ABS

[Fossie]

Firstly thanks for allowing me through the gates ..it's been a while .
I have done a quick search as this must have arisen before , it did on our Bandit a few years ago .. ( with that we took the ABS offand took the brake lines direct ..old school)
Anyway We are still running Courier company 650 Vstroms and have 4 still on the go ..my old one now has 110000 miles and the spare ..my replacement is 18 months and 35000 miles old .. however a co workers is 71000 miles old and has developed an annoying issue, the ABS comes on on its own ..we are used to the brakes going hard under load and locking off on rough patchy tarmac ...but this is applying while riding without operating brakes .
  We cleaned the sensors , new discs and pads were fitted as a matter of course anyway ..the warning light stays on for longer and longer...
WE removed the ABS fuses and it's a different bike it rides wonderful...But this makes the speedo inoperative   So had to put them back ..and back it was to the unwanted braking
  Any idea?

[Upt North]

I haven't really got a clue what I'm going to say next, but ay, it's a forum.
I'll just make it up as I go along.
If you're saying the brakes are being applied without the application of either M/C then I'm thinking it's got to be the ABS pump.
The ABS pump is obviously capable of removing and reapplying fluid pressure. Could it apply pressure without the operation of a M/C if it became faulty.....don't know....but it's a thought innit.
As the pump got a plug on the cable that could be detached and would the speedo then still work?
If so then it may show the pump to be at fault.
I've never heard of this fault on any vehicle before, perhaps someone else has.
Good luck.
Upt.

[Upt North]

Has anyone read the Diagnostic Trouble Codes.
Plus the ABS pump is designed to return to non ABS safe mode when a fault is recognised and the ABS light would illuminate.

[Fossie]

We have a mechanic coming in the morning now apparantly ..the code reading is non specific really , it dosen't front or rear etc..
Years ago when ABS was first out and I was working in a service bay , it was made clear that removing the filler cap before pushing the pads back avoided the diaphram in the pump distorting ...we don't service these things our selves anymore and rely on the contacted mechanic  sadly so don't know if it relevant ...I'll keep you informed.

[Upt North]

Fossie, please keep us posted.
It would be good to know what could cause this.
Upt.

[MilozFolly]

I can't help but that sounds bloody terrifying!

[Barbel Mick]

In my very limited knowledge on the workings of the ABS system, am I correct in thinking the system wouldn't operate without some sort of signal from the ABS sensor?
If that is correct, then I am presuming the ABS control unit is getting a false signal I.e. one it wouldn't get unless the brakes are applied?
The signal it should receive is to say there is a difference in wheel speeds. If it's getting a false signal to say the wheel speeds are different, or no signal at all, would the ABS system activate?
You say you've cleaned the sensor & changed the disks & pads but what about the ABS speed rings (front & rear) are they clean, not broken etc? Anything that would cause a false signal could be a cause.
 

[Pete O Tube]

The other thing with ABS rings is distortion, if they're not flat there'll be an erroneous signal to the sensor (it's a proximity sensor).

[Fossie]

We sorted it this morning with the aid of daylight...Strangely we have 4x v stroms on fleet here a 19 plate , a 70 plate and 2x 72 plates ..all are slightly different under the seat(obviously both 72 are the same ).
  Anyway the issue was the live feed to the ABS pump which connects under the component and joins in a block connector  in the wet salt ..yep it was just powder and crumbled away..  renewed the wire length and Hello presto warning lights outand brakes back under control!
  The other bikes join in a different place but we will monitor.
Basically adding electrical connections to a mechanical hydraulic simple system 
 

[Upt North]

Great news Fossie, what year model did it happen on.
So, am I correct in saying that the loss or partial loss of this feed was applying the brakes?
How sharp were they being applied?
Did he explain why?
I am aware that the underseat area has changed since the introduction of the 17 year model, I'm guessing more emissions stuff is being shoved under there.
Upt.

[Fossie]

It was on the 70 plate (grey...like primer in gloss)  Basically as all sensors rely on resistance settings once the wire was damaged the values were all over the place and applied the brakes more and more often...quite randomly and enough to reduce speed by 10mph ..but then released and reapplied ..
  However today even in driving flooding all was good ..sorted .

[Upt North]

Thanks Fossie, very interesting.
And all this on a relatively new bike, the miles shouldn't have been a factor with insulation protection.
I see moisture dispersant and dialectic grease in my future.
Upt.

[purplebikeunicorn]

Anyway the issue was the live feed to the ABS pump which connects under the component and joins in a block connector  in the wet salt 

If it was just the live wire, then was it the system "self test" that generally happens at ign on or at a few mph (when the light goes off)? Interesting!

For info, there is an ABS Test connector down the LHS (when sat on bike) plastic panel, normally tied to the subframe. It's a two pin jobby, white and black/white, short the two pins and the ABS light will flash ABS codes out. Older bikes might be orange/b/w

[Ianmc]

     Fossie,could you explain in detail where exactly this corroded connector is please,as I have the same problem on my L2 bike.Thanks in anticipation.

[Fossie]

Sorry not been on for a while But ...yep my bike now suffers with the issue....I removed the fuses for abs and abs pump and it's fine except speedo is inop now but no real drama ...
Anyway on spare bike 105000 miles no issues ..
The errant connector is  , if you lift the seat , and look down infront of fuse boxes directly under the back of coolant tank is a connector , it look fine until it is moved and it flakes  apart.
  The older bike is different in that the cdi is under the seat and so the loom is different and there are no wires at this location which is directly is the wet , hot cold area.

[Ianmc]

   Hello Fossie,thanks to you I found the connector straight away,I took off the LH side plastic and followed the smaller of the two cables from the battery positive terminal,and there it was,a single black connector I managed to unclip it with a bit of a struggle and both sides were covered in green verdigree,after cleaning the connection was very loose so I gave the female side a nip with a pair of pliers and reconnected,voila!! It worked perfectly,ABS light was off after a couple of wheel revolutions.

[Rixington43]

Probably already done but a blob of di-electric grease in the connector will prevent a repeat in future. My bike is about 20% grease at this point

[Rusty Nuts]

The Suzuki Greasetrom.

[UK_Vstrom650]

This is great info for future owners. Just a shame the penny-pinchers couldn't be bothered to waterproof all the connectors on a motorbike 

[Brockett]

@Rusty :  is the alternative the V-erdigris strom? (not just Suzuki these days though)