an aweful sound? Just wondering cause they want $2300 just for the module.

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Danny caddyshack Noonan
My ABS lights have been flashing this year. I keep resetting the system. After resetting it, when I start out, it makes an aweful sound, then starts back to flashing again. Just found out from my dealer that the ABS controller module code pops up on mine. When this goes bad, does anyone know if it makes an aweful sound? Just wondering cause they want $2300 just for the module.

 

Makes sense that it would. There are clutches and chains in it coupled to an electric motor.

Many, many people either do nothing or, go ebay for a used one.

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My ABS lights have been flashing this year. I keep resetting the system. After resetting it, when I start out, it makes an aweful sound, then starts back to flashing again. Just found out from my dealer that the ABS controller module code pops up on mine. When this goes bad, does anyone know if it makes an aweful sound? Just wondering cause they want $2300 just for the module.

 

Please confirm which bike you have. I have an R1100RT and had the same problem this year. Yes, that horrible noise is what you hear. When you start up, as you roll away the ABS does a mechanical self test of the pistons and the pressure. What you are hearing is one/or both of the pistons going thru a pressure test and it is not moving smoothly. This can sometimes be remedied. Or, as mentioned you should be able to get a used ABS unit for much less than a new one (of course it is used).

 

I'm sending you a PM.

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My ABS lights have been flashing this year. I keep resetting the system. After resetting it, when I start out, it makes an aweful sound, then starts back to flashing again.

Hi Rebekah, welcome to the forum.

I think the 'awful sound' is the system doing its self check, but I guess because the lights remain flashing it has failed it for some reason. Others - more familiar with your system - will chime in with more constructive advice than I dare give.

On the subject of awful sound, have you checked the condition of your front disc brake bobbins? That can exacerbate the sound profoundly.

Also, it may be worth reposting this as a new thread, so that we don't get lost with 2 different problems.

Andy

 

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Or, as mentioned you should be able to get a used ABS unit for much less than a new one (of course it is used).

 

I know where there is a good used ABS unit that is for sale.......my garage. :wave:

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  • 2 years later...

When I started my 1999 R1100RT Monday morning, ~45° it turned over a little sluggishly, and triggered the low voltage ABS test fault (4-year old Odyssey battery). I had a spare seat strapped to the passenger seat, so I didn't fancy removing it, and clearing the fault, figuring I would wait until I arrived in Jacksonville. When I lifted the seat, I found that the length of wire that I had tucked in the tool storage area for just this purpose had apparently fallen out. I went to a hardware store, bought 2 feet of lamp cord, and cleared the fault, but I decided I didn't want to go through this drill again (it's happened only 4 times in 5 years), so I hard-wired the jumper, with a toggle switch inside the fuse box (so that I couldn't accidentally toggle the switch on). This leaves the switch and wires outside the box, so I coated the contacts with some silicone rubber. I'm very pleased with the result:

 

ABS-Jumper.JPG

 

Of course, today, with a temperature of 29°, I can't provoke the fault, but if it ever happens again, I'll be ready!

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Nice job Selden... so where do you connect the ends of the wire that is attached to the switch to clear this fault? Do I see one end in the diagnostic plug (center) and the other end is I presume grounded? What process clears the fault?

Edited by biometrics
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The other end of the green wire has a ring connector, which is between the seat support and the frame. Anton Largiader has written a very clear web page on ABS faults, covering multiple years: http://www.largiader.com/abs/absfault.html Anton also links to the alternative approach of installing a relay, so that the ABS the initialization and test procedure is delayed until after the engine is running. However, that approach requires a lot more wiring, removal of bodywork, gas tank, etc. Since I have experienced this problem so rarely, I decided that a KISS approach would be sufficient for my needs, and the only things that need to be removed are the seats and cover to the fuse box.

 

With the switch, instead of having to jam one end of a wire into the diagnostic socket, and then find a decent ground for the other end, I just pull the lid from the fuse box, flip the switch to the ON position (green wire side), then turn the ignition on and hold down the ABS switch for 10 seconds. Assuming the fault clears, flip the switch back to the OFF position, put the cover back on, re-attach the seat, and ride off. I wanted an approach that couldn't be accidentally triggered, yet would be simple enough that I could do it in the dark, if necessary, without using any tools.

Edited by Selden
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and triggered the low voltage ABS test fault (4-year old Odyssey battery). I had a spare seat strapped to the passenger seat, so I didn't fancy removing it, and clearing the fault,

 

As I recall it you only need to shut off the engine then restart it to clear the 'low voltage fault', usually after riding a short distance to put a surface charge back on the battery.

 

If that doesn't work for you it's likely that you are having some other type of malfunction and should investigate further.

 

Stan

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As I recall it you only need to shut off the engine then restart it to clear the 'low voltage fault', usually after riding a short distance to put a surface charge back on the battery.

That has not been my experience. The few times this has happened have always been with a low battery, in cold weather, and the fault code has never gone away spontaneously. See the "Fault Code 5: Low Battery" section of Anton's write up. I have never seen the alternating red lights error in any other condition, and it has always been possible to clear it using a jumper.

Edited by Selden
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my '99RT did the same thing.Checked everything several times.Turned out to be the rear wheel sensor gap.Has to be right on.No trouble since.

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I used to have this issue with even a battery that was still very serviceable or even new. The OEM battery is rated 12V 18 Ah and that just isn't enough to keepthe ABS brain from freaking out on start up. I have been using for the last 10 years a Universal Battery UB-12220 rated at 12V 22 Ah and the ABS fault issue has never occurred again. The last UB-12220 went 5 years before I had the ABS fault out occur...late this last fall...on a cold day.

 

This is a great battery for this bike as it solves the dreaded ABS fault on start up issue and since it is missing the +100 dollar logo printed on the side, you can get this gem around $50 on the net.

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Clive Liddell

A "7" fault, which latches on, does not clear by switching off and on.

 

I have been getting a "7" fault which I have traced to the multi-plug onto the left side of the ABS tending to work loose over time and a "reset" is needed.

 

As it happens in light of this I have also recently attached a length of wire to the centre of the diagnostic plug and simply routed the wire out into the LH plastic triangular cover ending in an insulated terminal. I don't even have to remove the seats etc, just the cover and reset by holding the terminal to a ground I have provided.

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I have this happen once in a while especially if it is COLD 15 or so and I forget to turn off my GPS. let the bike warm a couple minutes and do a key cycle and it clears.

 

Chris

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  • 2 weeks later...

The source of my most recent (and probably the previous two) ABS fault turned out to be a loose positive battery connector. I may never need to use my reset switch, but if I do, it's there.

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  • 4 years later...

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