ABS red warning light coming on intermittently

[David.]

The service history is a moot point, what BMW is charging for ABS units is highway robbery.

In the UK, a new ABS unit is likely to cost ~£1,600. It is for this reason and other expensive electrical failures that I like to have a warranty. With respect to service history, I do some myself and the BMW dealer does other bespoke items. This includes the F&R brake fluid change. I was advised by a BMW service manager that an ABS unit warranty claim was being challenged because the brake fluid hadn't been changed.

[Marvin2Shoes]

After looking through the previous three owners paperwork I can see the second and third owners pretty much left the bike sitting in a garage. It has spent very little time in the sun by the look of the paint, although the yellow window on the tank bag would disagree.
I have come to accept that I will just bypass the ABS. I was happy to see how much weight I will be removing by jettisoning it. Good riddance to bad, over-engineered garbage!
I will see if I can fake some analogue voltages on the internal ABS board to reduce the need to disable errors reported by this quite ridiculous ZFE unit.
Thankyou for your time and consideration.

[David.]

I have come to accept that I will just bypass the ABS.

A rather lengthy 1 hour video of how to remove the servo/abs brakes on a Hexhead R1200RT.



Haven't seen anything for a Camhead.

[David.]

A shorter video with some other ideas, again for a Hexhead.



Looks like the Hexhead has microswitches for the brake lights.

[Marvin2Shoes]

At this stage there are very few videos about ABS on YouTube that I haven't watched. This is by far the most informative I've watched so far:

Yes, there seems to be very little about camheads. Same ABS as far as I have seen in videos but likely the ABS will be harder to bypass as BMW has been locking down systems ever more stringently.
Does anyone know if a plug-in circuit that sends the required ABS codes to the ZFE unit has been produced yet to fool this anal retentive digital nonsense? Opportunity anyone?
Also does anyone know if the pressure sensors for ABS in Camhead are available. Once again there is a lot of information for ABS on hexheads (and I'd like to assume it is the same ABS unit) but the haynes manual is lacking any information on the ABS unit and annoyingly refers more to the GS than the RT.
I will pull my bike apart and take photos and get info directly off the unit today. Will post findings.

[David.]

Early Hexheads had this type of ABS modulator.


Later Hexheads & Camheads have the same ABS modulator.

[David.]

Does anyone know if the pressure sensors for ABS in Camhead are available

Most unlikely as looking back at this Adventure Rider thread, https://www.advrider.com/f/threads/bmw- ... s.1443073/
"The sensors are in the module itself under the cover and are each wired the the circuit board."



"Do you know what are the three circular greenish bits. They have 4 contact points and connect to the PCB. Are these pressure sensors."

"That should be them. You will need a donor unit to source a replacement."

[Marvin2Shoes]

I will put it to the local BMW Dealer tomorrow when I pick up the spare parts I have on order.
I wonder if the parts are available through the manufacturer themselves?

[David.]

I will put it to the local BMW Dealer tomorrow.

BMW will only offer a complete replacement ABS module.

I wonder if the parts are available through the manufacturer themselves.

Found this info. off an ABS unit for sale on ebay.



Try contacting Ate, https://www.ate-brakes.com/meta-navigation/contact/

[Marvin2Shoes]

You are a regular sleuth!
I had seen the company listed as FTE and ATE and was wondering if there may have been a typo or there is actually two companies making ABS units for BMW.
Well I think a nicely worded email to their parts department is in order. Hopefully it isn't a model of ABS unit that was made only for BMW or the trail could end very quickly. Surely others have attempted to contact this company before now?
I am of the opinion that the ABS unit is more the size I would expect to see in a car but maybe I'm mistaken... It's a ridiculously lumpy piece of gear!
The one in the 2001 1150 was incredibly hefty! At least we can be thankful that we didn't receive the power assisted ABS like the 2001-2005 models.
I have emailed the company on the link you provided.

[David.]

I am of the opinion that the ABS unit is more the size I would expect to see in a car.

This guy uses a motor from a Ford Focus to replace a u/s unit on an R1200GS Hexhead.

[Marvin2Shoes]

Yes I had seen that... not surprising that a part BMW sells for AU$4000 would contain a couple of $100 Ford Focus motors LoL

[Marvin2Shoes]

"I was advised by a BMW service manager that an ABS unit warranty claim was being challenged because the brake fluid hadn't been changed."

The hilarious part of this is that many customer accounts on forums show that what they say they've done on the invoice is not necessarily the work that was carried out on the bike. When I do it myself I never try to pull the wool over my own eyes. The trust accorded Australian BMW workshops is akin to the trust one would have for a vegetarian shark. They simply don't have a good name at all.

[David.]

The hilarious part of this is that many customer accounts on forums show that what they say they've done on the invoice is not necessarily the work that was carried out on the bike.

The T&C's of the BMW Motorrad Insured Warranty say,

"After each service, please ensure that the relevant service details are completed in your service records by the servicing garage and obtain a receipt for the service. You must keep all such receipts for reference in the event of a claim."

BMW Warranty have access to the service records from all dealers.

My last service invoice states that the F&R brake fluid was changed. Good enough for me in the event of a claim.

The evidence is that I had both front brake calipers changed under warranty. This claim may have been declined if the brake fluid hadn't been changed.

[Marvin2Shoes]

I managed to find a business in Sydney that may rebuild our later Camhead ABS units. I have emailed them. If I can get a rebuild under $1000 then I will refit it myself as bleeding an ABS unit shouldn't be difficult utilising MotoScan according to all the videos I have seen on YouTube.
When I do my repairs I may not have a piece of paper that says I can, but I don't turn up to the job:
1. Hung-over or drugged-out.
2. I can take my time and consult widely to avoid errors.
3. I can take overhead-tripod video of my progress to enable retracing my steps to assemble successfully without missing parts or steps.
4. I can use my video footage to prove far more conclusively to the rebuilder that I have performed the re-installation satisfactorily should there be an issue.

It's not rocket science. BMW just want everyone to think it is.