Inactive ABS warning light.

[Pale Rider]

Hi fellas. Recently bought a 2012 GSA1200, ok on page 49 of the hand book it shows that when you switch the ignition on the ABS warning light comes on when you press and hold button 1 . Well on mine this isn’t the case, what happens is when i press and hold button 1 the ASC comes on an changes status between the triangle and the S symbols but try as i might I’ve yet to see the ABS warning light/symbol.

So i rang the local BMW dealer and was told it SHOULD be ok as it is (don’t think the bloke knew to be honest) so rang the Honda dealership who I bought it from they checked and told me mine is an early 2012 model and the light wont be displayed so in effect the ABS is on constantly and I don’t have the facility to switch it off?? So im thinking I’m being led up the garden path a bit here, the bike has the ABS button and the book shows the same.

So I guess my question is should i see the ABS warning light and have the ability to switch it on and off as you’d expect?

[qcnr]

Has the bulb been removed to disguise a fault with the ABS system?

[Tonibe63]

Have a look on ukgser.

[Hugh]

Greetings,

Might this video be of any use to you;



TTFN

Hugh.

[catcitrus]

Good call--but it really is too much for mere mortals!--how about a simple on/off switch?--they obviously didn't like people riding WITHOUT ABS active.

[Tonibe63]

On my 2007:-
Turn on ignition switch and abs light flashes until you ride above 5 miles an hour (approx) which switches the light off (abs is now active).
You can switch off the abs:-
Turn on ignition switch and abs light flashes, press and hold abs button (for approx 5 seconds) which makes abs light shine permanently (abs is now off).
My bike does not have traction control.

[sledgegreen]

Is your battery in good nick and well charged?

I don't know whether this is true of the 1200s, but my 850 and 1150 GSs (and 1100RT) wouldn't be able to complete the automatic test process if the battery was a bit low, even if the engine started without any apparent problem. It would regularly happen about this time of year, after the bike had been standing for a while.

On those bikes, the ABS lights would flash when the ignition was switched on, and then the lights would go off when the bike reached about 5mph (same as Toni describes). When the battery was flattish, the lights would flash as normal, but not switch off. I usually only needed to ride to the first red traffic light, then kill and restart the engine to get the lights off.

So, I wonder whether your ABS light fails to come on because the computer thinks there is a fault in the ABS system?

[Pale Rider]

Thanks guys for all the replies I’ll have another look today.

[Pale Rider]

Greetings,

Might this video be of any use to you;



TTFN

Hugh.

Hi Hugh, just checked and mine works exactly as your video shows with the “brake failure” light so thanks for that mate.
Still can’t see any abs warning light though.

So the dealership were I bought it from didn’t know and fed me with bs, as it’s actually registered in December of 2012 so not an early one as they told me and the local BMW dealership just didn’t know, dont instill much confidence does it lol.

Taking it to an independent BMW specialist tomorrow to be checked out.

Cheers guys.