ABS lamp failure

Hello all,

My 650 Dakar has developed a bit of a strange problem. The ABS warning lamp no longer lights when I first switch on (or when trying to de-activate the ABS). Before you ask I have checked the bulb (several times, and will check again tomorrow!). I know it worked a few days ago because I was refitting the front end wiring, forgot to reconnect the sensor and the ABS warning lamp lit up to tell me off.

The ABS itself seems to be working fine (rear tested on gravel drive) and my GS-911 says there are no faults reported by the ABS controller. I've traced the wiring back through it's convoluted path, can't find any faults or signal and have now reached the ABS unit itself.

Has anyone experienced this or something similar?

Failing that, has anyone taken the ABS unit apart at all? I notice there's a cover on the side with the electrical connector on - is it worth me taking the subframe and everything else off to get at this cover or is there nothing visible inside?

I apologise in advance if you see this question on several forums - I'm quite to keen to get an answer, especially if I can avoid replacing an otherwise functioning ABS unit (don't imagine they're cheap). I've tried searching all the forums I know and not found anything that sounds the same, if there is something somewhere then please point me in the right direction.

Any suggestions or advice will be appreciated.

If your bike is like my 06 Dakar then the ABS on / off switch is where the handlebars bolt down and with a spare position for the hazard lights switch. Anyway I've had to resolder one of the wires twice as it's thin and gets bent to keep it out of the way of the other bits and pieces. Not tried disconnecting one of the wires though to see what happens sorry if it wastes your time

Hmm, the wires to my switch are currently disconnected (the switch got destroyed in an off) but I don't think that's the cause. As far as I understand it the switch is normally open so it's normally as if the wires weren't connected ayway.

I did try reconnecting the plug and wires and shorted them out to see if it would trigger the ABS deactivation sequence, but the lamp stayed stubbornly unlit.

I didn't know those wires were prone to break and I'm hoping that my problem is caused by something like that. I'd rather spend a bit of time chasing a couple of wild geese (and learning something in the meantime) than spend cash on a new ABS unit.

Right. I've made some progress today, I think.

I was incorrect when I originally said that there was no signal coming out of the ABS unit, I've now found the signal. The ABS fault signal is strange in that the signal goes from the ABS unit to the speedo/rev-counter unit then from there to the lamp itself.

The signal going to the speedo/rev-counter is +6.6v (approx.) when lamp should be lit and this is now present - it wasn't present earlier because I hadn't checked it whilst connected to the speedo/rev-counter which it appears to need.

I bought this bike for a major trip and replaced the speedo/rev-counter with an IMO trip computer. This meant I had to work out the fault lamps and ended up making a little circuit to sort out the ABS signal. I reinstalled that circuit and ta-da! the ABS lamp appears to be behaving itself...

Unfortunately this circuit is currently compatible with the rest of the standard speedo/rev-counter. It looks like the fault lies within the speedo/rev-counter. As far as I'm concerned that's preferable to the ABS unit because I am planning to ditch the standard speed/rev-counter soon anyway. Although I have just discovered the extra features of the clock as it warned me of the close-to-flat battery, didn't know it did that. Wonder what else it does?

Anyway thanks to those who've posted help and those who've given it some thought, I shall consider this case closed fro the time being but if anything else does come up I shall post it here.

I've just had some warranty work done on the bike which included sorting out the non-functioning fue warning light. Turns out that the fault with that lay in the speedo/rev-counter, which was then replaced. This also fixed the ABS lamp problem.
It's slightly worrying that the speedo/rev-counter has failed, this is the second time it's been replaced. The first replacement was before I bought the bike and I don't know hte reason (History known! What happened? Dunno.).