Help! Dipped light switching off at startup on 1200 GS '10

NLC

NLC

Registered user
Joined
Jul 30, 2010
Messages
1,632
Reaction score
0
Location
North London
Before I call dealer anyone had this problem? This starting happening today when you start the bike the dipped beam comes on and then switches off. Main beam works. Using HID kit and I have swapped out the ballasts and bulbs. I even routed the main beam to the low beam socket to see if it would do the same fault and it did. So I have ruled out wiring looms bulbs etc and ballasts. Only other thing I am running on bike is a sat nav and I disconnected that from the canbus under the beak. I have charged the battery. Side lamp is working. I am stumped! 2010 GS. Thanks:confused::confused::confused:
 
Did you get a ballast that is CANBUS ok? Seems CANBUS is switching it off because the power requirement is different from stock.

Someone will check in with more knowledge than me soon.
 
I've started having the same issues this past few days with my 2010 GSA... HID kit fitted (again from this parish) and its been fine since I got them back in November, but now, start bike, it comes on, then after a minute (riding) LAMPF and stops working... Have to ride the bike for about 10 mins with LAMPF before stopping & starting the bike again gets it all back up and running again, and then no more issues... If I just switch off and start back up again as soon as LAMPF comes on, it just fails to start.

It's weird...
 
You may have charged the battery but have you got a means of checking to see if it is holding the charge. It might be worth you getting the battery load tested then you will know if it is holding charge under load.
 
anthonybrown said:
You may have charged the battery but have you got a means of checking to see if it is holding the charge. It might be worth you getting the battery load tested then you will know if it is holding charge under load.
Click to expand...

I was thinking that to be honest, usually I ride the bike daily (even all through winter) and it's not stored in a garage, so is out in the elements... This past week I've been driving my grandad about in the car more, so not riding as much. (last time I rode was Sunday, then yesterday) before Sunday was about... Tuesday before I think... So yeah, the crappy stock battery may well be to blame!
 
Spoke with SBW this morning. They have advised to unplug battery from bike for 30min to kill evil canbus gremlins. Charge battery. Run voltmeter over battery to see that charge is around 12v and then retry. If it still does it then to the shop she goes as likely cause is doddgy bat. In terms of charging advice from dealer is that if the bike sits for more than 2 weeks put it on a charger. The new bikes only charge the battery very slowly not like the old bikes as the alt is only putting out 13v-14v and all the accessories run of the alt so I am told.
 
I saw your posts over on ADVRider, and mention of the ZFE... Let me know what the outcome is when the dealer has seen to your bike, as I know mine is still playing up :(
 
Will do. Very weird it started working again. Then it stopped working. It seems that Hal from 2001 is alive in my bike.
 
Well mines completely being a P.I.T.A. now...

The dipped beam refuses to come on, full stop, when starting the bike after being stood for a few hours. Riding for 10 mins also does bugger all, unless the spots have also been on during this time. So, if I ride for 10 mins or so without the spots on, stop, re-start the bike, the dipped beam stays off. But if the spots have been on during this time, I then stop, re-start, they dipped beam comes on...

One thing I've also noticed, is that every now and then, the front beam seems to change brightness, so gets a little brighter, then a little dimmer, while it's on. Spots are off, bikes stationary, so not sure why this is happening...

I'm going to try running from a direct 12v source in a bit, try rules out balast issues (just incase running the spots is causing heat transference across the mounting bracket to warm up the other balast a bit so it works)

Ho hum...

*update*

Looks like Balast...

I tried to run it direct from battery, nothing... Started bike, nothing... So swapped over the power to the balasts so High is now Dipped), and the high beam fired straight up. Swapped it back to the dipped balast, and nothing... Did this about 5 times to make sure...

Attacked the balast with a hair drier for 5 mins till it was warm to the touch, and then it worked...

Grrrrrr
 
Last edited:
Same problem

I had the same problem with my HID's and it was a real PITA but over time it stopped happening :nenau
 
Easy solution no.1

Ditch the HDI's. Go back to standard lights, changing dip beam every 8k or so.
 
Wapping said:
Easy solution no.1

Ditch the HDI's. Go back to standard lights, changing dip beam every 8k or so.
Click to expand...

and unless i've misread this thread, an amazingly obvious untried first step, unless you count checking the battery out properly :eek

i can't see bmw entertaining diagnosing it with HID kit fitted.
 
Hmmm.....

Having this problem myself . . .

Did you get any conclusion on it?

It seems to work sometimes, but not others.

I've already reset the canbus, but to no effect.
 
Toad said:
Hmmm.....

Having this problem myself . . .

Did you get any conclusion on it?

It seems to work sometimes, but not others.

I've already reset the canbus, but to no effect.
Click to expand...

still doing it then :blast
 
It could well be down to temperatures, lower the temperature the lower the resistance value, this holds true for the electronics, the ballast, and even the wires.

As the stuff involved in the headlight circuit get warmer so the resistance rises, inrush currents are limited more and the running currents drop. While all this is relatively small differences the addition of HID with its high inrush current and a Canbus system that is monitoring and controlling most devices on the bike the winter months could tip a near the limit system over the edge.

A battery that can start a bike will not be causing the headlight problems, that seems more like a supplier trying to get out of this lightly while throwing the problem back at the customer.
 
2010

My hid50.com 35W lo-beam setup worked fine on my 2010 GS for a couple days then the first LAMPF!, HID starts fine after re-starting the engine (not an option fo me), I think there is too little current draw at startup especially when the bulb was ignited before. The ballast specifications refer to warm boot current: ~3.2A (much lower than H7) and cold boot current: ~<6A. I might try DDM Tuning with one of these error cancellers, 35W 4500k, lo-beam only.
I'll report back if this works but I doubt it right now. CAN-bus sensitivity settings might have changed from 2009 to 2010 model...
I'm using H7 again right now also testing an Osram H7 bulb with 65W (2100lm).
 
Gave up on the 35w and went for 50w on the dipped which work fine now. Although I miss my old friend LAMPF.
 
Nippy Normans supply Touratech, Wunderlich, Desert Fox and many other makes of accessories.
You must log in or register to reply here.


Back
Top Bottom