neutral light

[mick99]

Hi all

I'm new here, although I have been reading posts for sometime, I have a fantastic R1200s, with de-cat, PC, and Remus end can, full ohlins, and the wide back wheel, its black as hell, and goes like stink, but I have now a problem I can't resolve without the highway robber at my local BMW dealer relieving me of some hard earned cash, so here goes.

No neutral light at all
bike will only start with clutch in and side stand up
gear indicator shows which gear bike is in when going along
pull clutch lever in and gear indicator disappears
select neutral no N dash is blank
put side stand down in neutral engine stops
bike runs fine otherwise

any help will be appreciated

[AZ-Twin]

Sounds like it might be a problem with the Gear position sensor which connects to BMS-K pins 13, 54, and 41. Here is a link to a wiring diagram for a R1200GS, the last page shows the location of the sensor.

http://www.swartzwelder.net/public/R1200GS-WD2.pdf

It is odd that every other gear shows up, however N is not recognized.

I will look on the maintenance DVD when I get home and see if there is a troubleshooting procedure to determine if the part is bad, or if there is some adjustment that can be done. When did this issue start? You know, just reseating the connectors in the circuit may help. Or buzzing out the wires to make sure nothing broke, or a connection is corroded.

[mick99]

Thanks AZ Twin

I have reseated the connectors at both the clutch lever, the Gear position sensor and the side-stand all look clean and dry, I have checked the loom condition and found no signs of wear or damage.

the problem appeared as I was riding along, gear position on dash kept going blank each time I pulled clutch in, when I stopped no neutral light, and when I put side-stand down engine cut.

Very strange

[BikerMiker]

Judging by the symptoms and the diagram the bike turns off when you put the sidestand down because the brains think the bike is in gear. The diagram shows a rheostat at the gear position sensor. It's like a fan speed selector switch where one of the fan speeds (usually the one you like) doesn't work any more. My guess is that there is no voltage passing at neutral hence the bike has no idea that it's in neutral. Somehow the clutch being engaged introduces a contact that makes your gear display disappear. I have no clue exactly why that would happen without seeing a logic diagram along with the wiring. But... since your sidestand switch is working (bike turns off) and clutch is working (bike starts) I would start with the gear position sensor.

[mick99]

Thanks Mike

This seems to be the consensus of opinion.

Does anyone know how to check the gear position sensor, or should I go to "Dick Turpin" and get a new one, I bet that will cost

Thanks for advice

[AZ-Twin]

Mick,

I can't find anything in the service dvd about testing the gear position sensor. You might search the web and look for a procedure to check the resistance values in various positions. The service documentation as well as the Max BMW parts catalog refer to it as a potentiometer like Mike says. Since it is a potentiometer or variable resistor, a bad connection could affect the reading enough to confuse the ecu, however then I would think it would be bad across the board, or wrong in all gears.

If it were my bike I would reseat all the connectors and spry some contact cleaner on them, including the main connector that plugs on the ecu. I would probably buzz the circuit out from end to end just to make sure I did not have a wiring issue. If none of this fixed it, I would replace the gear position sensor. Unfortunately that part is $170 according to the Max BMW catalog, so not knowing for sure makes it difficult to make the purchase.

Hope this helped.

[mick99]

Thanks AZ-Twin

I have to say I'm really impressed with this forum, you guys are brill,

I am a member on some other off road forums that are quite good, but nowhere near as active as you guys.

I hope I can contribute something along the way.

I should also mention that the L sensors are remover in accordance with the power commander instructions, not sure if this makes a difference, but we don't have emission checks for bikes here in the UK

Thanks again one and all

[cageyar]

R1200GS Gear / Neutral Indicator Failure
R1200GS / R1200 Symtoms: Bike won't start and/or gear indicator display errors or no display at all.

Issue - no gear or neutral indicator on the dash display, no neutral green light or some gears fail to display, wrong gear indicated. This may happen intermittently.
You may also have problems with the bike not starting as the gear position switch / potentiometer may well be sending an 'in gear' signal to the bike's ECU even though the bike is in neutral (you can get round this by starting the bike with the side stand up and the clutch lever pulled in).

In general these issues are a nuicance only however it is possible for the neutral green light to show when the bike is still in gear, I don't think I need to explain what could happen then! (Always a good idea to let the clutch out slowly after you think you've put the bike in neutral;-)

This has been a fairly common issue with the BMW R1200GS and no doubt other BMW R1200 series motorcycles. Whilst I guess a failure of the actual 'dash' display is possible all the problems I am aware of have related to the gear position indicator switch (potentiometer) mounted to the back of the gearbox and/or the electrical connector to the switch. For the R1200GS a common issue is the ingress of water to the electrical connection and/or the switch itself but there have also been reports of failed gear / neutral indicator switches (potentiometers) and I've also read of a few problems where a reset of the bikes ECU software has resolved faults with wrong gears being indicated - the cure is as simple as clearing the fault code on the bikes 'computer' which will require a visit to the dealer unless you have access to a GS-911 diagnostic tool.

Location of the BMW R1200GS / R1200 gear indicator potentiometer unit:

[cageyar]

gear position indicator not working on 051200GS - ADVrider

[mick99]

I'm amazed at the quality of help available here,

A big thank you from me

gonna try the suggested remedies when I get in from work

[mick99]

Just in from the shop

Everything that has been suggested has now been tried, continuity through loom all terminals at both ends thoroughly cleaned cycled through the ignition with the sensor unplugged rode up the road through all gears, still the same.

One thing I did notice was that when coasting along in neutral the gear indicator was all over the place, strange!!!

Next step is to a BMW dealer found one about an hours ride away who doesn't wear a mask and feathers in his cap, if it needs resetting foc

Thanks again gents for the advice

[AZ-Twin]

Be sure to let us know how this turns out.

[jduke]

Have you checked with BMW motorcycle parts, BMW motorcycle, Used BMW motorcycle parts, BMW motorcycle salvage to see if they have a used part?

[mick99]

Had a look JDuke, no joy, I might be lucky with a reset to ECU, heres hoping

[BikerMiker]

Location of the BMW R1200GS / R1200 gear indicator potentiometer unit:

of failed gear / neutral indicator switches (potentiometers) and I've also read of a few problems

as the gear position switch / potentiometer may well be sending

have related to the gear position indicator switch (potentiometer) mounted to the back of the gearbox and/or the electrical connector

Alright alright alright.... potentiometer. Thanks for clearing that up ! I always have seen this symbol for a pot....




and this for a rheostat...



or







and this is my mom...

[mick99]

potentiometer had to buy a new one from Dick Turpin, I'm sure they puy their masks on when I walk in the dealers, still £90 and fit it myself, really said Dick, yes really said I, I'm not paying you £80 per hour, and you want 2 hours to fit it, no thank you.

anyway de-cat, retune the PC and what a rocket, big grin and troubles over, for now anyway.

Cheers for all the advice

[jduke]

Where can I find an English to English translation?

[roger albert]

Northern to Southern?

[jduke]

And I thought I needed a translation for the Aussies and the Kewpie's, I mean Kiwi's....

[mick99]

potentiometer fitted, no different, I am p****d now

can't think what else, gonna have to pay Dick Turpin to put diagnosis machine on,

Damn