John Clark BMW in Aberdeen
Exhaust Flap Fault
- Thread starter mrklunk
- Start date
John Clark BMW in Aberdeen
I don't know about the "approved used warranty", but the extended warranty did NOT cover the exhaust flap a few years ago.
Yes flappy and suspension no cover with extended warranty
Well as I posted earlier, that theory is rubbish. You don't get blood bikes doing low mileages and short rides and we have had to replace a flap on a new 1250 after 3k miles, my own 1250 has had a flap after 5k miles. None are short rides.
Very nice to be proved wrong, so back to the start we still not know were it comes from
The theory is not rubbish just because you have one exception to the theory. That is like saying that smoking is not bad for a person as your grandad died at 101 years old and he smoked all of his life.
You had a failure, but perhaps most other failures were due to short journeys.
Ok, whatever, but here is my experience of failures. 2014 bike 50k miles in 3 years, two failures and two new sets of headers. 2015 RTp 57k miles still being used as a blood bike, two failures and current flap is also seizing. 2019 1250, failure at 5k, 2020 RT failure at 2k, 2020 RT failure at 1k. 2021 RT failure at 4k, this is only the bikes I personally know. None of them do short journeys.
My exhaust flappy thing is stuck open, can't move it with fingers so I've left it. I don't have a problem with it.
On later bikes if it’s stuck you have to stare at an engine warning light
Is there any way to get the flap to cycle manually to check - I have an intertermitant EM light that comes on for a few days at least weekly on my 1250.
I was thinking it was the extream lean angle I was riding but after checking the display (twice) I have decided I am a chicken
I was thinking it was the extream lean angle I was riding but after checking the display (twice) I have decided I am a chicken
Is there any way to get the flap to cycle manually to check - I have an intertermitant EM light that comes on for a few days at least weekly on my 1250.
I was thinking it was the extream lean angle I was riding but after checking the display (twice) I have decided I am a chicken
If you had the BMW connected app on your phone then you could check your lean angles for each ride on each day when the light was on.
Is there any way to get the flap to cycle manually to check - I have an intertermitant EM light that comes on for a few days at least weekly on my 1250.
I was thinking it was the extream lean angle I was riding but after checking the display (twice) I have decided I am a chicken
Normally if the em light is on because of the flap fault it won’t go off on it’s own. The fault code needs resetting in the ecu. You can check the flap by removing the end can and switch the ignition on, the flap should cycle open to closed and back again. Although Engineer reckoned with the latest software update the flap will only move on start up. But I haven’t seen that behaviour on my 1250
Thanks its just blooming anoying that the warning light goes off and on at random - almost certainly if i booked it in at a dealer it would be on an "off" day
Because they flagged it at the service inspection I said I’d like it addressed now as it needs done sooner rather than later - and they’ve agreed to replace it under warranty
Thanks everyone for the input/advice.
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Colin_S
Registered user
I've got one of the last 1200's (2018) and it recently went in for a service. On collection they advised the bike had thrown up a stored fault for the flap and that it would likely need attention in the future. In a moment of boredom over the weekend I pulled the exhaust apart and the flap is very solidly stuck in the open position to the point that the only way it would budge was with mole grips as in some of the videos. I managed to free it up a little but there was no sign of any activation when turning the ignition on. There was a little slack in the cable that would close the valve and that slack never got taken up. Also I've got no dashboard warning light.
I'm going to take the cover off this evening and see if the flap operates when starting the bike rather than just turning the ignition on.
Any thoughts on where I stand with a warranty claim on a bike just turned 3 years old?
Best £80 I spend was getting a Server Buddy, removed the BMW servo unit and cables connected to flap and plugged in the servo buddy. Flap doesn't cycle now but ECU is happy and I don't have the annoying pig squeal every time I switch on the bike. Also saved about 200g in weight, so one more pie I can have.
Think they changed the software in one of the updates so that it doesn't cycle the exhaust flap every time you switch the ignition on. My previous one stopped doing it every time but flap was working ok. Do like you say and take cover off cables and see if it moves after a minute or two after starting engine.
If its stuck\not working, talk nicely to your dealer, if its only just out of warranty they may be able to sort it free. It may even have been logged in the bikes software and dated as when it was in warranty ??
I read they changed the software, but on my 2019 1250RT and on a brand new 21 1250RT, the flap is still cycling on ignition on. Maybe the GS is different.
Flap sticking on my 2014 GS,intend to remove header pipe and remove lower Bush,make a new bush with a Little more clearance and TIG it back on the pipe. My flap is tight in the bottom bush so his will enable me to lubricate the pivots.
Mine is stuck open and works fine as it is,only fault code found on memory not displayed on screen as later machines.
Far from ideal environment for a pivot mechanism, constant temperature change etc.
I would imagine that the potentiometer in the actuator needs to,see full deflection in both directions on ignition on,so it can respond to the relevant signals to operate correctly,a siezed flap would prevent the pots full movement hence the warning. All potentiometer controlled appliances need to move fully from one end of the scale to the other,referred to as learning end stops.This procedure happens with ignition on,typically of German electronic architecture. I would imagine the later dash software has the ability to display
a different priority scale of warnings,and different Teir ratings require different warnings displayed.
Mine is stuck open and works fine as it is,only fault code found on memory not displayed on screen as later machines.
Far from ideal environment for a pivot mechanism, constant temperature change etc.
I would imagine that the potentiometer in the actuator needs to,see full deflection in both directions on ignition on,so it can respond to the relevant signals to operate correctly,a siezed flap would prevent the pots full movement hence the warning. All potentiometer controlled appliances need to move fully from one end of the scale to the other,referred to as learning end stops.This procedure happens with ignition on,typically of German electronic architecture. I would imagine the later dash software has the ability to display
a different priority scale of warnings,and different Teir ratings require different warnings displayed.
I have a 2014 gs, ocean Motorrad replaced mine (egr valve and headers for free ) yes I have the extended warranty, saved me £1700 .
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