ABS TCI lights on

[brooke]

Hi guys , been to busy to keep in touch but having an ABS issue with the 16 R model so making time to beg for your help . After a mile or two or three after leaving the house the ABS , traction control and engine light appear . The service wrench has been flashing for some time but with dealer in another province and Covid restrictions that will have to wait . Abs sensors and wheel units look fine . Checked the three pin connector behind the shifter,looks good and pulling and shaking it doesn’t seem to trigger a reaction , my thought has been that hitting what I would consider a normal bump in the road is setting it off . Once in this situation ROAD is the only mode available, I can change modes when leaving my drive way . Any help gracefully accepted .

 

[CarlS]

Hi, Brooke and welcome back. Do you have TuneECU where you can check the codes? Please let us know what you find.

 

[brooke]

Thanks for your reply Carl . Don’t have tune ECU .

 

[Qship]

You can venture off the sand dune now that the "Atlantic bubble" has been created so why not go over to Motoplex and get the codes read? Could be something as simple as a wheel speed sensor gone bad. That sends the signals for ABS and traction control so that would be my first guess.

 

[brooke]

Seriously thinking about Tuneecu or Dealer tool . It started going into TC mode yesterday so changed my attention to the front sensor . Sure enough the front sensor is much farther away from the signalling ring on front compared to the back . .there is a small washer between the sensor and the caliber , I think , keeping the the sensor at least an eighth of an inch away from the ring ??? Is it common to use this method as an adjustment? The rear has no such washer and runs very close to ring . Tiger has no washers and has been trouble free for eight years ...

 

[brooke]

Took off the front wheel and found nothing amiss so fabbed a shim to adjust the clearance at the speed sensor . Got it to a credit card thickness ,same as the rear and others I have looked at . ECU was not impressed, a mile or so down the road lites are on again . Tried to find the dealer tool Website, no luck , any one know the address. Thanks .

 

[brooke]

At last success !

After a couple of months of getting my golf game back on track , I finally ordered the Dealer Tool . Luckily my son showed up with the kids one day and installed the program in the old H/P which I never use , so was good to put it into service . Hooked things up and reset the oil change / maintenance wrench icon to 9 k KM from the preset 10 k . Checked for default codes and found two , one related to speed sensors and one regarding ABS . Cleared both of those and went for a ride .
A light drizzle but there’s brightness to the east so off I go in jeans and the old Joe Rocket , which I believed was water resistant . The wrench icon is gone so I know I’m on the right track despite the weather but a couple of minutes from home the tc and abs warning lights come on as before, not good and I’m getting wet . Gone a couple of more miles and here’s a good place to turn and head back to the homestead , my belly is wet and cold ... Just for fun I pulled over , shut it off for a few seconds to delete the warning icons again and started for home . The road is quite wet now and I’m given er to see if I can set off the warning lights but they stay off . A few miles of trying to spin it up and I’m home , no lights !
It was dry yesterday so after golf and taking Baby Girl to hockey practice I did a 15 km jaunt , no issues . Obviously the front speed sensor being to far from the ring was the issue . What next ...

 

[CarlS]

Congrats on solving the problem.

 

[Rocky]

It's always good to hear a success story

 

[brooke]

Thanks Carl
Forgot to mention that Dealer Tool seemed very easy to work with not that I had any issues . Also the cost of the product was probably half what it would have cost taking it to the Triumph dealer and HOPEFULLY getting the results I got . Now I will get the Tiger registered , delete the service wrench and check the throttle balance ..

 

[brooke]

Thanks Rocky ...did you get to the Gentleman’s Ride this year ?

 

[Rocky]

Thanks Rocky ...did you get to the Gentleman’s Ride this year ?

No, it was cancelled as were about 95% of our club rides and events this year.
That's why you haven't seen me posting anything about our usual rides and events. Most everyone was doing only solo riding.

 

[brooke]

Sorry to report ... the abs / tc lite is still on . Another forum is talking about wiring issues around the head stock and factory recalls on other water cooled twins but nothing on R models . Other Thruxton owners have experienced the same as I .

 

[CarlS]

I am sorry that you are still having this problem. I am very disappointed in Triumph's electronic problems. And this trend is not limited to Triumph or to motorcycles. I was strongly considering a new T120. I am now looking at used T100's to get away from the electronic crap. And I am also looking at other brands.

 

[Rocky]

I am sorry that you are still having this problem. I am very disappointed in Triumph's electronic problems. And this trend is not limited to Triumph or to motorcycles. I was strongly considering a new T120. I am now looking at used T100's to get away from the electronic crap. And I am also looking at other brands.

Sorry to hear that brooke. That has to be a disappointing PITA!
Like Carl, I only thought about a newer model in passing because my "old" Bonneville with carbs is running so well and not loaded with electronics I don't need.

 

[brooke]

Thanks for your concern guys . I did some adjustments around the head stock yesterday . Once you’re aware of the problem area it not hard to see what’s happening . The main cable on the left side of the head stock is covered in fabric which allows some movement needed as the bars are turned . Some or all the wires inside this cable are obviously very tiny low power ones that carry signals for all the computer stuff that these new bikes have . The head lamp is literally stuffed with connectors and cables that are thumb thickness. There is no visible wear here on my bike but moving the bars shows the metal bracket that runs from the lower to the top triple clamps , holds the clocks and ignition I believe, rubbing the cable when turning the bars left . These tiny wires are obviously very sensitive are perhaps suffering from atrial fibrillation as I do .
Apparently on the water cooled twins without clipons the clutch cable is wearing through the cable and causing all sorts of issues even more extensive than mine . When you take the seat off and move the tank back your first thought is holy...this frame is not big enough to hold everything . Anyway , will get out for ride soon and file a report on the cable tie experiment . Heading to the course today for my first outing . This deal is confirming my idea on getting a new Tiger , it will have the least amount of electronics available.
FORE !!!
View attachment 1D32A56A-AB15-4AF7-B48F-44874ABF816F.MOV

 

[Qship]

Sorry to hear your electronic gremlins have resurfaced, Brooke.
Hopefully you isolated the issue(s).
Thinking of the new Tiger Sport 850 are you? It has my interest.

 

[brooke]

Was out for over an hour last evening and it was perfect . What a relief , this started 2 years ago , I am no computer expert and a snowmobile wiring fumbler at best . Some day when I have way to much time on my hands I will tell you about my first official day as a motorcycle mechanic and being shown a two week old Bonneville with the cases split wide open . It was over a year before the customer got it back , I still see him at the gym every week , he never brings up the subject but that was the end of Triumph in Canada’s smallest province .
Yes it seems to be cured , probably 2 years since it occurred . All my surfing has hopefully paid off . The wiring chafing at the headstock issue is well documented on another Triumph Forum ,can’t believe it hasn’t been brought up on TT . A half hour and a couple of plastic ties is all it takes . If anyone has similar electronical issues , I’m here for them but will put more hours on it before signing a peace treaty .
Yes , thinking of the 850 sport . Have got a couple of starting negotiations prices but COVID , Afib Ablation , issues are muddying the water . It’s certainly all I need with all the betterment’s I wanted . Lighter , more grunt , better chassis , crazy brakes , great seat , even better fuel range , the only nit pick I might have is the weird crank shaft , but apparently it only buzzes over 80 mph .
With my most recent events I don’t require cruise control , 5 traction modes . I come from a motocross background . If the clutch cable snapped just before your race you reved it up in neutral and when the flag dropped kicked it into first gear . These new ones have sensors at the end of the foot pegs ?#?

 

[Rocky]

Good to hear that you finally solved the problem

 

[brooke]

Thanks Rocky and best of luck with your recent problems . Looks to me like you got a good guy in charge but some groups that are really hard of hearing . There are some very nice people who just need a little 2X4 applied to the ear to shake the wax out . Hopefully things will be fine by June as my buddies are getting itchy for a jaunt down to Milford House and area . No doubt it’s summer there now .