BMW trying to wriggle out of battery warranty claim

[Tim Cullis]

As posted elsewhere, the battery on my 1200GSA packed up in Morocco. Bahnstormers told me to bring the old battery back to the UK so they could check it as part of a warranty claim. I'm now told that because I have aftermarket items connected to the bike the warranty on the battery is invalid.

- I have a Zumo GPS system wired to the battery via a fusebox, but obviously when the bike is parked up the Zumo is disconnected.

Bahnstormers said that if it was a BMW-branded GPS it would have been OK.

- I also have two HIDs connected to a relay to the main beam. These are only active when the bike is running and the headlight is on main beam.

What's the point of equipping the bike with a powerful altenator and then saying you shouldn't use it.

Personally I think the battery failure is down to age and mileage, the bike is a Sep06 and has done 45,000 miles. If it really was down to the HIDs/GPS it would have failed a long time ago.

Any suggestions how I should proceed?

Tim

 

[Dellis]

Tim,

I had a battery problem when in Belgium which BMW were unable to help me with as it was a sunday! So heaven knows wht they could do for you in Morocco Anyway I sourced a battery in Luxembourg and sorted myself out then tried to get a replacement when back in the UK which turned out to be something of a problem as you will see here.

Cheers
Dave

 

[Wapping]

As posted elsewhere, the battery on my 1200GSA packed up in Morocco. Bahnstormers told me to bring the old battery back to the UK so they could check it as part of a warranty claim. I'm now told that because I have aftermarket items connected to the bike the warranty on the battery is invalid.

- I have a Zumo GPS system wired to the battery via a fusebox, but obviously when the bike is parked up the Zumo is disconnected. Bahnstormers said that if it was a BMW-branded GPS it would be OK.

- I also have two HIDs connected to a relay to the main beam. These are only active when the bike is running and the headlight is on main beam.

What's the point of equipping the bike with a powerful altenator and then saying you shouldn't use it.

Personally I think the battery failure is down to age and mileage, the bike is a Sep06 and has done 45,000 miles. If it really was down to the HIDs/GPS it would have failed a long time ago.

Any suggestions how I should proceed?

Tim

I think you are, perhaps, starting to answer your own question.

Put it to BuMW that the add-ons have no material effect on the battery's health. This of course assumes that you are right that there wasn't, within all your 'improvements', some open circuit that was speeding the power cell's demise.

There again, is it all worth the angst?

A new - better - battery is not a fortune. It has had a reasonably tough life, maintenance not being one of your self-admitted strengths..... Nothing wrong with that of course, you have got out and ridden the damned machine.... Maybe you should just buy one, the world will still turn on its axis in the morning.

 

[Tim Cullis]

I may not be technical as far as troubleshooting electrics, but the bike is properly maintained. Anyway, sealed batteries don't need maintenance.

Link to breakdown thread: http://www.ukgser.com/forums/showthread.php?t=145694

Tim

 

[Wapping]

I may not be technical as far as troubleshooting electrics, but the bike is properly maintained. Anyway, sealed batteries don't need maintenance.

Link to breakdown thread: http://www.ukgser.com/forums/showthread.php?t=145694

Tim

Mine was a wrong choice of words.

Wasn't trying to suggest that it wasn't looked after (serviced) mechanically....just a possibility that somewhere down the path of its exciting life, wires might have come adrift...

There again, sealed batteries do not last forever, either....

Just one small observation. Was the fuel pump workaround wired directly to the battery? If so, it would keep drawing power (and running at top speed) with the ignition off. It draws more than 5 amps, at least on start up and, I think, quite a lot when simply spinning.....Of couse, the alternator would keep the battery topped up, whilst the engine is running, not when it's not.

 

[Dickieboy]

If that is the case Tim, if you were to connect an Ipod via the power outlet it would appear that you could invalidate warranty as well, or is only hard-wired items

 

[Den]

Why not just save all the hassle and buy a battery.

 

[Wapping]

Why not just save all the hassle and buy a battery.

My thoughts exactly.

 

[cookie]

unless your wiring created a short, it's difficult to see how any attachments could damage a battery.

are they saying your stuff repeatedly drained it? ask them how your equipment harmed the battery?

 

[Deleted Member I]

I got a new battery on my old bike with no problems.

I called out BMW assistance and they changed it for me. Maybe you should do the same?

 

[Tim Cullis]

Thank you, but I already have a new battery, kindly sourced by GRingo in Spain.

What annoys me is BMW's stance. How many people are running their GPS systems off the direct battery connection supplied by Garmin blissfully unaware that the battery is then not covered by warranty?

Tim

 

[Deleted Member I]

Why not just save all the hassle and buy a battery.

My thoughts exactly.

There is nothing wrong with both your sentiments and could be quite sensible. For me the thing about BMW is that in my view they falsely advertise the benefits of their products.

What I mean is that at the point of sale, part of the sales pitch of features is things like warranty that is above and beyond other brands. In reality they cannot economically sustain it but it doesn't stop them lying at the point of sale.

I have the same issue with BMW insurance. They still to this day clearly advertise a flat rate of £10.50 to add an additional BMW to the policy. Yet when you ring to purchase the line becomes "from £10.50". That is lying in their advertising.

Don't get me wrong I still like the product but I am fully aware it is no where near as good as they claim. So I get a price accordingly and ignore the sales person when they start talking that rubbish.


As for Tim ... maybe it is better if he still has BMW recovery to ring them out and get a new battery there and then.

 

[Decster]

I got a new battery on my old bike with no problems.

I called out BMW assistance and they changed it for me. Maybe you should do the same?

Stick the old battery in, disconnect are the externals, GPS, HID's then ring the Fcukers

 

[Deleted Member I]

Thank you, but I already have a new battery, kindly sourced by GRingo in Spain.

What annoys me is BMW's stance. How many people are running their GPS systems off the direct battery connection supplied by Garmin blissfully unaware that the battery is then not covered by warranty?

Tim

That's such bullshit it's fecking makes me mad.

I had my old GPS on my old bike installed that way by an official BMW dealer. I was never told that would invalidate the warranty.

 

[Wapping]

There is nothing wrong with both your sentiments and could be quite sensible. For me the thing about BMW is that in my view they falsely advertise the benefits of their products.

What I mean is that at the point of sale, part of the sales pitch of features is things like warranty that is above and beyond other brands. In reality they cannot economically sustain it but it doesn't stop them lying at the point of sale.

I have the same issue with BMW insurance. They still to this day clearly advertise a flat rate of £10.50 to add an additional BMW to the policy. Yet when you ring to purchase the line becomes "from £10.50". That is lying in their advertising.

Don't get me wrong I still like the product but I am fully aware it is no where near as good as they claim. So I get a price accordingly and ignore the sales person when they start talking that rubbish.


As for Tim ... maybe it is better if he still has BMW recovery to ring them out and get a new battery there and then.

Please explain then:

††† Subject to the insurance being based on the highest rated motorcycle.

====

The truth is you have no idea why Tim's battery failed. For all you know he has been using it as a doorstop but forgot to tell us.

If you really believe BuMW's advertising and claims are as inaccurate as you believe you should contact the Advertising Standards Agency.

 

[Tim Cullis]

Was the fuel pump workaround wired directly to the battery? If so, it would keep drawing power (and running at top speed) with the ignition off. It draws more than 5 amps, at least on start up and, I think, quite a lot when simply spinning.....Of couse, the alternator would keep the battery topped up, whilst the engine is running, not when it's not.

I didn't like the sound of hardwiring the fuel pump directly to the battery, so the bypass was done using the CANbus power supply, which meant the pump was only working when the ignition was on.

Tim

 

[Deleted Member I]

Please explain then:

††† Subject to the insurance being based on the highest rated motorcycle.

I know I am no expert in this area but a £12k bike and a £6k bike ... the £12k bike should be the higher rated motorcycle
Or does the insurance industry base these things on some nouveau logic that us consumers have yet to learn it

 

[Deleted Member I]

Why not just save all the hassle and buy a battery.

My thoughts exactly.

If you really believe BuMW's advertising and claims are as inaccurate as you believe you should contact the Advertising Standards Agency.

Well .. my sentiment was that it was too much hassle. Easier to leave it alone. In the end I didn't get the extra bike.

 

[1Rider]

A new battery or

Tim, just out of curiosity - since you allready have a new battery, are you looking for another, or some sort of reimbursement? Anyhow IMHO the capasity of the battery of the GS & ADV is marginal in the first place. So depending on use including how often you have deep cycled it and a host of other factors you may not expect a long battery life. To me yours sound on the short side, but statistically some will be... The possible facts and formalities aside it sounds like the service people you met were in a situation were they could use some latitude - but for some reason decided not to

 

[Sgt Bilco]

My guess is they didn`t have the balls just to say the battery has just reached the end of it`s life and they preferred to lay blame on you.

An electrician mate of mine reckons a standard bike battery has a life of maybe 3 years. Odyssey etc are different but you pay for that. Nothing lasts forever!

I would just approach BuMW in the hope of getting some goodwill. If you don`t, I guess it`s not worth getting to hung up over £50.