"Service" displaying on dashboard.........

[Gatuso]

Well before my battery died on me I went ahead and bought a Westco battery and and installed it, bike was without battery maybe 5 minutes, it fire right up with new battery but now I have the "Service" message on the dashboard, bike has 1500 miles and the 600 miles service was done at the dealer about 5 months ago, my question is, can I re-set this message myself? or is this a dealer only thing with their expensive equipment?

Thankx.

Rudy.

[deilenberger]

my question is, can I re-set this message myself? or is this a dealer only thing with their expensive equiptment?
Thankx.
Rudy.

No and yes. You can't simply reset it by pressing a magic combo of buttons. You can however buy your own diagnostics tool that will reset it (and do MUCH more) for not huge money.

http://www.gs911usa.com/

[Gatuso]

Well after some research,yes, the gs-911 is the way to go........but before I spend 300 bills, does anybody in Los Angeles area has this little tool and reset the "service" message on my bike? afterwards we can go for a ride somewhere or go down some brewskies, my treat.

Lates.

Rudy.

[gezerbike]

Before you spend any money on parts, tools or service, try this. Disconnect your battery, again. Let it sit for a few minutes and reconnect the battery. Turn your key to the on position but DO NOT start the bike. Instead, slowly open the thottle by twisting it to the full open position the back to the idle position. Wait a few seconds and repeat that procedure. Then turn your key to the off position and wait several minutes. Then turn your key on and start the bike as you normaly would.

When you disconnected the battery, you cut power to the computer. You need to re program the TPS, which is what you are doing when you turn the key on and open and close the throttle. I just had my battery disconnected to install a separate fuse panel and my Service Manager at my dealer gave me those instructions. Worked like a charm. Try it and if it doesn't work, then move on to your other options.

[Gatuso]

Mike I followed your instructions and it didn't work, (I disconnected the negative and positive on the battery) oh well. But if it worked on yours why not on mine?

Lates.

Rudy.

[deilenberger]

Before you spend any money on parts, tools or service, try this. Disconnect your battery, again. Let it sit for a few minutes and reconnect the battery. Turn your key to the on position but DO NOT start the bike. Instead, slowly open the thottle by twisting it to the full open position the back to the idle position. Wait a few seconds and repeat that procedure. Then turn your key to the off position and wait several minutes. Then turn your key on and start the bike as you normaly would.

Mike, did the mechanic show you this in respect to the "Service" message?

This is part of the computer initialization to teach it the throttle full open position.

The instructions are a bit unnecessarily complex. There is no need to wait minutes or do anything slowly. Electrons move much faster than that, and we're not waiting for anything to discharge. You also don't have to do it twice, but it doesn't hurt to...

Here is from the factory manual for the Hexhead after replacing a battery:

• Connect the positive lead to battery positive terminal (4) and install the protective cap.
• Connect the negative lead to the battery's negative terminal (3), making sure that the connecting lead is routed correctly.
• Switch on the ignition.
• Without starting the engine, fully open the throttle once or twice, so that the control unit of the BMW engine management system can register the throttle-‌‌‌valve positions.
• Switch off the ignition.

The hexhead is also capable of self-learning the thottle position just with a bit of normal riding. On the oilhead the official directions included twisting the throttle fully open 3 times, but that was eliminated with the hexhead ECU (which is MUCH faster and more powerful than the oilhead Motronic.)

[gezerbike]

No Don, I did not get the " service " message. Before I took the bike apart, I remembered reading that there was a procedure to follow after re connecting the battery. So I called my Service Manager before I tore into it and found out what that procedure was. No message for me after following his directions. But since the original poster did not have that message before he replaced his battery, and those instructions are the only ones relevant to what work he did, I thought it would be a easy thing to try. I still think it is a software issue related to removing the battery. At this point, as long as the bike runs fine and his oil is OK, I'd just ride the bike into the dealer and have it taken care of under warranty vs spending any money on sophisticated diagnostic equipment and risk having BMWNA blame the problem on any repairs he might try, not that I think they would do that. There is a very interesting post over in ADVRider in G Spot about a 1200 GS that inploded with 11,000 miles on a dealer maintained motor. Bike was " just " out of warranty and he is now splitting the cost of the new motor with BMW. As long as the bike is under warranty, it's BMW's problem, not mine. Until that warranty is up, every little problem is their problem, if only for documentation someday down the road.