gear change indicator

[jchmiel]

Coming home in the rain (from buying some lovely BMW panniers) and I noticed that the indicated gear on the display was not the one I was in. 1st gear showed a 2, Neutral was also 2, nothing was showing for 6th gear and most disturbingly neutral light came up whilst I was happily driving in 1st. When I then tried to start the bike it was dead. It was only after a call to Vines that I realised that the bike thought it was in second and so wouldn't start up. I had to press the clutch to start it..

I guess the most annoying thing of all is that once the bike had dried it went back to normal. I will bring it up with Vines next time I go in.

Has anyone had similar problem..I assume it is something to do with the electrics around the gear lever.

Otherwise the bike is fab!

 

[Jimb]

Duff gear selector sensor. Get it replaced.

 

[Boozyrider]

Rode 400 mostly wet miles on Saturday with no problems at all......

Get em to replace it

 

[wut]

Same thing happened on my Test Ride - it was pouring for the whole 3 hours. The dealer did not appear concerned.

I seem to remember reading on a German forum that the gear sensor connector is in an exposed position and collects water - cleaning/drying appeared to solve the problem.

 

[Mouse]

I'm reviving this old thread because this problem happened to my bike over the weekend.

After three days of heavy use, some of it in the rain, I got home and hosed the bike down (not with a pressure washer, just a normal hose). I then started the engine and left it on the sidestand for a few minutes to help it dry off. After a minute or so, the engine cut out and the gear indicator said the bike was in 2nd (when it was obviously in neutral).

It's all better this morning, so it seems to have been a water problem.

Does anyone know if "they all do that", or might i have a faulty component that needs replacing? And can anyone post a picture of where the gear sensor is located please? So I can spray the WD40 into the right area, or even perhaps arrange some extra water protection.

Thanks for any advice.

 

[Clive]

And can anyone post a picture of where the gear sensor is located please? So I can spray the WD40 into the right area, or even perhaps arrange some extra water protection.

From the LHS of the bike - if you look in the gap between the back of the gearbox and the swingarm a few inches diagonally down from where the gear change linkage enters the gearbox, you will see a black plastic diamond shape with a wire leading forwards. This is the gearbox potentiometer.

 

[Patch]

Happened to me on my 1150 Adv, repaired under warranty although I had to wait a couple of weeks as there were non in the UK and they had to send for one from Germany.

 

[Shep]

Yep, happened to mine once after heavy rain, the indicator said N, when I started the bike it lurched forward as it was in 1st gear? All digits apart from 1,2,N were missing & they were indicated in the wrong position!

I tend to pull the clutch in now all the time (its become a habit now)

I now spray the unit with WD40, the problem has'nt arisen since.

Told my dealer, he seemed unimpressed, he just made sure I knew which unit to spray!

Regards
Shep

 

[Tobers]

I had this. It started during a v.wet ride up to Scotland, but didn't go away when things dried up. The offending sensor was replaced under warranty. It got a bit annoying as the bike didn't know it was in neutral so I had to start it with the clutch in.

 

[Swooper]

Yep

This happen to me on my new 1200. Problem started after only 50 miles but I had it replaced that same day.

No problems since.

 

[Mouse]

Thanks Clive, I've located the sensor and given it a good spraying. If the problem comes back I'll look into waterproofing it somehow.

 

[Eric_Norman]

Had this problem occur yesterday and today (9500miles on the clock) but its not been partically wet on my ride to work and back just damp and foggy !!

Happened first start in a morning after overnight in the garage ??

Another one for warranty if the sensor is dodgy!!

 

[Mouse]

Wow, old thread back from the dead

For what it's worth, after that one incident my sensor never played up again. Whenever I wash the bike (which isn't very often!) I spray a bit of WD40 in its general direction.

 

[Shep]

Yep certainly an old one, the only thing i can add is that the bike froze solid a few days back -6c ish it was stuck in first for a while, i thought that maybe the gear position indicator had frozen (new bike and the switch hadn't had the wd40 treatment yet!) still, something to keep an eye on!

Shep

 

[marcus]

same problem here too - display bears no relation to actual gear. Bike currently being repaired.

 

[Engineer]

Not an uncommom problem - mine did it - once I had explained the fault my dealer fixed it under warranty - no quibbles because BMW must by now realise that this is a quality control issue during manufacture.

 

[ianran]

Digital Gear Indicator

For what its worth in the rain on my old Suzuki GT750 water cooled my 5 speed box often turned into an 8 speed with many wierd gears in betwe en!!!

 

[scrumpy]

dodgy gear selecter

Hello from the sunny SW, GS1200 has ony 250miles same problem here, gear numbers disapear & 1st,2nd become neutral, mainly wet riding as it rains alot down here, called dealer and got booked in within 2 days, she's in today so i'll let you know

ps mines a Scrumpy jack

 

[Engineer]

Hello from the sunny SW, GS1200 has ony 250miles same problem here, gear numbers disapear & 1st,2nd become neutral, mainly wet riding as it rains alot down here, called dealer and got booked in within 2 days, she's in today so i'll let you know

ps mines a Scrumpy jack

Common problem - surprising that brand new bikes are still doing this as BMW must have known about this ages ago.

 

[BillWright]

My bike with 2.5 k on clock developed faulty gear indicator today in the pouring rain. Disconcerting driving past H. A. Rrods with the N light flashing merrily away whilst in third gear. I'll try the WD tomorrow in the daylight.