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  #1  
Old 15 Oct 2017
RIP: 5/3/21
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Location: Onalaska, Washington, USA
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F800 electical problem
Basic info: 2014 F800 GS Adv, 60,000 k on it, currently traveling Bulgaria, Tail light and Brake light quit working and panel indicated "Lamp". I went into it and found I was not getting any voltage to the tail light assembly, but then once when I turned it on there was voltage. Worked on it for three hours could not find anything disconnected or otherwise wrong. Gave up, put it back together and ran 12k down the road to buy food, came back pulled in to parking and the lights were working??? Next morning I headed out with lights working, stopped and got fuel, started bike -- no tail/brake lights. 50 k down the road I get the idea to stop, let sit a minute and re-start -- now I have lights. 60 k further they go off again. The sometimes works, sometimes don't are the hardest electrical problems to find and I am stumped.
I recall hearing a while back about a problem with the wiring in or around the goose neck, was this on the F bikes, could this be the problem, shorting out and system shutting off power to the back?
Any help most appreciated
Bob
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  #2  
Old 24 Oct 2017
RIP: 5/3/21
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Join Date: May 2008
Location: Onalaska, Washington, USA
Posts: 335
The light is fixed, I hope.
I do not feel so bad where on this and another site my problem got over 150 views and no one had an answer to it ether The first BMW shop in Sofia Bulgaria was not able to figure it out so once in Greece I had a shop order a new tail/brake light unit and the tech knew how the system worked. Good people in the Thessoloniki BMW shop.

The LED electrical control circuit in the light was sending a signal back to the "lighting control module" letting it know there was a problem and it would then shut down the power to that circuit. That is why I could not get a voltage reading at the tail/brake light plug in the back and assumed the problem was up front. I think something was getting hot in the light and sending the signal. If they are going to put all this high tech stuff in then it should tell you what the problem is when you plug it into a computer or a GS911, did not show any faults.

Well it worked all day so hope it is fixed.

Bob
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  #3  
Old 24 Oct 2017
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Join Date: Aug 2012
Location: Australia
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Road Hog View Post
The light is fixed, I hope.
Fingers crossed.

Quote:
Originally Posted by Road Hog View Post
If they are going to put all this high tech stuff in then it should tell you what the problem is when you plug it into a computer or a GS911, did not show any faults.
If they are going to put this stuff on an 'adventure' bike than it should tell any errors that it comes across ... no extra equipment should be required, flash a lamp or 3 on the dash board .. or signal to the mileage counter - use the number displayed as a code that can be looked up. Should not be too hard to provide basic indications to the rider. This is what they do in trucks these days. They then ring the dealer with the code and the dealer gets the part... most of the time that fixes it.
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  #4  
Old 25 Oct 2017
RIP: 5/3/21
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Join Date: May 2008
Location: Onalaska, Washington, USA
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There is a lot that BMW could, and should, do to support adventure bikes. Why is there not an email to tech help that we could contact when out in the boondocks. I emailed the dealer back home with questions on this and they never had time to respond. (I will be looking for a new dealer to get parts and service back home)
You can buy a service CD but then they code it so it is difficult to copy on to a net book or flash drive. If these bike are to be ridden around the world why don't they provide it on a flash drive. I had copied it to the net book but it never quite right and has now quit working.
The reality is most Adventure bikes don't get ridden the long distance trips and BMW does not consider support for those of us who do important or cost effective.

Bob
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