Cannot get ESA to work

[cammy5477]

I have an 09 GSA but I can't get the ESA to work. If I scroll through the soft,normal and hard settings the front makes a noise but there's no up or down spring movement....should there be?
if I start the bike and scroll through the rear settings there's nothing happening that I can see or feel. Can't hear anything from the rear because bikes running And gs911 doesn't throw up any faults.
I want to get shocks changed to wilbers but I want to make sure the ESA motors are ok before I do.....any ideas?

 

[Sven-E]

Hold the ESA button in for a few seconds. Repeat for settings baggage, pillion and rough. And remember that you must stand still with the engine running. Once you have found your setting you will notice the bike raising itself.

 

[cammy5477]

Hold the ESA button in for a few seconds. Repeat for settings baggage, pillion and rough. And remember that you must stand still with the engine running. Once you have found your setting you will notice the bike raising itself.

Had the bike running and stationary but nothing....how long once set should I see movement from the spring? A friend said up to 30 seconds.

 

[GSTourer]

I have a 2010 RT, which I assume is the same/similar.

I am the second owner and ever since I have had it I have never been able to tell the difference in nature of the ride between comfort/normal and sport settings. When I cycle through those settings the bike doesn't alter its stance whatsoever. Although there is a noticeable difference when I set it to 2 persons/luggage etc.

I took it back to the dealer I bought it from and they said all was OK, I still wasn't satisfied so took it to another dealer I used regularly and trusted and they checked it and said it was all working OK too.

Not sure it helps you at all but perhaps it is just the way it is!

 

[hatzyian]

Hard, normal and soft will not alter the ride height.
Hold the button for about one second to get to the ride height mode. Then press again to scroll through. Selected mode will 'pulse' on and off until height correct. The front will not move on the rider/baggage/pillion settings. Only on the highest setting will the front move, and then it will suddenly jerk up or down.

 

[cammy5477]

I have a 2010 RT, which I assume is the same/similar.

I am the second owner and ever since I have had it I have never been able to tell the difference in nature of the ride between comfort/normal and sport settings. When I cycle through those settings the bike doesn't alter its stance whatsoever. Although there is a noticeable difference when I set it to 2 persons/luggage etc.

I took it back to the dealer I bought it from and they said all was OK, I still wasn't satisfied so took it to another dealer I used regularly and trusted and they checked it and said it was all working OK too.

Not sure it helps you at all but perhaps it is just the way it is!

I've had the bike 3 years and I've never made it move yet....

 

[cammy5477]

Hard, normal and soft will not alter the ride height.
Hold the button for about one second to get to the ride height mode. Then press again to scroll through. Selected mode will 'pulse' on and off until height correct. The front will not move on the rider/baggage/pillion settings. Only on the highest setting will the front move, and then it will suddenly jerk up or down.

Yep I appreciate that..... I have held the button down and cycled through the helmet/ luggage icons and nothing as far as I can tell. I just don't won't to lay out £1000+ on wilbers if my ESA motors are stuffed.

 

[Mr Bean]

I have a 2010 RT, which I assume is the same/similar.

I am the second owner and ever since I have had it I have never been able to tell the difference in nature of the ride between comfort/normal and sport settings. When I cycle through those settings the bike doesn't alter its stance whatsoever. Although there is a noticeable difference when I set it to 2 persons/luggage etc.

I took it back to the dealer I bought it from and they said all was OK, I still wasn't satisfied so took it to another dealer I used regularly and trusted and they checked it and said it was all working OK too.

Not sure it helps you at all but perhaps it is just the way it is!

If you can't feel the damping change it could be the stepper motor is shagged - the little protective gaiter covering it can perish, or at least it did on mine with the resulting corroded motor.

You cannot buy them from BMW. Wilbers now make them so can be fitted if you are having a set of replacements.

For sure you can feel the difference in damping with the Wilbers when cycling though the settings.

 

[Mr Bean]

Yep I appreciate that..... I have held the button down and cycled through the helmet/ luggage icons and nothing as far as I can tell. I just don't won't to lay out £1000+ on wilbers if my ESA motors are stuffed.

If it doesn't rise and fall on the different settings when cycling through with the engine running (passengers/luggage etc) you are wise to be wary - my preload motor was also shagged.

 

[JerseyNeil]

People's opinions of the ESA has always varied greatly. I don't know if there are good ones and bad ones or some riders are more 'tuned' to the subtle differerences (or maybe we just imagine it to justify the cost ).

I feel a noticeable change in my suspension between soft/normal/hard and regularly change the settings according to my riding and enjoy the ability to do so. I generally only use the other settings when touring as I rarely carry a pillon. I do cycle through them every now and then to check all is working though.

 

[hatzyian]

When you alter the settings, does the icon flash for a while, and then goes steady?
If the icon is not flashing, then no selection has been made/recognised by the system.
My preload (height adjustment) stopped working, and in the end it was a software reset/update by the dealer.

 

[Mr Bean]

When you alter the settings, does the icon flash for a while, and then goes steady?
If the icon is not flashing, then no selection has been made/recognised by the system.
My preload (height adjustment) stopped working, and in the end it was a software reset/update by the dealer.

Mine's been it to both BMW Park Lane and SBW, neither can get the brand new preload motor to work.

The symbols no longer change when pressing the buttons.

 

[cammy5477]

When you alter the settings, does the icon flash for a while, and then goes steady?
If the icon is not flashing, then no selection has been made/recognised by the system.
My preload (height adjustment) stopped working, and in the end it was a software reset/update by the dealer.

It does flash when I change the preload but nothing happens as far as I can see and feel. There are no fault codes thrown up though by the ecu so I'm beginning to think it's needing a software update.
It's in at the dealers to get the FPC looked at mid April so I'm going to get them try make it work. They should be able to tell me no problem what's what.

 

[SteveM]

Hi Cammy, mine only changes height when I put it to the highest offroad selling (the last one as you're cycling through them), and as far as I know mine is working properly. Like with yours, my GS911 doesn't show any faults either ('11 plate GSA). I fancy the WESA shocks myself, do you know anyone needing a kidney?

 

[cammy5477]

Hi Cammy, mine only changes height when I put it to the highest offroad selling (the last one as you're cycling through them), and as far as I know mine is working properly. Like with yours, my GS911 doesn't show any faults either ('11 plate GSA). I fancy the WESA shocks myself, do you know anyone needing a kidney?

I their no cheap
I'll go out in a bit and set it to lowest then highest and see if theirs any movement...although I'm sure I've already tried that. If it's not moving because the shocks are finished then fine I'll go the wilbers route but as I said before I don't want to shell out and the have to shell out more for a pre load motor.
how long after you press the button do you get movement?

 

[MWH]

I have an 09 GSA and am in Dalkeith if you having a run out you're more than welcome to drop in and compare side by side.

 

[cammy5477]

I have an 09 GSA and am in Dalkeith if you having a run out you're more than welcome to drop in and compare side by side.

I take it yours works exactly how you expect it should?
I may very well do that thank you

 

[MWH]

Last time I used it all was OK, did the bang and pop up thing. Will go down and double check, just in case!

 

[MWH]

Just checked, all ok. No bang, just smooth up and down.

 

[MWH]

As an after thought, you say the 911 shows no faults. Was that bluetoothing it or using laptop? There is an ESA check when connnected to laptop, might be worth trying that if you havent.