Repeat blowing of low beam bulb (LAMPF)?

[dakarDude]

Hi All,

Hope someone can help shed some light on what may be up with my '07 GSA please?

I have an '07 GSA and I love it, it really is great, but I have had two bulbs go in the space of a month.

The first happened at 10,400 miles. LAMPF came up. No biggie I thought, heard they go around then and my last bike (1200GS, also an '07) did exactly the same at the same mileage.

So... replaced the bulb about a month ago. All was OK, until (sod's law) I travel to Scotland a few days ago to take a trip through the Highlands. I get all the way to Spean Bridge and it starts raining. The bike got wet, but not too soaked - and I managed to get a cover over it for the night whilst I got some shut-eye in the B&B.

The next morning I set out early and I get the lovely LAMPF message on the display. "Brilliant, this cant be right, I only just replaced the bulb a few weeks ago"!

I ended up travelling to Inverness to buy a new bulb (now fitted) but Im left wondering how long it will be before it goes again.

I did notice when replacing the bulb that the lower half of the retaining "block" that the clip fits through (the long straight part of the clip that goes into the recess, not the end of the clip with the "loops") seems to be missing or broken off. There didn't _appear_ to be any water in the headlamp housing and the circular cover was in place OK.

Is there something wrong with this bike, or the electrics, or the headlamp unit? Maybe water has got in somewhere? I noted that the first of the 2 bulbs went after a trip through some wet weather. I then get a wet bike at Spean Bridge and it happens again. Coincidence?

Thanks.....

 

[BD]

funny that, mine went about that milage then had another go a month later, ran with the high beam bulb swopped over, didnt have a lot of rain though,3rd ok(touch wood) up to 24k

 

[Drumacoon Lad.]

This may be a silly question but did you confirm the bulb had really blown? Did you see the filament damaged or loose?

Just before I headed off on a trip to Croatia in July on an '08 1200 I noticed, Lampf, and sure enough, no dipped beam. Put in a replacement bulb, but the old one did not seem blown. The new one seemed to work initially and then the same problem came back a few days later. Was not riding at night on the trip, so just used main beam. When I got home and had a good look, the problem proved to be a loose connection in the connectors that attach to the back of the bulb. They did not appear loose, and seemed to click in place, but I crimped them a little to make a tighter connection and I've had no problems since.

It seems if there is a poor/loose connection the Canbus just shuts it down. Even when still faulty it would sometimes work after starting off, and then fail later. This may not be your problem but worth being aware.

 

[dakarDude]

Thanks for the replies guys.

Badger - interesting your third ran without fault to 24K! Hope mine does the same.

I bought two bulbs in Inverness just in case - fitted one and have one spare - but at 19.99 each(!) it was a pretty expensive job - it was close to the end of the day Tuesday and I started panicking about sourcing cheaper ones, so ended up at Halfords and had to go with that.

My GSA is due its 12000 mile service and that will probably be due in about 2-3 weeks - I also booked it in for checking (the bulb problem) a week this Saturday at Southport Superbikes, so will mention some of the things people on the forum here have had with LAMPF to the guys down there.

Thanks again for your posts. Much appreciated.

PS: Yes - bulb filament had gone.

 

[casperghst42]

Interesting, I picked up my 2nd hand GSA (2006), 2 weeks later 1th, another 3 weeks 2nd, next day 3rd.... needless to say I have HID's now...

I had the same on my GS, in the year I had it it blew 3 bulbs... they are not that expensive, but it adds up.

Casper

 

[RickG]

If anything is blowing them prematurely it's more likely to be vibration related than electrical as it would be unusual if the alternator is at fault. If you are uncertain that the bulb is properly fixed then it may be rattling about which won't help.

10k on a bulb would be about average in my experience but equally they can go at 2k or 20k.

I strongly suggest forking out for a HID set-up, just low beam if necessary, but the difference in what you can see at night is astounding and, touch wood, I've not had a a 'bulb' failure since fitting.

 

[BD]

HID

have to say, thought about the HID but its just the replacement if it blows, saying that used 1 on the mountain bike and the only time it went was when i dropped it on the floor after a ride.(sorry if this is getting away from the subject)

 

[Yonkyo]

Get some HiD's

I ran HiD low beam and HiD Micro DE spots for 2 years (20k miles) on my old GS, I then swopped them to my new GSA (now on 7k miles) and they are still going strong. That’s 27k miles on the same bulbs.

i hope i'm not tempting fate now, and they all blow tomorrow

 

[RickG]

have to say, thought about the HID but its just the replacement if it blows, saying that used 1 on the mountain bike and the only time it went was when i dropped it on the floor after a ride.(sorry if this is getting away from the subject)

Point is they do seem to last a long time and, far more importantly, you can actually see where you are going at night which I find is a useful feature when compared to the pathetic glow from the standard set-up.

 

[Mr K]

I know it doesn't address the problem but an H7 bulb/lamp should be about a fiver.

 

[Myke Rocks]

Lamp failures

As far as I can judge, modern replacement headlight lamps (correct technical term) fail after around 6 weeks.
In short, most are total rubbish.
This statement applies equally to cars.
If you are really being driven crazy, & do not wish to buy HID, then go to a car or motorcycle dealer & buy a manufacturer's replacement lamp, ensuring it is in manufacturer's (E.G. BMW) packaging.
If offered without their packaging, refuse.
It will last more than 12 months. The lamps manufacturers use are as good as ever, & designed to exceed warranty, - mostly.
Most others are designed to extract regular money from your pocket.
Myke

 

[Wapping]

I know it doesn't address the problem but an H7 bulb/lamp should be about a fiver.

...wasn't there some knob on UKGser who insisted they are to be called globes?

Bog standard H7 bulb available readily from most of the usual sources - Should last between seven to eight thousand miles in the dip beam socket. Not bad for a fiver.

 

[Mr K]

...wasn't there some knob on UKGser who insisted they are to be called globes?

Bog standard H7 bulb available readily from most of the usual sources - Should last between seven to eight thousand miles in the dip beam socket. Not bad for a fiver.

48k on the old boiler and last bulb/globe/lamp was from a Tesco service station.
One of 3, so far...(Dip beam)...

 

[smirnoff2008]

had my bulb go at 13k only had bike 2 weeks 06 gsa, thing is i had my honda st1300 for 7 yrs 72k and it only went through 4 bulbs and i thought that was alot ho hum

 

[Wapping]

had my bulb go at 13k only had bike 2 weeks 06 gsa, thing is i had my honda st1300 for 7 yrs 72k and it only went through 4 bulbs and i thought that was alot ho hum

72,000 / 4 = 18,000

One bulb at 13,000 - not dissimilar.

7 / 4 = 1.7 bulbs a year, or there abouts.

3 / 1 = One bulb every three years, which is roughly half the attritional rate.

As you say, ho hum.

But, of course, you have no way of knowing how many bulbs - if any - the previous GS owner(s) replaced and at what mileage(s).

If in deep distress, return to PanEuropean

 

[Nice 'n' Fat]

Is there something wrong with this bike, or the electrics, or the headlamp unit? Maybe water has got in somewhere? I noted that the first of the 2 bulbs went after a trip through some wet weather. I then get a wet bike at Spean Bridge and it happens again. Coincidence?

Thanks.....

I think you'll find it's a coincidence

 

[coughan]

Just back from a trip to the south coast of england from belfast. 2007 GS with 10000 miles. Got caught in heavy rain and lampf came up on the dash. Stopped and checked, all lights are working ok and the light has stayed on. Next day sat nav runs out of power as it appears bike wasnt powering it. It was when I started the trip.

 

[RickG]

Just back from a trip to the south coast of england from belfast. 2007 GS with 10000 miles. Got caught in heavy rain and lampf came up on the dash. Stopped and checked, all lights are working ok and the light has stayed on. Next day sat nav runs out of power as it appears bike wasnt powering it. It was when I started the trip.

If the tail light blows the bike switches on the rear brake light at half power so you've still got something to prevent you getting a truck up yer bum. The LAMPF warning will then be shown but unless you look at the bulb it's not evident it's blown. Also check the front sidelight as this can pop without you noticing and generate a LAMPF.

I'm guessing your sat-nav is powered of the same circuit that the bike has shut down due to the LAMPF warning or there's a fault with the sat-nav wiring that's caused the bike to shut down that supply.

 

[dakarDude]

Thanks for all the replies folks.

I took my bike to the good people at Southport Superbikes yesterday and had it checked out.

They found that it needs a new lamp unit as the lower part of the bulb retaining section has broken away (either through heat or fractured through vibration). So, this is likely to be the cause it seems.

It gets swapped out in 2 weeks, which is when I have it booked in for a 12,000 mile service, so fingers crossed.

The section that has broken away is only made out of plastic - you would think BMW would have something a bit more resilient really?

 

[dakarDude]

Another LAMPF yesterday - thats the second low beam bulb thats gone since September when I got my '09 bike new.

..here is the funny thing - on both occasions it was a day after cleaning the bike - its as though water has got to something, somewhere and caused it to go?