ABS Light Flashing

Earlier this week the ABS light on my '04 started flashing during a routine commute. I shut the bike down and upon restarting it the problem seemed to go away. Yesterday (Sunday) during a 250 mile spin, the light did the same thing three or four times, each time "resetting" after killing the ignition and restarting. Couldn't tell you if the flashing occurs immediately after using the brakes or just during the course of riding as each time I just happened to glance down and notice it. Aside from me trying to determine exactly when it activates and isolating which wheel is possibly causing it, has anyone had any experience with this issue? Other than adjusting the tire pressures, I have not done any mechanical work that might have brought this on.

Oh..... and not that I want to ruin anyone's fun but yes, I have tried the Search function.

My search found a few threads about flashing ABS lights, a few of the threads are here:

ABS 1

ABS 2

ABS 3

ABS 4

ABS 5

There are a lot of other links, this should be a starter set

ionbeam said:

My search found a few threads about flashing ABS lights, a few of the threads are here:
ABS 1

ABS 2

ABS 3

ABS 4

ABS 5

There are a lot of other links, this should be a starter set

Click to expand...

Hey Alan, Thanks for the links. Guess I need to read up on how to search properly. Tried a few different ways and came up with nothing.

Gonna try cleaning/adjusting the rear brake lever but also now wondering if it's got anything to do with the BackOff controller I installed several weeks ago. Think I'll bypass that too and see what happens. Thanks again.

You may want to see if there is any brake dust or dirt getting in the way of the sensor first. I would take a water hose and spray water where the front and rear sensors are just to see if they are dirty and not getting a good clean signal (just the sensor and brake area, not the whole bike). You may also want to be sure the connectors are plugged in properly and the contacts in the connectors are alright and not corroded. But first I'd make sure the brake calipers and sensors are cleaned. Then the connectors if they are located where water or dirt can easily get inside them. It's the easy stuff I'd check first.

BigOgre said:

ionbeam said:

My search found a few threads about flashing ABS lights, a few of the threads are here:
ABS 1

ABS 2

ABS 3

ABS 4

ABS 5

There are a lot of other links, this should be a starter set

Click to expand...

Hey Alan, Thanks for the links. Guess I need to read up on how to search properly. Tried a few different ways and came up with nothing.

Gonna try cleaning/adjusting the rear brake lever but also now wondering if it's got anything to do with the BackOff controller I installed several weeks ago. Think I'll bypass that too and see what happens. Thanks again.

Click to expand...

If you added a backoff controller that is probably the problem. I added the flashing brake lights, forgot the name right now, and the ABS light would come on. Had to remove them. Someone on this forum talked about adding a relay and making them work.

Mac

This just started happening on my 2005 this week as well. I'll check the usual suspects - brake switch, dust in the sensor, etc. However, I just installed a pair of LED tailight bulbs (a dozen red LEDs in a 1157 base instead of the normal 1157 bulb) immediately prior to encountering the problem. What do you think - could the difference in the tail light bulb be enough to confuse the ABS sensor?

Andrew

2005 FJR1300A

BigOgre said:

Earlier this week the ABS light on my '04 started flashing during a routine commute. I shut the bike down and upon restarting it the problem seemed to go away. Yesterday (Sunday) during a 250 mile spin, the light did the same thing three or four times, each time "resetting" after killing the ignition and restarting. Couldn't tell you if the flashing occurs immediately after using the brakes or just during the course of riding as each time I just happened to glance down and notice it. Aside from me trying to determine exactly when it activates and isolating which wheel is possibly causing it, has anyone had any experience with this issue? Other than adjusting the tire pressures, I have not done any mechanical work that might have brought this on.
Oh..... and not that I want to ruin anyone's fun but yes, I have tried the Search function.

Click to expand...

Adding just LED brake lights shouldn't cause a problem with the ABS ECU. Adding any kind of tail light flasher will cause a problem.

Just plain straight LEDs in a one for one swap with brake lights should not cause any kind of problem as long as the install was done correctly. There are two types of LED tail/brake light assemblies available. For an ABS equipped bike the LED assemblies should have two signal wires, one for tail lights and a second for brake lights. Some LEDs will be off until the brake is activated, then all the LEDs turn on. The other type of tail/brake LED assemblies will have all the LEDs on, then some or all will get brighter when the brake is activated. This type will probably cause a problem with the ABS ECU. Stock tail light bulbs have two filaments, one low current filament for tail lights and a separate high current filament for bright brake lights. LED assemblies must mimic this setup. AxeMan, any input here? :lol:

On Gen I ABS, the yellow brake wire goes to the tail lights as well as the ABS ECU. If you cut the brake wire and spliced in a flasher the ABS ECU will show a fault. Same is true for Gen II, I just don't know the wire color for sure.

I flashed my ABS light once... Didn't get any response, decided it was a dumb idea after all :ermm:

:jester:

Yup, I thinks that what I did. Can't tell just yet as I did such a great job tucking all the wires away but I'm pretty sure I tapped into the yellow brake light wire. Although like I said, installed the BackOff several weeks ago. Would like to think I would've noticed the flashing before now. Anyway, before I take the tail apart to bypass the unit, is there another place to splice it in where I won't have this problem and/or should I just leave it be and live with the flashing (assuming the ABS is still functioning properly)?

Joint

:jester: