How To Test Wheel Sensors On BMW Motorcycles

[@tomekr27]

Thx a lot for the video! Explained in details and fantastic idea how to diagnose the issue without lab stuff. Thx!

[@St.E.V.T]

Tinderbox you are a naturally fantastic video teaching talent and a you have made a very informative and clear video here. This should be used as an example for all hands on teaching videos! Thankyou Thankyou Thankyou …

[@tinderboxarts]

Thanks for the kind words!

[@klausgeorge9775]

I just try to learn about ABS. Me just flew a r1100gs into my hands...with ABS problems. I am used to r1000gs old style. You are great help!

[@clayfarnet970]

I have a 2013 1200rt and my rear abs kicks in immediately when breaking a little hard…I believe prematurely. Is that a sign of a bad sensor? Thanks for sharing your knowledge with us. It’s very helpful and much appreciated.

[@tinderboxarts]

If you try a braking test on a smooth road with no gravel, and you get the ABS kicking in, then there is likely a problem. We don't know all the exact permutations of how the ABS could be activated because that isn't published. However, we can assume that without a reason (like gravel or a slippery surface) to activate then you should just be able to brake hard without ABS activation. Only when you really lock up a wheel would it kick in. So, that being said, it is possible that one or both of your sensors is getting a false reading. There are two things I would examine closely. One is the rear sensor "seat" where it bottoms out on the housing. The sensor needs to be located exactly in the right position in relation to the ABS reluctor in the housing, and if there is debris preventing good seating, or a missing spacer ring, or corrosion on the seat, or a damaged sensor then the position may be off. It is also possible that the front tone ring is your issue if the system is interpreting a false reading there as reality. So check that for damage like being bent.

[@greddyevo79]

Great Video. i have been some issues with my R1200GSA oil cool Rear sensor. it keeps failing every 6 months confirmed with a GS911. so I have change 3 times. could you please shed some light and advise me? thank you.

[@tinderboxarts]

When a component like this continuously fails, it is suspect, especially since they work for a period before failing. Several possibilities come to mind. One is that there is damage to the sensor cable, which is occurring during installation or which occurs during riding. Is the cable routed correctly? Are the hold-downs for the cable bent or cutting into the cable causing a wire break inside? Are you doing hard-core off-roading and the cable is being damaged by rocks or sticks? Another possibility is that the sensor is not seated correctly in the mounting hole. If the gap between the sensor tip and the tone ring inside the final drive is not perfect, you will not get a reading. If this is the case, it's possible that the sensors you thought were bad are actually just not gapped correctly. Pull the sensor and look very closely for corrosion or dirt which would prevent the sensor from fully seating. Also, see if there have been any washer spacers installed previously to adjust the gap. finally, make sure you check the reference voltage. If that isn't right, then the sensor can't do it's job anyway.

[@greddyevo79]

@@tinderboxarts thank you for taking the time for reply. the bike is a daily use but not for off road. the cable are routed correctly and doest bend or cut. the washer is still in place and sensor are clean everytime I need replace it. mounting point is cleaned and I presumed the gap should be correct. i find there are always low electric fault present ( I will confirm the error received again) I suspect it could be the battery which is causing the sensor to go off or the abs module could have some issue which keeps killing the sensor. Question is what could have happen that keeps killing the sensor? can I have your email address ? thank you

[@tinderboxarts]

Well, it may well be that the reference voltage is too low for the sensor. That could be as simple as a bit of corrosion on a connector or a partially broken wire inside the insulation. When resistance of a wire or cable increases, the voltage will decrease. So even if the supply is correct, you could be experiencing a voltage drop by the time it gets to the sensor, and then the sensor or the computer complains. I showed in the video how to measure the reference voltage. It would also be worth pulling all the connectors you can find between the sensor and the computer to look carefully for corrosion, bent pins, etc. You can reach me through my website at the end of the video--I don't like to publish the email here due to spam.

[@JirkaHGSA]

This year I changed sensor 2 times. I have GSA 2010

[@JirkaHGSA]

Did you find solution of your problem with wheel sensor?

[@forthleft]

Thank you, very well explained.

[@geoffanderson9440]

Thanks for the great vid. Will try it over the WE on my 96 BMW r1100rt.

[@tinderboxarts]

I don't know enough about the older bikes to tell you if the wheel sensors are the same type or not. I'll be curious what you learn.

[@geoffanderson9440]

@@tinderboxarts will try and let you know. Cheers

[@mariotorchio4075]

Can I test the resistance in ohms for the abs sensor?

[@avanturistickiputnik]

Hi, thank you for your nice video!! Do you know what is the reason why sensor died? Many people have problem with rear sensor on BMW 1200gs 2010-2013 yere. My friend change sesnsor and after 2000-3000km sensor again was death. What can be reason ??

[@tinderboxarts]

There can be many different types of issues with these sensor systems, not just the sensor itself. The sensor itself can go bad due to age, vibration or physical damage. But the wiring leading to the sensor can also be a problem. The mount or the seat of the sensor can be a problem if it puts the sensor out of alignment with the tone wheel. And the tone wheel can be a problem is it gets damaged or bent.

[@metodyx7507]

Olga..thanks for the video!!!

[@tawmdotcom]

Great video, thanks!

[@haddad209]

Hi, thanks for the video, it's very good. I test the rear wheel sensor in place and it doesn't work, but when I take it out and pass a metal in front of it, it works. May have lost sensitivity?

[@tinderboxarts]

Did you do the test in the video? If you get the light to come on, that means the wires and the sensor have continuity. Did your light come on or does the meter show continuity? Next is the test to see if the light blinks. If your light does not blink but it does light up (assuming you got polarity right in the test) then you want to check position of the sensor in relation to the tone wheel or ring. It could be that the sensor is not seated properly in relation to the tone wheel or ring or that the tone wheel or ring is damaged or not seated right.

[@mariotorchio4075]

I set a bulb set up just like you did here in the video. I spun the rear wheel (2007 bmw K-bike) and the light just stays on solid no matter if I change the battery polarity or not. spin the tire, and light stays on solid. It seams to me that it could be one of two problems. Bad sensor or the space between the sensor and the spinning ring inside the hub is too great. But I don't see how to adjust that, so I'm going to try replacing the sensor. thanks for the video!

[@tinderboxarts]

Sounds like you have a similar situation as shown at 15:10. I'd be curious to learn how you make out.

[@mariotorchio4075]

@@tinderboxarts supply voltage is 11.5 volts, so I ordered a rear sensor. I'll follow up here on my results. thanks again!

[@audioqube6593]

Hello great video! Do you know what is the gap for the front wheel abs sensor of the BMW R1150RT ? I have problems when i brake with front brake, the abs start becoming crazy and I have to test the sensor. I want to be sure the sensor is ok. Thank you in advance.

[@tinderboxarts]

I don't know that gap or even if it is published, but I can offer some advice. If you are experiencing active ABS function when you shouldn't be, the problem could be the tone ring. Examine it closely for any gaps or bends as you spin the wheel. Do a runout test on it (kzbin.info/www/bejne/gJeVaHh_bpiZbZY). When sensors go bad they usually go completely bad, so I wonder if your tone ring is the issue. Can't hurt to test the sensor too, though. There are also known problems with BMW ABS pumps, and possibly you are experiencing something like that, rather than a sensor/ring issue.

[@FuturisticViper]

does the sensor touch the slotted ring on the wheel just wondering?

[@tinderboxarts]

No, there is always a space and that space is critical. This is true of all wheel sensors. For the signal to be correct, the magnetic response of the sensor depends on a particular spacing.

[@francoischoquette2318]

Thanks for your vids. I have a question for you about these sensors and an electrical problem that I have on my 2011 RT1200. Can this sensor, if faulty, (probably the rear one) cause a sort of electrical surge (or whatever - I know very little about electricity on a vehicule) that then cause the low beams bulbs to burn out, both at the same time. This problem has happened to me twice in the last month. Both low beams headlights burning at the same time while, again at the same time the ABS warning light lights up solid and the speedometer stop working. Both times, I stopped the motorcycle, waited for a few minutes, got back on the road, warning light and speedometer got on an off 4 or 5 times, stopped again, waited still 10 minutes, got back on the road and no more warning light and speedometer ok. But both low beams dead. High beam still working though. Do you thing the sensor can cause all of this? Everything is stock on my bike. The only common thing about the two events was that it was approximately 90F outside both times. I can also tell that I drove maybe 1000 miles with no problems after changing the 2 bulbs the first time this problem happened. I would appreciate hearing your opinion on this! Thanks

[@tinderboxarts]

No, the sensor itself has nothing to do with your headlight issue. However, there could be a common connection (pun intended) among your three issues. All motorcycle and automotive electrical systems use a similar approach. They have a direct-current (DC) voltage produced by an alternator or stator, and that voltage has a positive and negative side. Your battery doesn't produce power, it stores it to provide voltage for the initial starting of the engine and it acts as a buffer in the electrical system so that when the alternator/stator is providing too much or too little power for the conditions there is a place to send to or take from. The whole electrical system is connected to the battery via wires and via grounds. The wires allow electricity to get from point A to point B. Grounds do the same thing in a different way. Since much of the bike or car is made of conductive metal, designers save the cost and effort of running some negative wires by using the vehicle frame or engine itself to conduct electricity. A wire is terminated with a bolt or screw to the frame or engine, and then somewhere else a different wire connects the frame to the battery negative terminal. Additionally, different circuits sometimes share a ground or a wire back to the same place. That said, it may be that you have a bad ground somewhere which is shared by all three of your problem children. That bad ground could take the form of a harness connector with dirt or corrosion, a pinched or broken wire, or something loose. By looking at a wiring diagram and using a meter you can often trace down a shared bad ground. Since you lack that skill, I sense, you can still give some things a try. Park the bike and remove the negative terminal on the battery. Clean it up with a wire brush or sandpaper, check that the wire and the connector are clean and well attached, then re-assemble. Now take some time and go over the entire bike. Any place where you find a harness connector, including the ECU, the light bezel, etc., pull the connector apart. Look inside for any corrosion or loose pins. Use spray electronics cleaner to clean the pins, then put the connector back together. Since you won't know where the problem is you'll be just guessing, but there aren't that many connectors on the bike. Maybe it will take you 45 minutes and possibly there will be some buried too deep for easy access. At the same time, check for any wires pinched or out of place. This blanket approach has a pretty good chance of uncovering a bad ground. If the problem persists, though, you'll need to have somebody use a wiring diagram and meter to better pinpoint the problem.

[@francoischoquette2318]

@@tinderboxarts Thanks a lot for your response. I appreciate it a lot. I found a post on a BMW forum from somebody who had exactly the same problem as me in 2010 but he never got back to the forum to say how it was solved. :( Anyway, I'll sure try my best at doing what you suggest. And since I don't do much night driving ever, I'll also drive with my high beam on and see if the problem comes back this way. Thanks again.

[@2wheelsrbest327]

Thank you great video tba. Pretty sure that if I do attempt solving the problem I am going to have to use your video step by step though. Before I do attempt could I ask you a question. Over the Winter I fitted some cheap Spot Lights onto my 2008 GS and shortly after doing that a yellow warning light has appeared. Initially I thought it was the petrol Sensor as the fuel sign was flashing on & off but when I used my GS-911 it also showed up an ABS problem as well, So my question is although I connected the lights via fuse & relay to the battery could the battery be detecting the lights and causing my problem. Appreciate any opinions or advice you could offer to me. Ted

[@tinderboxarts]

I'm not familiar with the GS warning lights, but if you connected your own fuseblock to the battery, that should have no effect on the CANBUS system. If you used a relay, it's possible you affected that system depending on where you connected the relay. The CANBUS system is pre-programmed with a range of values for each circuit and if that circuit goes out of range, it will throw a code. That aid, if your GS-911 is indicating an ABS issue, then that is real. It may or may not be related to your lights. Possibly you disturbed something while fiddling with your lights or possibly it's just coincidence. You could temporarily disconnect what you did and see if the light goes away. As far as the wheel sensors, first look for anything obvious, like a kinked/broken/damaged wire, corrosion at a connector, or a bent tone ring on the front. The GS-911 may pinpoint a front or rear location for you. You can use my video to test the wires first, and then look at the sensor spacing to the tone rings, then test the sensors themselves.

[@2wheelsrbest327]

@@tinderboxarts Thank you so much for responding to my question so quickly and fir giving me so much detail. Given that I am pretty sure that I will be able to resolve the issue. Stay safe Ted in UK

[@JirkaHGSA]

My rear speed sensor is ko. On female conector I measure 11,87V. Sensor doesn't show ohm. What happens inside of sensor? Why it stop work?

[@tinderboxarts]

It is possible to have an internal short in the sensor. The magnetic type uses a magnet to sense differences in the tone wheel or tone ring. You didn't mention what bike and what model year you have. though.

[@JirkaHGSA]

I have GSA 2010, problem is in rear wheel.@@tinderboxarts

[@tinderboxarts]

Okay, well that's substantially similar or maybe identical to the bike in the video. You've confirmed the reference voltage, I guess. And you say that there is no continuity when you measure across the harness connector on the sensor side? You're certain you have your meter set correctly and you verified continuity with just the leads touching? If so, then you may have a break in the wire. You could also rig up a test light like I did in the video and confirm that way.

[@JirkaHGSA]

@@tinderboxarts yes reference voltage is 11.87 V. I think it is same scene like in video. Bad sensor. Oscilloscope doesn't shows curve.

[@JirkaHGSA]

​@@tinderboxartsthere is no continuity. Sensor is dead. No electric resistance

[@TheScarr44]

Thanks much appreciated

[@barisemu]

LED lights have polarity as well that's why lights not blinking 😀

[@tinderboxarts]

I mentioned that--BOTH the LED and the sensor are polarity sensitive. But, if the light is on then you have the LED polarity correct. If it doesn't blink when spinning the wheel either the sensor is dead or you need to reverse polarity on the sensor.