Boxerworks.com

I have been having intermittent problems with the K style turn signals on my recently purchased GS.
The problem is mainly on the left turn side but occasionally will occur on the right side as well. While riding I will thumb the turn indicator and sometimes it will cancel after a couple of flashes or just flash once. The turn indicator will work correctly about 25% on the time on the left and usually about 95% time on the right.
I suspect the switches are faulty, probably having a hair trigger connection canceled by road or engine vibration, you can make the flashers work by holding the switch down.
The flashers work correctly 100% of the time while the bike is off and just the ignition turned on.

I have dismantled and lubed the switches as much as possible. The connections throughout the bike have been have been checked twice and treated with dielectric grease. I have order a repair kit from BMW, but they just look like the plastic switch ends.

From what I have heard the the signal relay is usually quite durable, so I would like to rule everything else out before I spent the $133 for a new one. I probably should remove the cancel switch and drive for a while with the flashers on to rule out the cancel switch.

Any one come across similar problems with this style of switch?

Thanks

Check routing of both signal wire harnesses from the switches down and around the headstock. Check ckosely to see if harness has rubbed through. This can cause intermittant problems.

Had similar problems on my old 91 GS. By checking continuity of each side signal wires in the harness I determined one was broken and intermitantly connected in the harness while the other side was grounding out as the harness was rubbed right through and so was the one + signal wire.

With hard lock to lock steering manouvers I found the routing of the signal wires was really tightened against the headstock and guess causing the wear. Remove gas tank and have a good look at each side in the headstock area.

I checked each switch for continuity and they were OK which then led me to the switched back. Good luck

Thanks Moosehead.

I will check out the wiring harness routing.

I noticed when I was going over the bike that the left control harness connector wires were zip tied at a severe angle, up by the speedo, I will check that area first.

I have been unable to recreate the problem with the bike not running, even pushing pulling the wiring harness locations and full steering lock.

I am thinking I will try removing the canceling switch today and rule it out.

For my situation the problem was the cancel switch. Even though I had stretched the spring holding the activation pin and lubed the contacts, the contact was not good enough under road vibration. I placed a spacer in the switch to shorten the spring travel and I now have correct operation.

Good, got it solved!

Cancelling switch...good one...never thought about that side of the equation, Save that one in the memory bank for the future!

Good, got it solved!

Cancelling switch...good one...never thought about that side of the equation, Save that one in the memory bank for the future!