BMW GSA1250 Spurious Fault Codes and Intermittent Non-Starting.

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StevieC
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BMW GSA1250 Spurious Fault Codes and Intermittent Non-Starting.

Post by StevieC »

My GSA1250 is 2 Years old and has done 4000mls.

I’ve had an issue with it since it was new.
Occasionally, after riding for ½ an hour or more and stopping, restarting the engine brought up error codes such as “tilt sensor fail” “traction control fail” “ABS fail” etc
Also, the bike wouldn’t start, just like the battery was flat.
It started 2nd time and all was well.
However, in last couple of months, it’s been happening regularly and finally ended in a break down when I couldn’t get it started.
BMW arrived after ½ an hour and it started 1st time – typical!!
The technician logged in and no error codes were present in the history file.
It went in to the dealer for 2 weeks and they couldn’t get it to fail.
Needless to say – it happened again. This time I waited for ½ an hour before calling BMW assist and again, it started fine.
Another technician reluctantly came out to check it over. (I made it home so BMW said it was technically no longer a break down)
Anyway, this technician was a lot more interested. Still no error codes, but he did some research on his laptop.
It turns out that back in July 2020, BMW sent out a technical bulletin to the breakdown teams, describing the symptoms of this fault perfectly.
It related to a batch of Exide batteries with a part code ending in “125”.
In my case the battery part code was 62.12 – 8 389 125.
It stated the part code for the replacement battery that should used.
He had one in his car, so he swapped it out.
The issue hasn’t happened since.
His technical bulletin stated that the batch of faulty batteries were failing when they got hot.
Hence why they were OK after ½ an hour when they had cooled down a bit.
Also, in hindsight, it did tend to happen when I was bimbling around the single width country roads at 40 – 50 mph.
So, if you’ve got a 1250 – any model, it’ll be worth checking your battery.

It is a bit disappointing that the first technician and the dealership weren’t aware of this known problem?

Cheers

Steve
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Re: BMW GSA1250 Spurious Fault Codes and Intermittent Non-Starting.

Post by Tonibe63 »

I seem to hear about more and more issues (for many cars/vans/bikes) where eventually the battery is diagnosed as the fault. As I read your post the battery was becoming the most likely cause.
Thanks for posting.
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Re: BMW GSA1250 Spurious Fault Codes and Intermittent Non-Starting.

Post by chunky butt »

I had exactly the same problem with the battery when hot, although on my mini digger, but would start from freezing cold no probs, but when up to temp if you switched it off would need jump leads to restart. Changed battery and happy days.
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Re: BMW GSA1250 Spurious Fault Codes and Intermittent Non-Starting.

Post by StevieC »

Well, the issue has started again.
Not real "breakdowns" as I know the bike will start again after 10 - 15 mins.

So BMW have now sent a technical bulletin to their dealers saying it is due to the valve clearances
being at the extreme end of the tolerance.
The fix is to adjust them to an ultra fine tolerance.

I asked why this wasn't a recall and was told that it's only happening on a very small minority of bikes.
My local dealer, BMW Wollaston in Northampton, say they have had 4 or 5 bikes requiring the work?

Not good if mine happens to be one of the minority..............

Anyway, I'll keep you posted.

BTW - I don't think this reflects badly on the dealership - they have been very good about it all.

Steve
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Re: BMW GSA1250 Spurious Fault Codes and Intermittent Non-Starting.

Post by ErikGustav2 »

This points to a general problem.
A system/bike for which fault finding is dependent on sensors, and no knowledge/experience.
Sensors can and their connections can also fail. Or their power supply.
And give wrong information.
That is only analysed by a computer in terms of error codes.

There is no logic thinking in these computers.
What happens when the bike is park some time ?

* Fuel can fill up the carburetor. If it was one. And there was too little fuel flow to the carburetor.
But new bikes have EFI.

* Thing cool down. => What can be overheated ?

=
With all these sensors. Is there no supervision of the voltage ?
=
Bad valve clearances could hardly stop the bike from starting. Only to run bad.
=
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Re: BMW GSA1250 Spurious Fault Codes and Intermittent Non-Starting.

Post by StevieC »

ErikGustav2 wrote: Fri Feb 18, 2022 4:26 pm This points to a general problem.
A system/bike for which fault finding is dependent on sensors, and no knowledge/experience.
Sensors can and their connections can also fail. Or their power supply.
And give wrong information.
That is only analysed by a computer in terms of error codes.

There is no logic thinking in these computers.
What happens when the bike is park some time ?

* Fuel can fill up the carburetor. If it was one. And there was too little fuel flow to the carburetor.
But new bikes have EFI.

* Thing cool down. => What can be overheated ?

=
With all these sensors. Is there no supervision of the voltage ?
=
Bad valve clearances could hardly stop the bike from starting. Only to run bad.
=
Hi Erik

It does all sound a bit desperate to me too.
The technician said that "the oil is getting stuck somewhere it shouldn't"
After 10 - 15 mins the oil drains away and the engine is free to turn over again.
Adjusting the valve clearances to the fine tolerance, stops the oil weeping where it shouldn't??

We will have to wait and see

Cheers

Steve
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Re: BMW GSA1250 Spurious Fault Codes and Intermittent Non-Starting.

Post by Steve T »

Many year ago the G650GS had a hot starting problen that was down to poor tolerances from within the Chinese manufatured engine - specifically the automatic de-compresion lever I believe. Once the engine had cooled sufficiently the engine would turn over.

Soooo, maybe tolerances being out somewhere within the engine is the problem!?

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Re: BMW GSA1250 Spurious Fault Codes and Intermittent Non-Starting.

Post by Tonibe63 »

I would guess that it is something to do with the variable inlet valve timing system or maybe there's a decompressor on the exhaust valve :? :? :?
I suppose if they adjust the tappets as per their technical bulletin then it should resolve the issue.

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Re: BMW GSA1250 Spurious Fault Codes and Intermittent Non-Starting.

Post by Hugh »

Greetings,

Engines require compression to operate, slow cranking speed is only one reason for poor starting as the compressed air escapes thus preventing combustion to take place.

I have known many engines having starting problems because of compression loss due to worn piston rings and incorrect valve clearances, extra cranking speed at start up can mask the problem as can squirting oil down the plug hole to seal the rings.

We used to undertake a compression loss/leakage test as part of our diagnostic set up. Basically the engine statically being set to TDC on it's firing position then checking for air leakage. I have found this to be far more accurate than a simple compression test.

I don't know if the two attachments might be of general interest to anyone.

TTFN

Hugh.
cylinder leakage test04.pdf
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compression test.pdf
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Re: BMW GSA1250 Spurious Fault Codes and Intermittent Non-Starting.

Post by StevieC »

Valves.jpg
Valves.jpg (106.22 KiB) Viewed 4398 times
I got the invoice through today - FoC of course.
It was the exhaust valves that were adjusted to
the finest tolerances.

Thanks for the comments - I'm feeling much more confident that it may have resolved the issue.

Steve
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