Brake Failure… Brake Failure… Brake Failure… Brake Failure… Brake Failure

[jackhammer50]

I’m a new owner of my first BMW. It is a 2006 GSA. It has 7530 miles on it. It is like new. The PO never rode it much after 2007. But he did have the annual service done at the end of 2011. All oils changed and brake fluid topped off.

I have owned bikes since 2007, have lots of good tools, and have wrenched them all as I (probably erroneously) think no one can fix them as well as I can.

I have had the GSA for about six weeks. The first thing I did was to flush the gas and flush the brakes ala Jim Von Baden’s DVD. (That DVD is GREAT BTW!)
All was good until last night. The PO had installed a LED flashing taillight. I saw somewhere that it might be programmable. I went out and turned the key on then pulled in the front brake lever five times and held it on the last pull for five seconds. (This was supposedly to put it in program mode).

Holy Shoot! The servos went crazy!

And that was it. Since then I have had a brake failure flashing… quickly at first, and the brake light stays on and the servos don’t run. Funny thing is… If I turn the key on and off several times, the brake failure flashing sometimes slows down a bit and sometimes the servos start working again. For a little while, (an hour maybe) I could drive the bike and they would work fine until I turned the bike off, then it happened all over again.

But now they do't work at all.

What the heck did I do by pulling in the brake like that? Is that the source of the problem? The reservoirs were full a month ago when I flushed the brakes, I have seen no leakage anywhere, and the brake pads were inspected when I flushed the system and were like new.

Brake failure in that the servos won't work. They don't come on with the switch turned on, and the motor not started, nor when braking action is applied. I imagine they will stop the bike if needed, but they will need to be squeezed reallly, really hard to do so. I don't know if the ABS works as I haven’t ridden it fast enough or squeezed the brakes hard enough to kick it in.

Okay...so far I have disconnected and re-connected the battery, sprayed the switches with contact cleaner and replaced the led tail light with the standard bulb.

I can hear the switches clicking, and the problem remains...brake failure message blinks rapidly, servos not running at all now, and brake light stays on.

I just pulled the gas tank and checked the fluid levels in the servo reservoirs. They are full. All the reservoirs are full.
As soon as I turn on the key both filaments in the brake /tail light energize.

Is there some fuse I should check?

WTH??

…I hate intermittent problems.

[Foot dragger]

How did I know this was a BMW thread just from the title?

[manfromthestix]

Originally Posted by Foot dragger

How did I know this was a BMW thread just from the title?

Maybe because it's in the "GSpot - Oilhead Boxers" thread?? You're smart AND helpful!

Anyway, BUMP your thread so hopefully someone who can help will chime in. My GS (thankfully) is servo-free. Wish I could help but I've never had such a problem. Good luck!

Doug

[farmerger]

The first thing to do is check the brake switch at your front brake lever. You should hear it clicking when you pull and release the lever. If its stuck it could give you your symptoms. If that's not it, I would pull the fancy rear brake light. It will give you a lampf fault, but if the brake light goes off then its got to be your problem.

[jackhammer50]

Originally Posted by farmerger

The first thing to do is check the brake switch at your front brake lever. You should hear it clicking when you pull and release the lever. If its stuck it could give you your symptoms. If that's not it, I would pull the fancy rear brake light. It will give you a lampf fault, but if the brake light goes off then its got to be your problem.

I think you may be on to something. I went out and listened for the click. I'm old and my hearing is even older, but I don't think it is clicking every time. Might be stuck. I can't really even see the switch. Should I just spray some WD-40 in there and hope for the best?

[ragtoplvr]

replace the led with a stock bulb. Cheap and will probably fix the issue

Rod

[Gruesome]

When you say 'brake failure' do you mean the brakes don't work, or the ABS does not work, or just that the ABS lights in the instrument cluster signal something? Maybe all it is is that the bike is not happy with the resistance it sees from the fancy brake light (maybe only in programming mode), and that's what the ABS lights are trying to tell you. A 2006 GSA has CANbus, right? Did you finish reprogramming your brake light? Can you program it back to the previous setting?

[jackhammer50]

Originally Posted by Gruesome

When you say 'brake failure' do you mean the brakes don't work, or the ABS does not work, or just that the ABS lights in the instrument cluster signal something? Maybe all it is is that the bike is not happy with the resistance it sees from the fancy brake light (maybe only in programming mode), and that's what the ABS lights are trying to tell you. A 2006 GSA has CANbus, right? Did you finish reprogramming your brake light? Can you program it back to the previous setting?

Brake failure in that the servos won't work. They don't come on with the switch turned on, and the motor not started, nor when braking action is applied. I imagine they will stop the bike if needed, but they will need to be squeezed reallly, really hard to do so. I don't know if the ABS works as I havent ridden it fast enough or squeezed the brakes hard enough to kick it in.

It seems to be related to the front brake somehow....as I can give it a squeeze or two or three and sometimes the brake light goes off, then the brakes and servos work as they should. If the brakelight comes on when the key is turned, the servos won't work. If the light doesn't come on, then the servos work. Remember, I am not applying the brakes at key turn, but the brake light comes on anyway.

The flash pattern of the tailligh tnever changed so I don't think the program was altered.

[SPX]

Keep in mind that the servos will not run if the key is turned to the on position with the front brake lever held in. In other words if you are actually holding the front brake lever as you turn the key on, or if the brake lever is stuck on ever so slightly, the servos will not run. Given what you have described I would use this information to assist with troubleshooting, and I think that you will find your problem; I suspect the front brake lever is at fault in one way or another

[manfromthestix]

Originally Posted by jackhammer50

I think you may be on to something. I went out and listened for the click. I'm old and my hearing is even older, but I don't think it is clicking every time. Might be stuck. I can't really even see the switch. Should I just spray some WD-40 in there and hope for the best?

NOT WD-40!!! Get a can of electrical contact cleaner from the car parts store and hose it down, then hit it with some compressed air to blow the crap out and dry it. I do this routinely on all my switches because they take a beating from water, dust, bugs, oil and grease, etc. WD-40 might help a sticking parts issue, but it won't clean a contact (might even make it fail); the electrical contact cleaner will help with both.

Doug

[def]

Originally Posted by manfromthestix

NOT WD-40!!! Get a can of electrical contact cleaner from the car parts store and hose it down, then hit it with some compressed air to blow the crap out and dry it. I do this routinely on all my switches because they take a beating from water, dust, bugs, oil and grease, etc. WD-40 might help a sticking parts issue, but it won't clean a contact (might even make it fail); the electrical contact cleaner will help with both.

Doug

Doug is right here. WD-40 is Stoddard solvent for cleaning metal parts, removing tar, freeing up stuff that has been neglected and lubing the chain on my overhead garage door opener.

A contact cleaner is for electrical contacts.

I routinely flood connectors, switches and similar electrical stuff with aerosol silicone spray to drive out moisture, provide corrosion protection and clean contacts.

[jackhammer50]

Okay...so far I have disconnected and re-connected the battery, sprayed the switches with contact cleaner and replaced the led tail light witht he standard bulb.

I can hear the switches clicking, and the problem remains...brake failure message blinks rapidly, servos not running at all now, and brakelight stays on.

Any other thoughts?

[jackhammer50]

I just pulled the gas tank and checked the fluid levels in the servo reservoirs. They are full. All the reservoirs are full.

As soon as I turn on the key both filaments in the brake /tail light energize.

Is there some fuse I should check?

WTH??

[Armydad]

Not to question your expertise, but are you absolutely sure you purged all the air from your line? If the servo hits a dry spot, it's like there is no fluid at all in there, which would cause what you're getting. Just a thought.

[jackhammer50]

Originally Posted by Armydad

Not to question your expertise, but are you absolutely sure you purged all the air from your line? If the servo hits a dry spot, it's like there is no fluid at all in there, which would cause what you're getting. Just a thought.

I would like to try to re-purge, but the servos won't even run. Not at all.

I appreciate your input. I'll keep trying.