K11 Owners Group

RobWheatley · Posted: Tue Oct 28, 2008 5:40 am Post subject: K1100LT hazard warning lights

Hi All
I picked up my LT on sunday and had a nice 496 mile ride back home, all went well apart from 1 thing.
Needed to stop at the side of the road (to have a pee) and as it was quite a narrow lane i put the hazzard warning lights on, got back on and they would not switch off no matter what i did, even took the switch apart and took the wires off, nope still on and had to pull the fuse for the indicators and ride 420 miles with out them working!!!!
Took the flasher unit apart and there is only 2 relays in there, both working (not welded shut) I tried pulling all the relays i could find but still couldnt stop them!!
Any ideas, i assume there is another control unit somewhere that does the self cancelling but cant find it.
Not feeling to grand at the moment, my better half gave me her flu, generous like that she is, but need to get it sorted out ASAP.
Rob
_________________
1999 K1100LTIC Smooth and Quiet Smile

Cruise, BFD & HID
1996 K1100RS. dead but not forgotten.

mnb · Posted: Tue Oct 28, 2008 11:19 am Post subject:

My hazards have never worked from the day I drove it away from the dealer. They aren't wired stock apparently, it's an extra option. Shocked

_________________
M N B
1997 BMW K1100LT ABS Special Edition
2003 Husqvarna TE610e
2007 Harley Davidson Road King
2009 BMW F800GS
2011 Husqvarna TE310
2014 Ducati Multistrada Pikes Peak MNB Edition

Off the grid · Posted: Tue Oct 28, 2008 12:24 pm Post subject:

In 2.5 years of riding my K I think I used my hazards once.

My philosophy is that if you need flashers, you need to move your bike to a safer spot.
_________________
Bane of your existence since July 2006
2007 Triumph Tiger ABS. "Sabertooth"
2009 Husqvarna TE610. "The dirty Italian mistress"

Jim F · Joined: 28 Apr 2004 Posts: 1

I had a similar experience with my 97. Turns out the flasher switch provides a ground for the circuit. In my case the wire going to the switch rubbed through on the frame and whenever it was grounded I had 4 way flashers operating. Took some trouble shooting to locate the bad wire/frame contact. Insulated the wire and no more problem. Hope this helps.

Jim F

mnb · Posted: Tue Oct 28, 2008 2:10 pm Post subject:

Flying Duck · Posted: Tue Oct 28, 2008 2:35 pm Post subject:

Hazards are stock. If your switch isn't working then most likely the solder points at the rear of the switch have broken off - very common.

If you pull your hazard switch to resolder it, it's also a good idea to pop the back out of the switch and scrape off the contacts with a small screwdriver.

If a dealer ever tells you that you need a different flasher relay to have hazards work, they are WRONG. This happens because the hazard switch and flasher relay have their own parts diagram. The SAME flasher relay also shows up on the relay box parts diagram. Since most are too lazy to see that the part numner for the flasher relay in both diagrams is the same, they get suckers to buy a new flasher relay when the one they alreayd have would work.

All K bike wiring harnesses have a connector under the tank for hazards. All you need is a switch to make them work.
_________________
93 LT (x2)
94 RS
86-97 K75F(K75/100/1100 Frankenbrick)
86 K75C w/paralever, hi perf cams,TURBO!
91 & 92 K75Ss
91 K1
86 custom K100
14 WR250R
IBA #17739 (SS1K, BBG, 50CC)
Buy parts HERE

mnb · Posted: Tue Oct 28, 2008 2:49 pm Post subject:

Flying Duck · Posted: Tue Oct 28, 2008 2:52 pm Post subject:

Does it have a switch inthe dash. Every 4 valve K I've ever seen had one (so I assumed they're stock) as well as a fair amount of the 2 valve Ks.

If you don't have a switch, that's all you need.
_________________
93 LT (x2)
94 RS
86-97 K75F(K75/100/1100 Frankenbrick)
86 K75C w/paralever, hi perf cams,TURBO!
91 & 92 K75Ss
91 K1
86 custom K100
14 WR250R
IBA #17739 (SS1K, BBG, 50CC)
Buy parts HERE

Sonu · Posted: Tue Oct 28, 2008 3:37 pm Post subject:

My hazards work fine from Day 1
(only had to use them once but they were handy....)
_________________
1997 K1100LT "Ziggy" _GarminGPS_Corbin saddle_K Guards _Hyperlights_Fog lights_Eastern Beaver Relays_Cee Bailey_4"speakers_Michelin PR4's_MoS2_Spiegler lines_TPMS_VDO

mnb · Posted: Tue Oct 28, 2008 5:16 pm Post subject:

Flying Duck · Posted: Tue Oct 28, 2008 5:28 pm Post subject:

You should be able to pull the tank back and hook itup - unless the switch is bad for some reason.

I'm going to be heading south in mid-November and could take a look for you if you want to wait..
_________________
93 LT (x2)
94 RS
86-97 K75F(K75/100/1100 Frankenbrick)
86 K75C w/paralever, hi perf cams,TURBO!
91 & 92 K75Ss
91 K1
86 custom K100
14 WR250R
IBA #17739 (SS1K, BBG, 50CC)
Buy parts HERE

RobWheatley · Posted: Tue Oct 28, 2008 5:44 pm Post subject:

Hi all
The problem is i can't turn the hazzards off, used them on the lane when i stopped but now they wont stop even with the ignition off.
Removed the switch and cleaned it, remade the connections but still they keep flashing, the way the switch is set up it makes the contacts to put the hazzards on and breaks them to stop the hazzards.
One confusing thing is the Clymers manual shows 3 wires to the switch, blue/white, yellow/violet & a brown but the switch only has 2 wires, the yellow/violet & brown yet the main loom has the three. At some point the plug has been replaced, not sure why, but the cable to the switch only has 2 wires and the third contact is not in the switch (not just broken, it was never in there)
If i pull the fuse then put it back in they carry on flashing even with the ignition off, i have a feeling its the flasher unit failed, just wish my RS was still here so i could swap the relays out.
Rob
_________________
1999 K1100LTIC Smooth and Quiet Smile

Cruise, BFD & HID
1996 K1100RS. dead but not forgotten.

Flying Duck · Posted: Tue Oct 28, 2008 6:47 pm Post subject:

Here's how they hazard lights are supposed to work:

You can only turn them on with the bike turned on. You turn the bike off and they will continure to flash until you turn the switch off.

But you cannot turn them on with the bike turned off.

I guess they did this so some lookie-loo can't come by and turn on your flashers and drain your battery but if you need to leavce the bike by the side of the road with the flashers on that you can have those on and take your key with you.

Here's why they have three wires to the switch connector:

On some of the earlier K bikes (80s) there was a little lamp in the switch itself that would flash. They got rid of the little lamp - either for cost cutting or because they little lamps usually didn't last too long.

Bottom line: It's "normal" for the switch to have two wires but the wiring harness to have three.

Troubleshooting advice:

First thing I'd do is follow the wires all of the way from the connector for the switch to the relay and check for an inadvertent ground from a chafed wire or whatever. If you can't chase it down to a short then I'd look for a good used flasher relay.
_________________
93 LT (x2)
94 RS
86-97 K75F(K75/100/1100 Frankenbrick)
86 K75C w/paralever, hi perf cams,TURBO!
91 & 92 K75Ss
91 K1
86 custom K100
14 WR250R
IBA #17739 (SS1K, BBG, 50CC)
Buy parts HERE

mnb · Posted: Tue Oct 28, 2008 9:21 pm Post subject:

Here's what I was able to determine with my hazards just now:

With the ignition on and the kill switch off (ie, able to start bike), the hazard switch has no effect.

There is wiring connected directly to the switch.

I would assume the bike does not have to actually be running for it to work, that would be stupid. I know in the past, when in motion, I've tried to use the hazards and they did not function.

I can hold down both turn signal buttons at once and simulate hazards, but if you let up, only one of them will remain on.
_________________
M N B
1997 BMW K1100LT ABS Special Edition
2003 Husqvarna TE610e
2007 Harley Davidson Road King
2009 BMW F800GS
2011 Husqvarna TE310
2014 Ducati Multistrada Pikes Peak MNB Edition

RobWheatley · Posted: Tue Oct 28, 2008 9:54 pm Post subject:

Hi Duck
Thanks for the info on the wiring, I will look tomorrow for a short in the wiring but have bought a known good relay of the E of bay site just in case.
I think as i turned them on and then they wouldnt turn off it is the relay unit failed rather than the wiring to them.
As with my RS I had to strip/clean all of the dash switches, seems a weak point on the K's, at least the heated grips now work, needed them on the trip home really.
Rob
_________________
1999 K1100LTIC Smooth and Quiet Smile

Cruise, BFD & HID
1996 K1100RS. dead but not forgotten.

Flying Duck · Posted: Tue Oct 28, 2008 10:06 pm Post subject:

lrome48 · Posted: Tue Oct 28, 2008 10:25 pm Post subject:

Rob, I recommend you buy a Kisan Signalminder. It allows your turn signals to operate on reduced power as running lights, (Two intensity levels and off option) and it has it's own 4 way flasher circuit. You turn on the flashers by pressing both turn signal buttons simultaniously, to reset use the signal reset button on the right switch.
_________________
Larry
K75
97 K1100 LT Specialk under construction
87 SpecialK75 Carols done!
2004 K12 Special the 'Beast' delivered
K1100 Standard Custom Gone but not forgotten

RobWheatley · Posted: Fri Oct 31, 2008 9:51 am Post subject:

Problem solved, fitted a new flasher relay and all now works as it should, bit worried when i put the hazzards on again for the first time but they now turn off when they should, guess the relay circuit just failed and locked them on.
I might look into a kisan signal minder too, I like the idea of the running lights.
Thanks for all the help
Rob
_________________
1999 K1100LTIC Smooth and Quiet Smile

Cruise, BFD & HID
1996 K1100RS. dead but not forgotten.

lrome48 · Posted: Fri Oct 31, 2008 10:34 am Post subject:

Flying Duck · Posted: Fri Oct 31, 2008 10:48 am Post subject: