2011 R1200GS TU Self starting

mpgscott

mpgscott

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Folks,

Well my love affair with the beemer took a knock this evening, after a lovely 250mile jaunt today i went to move the bike to its garage and when i turned the key the bloody thing started itself. Odd me thought this isnt normal she doesn have stop start so i turn the red kill switch and the engine switches off. I check the operation of the starter switch its not jammed on so switch the kill swith back to the centre and she starts again. So do this a number of times and the bloody thing keeps starting itself.

I put my hand down to the starter and its roasting cant get near it the colour is starting to go that silver way with so much heat. So now im p**sed off thinking what could have happened with me and the dearest on the back. God knows how long into the last 70mile leg of the journey today did this start but the bike could have gone up in smoke.

Anyway it didnt and im here to tell the tale, so bike is under warrenty so BMW will get an irate call first thing about it. My issue is what is this likely to be, is it the starter or the switch or simply a stuck relay. Anyway i want it fixed and i dont want to risk the 80mile run down to the dealer so BMW can pick it up. Im now worried that my pride and joy continues to have issues so i intend pushing BMW to replace the starter given i dont know how long the thing has been running this evening, but i would like to know the solution before i contact them so any ideas??

I will mark the back of the starter with paint pen to tell if its been replaced, i just hope this is a small glitch in what so far had been a trouble free first 3K miles.

Cheers
Mark
 
Bloody thing, went and tried it first thing this morning and its back to working fine which worries me even more, think i will still call the garage where i bought it to raise my concerns with them. Last night when it had the issue the red warning triangle was always lit so im thinking that a fault had to have been logged on the bikes ECU.
 
Oh well just off the phone to BMW and the bike is being picked up and sent to Inverness for them to check it over. So will see what they come back with but i did highlight my concerns to them regards riding the bike even though the fault has cleared itself this morning. Hoping that something is logged, how good are the ECU's at logging faults, i only have experience of VW's and they are really good.
 
I had this on my 2008 GSA MU. My starter actually burnt itself out just before I entered the Blackwall Tunnel... A new starterwas fitted by the dealer to "fix it", but it self started after a couple of days. I traced that back to a crack in the insulation on the wire back from the switch gear. A little bit of moisture would allow enough voltage leak for the ECU/ZKF to think the button had been pressed.

Sent from my GT-S7710 using Tapatalk
 
Cheers for that Magwych, the bike did get a good wash earlier in the day so its definitely something to check out.

So was the issue at the switch itself or was it in the cabling further back??

My starter was stinking today that horrible electrical burning smell, so i hope they do change it as im sure its going to have taken some life out of it yesterday.

Thanks again.
Mark
 
Spoke to the mechanic at Calterdon in Inverness today and explained what had happened, he had never heard or had any issues with the switch but i did tell him about your findings Magwych. Anyway he is going to test it out and see what he can find, hopefully they change the switch relay and starter.
 
Great service from Calterdon in Inverness, the garage phoned today to say that the fault was down to water in the multifunction switch. He checked over the starter and the relay and fired the relay from a supply and its all working correctly. Was a bit miffed that it was put down to me washing the bike and hosing the switch which makes me think. I thought it was an adventure bike where i would think its only to be expected to see some rain and harsh weather on its journey, so the fact a wee splash with the hose can cause this is a bit worrying. Oh and it was a very quick wash she got and i didnt flood the switch.

Anyway glad they sorted it out so quick, so new switch fitted lets hope she is ok.

Oh another one was that the computer hadnt logged any faults which isnt good either.

Cheers
Mark
 
mpgscott said:
The computer hadn't logged any faults which isnt good either.
Click to expand...

I shouldn't place too much emphasis on fault codes to be honest. They are there to give dealership techs somewhere to start fault finding, not an easy fix like people perceive.

A rare fault like you had isn't something the ecu expects to see, so no fault code is registered to such an event. It would need a feedback loop from the starter motor circuit and a timer within the ecu plus software to tell if the starter remained engaged too long after the engine was running.

If the bike could record every possible minor event, the ecu would cost a fortune to manufacture and drive up the price of the bike with no real added value to the customer.
 
Cheers Bendy, i had been talking back and forth with Martin (the post you quotes writer) who was very helpful in telling me about his issue.

See what you are saying Pukka, but given the price these bikes are and the costs for decent can bus sytems on vehicles these days i would have expected better diagnositcs from Beemer. Also since she is an adventure bike and the fact this switch is full of water with the very small amount of water from a normal tap it does make me concerned. I have washed my bikes over the last ten years in exactly the same way and never encountered an issue. Its not like i was standing pointing the hose at the switch for ages. Its not good enough in my mind.

Also the bike has been programmed to not allow the starter to engage for 2secs after you stall it, but doesnt have the ability to tell that the starter is in constant use when a fault like this occurs, its not difficult to program for these circumstances. With the cost of computing and sensing it should do this as to me its a safety concern that the stater in this fault condition can be in constant engagement madness!

Just my thoughts..
 
mpgscott said:
Also since she is an adventure bike and the fact this switch is full of water with the very small amount of water from a normal tap it does make me concerned. I have washed my bikes over the last ten years in exactly the same way and never encountered an issue. Its not like i was standing pointing the hose at the switch for ages. Its not good enough in my mind.
Click to expand...

The rubber membranes over the switchgear micro switches have failed on several peoples bikes, it's usually the indicators that cause trouble.
 
Thanks Pukmeister, the bike is only just turned 3years old but maybe the switchgear was sitting on a shelf prior to being installed on the bike. Dont belive it was laid up for very long maybe 6 months sitting on the forecourt prior to me buying it.

Never mind hopefully this is the only issue i see here is hoping..
 
mpgscott said:
Cheers Bendy, i had been talking back and forth with Martin (the post you quotes writer) who was very helpful in telling me about his issue.

See what you are saying Pukka, but given the price these bikes are and the costs for decent can bus sytems on vehicles these days i would have expected better diagnositcs from Beemer. Also since she is an adventure bike and the fact this switch is full of water with the very small amount of water from a normal tap it does make me concerned. I have washed my bikes over the last ten years in exactly the same way and never encountered an issue. Its not like i was standing pointing the hose at the switch for ages. Its not good enough in my mind.

Also the bike has been programmed to not allow the starter to engage for 2secs after you stall it, but doesnt have the ability to tell that the starter is in constant use when a fault like this occurs, its not difficult to program for these circumstances. With the cost of computing and sensing it should do this as to me its a safety concern that the stater in this fault condition can be in constant engagement madness!

Just my thoughts..
Click to expand...

Cant argue with any of this. There are many instances where BMW have simply screwed up the use of technology. They've neither benefitted from reduced manufacturing costs or given the user a better "experience". I mean 3 (count en) indicator switches. What the F is that about. One each side with a programmable cancel option is all it needs. Clunking great switch for aux headlights when there is more than enough space elsewhere. ESA that only does half the job. The list is endless or at least very long.
Fortunately for BuMW, the opposition also have fundamental flaws of some sort or other.
 
Well got her back this morning all seems fine, i even took the back off the switch just out of curiosity since its only two screws. To me it seems like the top wires are not sealed in anyway, the remainder do look to be potted so look of. I think i will get some silicon and seal the top lot of wires also save this issue returning. Might be worth folk taking a look at there multifunction switches and seeing what like.
 
Well its pouring with rain tonight and bike is sitting out in it so good test for the new switch me thinks. Sadly i keep going out to see that its not self starting what a saddo me is on a Saturday night...
 
Nippy Normans supply Touratech, Wunderlich, Desert Fox and many other makes of accessories.
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