ratboy said:
The Autocom was positioned where the handbook normally sits.
Strange problem accessory socket anybody else had this?
- Thread starter ianm00
- Start date
The Autocom was positioned where the handbook normally sits.
Trip
Guest
Response from Autocom on this problem
I called autocom and spoke to a very helpful chap called Paul Barrett. He said he's not heard of the problem but would call a contact he had at BMW. He duly did so and the answer he got was
- the socket shuts down if it's not drawing enough power
- the solution is to use the blue & white wire going into the back of the headlamp assembly
I'm not sure about the first point cos I'm running a 2W radio off it too and it keeps coming back but anyway the solution seems reasonable (if a bit of a pest).
Trip
I called autocom and spoke to a very helpful chap called Paul Barrett. He said he's not heard of the problem but would call a contact he had at BMW. He duly did so and the answer he got was
- the socket shuts down if it's not drawing enough power
- the solution is to use the blue & white wire going into the back of the headlamp assembly
I'm not sure about the first point cos I'm running a 2W radio off it too and it keeps coming back but anyway the solution seems reasonable (if a bit of a pest).
Trip
Yeah, but is there a definitive fix to this problem???
Having read all through the thread, experienced the problem myself, and not yet found an answer, can anyone say whether there is a definitive fix to the issue?
Otherwise, I'm just going to have to connect the GPS across the battery. Having the bike's computer turn the power off for three minutes out of every four is, frankly, not an acceptable situation and needs to be fixed. 'Designed to work with our accessories, sir' is unacceptable customer service...
So has anybody managed to get B*******M$£!@W to fix it???
Chis
Having read all through the thread, experienced the problem myself, and not yet found an answer, can anyone say whether there is a definitive fix to the issue?
Otherwise, I'm just going to have to connect the GPS across the battery. Having the bike's computer turn the power off for three minutes out of every four is, frankly, not an acceptable situation and needs to be fixed. 'Designed to work with our accessories, sir' is unacceptable customer service...
So has anybody managed to get B*******M$£!@W to fix it???
Chis
Trip
Guest
No, there is no definitive fix. Most dealers dont even know about the problem. Tell your dealer and point them to this thread. The more people do this the more likely it is that BMW will implement a fix.
Trip
Trip
Theory...
OK, here is a theory, based on a reading of the above and some experimentation...
I started to get the problem when I turned on the 'automatic screen brightness' function on the 2720. The problem then occured when I went out later that evening - in the dark. One minute on, three minutes off etc.
Take bike and 2720 to dealer this afternoon. Bright day, so 'automatic screen brightness' turns up the light.
On the way back home (OK, via a long detour cos' it's a nice day...) I experiment by returning the setting to manual mode and turning the brightness down using the screen settings. It keeps working fine, at the lower brightness (although it is almost impossible to see). So I decide to stop, set the brightness down very low, then save the setting, turn off unit and turn off engine. I restart and... hey-presto, problem returns...
The 2720 unit initialises on a bright default setting, then reads the saved settings and reduces brightness. About 30-40 seconds later the CANBUS (I presume) system turns off the power socket for three minutes or so...
So, a few more miles, few more minutes, few more iterations of the effect, then stop. Restart the unit, return to manual settings, set it nice and bright and away we go... no interuptions to the power supply at all.
What is the theory? Perhaps the CANBUS is too sensitive to the minute power difference that dimming the screen quickly possibly causes. CANBUS thinks there is a problem, decides to cut power etc... Interestingly, doing it slowly with the manual control did not seem to have any impact on CANBUS. Maybe this also explains why I was seeing the effect at night, not in day-light, when using automatic brightnes control.
So, the work around for me is to have a constantly bright screen, even in the dark. If this is the trigger then it will take a bit more experimentation to try and find the brightness threshold at which this effect occurs...
Thoughts anyone?
Chis
OK, here is a theory, based on a reading of the above and some experimentation...
I started to get the problem when I turned on the 'automatic screen brightness' function on the 2720. The problem then occured when I went out later that evening - in the dark. One minute on, three minutes off etc.
Take bike and 2720 to dealer this afternoon. Bright day, so 'automatic screen brightness' turns up the light.
On the way back home (OK, via a long detour cos' it's a nice day...) I experiment by returning the setting to manual mode and turning the brightness down using the screen settings. It keeps working fine, at the lower brightness (although it is almost impossible to see). So I decide to stop, set the brightness down very low, then save the setting, turn off unit and turn off engine. I restart and... hey-presto, problem returns...
The 2720 unit initialises on a bright default setting, then reads the saved settings and reduces brightness. About 30-40 seconds later the CANBUS (I presume) system turns off the power socket for three minutes or so...
So, a few more miles, few more minutes, few more iterations of the effect, then stop. Restart the unit, return to manual settings, set it nice and bright and away we go... no interuptions to the power supply at all.
What is the theory? Perhaps the CANBUS is too sensitive to the minute power difference that dimming the screen quickly possibly causes. CANBUS thinks there is a problem, decides to cut power etc... Interestingly, doing it slowly with the manual control did not seem to have any impact on CANBUS. Maybe this also explains why I was seeing the effect at night, not in day-light, when using automatic brightnes control.
So, the work around for me is to have a constantly bright screen, even in the dark. If this is the trigger then it will take a bit more experimentation to try and find the brightness threshold at which this effect occurs...
Thoughts anyone?
Chis
This is better than Cluedo - the CAN Bus did it with the Automatic Brightness In the DarkChisurz said:
My autocom (which was fitted by the BMW dealer and takes its power from the back of the accessory socket) and my Quest power, from the same accessory socket- ALSO cut out during rides and sometimes they power up again- although only momentary.
Never did this before my last software update
I keep the battery in top condition with my optimate
Frustrating !
Never did this before my last software update
I keep the battery in top condition with my optimate
Frustrating !
Clive said:This is better than Cluedo - the CAN Bus did it with the Automatic Brightness In the Dark
Cheers Clive... yeah, better than Cluedo... but at least I don't care if I lose at Cluedo
Anyway, it ain't the wires and it ain't the device, so (in Cluedo fashion) that leave the CAN bus controller etc...
Chis
jeff garnett
Registered user
Hi
I have my BMW Nav II connected to the front accessory socket on my 1200GS.
Today the Nav II turned off as though there wasn't any power.
It would come on when switching the ignition off & on again, but some times go off again, about 3 times today.
My bike's software (battery fix) was updated 10 weeks back but, i have not used the GPS until today
The battery is ok
jeff
I have my BMW Nav II connected to the front accessory socket on my 1200GS.
Today the Nav II turned off as though there wasn't any power.
It would come on when switching the ignition off & on again, but some times go off again, about 3 times today.
My bike's software (battery fix) was updated 10 weeks back but, i have not used the GPS until today
The battery is ok
jeff
Do you know if your bike has the "latest" software update. A number of people (including myself) appear to have experienced socket problems after an update.Chisurz said:
I may try further experiments with my heated jacket thermostat - trying to increase in smaller increments - although I'd be interested in trying this on another bike also - see if I get the same effect as mine.
Clive, I'll check with the service department at Cooper Reading to see, as I've never knowingly refused any! Last stuff would have been done around that general "brake check" recall (Dec 05) when the bike went in for it around January 06.
Otherwise, I'm left looking at a sheet of numbers from the 6k service back in Sept 05. If you know the number you are looking for, let me know.
Cheers
Chis.
Otherwise, I'm left looking at a sheet of numbers from the 6k service back in Sept 05. If you know the number you are looking for, let me know.
Cheers
Chis.
Might have then based on those dates - see earlier post http://www.ukgser.com/forums/showpost.php?p=556803&postcount=22Chisurz said:
Trip
Guest
Chris,
your experiment seems to confirm that the problem is in software and it's cutting the power when the power draw is too low. When the backlight is brighter, more power is drawn and the software does not shut down the socket.
Trip
your experiment seems to confirm that the problem is in software and it's cutting the power when the power draw is too low. When the backlight is brighter, more power is drawn and the software does not shut down the socket.
Trip
Last edited:
Mine didn't do it for a while, then I went out this week with Autocom/Mp3 and the Nav2 and the bloody thing kept turning off repeatedly. I ended up unplugging my lid from the autocom, starting the bike, plugging the helmet back in to start the autocom, then turning the GPS on and it all ran fine.
Grrrrr...................
Grrrrr...................
cookiemonster
Guest
same here...
Running a Quest from the under seat aux socket and got the same behaviour today: shut down, start up, shut down start up.
I found (as someone said above) that rebooting
the bike with nothing on then turning on the Quest after some revs seems to fix the problem.
mmm...
jon
Running a Quest from the under seat aux socket and got the same behaviour today: shut down, start up, shut down start up.
I found (as someone said above) that rebooting
the bike with nothing on then turning on the Quest after some revs seems to fix the problem.mmm...
jon
I've been having this problem for a wee while. The power supply lead for my GPS is piggy backed onto the feed for the underseat accessory socket. I fiddled with the plug on the back of the socket a bit last weekend and that seemed to fix the problem for the duration of the ride. However, the next day it reverted to cutting off with monotonous regularity once again.
So this weekend I pulled the connector off the back of the accessory socket and sprayed the contacts on the connector and on the socket with Isopropanol cleaning fluid and then cleaned up the contacts as best as I could. On today's ride, the GPS stayed powered up all the time.
So this weekend I pulled the connector off the back of the accessory socket and sprayed the contacts on the connector and on the socket with Isopropanol cleaning fluid and then cleaned up the contacts as best as I could. On today's ride, the GPS stayed powered up all the time.
ianm00
Registered user
All,
Since starting this thread I have replaced my R1200GS with a new R1200GS 06 model. So far Ive not seen this problem occur. However my battery is new and the problem may not show until the volts drop a bit.
Has anybody else seen a problem with an 06 bike yet. My 06 bike has a different "start up" sequence and the display is different. Im wondering if the electronics/software has been changed to fix this problem.
However if you GPS or accessory is turning on/off with regular intervals (I could time mine with the bikes engine not running just ignition on) there is no way this can be down to losse/dirty/faulty connections this has to be the electronics/software.
I suggest everybody gives their BMW dealer a hard time about this and then maybe they will acknowledge the problem and produce a fix.
Ian
Since starting this thread I have replaced my R1200GS with a new R1200GS 06 model. So far Ive not seen this problem occur. However my battery is new and the problem may not show until the volts drop a bit.
Has anybody else seen a problem with an 06 bike yet. My 06 bike has a different "start up" sequence and the display is different. Im wondering if the electronics/software has been changed to fix this problem.
However if you GPS or accessory is turning on/off with regular intervals (I could time mine with the bikes engine not running just ignition on) there is no way this can be down to losse/dirty/faulty connections this has to be the electronics/software.
I suggest everybody gives their BMW dealer a hard time about this and then maybe they will acknowledge the problem and produce a fix.
Ian
Power socket intermitent failure
Well this all sounds very interesting if not slightly baffling.
I have also had a problem with the power to the auxiliary switching off for about three minutes and on for about one - but only on one occasion. It seems really odd that I managed a 300 mile trip with both the GPS and Autocom working perfectly, and then just recently this problem has cropped up. It's particularly annoying as we're off the southern Ireland for two weeks next month and I would really like both accessories to work.
I managed to get the power to stay on by bending the connectors at the back of the socket slightly. This seems to have worked, but for how long, who knows? Perhaps the tweak managed to disconnect a short in some way?
I have noticed in the recent past that the battery doesn't keep fully charged and have had to call out BMW emergency services on one occasion as a result of a flat battery - perhaps this is connected to the problem. The Autocom and Garmin are wired onto the aux socket and taped up and the bike has had a battery software update. I might check the state of the wiring and the socket. I will also bring this issue up with the dealership when the bike has it's 6K service this month.
Chris
Well this all sounds very interesting if not slightly baffling.
I have also had a problem with the power to the auxiliary switching off for about three minutes and on for about one - but only on one occasion. It seems really odd that I managed a 300 mile trip with both the GPS and Autocom working perfectly, and then just recently this problem has cropped up. It's particularly annoying as we're off the southern Ireland for two weeks next month and I would really like both accessories to work.
I managed to get the power to stay on by bending the connectors at the back of the socket slightly. This seems to have worked, but for how long, who knows? Perhaps the tweak managed to disconnect a short in some way?
I have noticed in the recent past that the battery doesn't keep fully charged and have had to call out BMW emergency services on one occasion as a result of a flat battery - perhaps this is connected to the problem. The Autocom and Garmin are wired onto the aux socket and taped up and the bike has had a battery software update. I might check the state of the wiring and the socket. I will also bring this issue up with the dealership when the bike has it's 6K service this month.
Chris
I don't know if it's just coincidental but I get this intermittent power on/off and it seems to happen if I don't let the start-up/boot-up/switch-on process finish before I start the engine or if I turn the ignition off for a very brief period. Everything worked fine untill the latest s/w upgrade which seems to have introduced this problem. BMW are even worse than MicroSoft at introducing unwanted features (aka bugs) into each s/w update. If I let the startup process finish completely before starting the engine then all seems to be OK although today I started getting a red triangle and low battery symbol every time I started the bike, despite having done 200 miles each dof the last three days (surely enough to keep the battery fully charged!)
I'd get the alternator tested - I had similar symptom before alternator failure.JayGee said:
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