intermittant brake failure light 2007 R1200RT

azgman

Addicted to curves

• Mar 25, 2013

• #1

I have a 2007 R1200RT and have started to get an intermittent brake failure light when driving. It is on solid, not flashing and has come on after riding for 20 minutes or so and then stays on until I let the bike sit with the engine off. Nothing seems to be obviously wrong, the brakes work OK, no leaking fluid, and the front and rear fluid levels are good. Any ideas?

 

Last edited by a moderator: Mar 27, 2013

waxrash

New member

• Mar 25, 2013

• #2

intermittant brake failure light

Remove the brake light cover. Pull the bulbs. I will bet one of the bulbs solder tips is deteriorated.
If so, you can sand the fused solder off the bulb socket and put in a new bulb. Happened on my 2008.

 

waxrash

New member

• Mar 25, 2013

• #3

intermittant brake failure light

And before the moderator yells, change your title to include year, make and model.

 

waxrash

New member

• Mar 25, 2013

• #4

intermittant brake failure light

Mine appeared as if it was arching across a bad connection, actually melting the solder off the positive bulb connection, onto the socket "spring". Compare the two bulbs you pull out. If you have the same problem, it'll be obvious.

 

waxrash

New member

• Mar 25, 2013

• #5

intermittant brake failure light

Did I mention that I was 800 miles from home and totally ripped out my centech and relay, etc assuming something I wired was screwing up the brake light.
Lesson 1, start with the obvious. Sounds so simple now.

Anyway, hope yours is the same and an easy fix.

 

azgman

Addicted to curves

• Mar 25, 2013

• #6

Thanks Lynn! I just took a look and I can see just what you described. I'll get new bulbs tomorrow and clean up the socket and let you know.

 

deilenberger

A bozo on the bus

• Mar 27, 2013

• #7

lbarbee said:

And before the moderator yells, change your title to include year, make and model.

Click to expand...

Lynn,

Unfortunately - users can't modify the thread title once posted. It needs a moderator to do that. Which I'm going to do..

AZGman - please reference: http://forums.bmwmoa.org/showthread.php?46055 for the reason why.

 

azgman

Addicted to curves

• Mar 29, 2013

• #8

Got it Don! Lynn, your fix worked, so THANK YOU!

 

waxrash

New member

• Mar 29, 2013

• #9

Awesome!

 

I

Inga2011

New member

• Apr 15, 2013

• #10

Isn't brake failure light related to the braking system, not the light? My 2011 R12RT has done that twice and I am puzzled.

 

waxrash

New member

• Apr 15, 2013

• #11

Inga2011 said:

Isn't brake failure light related to the braking system, not the light? My 2011 R12RT has done that twice and I am puzzled.

Click to expand...

All I can do is relay my experience. AZgman and myself appear to have had the same problem and it was related to the rear brake light bulbs deteriorating.
It's been a while and my memory is fuzzy, but I am almost certain it was the brake failure light. If it had been the normal "bulb out" light I would have quickly identified the problem. However, it took a while for me to figure it out.

AZgman since your incident was more recent, was it the "bulb out" light, or the "Brake Failure" light?

Lynn

 

lkraus

New member

• Apr 15, 2013

• #12

The brake light IS part of the braking system. A defective brake lamp generates the same sort of warning in my car.

 

azgman

Addicted to curves

• Apr 18, 2013

• #13

I was getting the "brake failure" light on, not the bulb warning. (and the bulb was never out) Unfortunately, the issue has come back. I will tear into the bike next week.

 

waxrash

New member

• Apr 19, 2013

• #14

azgman said:

I was getting the "brake failure" light on, not the bulb warning. (and the bulb was never out) Unfortunately, the issue has come back. I will tear into the bike next week.

Click to expand...

I really had to work to get the melted bulb solder off the bulb socket "spring".
I thought about just replacing the socket.
It's only around $10 at the dealer. I just never got back to it.