[Pilutguy]

Hey guys,

I've had two services done on the bike, the 600 mile break-in and another for a failed battery. Upon getting the bike back from the BMW dealer with a new battery two things were discovered:

1. If the date/clock are not reset you'll get service messages....(discovered in the owners manual and resolved once the date/clock were set).

2. First start/cold start the bike does not start after the ignition is turned on and the systems check completes. It just cranks but does not fire. Then after a rest period of 3-5 seconds it turns over normally. I've seen this 3-4 times already. It's going in for maintenance for this but has anyone else seen this? It's rather frustrating.



Thanks,
Mark

 

[Str8six]

I have not had any such issues with mine. I just had the 1000km service done last week.

Good luck with yours and please do let us know what they find.

Len

 

[justcharlie]

I had my battery disconnected for a while when I was installing the Clearwater Darla lights, so I had to reset the date/time. The "needs service" alert came on until the date/time was reset, but no issues with starting up.

 

[sound wave]

Was googling around.... Not sure if something went funny with your TPS after the battery was disconnected. This is supposed to maybe work for the air-cooled GS, but I don't think it would hurt to try.

Switch on the ignition
With engine turned off, completely open up throttle twist grip once or twice and leave fully opened up for at least 1 second
The BMW engine management will detect the throttle position
Switch off the ignition

Good luck figuring out the problem.

 

[TomCT]

My battery failed in the first half hour I had the bike and it was replaced. I have also had the 600 mile service done. The bike has pretty much never cold started on the first try, but then starts right up on the second. When the engine is warm, it starts up immediately. Another owner at the shop told me his does the same thing.

 

[DJ_Fission]

2. First start/cold start the bike does not start after the ignition is turned on and the systems check completes. It just cranks but does not fire. Then after a rest period of 3-5 seconds it turns over normally. I've seen this 3-4 times already. It's going in for maintenance for this but has anyone else seen this? It's rather frustrating.

Happens occasionally to me (perhaps once a week). I'm not going to speculate on why it happens, but it doesn't bother me.

 

[c_topher]

FYI- No prob with mine. Picked up in Feb and ridden in the 30s-90s. No cold start problems and always starts on 1st turn. Similar "Service Req" when battery disconnected and Darla lights installed, but seemed to resolve on its own in <24 hours after a ride.

 

[Pilutguy]

I took the bike in to BMW with a video of it and they witnessed it on their own. Their computers came up with "ALL OK" but they did not care for that. BMW Germany is now being involved.

It seems like it does not do a good job of "choking" on a cold start. I'm in central Texas so it's not like I'm having to start in very cold conditions (till winter anyway!)

I find it rather annoying that a 20+K vehicle, brand new doesn't start first time.

I will advise when I hear back from my techs.

Mark

 

[Pilutguy]

UPDATE:

I received a call from BMW today stating that if the bike does not start on the first start as it was designed there IS A PROBLEM. The long term wear and tear on the starter, relays, the battery and so forth is not good and is not part of the design.

The current fixes being made are a new software program written, wire inspections and the DME inspected. I belive that is the computer of sort - he said there were 7 processors they were going to inspect.

My lead tech wanted me to reiterate that this is NOT normal and you SHOULD have your bike inspected, fixed, repaired. I hope you'll all join me that are having the problem which will get BMW to resolve this. Sometimes we can only do this in large numbers so it would be good to prove that my bike is not a fluke.

I'll update as I receive data.

Thanks guys,
Mark

 

[clamhang]

Whao,
I thought it was just in my head but I get the exact same issue as you Pilutguy, everytime I start up. It cranks up, doesn't do squat, then 3-5 sec later starts up. I can't wait to hear what you find about this.

 

[Pilutguy]

Clamhang!

Yep - not good. Please advise your BMW dealer when you have a moment. Will advise when I find out more info.

Mark

 

[Pilutguy]

Guys,

They're still working on the problem but they did ask whether I/we turn off the bike by the emergency kill switch or the ignition. They have a possible theory that the software might not be pressurizing the fuel properly when turned off via one of the two methods. A software update might be required.

How do you all turn your bike off? Kill switch or ignition?

Mark

 

[justcharlie]

Guys,

They're still working on the problem but they did ask whether I/we turn off the bike by the emergency kill switch or the ignition. They have a possible theory that the software might not be pressurizing the fuel properly when turned off via one of the two methods. A software update might be required.

How do you all turn your bike off? Kill switch or ignition?

Mark

Kill switch. I thought that was the norm. No problems starting up here.

 

[clamhang]

I never use the kill switch. I'll try it though and see if anything happens

 

[clamhang]

I went to get my 600mi break in service. The dealership did say there was a software update but it didn't effect the cold start problem at all. One of the sales guys at the dealership said they heard it might have something to do with the ethanol in the gas here in the US, ethanol is a non-existent in Europe but it sounds like baloney to me

 

[Pilutguy]

Agreed, that sounds silly. Happens to some bikes and was random at times on mine. Where I noticed it happening most was when the bike sat for longer than 3-4 days.

If you guys are curious let it sit for that or a little longer (my work has me away from home for 6-7 days) and see what happens. No other updates as of yet.

Mark

 

[JellyRoll]

I never use the kill switch...

Ditto. Never done differently. The kill switch is for killing the motor/electrics in emergencies. The key is for turning the ignition on and off. Why do two things when you only need to do one?

:2guns::2guns:

 

[justcharlie]

Ditto. Never done differently. The kill switch is for killing the motor/electrics in emergencies. The key is for turning the ignition on and off. Why do two things when you only need to do one?

Why not use the kill button to shut off the engine? It is right by my thumb, hardly a significant effort and as far as I know doesn't hurt anything to use it to stop the engine; although if it does hurt the engine, I'd like to be disabused of thinking it doesn't.

But, since you ask why I do it that way: It leaves the electronics on, so the engine isn't running while I check various info on the display, shift into neutral and back the bike into a parking space, and then turn off the ignition so that it locks the steering. My R12R has keyless ride, so pressing and holding the ignition button locks the steering as well as shutting off the engine. So, if I want to shut down the engine before finishing up with other things it is actually slightly easier to use the kill switch than to press the ignition button twice. I just got into the habit of doing it that way.

 

[Pilutguy]

The manual does not state NOT doing one or another. I believe I found myself turning the bike off using the emergency kill switch most of the time.

It does, however, title the switch in the owners manual as the "emergency" kill switch. So it looks like those with and without the cold start issue turn off their bikes both ways which doesn't help the problem possibly.

Again, if your bike is not starting on the first time, every time this should be looked at by your BMW dealer as this causes unnecessary wear and tear on components.

Mark

 

[Pilutguy]

YouTube video of my bike issue.

http://youtu.be/eubSg0TMvtU