Blown headlight dip bulb

[LPB]

I have a 2004 GS1200.
This morning I got the blown bulb warning and it was the dip bulb. I have put a new one in and watched it when I switched the ignition on - a quick glow and then nothing, and still have the warning on the LCD, and no dip.

Any ideas please?
Thanks,
Lloyd

 

[John Armstrong]

Is the removed bulb actually blown? Have you tried it in the full beam position or someone else's bike?

If it's ok, I'd bet on you having a short to earth somewhere, the glow you see is the fuse like thing doing its job. All IMHO.

 

[LPB]

John,
Thanks for quick reply. How would I find it, is it a dealer job?
It seems strange to suddenly appear. I havent ridden in any rain recently, if that makes a difference.
Lloyd

 

[Pukmeister]

Hope this isn't asking you to suck eggs.......

Dipped and main lamps are identical, its the beam shape/focus that differs. You could have swapped a duff lamp for another duff lamp?

Try swapping the lamps between dipped/main and see if the fault moves to prove/disprove this.

Also, do NOT touch the bare glass with your fingers, wear marigolds or else hold by the metal housing only. The natural oils from your skin will cause hot spots on the glass and premature failure of the halogen lamps.

 

[LPB]

Adam,
I haven't switched the main beam bulb to the dip, but I have tried 2 brand new bulbs with the same result. I certainly did not touch the glass either, although the bulbs only showed a quick glow for less than a second and then went off.
I suspect the problem is elsewhere, bur dont really know where to start.
Lloyd,

 

[dronning]

Could be a bad bulb but I'd check to see if the wires are seated in the back of the connector. Sometimes if they weren't seated properly to begin with they can push out of the connector when you push it on the bulb.

If the Canbus doesn't get the right reading from that circuit it will shut it down. You shouldn't have to do this to clear a bulb fault but try disconnecting the positive battery cable for a minute. Then give it another try.

Dave

 

[Pressurized]

This may seem a dumb question but have you actually started the engine?

I recently had the bike report a dead bulb which wasn't. It was 'fixed' by starting the engine - the headlight came on, the report went away.

 

[cookie]

This may seem a dumb question but have you actually started the engine?

not that dumb. the headlight only comes on when the engine's running.

 

[steveh]

I had a similar experience

replaced bulb, and in switchiing on ignition no light and still showing an error. Turned bike on and when I engaged 1st and moved away error cleared and new bulb came on.....weird

yesterday my bike started to hold the throttle open whch as a bit scary, turned off and back on again and it cleared it....these bikes are like PC windows!!

 

[LPB]

Thanks for the replies,
I will try starting the engine when I get home tonight and go down the road to see if it clears.
Lloyd

 

[Cole]

This may seem a dumb question but have you actually started the engine?

I recently had the bike report a dead bulb which wasn't. It was 'fixed' by starting the engine - the headlight came on, the report went away.

I had a similar thing recently ... when I started the bike and the headlight came on, it came on with a single pulse and then went out. I turned the engine off and played around with the wiring, looked at the burner ... nothing. Repeated this process with increasing frustration for several hours.

Eventually started the bike up, and rode for 5 mins. Turned it off, restarted it, and everything was fine. Headlight was fine. All back to normal.

The bike had been sitting idle for over a week before hand so I wonder if it was something to do with at too low a voltage, the canbus brain shuts off the headlight until the battery has more charge in it

 

[LPB]

Got home tonight and got kitted out for a quick ride - started the bike and a few seconds later dip beam comes on and warning on LCD disappears.

Thanks to everyone for the help - but what a stupid system!

Lloyd

 

[cookie]

what a stupid system!

Lloyd

it's so the light doesn't drain your battery before it starts charging.

most bikes simply cut the lights etc. when you press the starter. these bikes sense the motor turning above a certain rpm.

i thought it was pretty smart.

it's innovative engineering like this that enables bmw to fit a jumped up watch batterys to their bikes instead of decent sized automotive items

 

[LPB]

I understand that logic but :-
Why is the main beam on without starting the engine?
and
Why cant the EWS pick up the fact that the bulb is good!
Lloyd

 

[cookie]

dunno


and


dunno


sorry

 

[JimVonBaden]

I understand that logic but :-
Why is the main beam on without starting the engine?
and
Why cant the EWS pick up the fact that the bulb is good!
Lloyd

The main beam is on so you can CHOOSE to turn on your headlight with the key on if you want. Otherwise if you leave the High (main) beam on all the time it will always be lit when the key is on. I don't run mine that way.

Makes perfect sense. As to why the flash of the low (dip) beam when you turn the key on, isn't enough to tell the computer it is working, it is because the computer is designed NOT to clear any fault until the engine is running so it can check everything for faults first.

I suspect the clearing process is an all or nothing proposition for the computer, so if there are no current faults it clears everything old too.

Jim