2015 G 650 GS Electrical Problems

Hello,

I just bought this 2015 650 GS with only 110 miles on the odometer. Although low mileage is usually a good thing, in this case it had been sitting idle for about 5 years, which can cause its own set of problems. So I wasn't surprised to find it had a couple of electrical gremlins like the horn, headlight and heated grips not working. The headlight could be just a bulb problem, but neither the low nor high beams come on and I am a little skeptical that both filaments would be burned out just from sitting so long with no use. I would love to find that all of those problems are related to a common component, controller or corroded ground lead. I checked all of the fuses and they seem to be good. I also disconnected then reconnected every wire I could see that was routed through a connector in the hope that I would be able to scrape off any corrosion that might have been on any of its pins. I'm also curious as to whether there is an oil pressure sensor that could have failed, but I don't know if those items would require oil pressure and have no idea where to look for the sensor if it does. An owner's manual didn't come with the bike, although the consignment sales person who sold the bike to me is supposed to contact the owner to see if she has it, but I haven't heard from him yet.

Other than those components, the bike seems to start and run okay. Any help that anyone can provide will be greatly appreciated.

Thanks,

Jim Hawks

Look thoroughly and carefully for rodent damage to the wiring.

2015 G650 GS Problems

Hello,

I would like some help in tracking down a problem I have with this newly purchased G 650 GS. As I described in my original post, the headlights, heated handle grips and horn all do not work. Everything else on the bike seems to function normally. I have searched all over the bike for some sign of wire damage or anything unusual and can't find anything, except, I did discover a connector that wasn't connected to anything. I would greatly appreciate it if someone out there who has an F or G 650 to tell me what, if anything, this connector plug is supposed to be connected to or if it is left like this to accommodate an option the bike doesn't have or a plug for connecting test equipment, etc. If you have a bike that has this same plug that is connected to something, PLEASE let me know where the wire goes. I have searched all over the bike (and it's not very big) trying to find a loose wire that would fit this plug and have found NOTHING. Any help you could provide would be greatly appreciated. Here are 2 pictures. The first one shows the plug as I found it. The red arrow points to the radiator to provide reference. The second picture is from a different perspective so you can see the wire from which the wire with the plug branches. Both pictures are on the right side of the bike from the rider's perspective.

Here are the pictures:

Thanks,

Jim Hawks

Jim -

Is this a 2 or 3 pole connector?

Is this the Sertao model? (G's in 2015 were sometimes both "plain" and Sertao because of when they were titled)

Did you replace the fuses with known good ones?


I can tell you that the round plug, which is covered with a screw-off cap, is your diagnostic plug. (Google Hex GS911 if you're not familiar)

I'd agree with Paul to look for rodent damage... but maybe it's one of the above?

G 650 gs

Thanks for your response. Here are the answers to your questions:

There are 2 wires going to the connector; This is not a Sertao as far as I know. I don't have the owners manual and the name Sertao is not on the bike; I didn't replace all of the fuses, but I did check continuity of all of them with a multi-meter and they all had continuity; I looked for rodent or any other type of damage to the wires and haven't found anything.

Please let me know if the answers to your questions revealed anything.

Also, do you know if the items the items that don't work (head lights, horn and heated grips) are powered if you turn the ignition on without the engine running? I am curious as to whether there is a problem with the oil pressure sensor if those items are not powered. It would make sense to do that because it would reduce the load on the battery for starting. I know on some bikes, some components are not powered until you get oil pressure. I found an owners manual online and found it odd that there was no mention of a warning light for lack of sufficient oil pressure. The oil pressure warning is not one of the lights in the row of warning lights to the right of the instrument cluster that come one when you first turn the key on. But there is one lone red light at the top of the instrument cluster, just to the left of the speedometer, that also comes on briefly with the initial light test when you turn on the ignition and I suspect that is the oil pressure warning.

Thanks again for your help.

Looking at diagrams on http://faq.f650.com... - SECTION 3.

There's a load relief relay. Besides headlight, horn and heated grips it also disconnects the brake light when the starter button is pushed.

So, does the brake light work? If not then I guess it is the load relief relay stuck in the disconnected position.

There might also be a 15A single fuse just for the consumers behind this relay.

I never had a G650GS so I can't tell where this relay or this fuse are located.

/Guenther

BeemerPilot said:

Hello,

I would like some help in tracking down a problem I have with this newly purchased G 650 GS. As I described in my original post, the headlights, heated handle grips and horn all do not work. Everything else on the bike seems to function normally. I have searched all over the bike for some sign of wire damage or anything unusual and can't find anything, except, I did discover a connector that wasn't connected to anything. I would greatly appreciate it if someone out there who has an F or G 650 to tell me what, if anything, this connector plug is supposed to be connected to or if it is left like this to accommodate an option the bike doesn't have or a plug for connecting test equipment, etc. If you have a bike that has this same plug that is connected to something, PLEASE let me know where the wire goes. I have searched all over the bike (and it's not very big) trying to find a loose wire that would fit this plug and have found NOTHING. Any help you could provide would be greatly appreciated. Here are 2 pictures. The first one shows the plug as I found it. The red arrow points to the radiator to provide reference. The second picture is from a different perspective so you can see the wire from which the wire with the plug branches. Both pictures are on the right side of the bike from the rider's perspective.

Here are the pictures: View attachment 78841 View attachment 78842

Thanks,

Jim Hawks

Click to expand...

I don't have my 650 handy to look at but that connector goes to something around the airbox on the right side of the bike that you had to disconnect to remove it from the bike. I have seen it referred to as the ATS (air temperature sensor) a little to the rear of the snorkel. If you google changing the air filter on a 650 GS you will come up with photos. https://faq.f650.com/GSFAQs/AirFilterFAQ.htm Look at the airbox and the tupperware you have removed and see if that other side of the plug is not there. You push or pull on the wire spring around the plug when connecting or disconnecting. Don't ask how I learned this. If not look to see if the connector is tucked in behind anything.

I believe from the owners manual the fuses for the horn, headlight and grips are all different. The fuse positions are shown on page 81 in the manual and the assignment of the fuses are shown on page 111. Clever. It seems that the horn and the flasher switch for the headlight are on the same fuse. High and low beams are on different fuses. I have attached a copy of the owners manual.

View attachment BMW G 650 GS Owners Manual.pdf

Good luck.

Wayne Koppa
Grayling, MI
#71,449

Mother BMW posts manuals for each bike here:
https://www.bmw-motorrad.com/en/service/manuals/rider-manual.html


Here's the one (I assume) covers your bike:
https://manuals.bmw-motorrad.com/manuals/BA-Extern/IN/BA-INTERNET-COM/PDF/G_0189_RM_0814_07.pdf



Horn should work independent of the bike being started (but key is in the "on/run" position). I seem to remember that my headlight on my G would be on with the key in the on/run position, but turn off when the starter was pressed. I like Guenther's direction.

Oddly I've had fuses test correctly for continuity using a multimeter, but fail on the bike, so anytime I have a problem, I use a fresh fuse to make sure...

Fool me once, shame on you, fool me twice and I rip your fuses out!

Ooops! The reference to the electrical diagram I gave earlier is for a F650GS.

/Guenther

Guenther said:

Ooops! The reference to the electrical diagram I gave earlier is for a F650GS.

/Guenther

Click to expand...

It’s a little confusing because the thread title says “F650GS”. But his subsequent posts say “G650GS.” It’s a 2015 bike, so that would have to make it a single-cylinder “G” (twin cylinder F650GS was replaced by F700GS in 2013.)

Although, curiously it appears to have spoked wheels, and by 2015 the G650GS had alloy rims. So a prior owner went to the expense of upgrading wheels, but only rode it 110 miles!

Confusion

Hi Geunther,

I apologize for the confusion regarding the model number. I haven't kept up with the 650s and had no idea they had changed the designation to G from F until I looked at the model number on the side of the bike, but that was after I had already started the thread. I was able to go back and edit the model number in my original post but couldn't see a way to change the name of the thread. Sorry, but thanks for the information. I will look at your diagram to see if it will apply to my bike. The information about the load relief relay is exactly what I was hoping to find. I hope that's it and will let you know.

Thanks also to drneo66. If the load relief relay doesn't correct the problem, I will use some new fuses. I suppose it makes sense that it might look okay with an ohm meter because of the very low current flow from it vs the heavier electrical load of a component.

I would be surprised to see all fuses to be bad.

From the parts list at www.maxbmw.com or www.bobsbmw.com this is a mini relay (color black or yellow) with 4 spades. Likely part #61 36 6 902 041.

Could also be that the wire that energizes the relay is not connected/severed. The connector with nothing plugged in?

With the VIN number you can go to www.realoem.com to find the exact model of your G650GS.

/Guenther

Title changed to "G".
OM

Relay

Guenther said:

I would be surprised to see all fuses to be bad.

From the parts list at www.maxbmw.com or www.bobsbmw.com this is a mini relay (color black or yellow) with 4 spades. Likely part #61 36 6 902 041.

Could also be that the wire that energizes the relay is not connected/severed. The connector with nothing plugged in?

With the VIN number you can go to www.realoem.com to find the exact model of your G650GS.

/Guenther

Click to expand...

I just ordered that relay from Bob's even though I still don't know if that's the problem. I checked to see if my brake light would work and it did, but the wiring on my bike may be different from the one you saw. I have looked everywhere I know to look for some sort of diagram that will show me where that relay is located so if you know how to find one I would appreciate it if you would let me know. I bought a DVD that is supposed to have the shop manual for my bike and spent a lot of time searching through it, but I could not find that relay in the "repair manual." After the relay gets here I will at least know exactly what it looks like so that should help me find it. I searched for the model of my bike with the VIN and it appears it's a 2014 instead of a 2015 like I was told. Thanks, Jim Hawks

I found this picture in my BMW Repair DVD under 'Wiring Harness':



Looking through more pictures the open connector could be one for the heated grips or the grips switch.

/Guenther

Has the battery been removed or replaced? If so, might want to check and make sure all wires that are supposed to be connected to battery are indeed connected. I don’t have a wiring diagram handy but the items not working sound like a grouping that could be powered by a separate connection at the + terminal of battery.

Just a thought,

DeVern

Guenther said:

I found this picture in my BMW Repair DVD under 'Wiring Harness':

View attachment 79145

Looking through more pictures the open connector could be one for the heated grips or the grips switch.

/Guenther

Click to expand...

Hi, Guenther. Great news, it's fixed! I have the Repair DVD and was able to locate the relay(s). There are 2 identical relays where the arrow points so I'm not sure which one is the relief relay or if they are both used, but I pulled them out and checked both relays with an ohm meter. They both showed about 106 ohms of resistance between the 2 pins that activate it and the other 2 pins were open. I assume from the schematic on the side of the relays that the relays are normally open and will close when the starter is activated, which is the opposite of what I would expect, but after checking them, I decided to reinstall them to see what happens. After replacing them and the battery I turned the ignition switch on and the headlight came on and a quick check of the horn showed it worked too! Woohooo! I expect that enough corrosion had developed on the pins to prevent activation and the act of pulling them out and resetting them cleared the corrosion enough that they now work.

I really appreciate your help. I had no idea a Load Relief Relay existed, so your information was critical and fit with my expectation that all 3 problems were related to one common component or wire. Thanks again and ride safely, Jim Hawks

G 650 GS Electrical Problem

Thanks to everyone who offered suggestions. I'm happy to report the problem has been identified and resolved. You can read the details in my reply to Guenther.

Jim Hawks

Great!
Thanks for finishing up the thread and letting us know the outcome.
OM

I assume from the schematic on the side of the relays that the relays are normally open and will close when the starter is activated, which is the opposite of what I would expect, but after checking them, I decided to reinstall them to see what happens.

Click to expand...

With ignition on this relay is energized and closes the pins to turn on the lights. And here is the trick used for such a relay to fall off when the starter is activated:

The ground of the load relief relay is connected to the plus side of the starter's solenoid. This path continues on through the coil of the solenoid to ground. So the relay has 12V on one side and ground on the other side and it closes the contacts.

When you press the starter button the starter relay becomes energized and connects 12V to the starter's solenoid. Now there is also 12V going to the ground side of the load relief relay and we have 12V on either side of the relay. So no current flows through the relay's coil and if falls off.

http://faq.f650.com...Diagram-V.pdf

/Guenther