WHEN A STARTER WONT START

[WILDPIG]

OH YEA- SITTIN HERE ON THE SIDE O THE ROAD WITH THE NEW R12... I CHARGED THE BATTERY, INSTRUMENT FUNCTION SWEEP OK HIT THE START BUTTON,, STARTER CYLNOID TRIES TO ENGAGE STARTER AN EVERTHANG GOES FLAT. NO STARTER TURN OVER AN INSTRUMENT LIGHTS ALL RETURNS BACK TO NORMAL NON START POSITION-- YEA BOY. BATTERY IS HOT I CHARGED IT 10 HRS SO SOURCE VOLTAGE IS NOT AN ISSUE-- WONDERS IF I HAVE A 2ND BAD ANTENNA RING? HUM-- ANYWAY GOT BMW ROAD SIDE ASSISTENCE ON IT FOR POSSIBLE TOW-- WE'LL SEE HOW THIS TURNS OUT............. YOU KNOW IM SITTIN THERE LOOKIN AT 111,000 ON THE OLD SPRINGER-- THATD BE A HARLEY-- NEVER PUT ME DOWN NEVER HAD A TOW NEVER HAD TO EVEN CALL A SOUL FOR HELP...... BUT IT WILL SHAKE YO AZZ TO DEATH-- BUT IT LOOKS GOOD WHILE IT DOES THAT......... I STILL NEED TO BUY A LOW PROFILE SEAT -- LADY HELPIN ME LAST NIGHT RAN OVER IT AN DESTROYED IT.................... WHO GOTTA LOW PROFILE GATHERING DUST IN THE BARN?

[mogu83]

If you got as far as hitting the starter button then your antenna ring is OK. I had the same thing happen on my bike, went home and got a battery from another bike (same size battery) put it in my bike - started it up and rode home. Worst thing was I had to bum a ride on the back of a Harley, I think I may sue BMW.

I've had other AGM type batteries go like this. Seems like they go open under a load (like the starter motor), everything is OK till you hit the starter button. My dealer gave me a new battery under warranty (no questions) and everything has been OK

[mickyt]

Wild pig
My battery showed 12.8 on the meter but wouldn't crank the motor, it was 2 weeks old. BM replaced it and I've never had a problem since.
Regards Mick.

[WILDPIG]

WELL I HAD 13.26V AFTER CHARGE, BIKE WOULDNT CRANK, CYLINOID WOULD ATTEMPT TO ENGAGE STARTER BUT STARTER WOULDNT ENGAGE AN THEN ALL WOULD BLACK OUT ON INST. CLUSTER. GOT IT FROM THE DEALER THAT IN FACT U CAN GET A FUNCTION SWEEP EVEN WITH A BAD ANTENNA RING..... I HIGHLY SUSPECTED BATTERY TILL I PUT A HOT CHARGE ON IT... ANYWAYS BMW ROADSIDE IS TAKIN IT TO DEALER SOOOOO I'LL FIND OUT WHAT THE GLITCH IS COME TUESDAY. I WAS UNDER IMPRESSION THAT ONE WOULDNT GET AN INSTRUMENT FUNCTION SWEEP OF ANY KIND WITH MALFUNCTIONING ANT. RING. I KNOW THE 1ST ONE THAT WENT OUT I GOT ZERO ZILCH NOTTIN NADA RESPONSE OF ANY KIND WHEN TRYIN TO START THE R12. SEEMS TO ME BMW OUGHTA LAY A VOUCHER ON ME FOR TIME AN EXPENSE WHEN I GO PICK UP THE BIKE,, I WAS TOLE ROADSIDE ASSISTANCE IS A ONE WAY SHOT.

[Graf]

.....wildpig......you are right.....you would get a function sweep with bad ews......but you would get no further.....nothing would crank at all.....but the displays and function sweeps would always work....the end result of the sweep would be "EWS Failure" displayed on the computer screen. so in your case, since you are saying that you can get at least some movement of the starter, i would say it is NOT EWS failure.....it's your battery......

[outnabout]

I had the same thing happen when I first got the 12R. The cluster would sweep and then when I hit the starter the cluster would black out. Turned out to be the battery had lost a cell...replaced under warranty. Since that issue, I haven't had any issues with the bike (knock wood).

[tobes]

Same thing just happened on my bike. 2 months old. I'm 400 miles from home and the bike refuses to start. Turn the key, get an instrument sweep and bright lights, hit the button and get one click of the starter trying to engage then everything goes dead. 120 miles of towing later and the dealer changes the battery. Runs like new.

I'm out a bunch of money for missed hotel reservations. BMW Roadside will reimburse you for expenses incurred within 72 hours of a breakdown. I'm filing a claim with them now.

[WILDPIG]

SO HOW DO I GO ABOUT GETTIN A CLAIM FORM? BIKE FIXED TODAY-- END RESULT-- BAD BATTERY, BRAKE LINE RECALL FIXED,, TOTAL DIAGNOSTICS RAN ON NEWEST BMW COMPUTER HARD AN SOFT WARE....

[Dan-A]

My battery died unexpectedly too, 180 miles from home.

[Graf]

.....should we carry extra batteries with us now???????

[tobes]

No form that I'm aware of. Send the claim letter, original invoices, VIN#, reference number used for roadside call (all relevant info) to BMW Roadside Asst. PO Box 9145 Medford MA 02155 attn: Claims Dept.
Or just call Roadside Asst and talk to the claims dept. 877-680-2176

[tobes]

The worst part of this experience for me was that my brother was riding with me on a Harley Davidson (which was flawless the entire trip). It was me, my brother, all of my gear, all of his gear loaded onto his HD riding down the freeway 11:30 at night looking for a motel. The last time I road pillion was when I was 15. Hated it then and like it even less now.

[WILDPIG]

THKS FOR THE CLAIM INFOR MAN PRECIATE IT,,, YEA I CAN RELATE-- I HAVE MY PERSONAL 11 YR OLD HARLEY SPRINGER, CHOPPED AN HI HORSEPOWER MOTOR, 111,000 MILES--- NEVER PUT ME DOWN-- EVER. AN 3 FEET AWAY I HAVE THE BRAND NEW R12-- 1- ANT RING FAILURE 2- BATTERY FAILURE 3- FRONT BRAKE LINE RECALL 4-STICKING IGNITON SWITCH - ALL IN LAST 90 DAYS........................ YET I STILL BELIEVE THAT BMW IS ULTRA RELIABLE== LEAST I HOPE SO,,, THATS WHAT BMW RIDERS BEEN TELLIN THE THE WORLD FOR THE LAST 50 YRS..............

[ErikM]

As far as BMW reliabilty goes, keep in mind that some of these failures really aren't BMW's fault.. BMW doesn't make the battery, they also don't make the EWS rings ( of course we really don't need them anyway) Only thing I can blame BMW for is the final drive failures and there really haven't been many of those on R1200R bikes and unless it just "goes" it won't leave you by the side of the road. Overall the motors are great, finish is great, and they will run for many miles and still feel tight.

[deilenberger]

As far as BMW reliabilty goes, keep in mind that some of these failures really aren't BMW's fault.. BMW doesn't make the battery, they also don't make the EWS rings ( of course we really don't need them anyway) Only thing I can blame BMW for is the final drive failures and there really haven't been many of those on R1200R bikes and unless it just "goes" it won't leave you by the side of the road. Overall the motors are great, finish is great, and they will run for many miles and still feel tight.

They also don't make the final-drives (or the gearbox) - Getrag does.

[WILDPIG]

YEP - I AGREE,, THEY JOB OUT VARIOUS PARTS TO VENDERS-- ALL THESE BATTERY FAILURES-- WONDER WHAT THE BRAND WAS/IS? MINE WAS AN EXIIDE BATTERY--- HOTTER THAN A FIRECRACKER ON THE BENCH-- 13.50 VOLTS. EVIDENTLY UNDER LOAD-- WOULDNT AN COULDNT DELIVER THE VOLTAGE NEEDED.................

[mogu83]

EVIDENTLY UNDER LOAD-- WOULDNT AN COULDNT DELIVER THE VOLTAGE NEEDED.................

I think you could say the voltage was OK -- but Amperage was a problem.
Mine was an Exide also - I wonder what others had fail.
It was a WestCo that got me home.

[tobes]

Not sure what brand mine was. The sales guy told me that hooking the bike up to a jumper batter with the existing battery in the bike wouldn't start it. Had to remove the cables from the existing battery and hook it up directly to the jumper. Something about a fault inside the battery not letting a charge through. But then I don't know an amp from a volt so he could of well said the johnson rod was the problem and I'd of believed him.

[Dan-A]

As far as BMW reliabilty goes, keep in mind that some of these failures really aren't BMW's fault.. BMW doesn't make the battery, they also don't make the EWS rings ( of course we really don't need them anyway) Only thing I can blame BMW for is the final drive failures and there really haven't been many of those on R1200R bikes and unless it just "goes" it won't leave you by the side of the road. Overall the motors are great, finish is great, and they will run for many miles and still feel tight.

It's George Bush's fault.

Sorry, couldn't resist.

[OlyVR]

As far as BMW reliabilty goes, keep in mind that some of these failures really aren't BMW's fault.. BMW doesn't make the battery, they also don't make the EWS rings ( of course we really don't need them anyway) Only thing I can blame BMW for is the final drive failures and there really haven't been many of those on R1200R bikes and unless it just "goes" it won't leave you by the side of the road. Overall the motors are great, finish is great, and they will run for many miles and still feel tight.

It's George Bush's fault.

Sorry, couldn't resist.

Totally OT, but you'll enjoy these then: http://www.cafepress.com/irregulargoods/901097