ABS lights go left right left

[dilznik]

Maybe they go right left right.

Anyway, I thought someone told me when I first got the bike that it means the battery is charging. Then someone else told me that's what the lights do when the ABS calibrates. The guy at the shop (the parts guy anyway) said it means there's a fault in the ABS.

So what is actually happening when the ABS lights flash left right left right?

[flatbutt]

it is either a low battery or an ABS fault. charge the battery and see if it clears.

[John Lyon]

I think it will also do that if you start the bike too quickly after you turn on the key. I used to let it sit with the key on for 10-15 seconds, then start.

[R111S]

There is a way to reset this fault...I have a '99 R1100S w/ABS and this worked:

1. Remove the Seat and locate the round, black Diagnostic Connector near the top mount of the rear Suspension.

2. Remove the Diagnostic Connector from it’s holding Yoke and remove it’s Cover to expose the Terminals inside.

3. With the Keyswitch off, ground the brown/blue wire (Terminal-2) and keep it grounded using a wire beneath a frame screw.

4. Remove the Fuel Tank to expose the ABS Module. Remove the ABS Module Connector (secured by a metal tang on the low end).

5. Remove the plastic Ty-Strap from the black Rubber Boot and roll it back towards the Harness, then remove 3-metal Screws from the ABS Connector Body and push the Shell of the Connector back towards the harness to expose the Terminal Block.

6. Strip both ends of a ~1 Foot length of 14 AWG Wire. Locate Terminal-21 on the Terminal Block and push one end of the 14 AWG Wire into Terminal-21.

7. Push the only the Terminal Block back onto the ABS Module mating half connector. Make sure the 14 AWG Wire is still secure in Terminal-21. It must make contact with the ABS Module Terminal-21.

8. Turn the Keyswitch ON.

9. Wait a few moments and then securely ground the other end of the 14 AWG Wire for ~8 Seconds. Notice the ABS Fault Lamps have stopped blinking.

10. Un-ground the 14 AWG Wire, wait a few moments, then turn the Keyswitch OFF.

11. Remove the 14 AWG Wire from the Terminal Block Terminal-21, reassemble the ABS Connector, and reconnect it to the ABS Module.

12. Remove the wire from Terminal-2 of the Diagnostic Connector, put the cover back on, and secure it to it’s holding Yoke.

13. The ABS Module has now been reset.

[flatbutt]

Originally Posted by R111S

There is a way to reset this fault...I have a '99 R1100S w/ABS and this worked:

1. Remove the Seat and locate the round, black Diagnostic Connector near the top mount of the rear Suspension.

2. Remove the Diagnostic Connector from it’s holding Yoke and remove it’s Cover to expose the Terminals inside.

3. With the Keyswitch off, ground the brown/blue wire (Terminal-2) and keep it grounded using a wire beneath a frame screw.

4. Remove the Fuel Tank to expose the ABS Module. Remove the ABS Module Connector (secured by a metal tang on the low end).

5. Remove the plastic Ty-Strap from the black Rubber Boot and roll it back towards the Harness, then remove 3-metal Screws from the ABS Connector Body and push the Shell of the Connector back towards the harness to expose the Terminal Block.

6. Strip both ends of a ~1 Foot length of 14 AWG Wire. Locate Terminal-21 on the Terminal Block and push one end of the 14 AWG Wire into Terminal-21.

7. Push the only the Terminal Block back onto the ABS Module mating half connector. Make sure the 14 AWG Wire is still secure in Terminal-21. It must make contact with the ABS Module Terminal-21.

8. Turn the Keyswitch ON.

9. Wait a few moments and then securely ground the other end of the 14 AWG Wire for ~8 Seconds. Notice the ABS Fault Lamps have stopped blinking.

10. Un-ground the 14 AWG Wire, wait a few moments, then turn the Keyswitch OFF.

11. Remove the 14 AWG Wire from the Terminal Block Terminal-21, reassemble the ABS Connector, and reconnect it to the ABS Module.

12. Remove the wire from Terminal-2 of the Diagnostic Connector, put the cover back on, and secure it to it’s holding Yoke.

13. The ABS Module has now been reset.

or put duct tape over the lights?

[motomail]

.

I think it will also do that if you start the bike too quickly after you turn on the key. I used to let it sit with the key on for 10-15 seconds, then start.

My '99 did the same and this is how I handled it.

[ckcarr]

Just checking mine, the lights blink "together" upon initial start up.

They are not blinking alternately.

[dilznik]

Sometimes they blink alternately and go out while I'm underway. Sometimes they blink together and go out while I'm underway. More often is the alternate blinking.

[Spenser]

I can attest to the method described by R111s.

For steps 6 and 7 I dissected a female MK2 Volkswagen wiring socket and installed the metal contact in pin 21 for a if not factory, then at least a German finish.

At step 3 ground the pin with a analog volt meter or a LED ( digital meter might not respond fast enough to the rapid drops in voltage) It will show voltage then then a series of voltage drops. Count them.

1) Front pressure modulator
2) Rear Pressure modulator
3) Front speed sensor
4) Rear speed sensor
5) Voltage low
6) ABS relay
7) ABS control unit
8) Fwd sensor gap
9)?
10) Failed plunger test

I have the wire to pin #21 lead to under the seat and a wire with a female terminal for pin #2 handy.
I get fault #7 at random intervals and can clear it in moments at the side of the road.

[Ronwash80]

I have had a problem with the abs system on my bike and those pesky alternately flashy abs lights. This is what I know about the abs system

We'll start off by saying I am not a bmw tech and im am just going off of past experiences with my bike.

I have a 2001 r1100s and my abs lights blink alternately and currently have electrical tape over them. My problem is a failed plunger test

Now if your abs system is working as it should when you start up your bike the two lights should blink together until you ride off. At 2.7 mph the abs system does a self test (plunger test) to make sure the system is working as it should. If the test passes the lights turn off for the rest of your ride. If it fails (as my bike does) the abs lights will start to blink alternately this is when you know you have a fault. You (to the best of my knowledge) can't reset this by yourself unless you buy a self diagnostic tool such as a gs-911. I have never tried to do it any other way and never will. I read once a gentleman with a 11s tried something similar as described above and he fried his electrical system. Bad news...

Once you abs faults out (alternately blinking abs lights) the the bike becomes a normal non- abs bike. your brakes work normally you just don't have your abs, at-least until your reset the fault.

There is also a low voltage abs fault (a fault my bike has Had in the past). So when you turn your bike on and the abs lights blink alternately try to turning the bike off and on again to see if the lights start to blink together. If they do blink together then you'll know that the previous fault was a low voltage fault and it self cleared. The low voltage fault is the only fault I know of that is self clearing, every other fault requires a diagnostic tool.

I unfortunately do not have a diagnostic tool and the closest BMW moto dealership is a 2 hr ride from the casa so the electrical tape for now is my only fix ( I get tired of seeing the blinking lights while I ride)

I hope this helps clear this issue up.

Speed safely and keep the shinny side up!

[lht]

Mine has done that a couple of times and the problem is in the kickstand safety switch.

I pull over and shut the bike off, cycle the kick stand and restart. Lights go out and you hear the relays click. Bike is a 99.

[MaineRoads]

Mine does it when I get off the wrong side of the bike. If I walk counter clockwise and get back on all is good.

[sgoodwin]

Cured mine, just removed the entire ABS pile of crap & now have great brakes without all the mush & theatrics. And it doesn't matter which way I walk around it!

[Ronwash80]

Mine does it when I get off the wrong side of the bike. If I walk counter clockwise and get back on all is good.

Neat trick. I have to remember this one haha

[Ronwash80]

Cured mine, just removed the entire ABS pile of crap & now have great brakes without all the mush & theatrics. And it doesn't matter which way I walk around it!

I've thought about doing this how hard is it to pull off? Did you have to buy all new brake lines?

[sgoodwin]

It wasn't too difficult, unthreading the steel lines was fun. I had a non-abs rear line already & bought a set of steel braided front lines. It requires removing the plastics & tank to access everything. I removed the abs pump & all related plumbing then installed the new lines & bled them. I was amazed at how crisp & powerful the brakes felt afterwards. Also the dash lights continued to blink so I removed the bulbs. Overall I removed over 15 lbs from the bike with most of it up high, enough that I had to adjust to the quicker turn in. The main reason I got rid of the abs is I hated the way it operated on rough or dirty roads where it would activate when hitting bumps or debris when braking giving me an oh shiiit moment as the brakes disappeared.

[ckcarr]

LOL that's one way to "fix" things on a tech board!

[throttlemeister]

Last time I needed ABS, the front started to wash out on black ice, I actually released the brake before the ABS kicked in. Still needed a new set of underwear. Still like that it's there though, just in case. I have found ABS to be unreliable when you are also sideloading your tires, as you can lose your front while it is still (just) turning and the ABS will not kick in before it is too late.

[sgoodwin]

Originally Posted by ckcarr

LOL that's one way to "fix" things on a tech board!

I said I "cured" it not "fixed" it.

[dilznik]

Hi,

So I finally got a Battery Tender and a powerlet adapter and charged the battery. When I turned the bike on after that, I only got the ABS lights flashing together until I took off. Then that went out as well. So I guess the alternating lights mean the battery is charging. All good.