Another ST Owner With ABS Issues

Riteris

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Jul 8, 2017
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Washington, DC
So, the ABS light has been shining brightly on my 2015 Super Tenere (24,000 miles on the bike.) Sometimes it goes out, most of the time it is lit up.

My cruise control also has issues. (It works until I use the throttle to accelerate. Then the CC light flashes and I cannot set the cc until I turn off the CC and then restart the CC.) I know there are several threads on these issues. I am emotionally spent trying to deal with this issue over the past year or so. Thanks for riding along.

I just got the bike back after being in the shop for some 6 weeks*, they told me I needed a new ABS pump. "ABS Unit is bad" "Hydraulic Unit Assy- part # 23P-85930-19-00 @ $1364.99"

I question this for several reasons.

1) another shop told me it was the abs sensor that was bad. I replaced that and the light stayed on.

2) I was told there are no ABS pumps in the USA and it would take 3 months to get here from Japan. I was told it would cost around $2,000.00 for parts and labor.

3) I can get the pump to cycle to do a brake fluid bleed. (I now need to take the bike to a place where I can see if I can get the ABS to cycle in a "real world" application as in a gravel road to try locking up the brakes.)

4) they told me the Cruise works per spec. It does not.

So, to those that have been through this, do the above points make sense?

Is the cruise control actually linked to the ABS system at this level? Does that indicate a possible other problem?

At this point I am exploring all options, including selling the bike as is, paying to have the pump replaced, paying to have the pump bypassed, parting the bike out or the judicious use of electrical tape.


Thanks for your thoughts on this!






*This is a whole other issue that should be discussed in another thread, but I do not wish to get into reliving the pain of having this bike serviced by Yamaha dealers. Suffice it to say the Yamaha dealers in the DC area SUCK.
 
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gv550

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I don't think cruise control is linked to ABS, but cruise is dependent upon brake light function, there is a recall for the front switch but if you've been following the threads I expect you know that, done that, and still have problems.
Does your ABS actually work, as in pulsing the brakes when you try to lock the brakes on gravel?
 

Riteris

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I don't think cruise control is linked to ABS, but cruise is dependent upon brake light function, there is a recall for the front switch but if you've been following the threads I expect you know that, done that, and still have problems.
Does your ABS actually work, as in pulsing the brakes when you try to lock the brakes on gravel?

I just edit my post to include an answer to your question. But, I have not made the time to get to a gravel road to try and lock up the brakes to see if the pump actually cycles.

I did have a dealer attend to the brake recall on the front switch.
 

Squibb

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I wonder, were these issues evident before your dealer undertook the front brakelight switch recall?

I am thinking a ham fisted tech could easily create both issues, if suitably talented.

The CC sounds like it could relate to the throttle switch, so you would need to lift the tank & check the switch actuation with a meter. Could also be taught/displaced cables I guess.

The ABS issue - we need to know whether there are any fault codes logged. You have a 2015, so can interrogate via the dash. Make sure you have done a few miles & attempted to actuated the ABS, as your dealer probably cleared any old codes recently.
 

Riteris

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I wonder, were these issues evident before your dealer undertook the front brakelight switch recall?

I am thinking a ham fisted tech could easily create both issues, if suitably talented.

The CC sounds like it could relate to the throttle switch, so you would need to lift the tank & check the switch actuation with a meter. Could also be taught/displaced cables I guess.

The ABS issue - we need to know whether there are any fault codes logged. You have a 2015, so can interrogate via the dash. Make sure you have done a few miles & attempted to actuated the ABS, as your dealer probably cleared any old codes recently.
I had the ABS issue when I dropped the bike off at the first dealer to deal with the recall. I paid them to diagnose the issue. They told me it was a bad sensor. Because the dealer wanted me to keep the bike in the shop for the 30 days or so it would take for the part to come in, Ipaid them for the diagnosed and replaced the sensor myself. It did not correct the issue. (This shop has a history of bad repairs but I took it there because they are accessible to me. My assumption is that Yamaha would have educated their dealers on how to make the recall.)

I had not used the cruise control in a while and cannot say if it was there before I dropped the bike off at the first dealer.

I could not get the bike to produce codes. I thought it was user error on my part. I then had a more competent friend help me. We could not get the bike to produce the codes. That is why I decided to pay a professional and put the bike into a second shop for at least a diagnosis.

How accurate are the codes?

Shouldn’t both of the dealers been able to read them to diagnose the situation?

Do Yamaha dealers have anything more sophisticated equipment that the could diagnose the issue rather than what the dashboard produces?

Would the diagnosis software indicate the cruise control problem?

Do you know off hand if the cc diagnosis procedure is in the manual?
 

Squibb

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Quite a tale @Riteris. Using 2 dealers, then fitting parts yourself = self inflicted confusion, but there is only one place to start, logically ..........

The DIY diagnostic procedure is explored in this link from the past; it's the only way to add direction to your fault finding: -

........... https://www.yamahasupertenere.com/index.php?threads/abs-module.30085/

I cannot offer advice/info on dealers diagnostic methods - just ask them if you feel the need.

At least we know the ABS issue was extant, before dealer #1 touched the bike. If the throttle switch/cables check out OK, then I sense we may be looking at the rear wheel ABS sensor, but let's see what 'diag' shows first.

Then just a few other areas deserve attention:-

1. Make sure the battery is good & the terminals tight.
2. Run through all the relevant fuses with a meter (not by eye) for continuity, just to be certain that they are all good.
3. Tyres/wheels - are these OE standard size fitments?
4. When riding does the speedo work correctly, as well as all other switches/functions?
 

Riteris

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^^^
The reason I went to the second dealer was because the first one was bad news. They have a bad history (not just with me but others as well.) The reason I went there was to do the recall on the brake switch. I did, however, pay them to give me a proper diagnosis. It was wrong. The difference would have been that they would have been on the hook for the cost of the sensor, not me. But, they probably would have forced me to pay for it anyway. But then, if they bill by the hour, I would be on the hook for the time they spent installing the sensor anyway.

All that aside, the process would have had my bike in the first shop for over two months. They told me I would lose my place in line if I took kt from the shop. That made me start looking at other shops.



Thanks for the link. That should keep me busy.

1. Done.

2. Fuses were pulled, check and re- mounted.

3. Yes.

4. Speedo works fine. Switches seem fine, except for the cruise control issue.
 
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Riteris

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Washington, DC
So, after several weeks of busy work weeks and a two week holiday, I finally had a chance to ride the bike.

I could not get the ABS to function under hard braking and lack of traction.

I need to figure out a plan.

I am probably going to sell the bike. Partly this is because I am doing less time on the highway and the weight of the bike is getting to me.

One option is to put it in a decent shop some miles away from me. This would involve no small amount of money. Then sell it once repaired.

Or, just sell the bike at a loss and move on.

Anyone want a lightly used 2015 with low miles?
 

Riteris

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I have sold off this nightmare.

I am happy to read so many of you having such great experiences with the ST.

This was just not the bike for me.
 

Toyboy

So many bikes, so little time........
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Hello,
I am the lucky (or unlucky buyer) of Riteris' bike. I thought I would take a moment to update what has transpired since my purchase.

The intermittent cruise control issue is fixed. I replaced the MAP sensor and the associated rubber hose and that fixed the issue. It had a code 14 which took me to it. Easy.

Here is what the not so easy ABS issue is:
Start off with the bike and the ABS light goes out as prescribed. At one point, the distance randomly varies between 1/4 mile to 4 miles, the ABS light will blink on then back off. It will stay out 15-30 seconds off then light on for 3-5 seconds then off again etc. until at one point it will come on and stay on. I can reset it while riding by turning ignition off then on but it repeats the symptoms. It seems as though the ABS works, then, seems to be searching (blinking part) for info or input then eventually decides to cut off since it cannot find it or not enough etc etc.

Trouble shooting wise, I removed, cleaned both front and rear ABS hub rings and eventually replaced the front wheel ABS ring and that did not help. Front ABS sensor wire new from recall and did not help when replaced by PO.
I went with the front sensor ring since Traction Control and Speedo were working fine. I also swapped out the rear ABS sensor wire just to eliminate a possibility there since i had one here to try. Was the front one that had been removed under the recall. They are longer but plugged in and everything worked fine. So not that. I rechecked the ABS pump for proper function using the "procedure" and all worked as advertised. I also did check the ABS function riding the bike and ABS works as advertised as long as light is out. With light on, regular brakes.

So I took the bike to my local Yamaha dealer to see what they made of it and they really dug into it, in conjunction with Yamaha tech help. They had quite a few more hours in it then they billed me for to be honest which was really kind of them. They were super to deal with and were genuinely trying to fix it for me. What they were able to determine in the end (with Yamaha Tech help) is that there is some type of voltage drop somewhere causing the issue. Statically, per the book, everything they tested checked out within spec. They offered to continue and do more checks for voltages @ prescribed points per Yamaha but could not offer me any more help with man hours as they had done.
FYI, they asked me to contact them with resolution if I get it sorted out as did Tabasco as I reached out to him early on hoping for some insight.

Quite a bit of PO installed accessory wiring running around under tank and fairings to various pots, driving lights etc, but all going thru a Centrex type fuse block. Thinking maybe one of these was causing a draw of sorts, I found the 30 AMP fuse from battery to the Fuse Block and pulled it, killing power to everything PO installed but nothing. Still same issue.

At this point, I will be trying two more things, one at a time, and that will be to unplug inspect and re-plug the ECU in as well as the ABS pump electrical connectors.
After that, I will pull fuse on the ABS and ride it as is until I can source a Gen 2 ABS pump. I think anyway........ The "Pea" under the mattress is turning out to be a cantaloupe with this thing. Hoping i could live with it off but just bugging the crap out of me that I can't seem to fix it may be more than I can stand, as it was for Chris.

Cheers. Dave
 

Jlq1969

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You say that while riding, "occasionally" the light blinks ... sometimes it goes off ... and sometimes it stays on ... you've already tried changing cables etc ... etc ... you changed sensors and it also kept failing ...... you know that the rear combined brake Is it operated with the abs pump? …… you should discard this… .. go out to drive it, but don't use the front brake (combined)… .only use the rear brake… ..and rule out that the combined brake is the problem… Well Needless to say, after having taken it to several technicians, that the abs ecu has its own diagnostic connector and saves its own errors that must be erased along with the errors saved in the motorcycle's ecu.
 

Jlq1969

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The combined brake, more than a brake function, the main function is the anti-sinking function. There should be a pressure sensor that senses the pressure in the front braking circuit and depending on that pressure, the abs pump knows how much pressure to exert in the rear circuit and thus be able to combine braking. I have not read (in the previous posts), that this was mentioned
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Toyboy

So many bikes, so little time........
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Thanks for input will read this over and see what i can make sense of.

I forgot to mention that i have tried applying brakes front only, rear only and combined and no particular application seems to have an impact on the ABS light coming or staying off. To clarify, when i start off, ABS light goes off normally. I never touch the rear brake. Eventually I apply the front only brake within the 1-4 miles light starts to blink on off then will stay on as always. Same if I redo everything exactly as stated and only use the rear brake. Lastly same thing happens if i use both brakes. So to summarize, no particular brake application triggers ABS light to come on or stay off. Hope that makes sense.
 

patrickg450

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if you are saying there is a voltage drop, is it intermittently? does it happen while the wheels are rotating or not? Have you replaced the magnet on the wheels?
 
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