Warning Light on 1150 GS

[Neil A]

Hi Everyone
The lower red light of the two to the right of the neutral indicator light on my 2004 1150 Gs Adventure has come on and won't go off again. See attached picture (light not illuminated, but you'll be able to see the one I mean). This happened once before after I washed the bike but someone I know who had the same thing said his went off after a short ride, then turning the ignition off & back on again. This worked on mine the first time, but after the latest wash (not even jetwash, just bucket & sponge!) the light is staying on. This is extremely bad timing, as having just lost my licence (bah! - I didn't do what they said I did) i) I can't ride it and ii) I want to sell it. I got a mate to ride it & he did 40-odd miles, but the light is still on. Anyone got a cunning plan to solve it? Apart from sticking tape over it, which probably won't assist with the sale. Everything appears to be working fine.
Thanks
Neil

 

[Duchess]

Hi Everyone
The lower red light of the two to the right of the neutral indicator light on my 2004 1150 Gs Adventure has come on and won't go off again. See attached picture (light not illuminated, but you'll be able to see the one I mean). This happened once before after I washed the bike but someone I know who had the same thing said his went off after a short ride, then turning the ignition off & back on again. This worked on mine the first time, but after the latest wash (not even jetwash, just bucket & sponge!) the light is staying on. This is extremely bad timing, as having just lost my licence (bah! - I didn't do what they said I did) i) I can't ride it and ii) I want to sell it. I got a mate to ride it & he did 40-odd miles, but the light is still on. Anyone got a cunning plan to solve it? Apart from sticking tape over it, which probably won't assist with the sale. Everything appears to be working fine.
Thanks
Neil

Neil I'm going to shift your post over to the Technical section of the forum where I think you'll get a better response to your problem.

Hope you get it sorted soon .... enjoy your stay with us

 

[Big Den]

Well its defo an ABS issue and while yer waitin for someone who has had the issue and fixed it i will put a pennies worth in
As it happens after a rinse i would suspect the wiring to the wheel sensors maybe getting a bit of moisture in somewhere or if it don't happen when it rains you are getting water in places rain doesn't get to, under the tank maybe ?
If you have an airline you could blow out the wiring round the wheel and anywhere you can get to by tracing the cables.

 

[Taff]

Well its defo an ABS issue ....

Sorry Big Den but are you sure? The ABS warning light is the top one, the bottom one (ie the one he's got on) is a general warning light.

According to my book, if the general light is on constantly (but the ABS warning light stays off) it shows that the "Tail light / brake light" is defective. BTW as there are 8 different combinations of ABS / General warning lights, its worth printing the relevant page from the Riders Manual and keeping it in the Fuse Box, because you're never going to remember all 8 combinations.

I would check / change the bulb.

With mine, there is one bulb but its got a dual filament. A couple of years ago one filament was broken, but it was such a small break that you almost needed a magnifying glass to see it, but obviously it was big enough to break the circuit. I just reckon that as the other filament was being used, the heat created expanded the broken filament and resulted in a complete circuit again, which would give you or your mate the intermitent warning light you described.

 

[motobiker]

Well its defo an ABS issue and while yer waitin for someone who has had the issue and fixed it i will put a pennies worth in
As it happens after a rinse i would suspect the wiring to the wheel sensors maybe getting a bit of moisture in somewhere or if it don't happen when it rains you are getting water in places rain doesn't get to, under the tank maybe ?
If you have an airline you could blow out the wiring round the wheel and anywhere you can get to by tracing the cables.

he makes absolutely no mention of there being a fault with the ABS - failing to engage and such like...

 

[Steptoe]

You need to tell us if the bike has servo brakes or not.

 

[Neil A]

Does it have servo brakes?

Yes it does! I'm going to try the rear light check tonight. Thanks to everyone who's responded so far. I'll update tomorrow after checking the bulb

 

[RayS]

Red Warning Light

Neil

My 1150 did this once or twice and I found it was because I was trying to start the bike before it had completed all its checks and the red light was still on. The bike has ABS and power assisted brakes.

So, I now turn on the ignition, allow the bike to go through its check proceedure and if everything is OK the red light then goes out after a few seconds delay.
Then I start the engine on the button and the red light stayed off.

This maybe totally irrelevant but it worked for me!

Cheers
Ray

 

[(RIP) Sugar Ray]

I'm fairly certain I got the same warning light whilst on holiday in Spain a few years ago. It turned out to be the brake light bulb, but when I checked the light it looked OK - then I found out that when the brake part of the filament is burnt out, then the side light part of the filament takes the current & still lights up (or maybe the other way round). Anyway, a new bulb sorted it

Charles

 

[ELIMINATOR]

Bulb, happened to me twice. Sometimes intermittent as the faulty filament occassionaly reconnected

 

[Big Den]

I will hold me hands up, not had a 1150 since 02, to be honest i think i was thinking of my Pan .
Must concentrate

Sorry guys will not do it again

 

[Psyko]

Bulb or Moisture

Happens on my 1150GS from time to time. A couple of times it has been the bulb (which I change) - other times it is either after a wash or when it is very wet out. Must be something in the wiring that causes it to short and the light comes on. Usually goes off after a bit. I intend to check the wiring and seal it all up ... when I get the time. I usually carry a spare bulb just in case. I have the Touratech ReVamp rear end on the bike and it is a bit more open to the weather - hence, I think, the problem.

Cheers,

Psyko.

 

[Neil A]

Thanks everyone!

It is sorted! The brake and tail lights were both working fine (or maybe one was standing in for the other when the first failed, or something) but anyway, put a brand new bulb in and bingo! No warning light any more. I am very grateful to everyone who took the trouble to post suggestions. Thanks!

Now, unfortunately, just have to sell the bike, as I have no licence for a year and then I have to take my test again anyway. And I didn't even go round a blind corner on the wrong side of the road, despite the Police statements - they were in a car way behind me at the time, with several vehicles in between, including a van! I think they were just p*ssed off that they couldn't keep up

Neil

 

[Taff]

It is sorted! ... put a brand new bulb in and bingo! No warning light any more.

I'm really chuffed NA. Partly because you've got your problem sorted, but mainly because in 5 years of being a Tosser, this is the first question in the "Technical Section" I've ever answered correctly.

 

[Roger Chatterton]

It is sorted! The brake and tail lights were both working fine (or maybe one was standing in for the other when the first failed, or something) but anyway, put a brand new bulb in and bingo! No warning light any more. I am very grateful to everyone who took the trouble to post suggestions. Thanks!

N

ow, unfortunately, just have to sell the bike, as I have no licence for a year and then I have to take my test again anyway. And I didn't even go round a blind corner on the wrong side of the road, despite the Police statements - they were in a car way behind me at the time, with several vehicles in between, including a van! I think they were just p*ssed off that they couldn't keep up

Neil

Hi Neil,

no chance of laying the bike up for the necessary period, and then waiting 'til you pass your test again ? Maybe someone with a trailer could take you to some private roads or track in the meantime, just to keep your eye in ...seems a bit drastic having to sell the bike and all.... if I may ask, and you don't have to tell me if you don't want, but er, .. how fast were you really traveling, and what was the speed restriction ? Sounds like the police were in a bad mood that day for some reason....maybe they'd just forced their way into an MP's office or something

 

[Neil A]

Is this the longest ever gap?

I was just checking soemthing in this old thread and I noticed a post from Roger at the end. I didn't reply to it at the time, because as far as I knew, that thread was over and done with and I didn't see his post! Maybe better (extremely) late than never...?

It wasn't the speed I was doing that bothered them (this is the Isle of Man and there's no 70mph upper limit), but rather the approach to the corner (which they maintained was dangerous). Whilst I disagreed, I foolishly agreed to plead guilty in the hope of getting off with a fine and some points or something. To cut a long story short, it didn't work, but I sold the 1150, served the ban, passed the test and I've been back on a 1200 for 18 months now. All's well with the world, except that my insurance cost has gone up a bit....
Neil

 

[Steptoe]

I was just checking soemthing in this old thread and I noticed a post from Roger at the end. I didn't reply to it at the time, because as far as I knew, that thread was over and done with and I didn't see his post! Maybe better (extremely) late than never...?

It wasn't the speed I was doing that bothered them (this is the Isle of Man and there's no 70mph upper limit), but rather the approach to the corner (which they maintained was dangerous). Whilst I disagreed, I foolishly agreed to plead guilty in the hope of getting off with a fine and some points or something. To cut a long story short, it didn't work, but I sold the 1150, served the ban, passed the test and I've been back on a 1200 for 18 months now. All's well with the world, except that my insurance cost has gone up a bit....
Neil

Added on drivel.

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