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2005 BMW R1200 GS: ABS light or ABS activating

5 of the 51 complaints about the 2005 BMW R1200 GS describe ABS light or ABS activating.

owner complaints
5
of this car's complaints
10%
typical mileage
42,000
recalls
4
Is there a fix? There are 4 recalls and 5 service bulletins for this area of the car. See below

ABS light or ABS activating by model year

  • 2015
    1
  • 2011
    1
  • 2007
    6
  • 2005
    5
  • 2004
    1

What owners say

Filed Jun 25, 2017 · Brakes · 59,000 miles · NY

Abs pump failure.

Filed May 18, 2015 · Brakes · 51,010 miles · AL · crash · 1 injury

I experienced a 100% no brakes situation coming into a slow speed 90 degree turn on a back road. Luckily I hadn't been going to fast and was able to down shift and scrub a little speed but forced with only engine braking and a very old asphalt road covered in gravel I had to lay it down to stop from going into a 60ft+ ravine. I've put 250-300k of street riding under my butt and this is the first time I've laid a bike down. I did hurt my left leg and I have a huge bruise there now and my crash bars prevented any major damage to the bike but it did still cause about $500 in damages. I'm well aware of the problems that the 05-06 servo bikes have had with brake failure but I've always read that the residual brakes are still there if the servos fail. I can attest I had zero brakes! Lever went to the bars and rear just fell down and had nothing. I've actually practice a couple panic stops with the ignition off to experience what just the residual brake feel like and I was able stop fairly normal with just some increase effort. This was not that! After the crash I turned off the bike and another rider helped me pick it up. Upon turning it back on I still had zero brakes the lever just went to the bars and rear had nothing. When I turned the bike back on I had the ABS and brake failure lights flashing and the servo never kicked on to do its bit cycle. So me and the other guy sat there talking about what just happened and about 2 minutes or so went by and all of a sudden the servos kicked on and all the warning lights went off and my brakes where back to normal!!! I turned the bike off and now I had residual brakes again! This failure could have very well killed me if it happened in multiple areas earlier in the ride. A quick google search shows that this has happened to numerous people.

Filed Nov 8, 2009 · Brakes · 42,000 miles · CA

Abs brake failure while driving. Hard to stop bike and a near miss with another vehicle. Seems to be a faulty front brake switch.

Filed Sep 9, 2007 · Brakes · 6,000 miles · MA

Rear brake pads wear out prematurely, typically in 6000 miles, as opposed to typical pad life which is ~18-24000 miles. No symptoms were noted previous to the brake pads wearing out. When rear brake pads wear out, there is loss of rear braking ability. This did not cause an accident for me, but could easily catch a rider by surprise and cause a crash as a result of loss of rear brake. Bmw claims that this is normal for these bikes, and therefore nothing was done to fix the actual problem, aside from having the owner pay and have new brake pads installed. The problem seems to be caused by the linked brake system employed on the r12gs / ABS model. With this system, using the front brake also causes the rear brakes to be actuated. Somehow the system in at least some cases causes the breaking force applied to front and rear brakes to be biased to use the rear brake very heavily. A symptom of the problem is that the rear brake rotor is very hot (indicating that the rear brake has been actuated) even when neither brake levers have been employed by the rider. This problem has happened very often. At least to me once, personally. I've also read many many firsthand stories about this problem on various web forums such as advrider.com, ukgser.com and bmwmoa.org. I am unsure of the exact time that this occurred to me but can find records to pinpoint the exact date.

Filed Jul 3, 2006 · Brakes · 2,900 miles · HI

2005 bmw r1200gs. Abs off, blinking brake failure, only residual braking. Dealer reset the ABS computer, but came back after one week, only residual braking now, (require extra ordinary lever grip to stop) this if not prepared to stop could cause a crash, what is causing the ABS to deactivate. Now the brake light is stuck on bright, no ABS, residual braking, dealer told me to drive it in, is that safe? No working brake light? Bmw should investigate problem and correct problem.

Service bulletins that may apply

Related recalls

Service brakes, hydraulic: antilock/traction control/electronic limited slipReported May 15, 2006 · 13,200 vehicles affected
What is wrong
On certain motorcycles, under rapid, repeated, and unusually harsh braking, loss of ABS capability could temporarily occur.
Risk
Temporary loss of ABS braking could increase the risk of a crash.
Remedy
Dealers will add a physical restriction, in the form of a banjo bolt with a flow restrictor to the brake line, and on certain models dealers will install new front brake discs of a slightly larger thickness free of charge. The recall began on june 5, 2006, and will be a phased mailing through october 2006. Owners may contact bmw at 1‑800‑831‑1117.

Recall number 06V164000 · Recall details

Service brakes, hydraulicReported April 24, 2006 · 9,260 vehicles affected
What is wrong
On certain motorcycles, if certain procedures are performed that involves removal of the front left brake caliper, the ABS sensor cable can be routed incorrectly and when the caliper is reinstalled, the sensor cable can come into contact and rub against the front brake disc. Overtime, if the chafing becomes severe, it is possible to lose the ABS function.
Risk
Loss of ABS function could increase the risk of a crash during certain riding conditions.
Remedy
Dealers will attach additional retaining clips free of charge to the ABS sensor cable, which will provide a more secure connection to the wheel carrier. The recall began on june 5, 2006, and will be a phased mailing through october 2006. Owners may contact bmw at 1‑800‑831‑1117.

Recall number 06V134000 · Recall details

Service brakes, hydraulic: foundation components: hoses, lines/piping, and fittingsReported December 6, 2004 · 485 vehicles affected
What is wrong
On certain motorcycles, an adapter in the rear brake line connects a rigid section to a flexible section. If the rigid section is not properly engaged in the adapter, it is possible for a leak to develop.
Risk
Brake fluid loss could result. The rear braking capability would not be possible, increasing the risk of a crash.
Remedy
Dealers will inspect the rear brake line and adapter. If the inspection reveals that the rigid section of the brake line is not properly engaged in the adapter, then the entire adapter will be replaced. The recall began december 15, 2004. Owners should contact bmw at 1‑800‑831‑1117.

Recall number 04V576000 · Recall details

Service brakes, hydraulic: antilock/traction control/electronic limited slipReported June 22, 2004 · 99 vehicles affected
What is wrong
On certain motorcycles, the integral anti-lock brake system (iabs) sensor sealing o-ring connection at the rear axle housing may be damaged. An oil leak may develop.
Risk
If this happens, oil could contact the rear wheel and the rear wheel brake disk, and the rider may not be able to control the motorcycle. A crash could occur.
Remedy
Dealers will replace the rear wheel iabs sensor sealing o-ring. The recall began july 14, 2004. Owners should contact bmw at 1‑800‑831‑1117.

Recall number 04V297000 · Recall details

Questions about the 2005 BMW R1200 GS abs

Is ABS light or ABS activating a common problem on the 2005 BMW R1200 GS?

5 of 51 owner complaints about the 2005 BMW R1200 GS (10%) mention ABS light or ABS activating. The model year with the most reports is 2007.

Is there a recall or service bulletin for this on the 2005 BMW R1200 GS?

There are 4 recalls and 5 service bulletins for the same area of the car. Check them below with your VIN.

Other symptoms on the 2005 BMW R1200 GS

Fuel pump 13Fuel leak 9

All model years of the BMW R1200 GS

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