r1200rt brake failure

[neil]

I have an august 05 build 1200rt reg sep 06.

I sent this to the only GB email address I could find for BMW Motorrad :-

"It is displaying this fault code:- 25140 Internal control module error. ComStart timeout

I would welcome your comments as to what is causing this problem and what I should expect behaviour wise from the brakes and is this a safety issue?"

the response was:-

"Thank you for your enquiry dated August 5, 2010. I am sorry that you are experiencing an issue with your motorbike.

As we are not a technical department and unable to inspect the vehicle, I cannot advise what is causing the fault to occur. Motorrad UK rely on the technicians at our Motorrad Approved Dealerships to inspect faults that may occur. In order to diagnose the fault code, you will need to take the vehicle to a Motorrad Approved Dealership, who will be able to advise you further.

I am sorry that you have had cause to contact us and trust that your local Motorrad Dealership will be able to assist you. If you have any further queries then please do not hesitate to contact me."

I am awaiting a reply to my response to that email.

I have no faith in the approved network and certainly do not want to reward them with many £££'s of my money for what is a problem that should not occur on a bike of this cost/"quality?"

So can anyone out there tell me what exactly this code is saying?

And the fault is not present at start up.

Thanks

Neil

[Jos Palmaers]

Hi Neil,

What version of the GS-911 software are you using?

Best,

Jos

GS-911 Benelux
Nachtegaallaan 10
B-2321 Meer
Belgium
Tel. +32 495 24 19 19
Fax. +32 3 700 52 38
E-mail in...@gs-911.be
www.gs-911.be
 
-----Oorspronkelijk bericht-----
Van: gs-...@googlegroups.com [mailto:gs-...@googlegroups.com] Namens neil
Verzonden: vrijdag 6 augustus 2010 17:32
Aan: gs-...@googlegroups.com
Onderwerp: [GS-911] r1200rt brake failure

the response was:-

Thanks

Neil

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[neil]

Hi Jos

Good question.

It's taken from a nokia N82 on bluetooth so its whatever was available around may 2010! I haven't upgraded it since and I've not checked it out on m y laptop which today got upgraded to the latest version. I can describe what it goes through when it happens if you would like and you wouldn't want it to happen to you on the timmesjoch pass in wet weather on a bend!

Cheers

Neil

[Jos Palmaers]

Hi Neil,

Could you please check with your laptop and the latest version?
Maybe you get more info from the pc software.

Integral ABS I suppose. Residual braking force is nearly nothing when the
ABS unit goes out. There has been a recall for this issue if I remember well
or at least some complaint against BMW.
Have a look at this thread:
http://www.bikersoracle.com/rs/forum/archive/index.php?t-1387.html

Best,

Jos

-----Oorspronkelijk bericht-----
Van: gs-...@googlegroups.com [mailto:gs-...@googlegroups.com] Namens neil

Verzonden: vrijdag 6 augustus 2010 18:21
Aan: gs-...@googlegroups.com
Onderwerp: Re: [GS-911] r1200rt brake failure

[neil]

Hi Jos

Mac Book Pro running win XP under virtual box (VM fusion didn't work with airport!!) gives same error code

25140 Internal control module error. ComStart timeout

plus

25193 brake fluid level too low

this is running 1006.3

Checked with phone and it gave exactly the same codes as the lap top

None of the fault codes is present at the time of checking.

I had been trying to get the brakes to produce a failure yesterday by operating the brake lever many times and holding it in for one minute but it failed to fail ugh!

Having just replaced the tank and tupperware I am reluctant to want to remove it again to put some brake fluid in the unit as this problem was not present at the time of the first failure so I cannot see that it is related.

It is the partially integrated ABS. The ABS probably doesn't go. What happens is the red triangle and brake failure flash rapidly - the brakes still appear to work properly for a short while - then there appears to be substantially less than the so called residual braking - so at this point you naturally pull the lever harder - then - you get full almost totally locked brakes. If you were at speed and failed to let go of the lever I suspect it would pitch you over the top of the bike and on a hairpin on a mountain pass you'd be heading to the bottom fairly quickly.

I don't know what's wrong but I would guess from the error code that some relatively inexpensive electronic component has failed but that the required outcome of merely retaining residual braking does not occur.

I will have a read of your link as that one has so far not come up on any of my searches

Cheers

Neil

>> 25140 Internal control module error.
>> ComStart timeout

[Marco S Hyman]

> 25193 brake fluid level too low

that can cause strange ABS issues. Pull the tank and top off
the two reservoirs integral to the ABS unit. If the brakes
have not been bled within the last 2 years I'd strongly recommend
having at least the wheel circuits properly bled soon, too.
/\/\arc

[Bob Wilson]

Neil

I'm sorry but I think you would be well advised to visit a dealer -
especially as you're worried about brake safety. It's not only yourself you
need to consider.

Best regards

Bob

[steves workshop]

fill up the brake fluid

you dont need to put the tank back on to check it out

if the fluid is low it will not initialize the system

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cheers,steve bailey,owner,steves workshop

[neil]

Hi Steve, Marco, et al

The brake fluid low code is a misnomer as it was self induced whilst pulling the LHS front and rear cables from the unit (where is the hit self over head smiley?)

The brakes were bled as per JVB and the bike serviced as per JVB hence it runs better and brakes better than it ever did after the dealer/s had had their hands on it, until this fault code.

At present it has brakes but if/when the brake failure lights come on (presumably when bits of circuitry stop talking) it does not respond as BMW suggest it should.

Cheers

Neil

[neil]

Hi all

As it is now 18 days since my original post I should bring this to a close.

The original fault was a brake failure with the fault code:- "25140 Internal control module error. ComStart timeout"

The very helpful response from BMW customer service was:-

"Thank you for your email dated August 6, 2010.  I am sorry that you are unhappy with my previous response.

 

I understand that you wish us to advise what the fault is and whether it is a safety issue, however, the code that you have described can be attributed to a number of faults within the control module.  It is for this reason that we cannot advise what the problem is or what is required to rectify the issue as the bike will need to be inspected and connected to a diagnostics machine. 

 

I am sorry that you have lost faith in the dealer network, however, our BMW Motorrad Approved Dealerships possess the relevant experience and equipment in order to assist you. 

 

I am sorry that you have had cause to contact us again and that I cannot assist you further at this time.

 

Yours sincerely

BMW Motorrad Group UK "

I decided not to spend any money with them on what is an intermittent fault.

Is it now cured?  Well I can no longer induce the fault by following the conditions that seemed to bring it about.

So the probable answer was a bad connection on the connector block to the brake servo system (the large connector on the right).  Removal of the connector and cleaning with cyclohexane (I just happened to have some) seems to have cured the problem.  I can see that this will be part of the service from now on - remove any and every connector that one can find and clean - it's amazing how much corrosion newish BMWs seem to suffer from.

Regards

Neil