Left hand switch problems

Hi guys, just joined forum & noticed quite a few out there with faulty handlebar switches. I guess I'm a member of the club too! The first one failed at 3646 miles when the high beam went pete tong, got replaced under warranty, then at 4536 miles the hazard switch failed! Again, replaced no problem. Never really used either, only noticed they'd failed during POWDER check. Dealer said they had quite a few go & not just on S1000. So, decided to contact BMW customer services.... complete waste of time! Apparently not an issue worthy of being addressed. Guess they must need 1 million to fail before they do something about it! Got a 12 year old SP1 that never misses a beat too & is still on its original switches, so it can't be anything I'm doing! I would be really interested to find out how many members have had this failure & how many times. If its possible to do a survey I'm not sure, but it would help us all post warranty if we had some facts & figures to fire at them. Any ideas or suggestions out there? Thanks

Hi. According to BMW they have upgraded pretty much all the switches but how they have done this only time will tell. I've had the high beam switch go so far.

During winter i did have an issue with my high beem switch after i washed the bike, a quick squirt with wd40 and all was good again. I hope it doesnt come back ???

To date, indicator switch & full switchgear on r/h side replaced

Maybe set up a pole with everyone voting etc. thankfully mine has been ok

Yeah me too Phil
Touch wood

Left hand switch unit went defective after about 3500 miles. I know this because I reset the trip and it's been stuck on trip ever since. It's being replaced under warranty when it goes in for service soon.

Thanks to all for contributing. I will try and set up a poll and see what we get.

On my 3rd lefthand switch..........

High beam switch went out twice. Waiting for it to do it again.

My left hand one has started playing up (indicator) but not gone completely yet. Won't be a warranty job so anyone have an idea how much it will cost if it needs replacing?

bananaman link=topic=1022.msg10079#msg10079 date=1341828911 said:

On my 3rd lefthand switch..........

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Snap.

18k miles no switch gear problems but had a headlight explode and melted all the reflector! :'(

the left hand switchgear seems to be a very common problem .. has anybody on this forum had a replacement from BMW outside of the warranty period whereby it's been paid for BY BMW??

pearly said:

the left hand switchgear seems to be a very common problem .. has anybody on this forum had a replacement from BMW outside of the warranty period whereby it's been paid for BY BMW??

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Yes, I had my RH switch replaced last Summer. My 2011 was about 3 or 4 months out of warranty and they paid for it all. I spoke to the main BMW Customer Services, who said an instruction had gone out to my dealer (all dealers) saying not to charge. My BMW servicing was all up to date, but I don't believe that mattered. The dealer was Clark's of Rednal,

my 3rd leftside switches are being fitted next month

For free Ross?

Yes. Warranty finished in sept last year. They are fitting new L&R side switches. My dealer wants £33.40 for labour, but i'll talk them out of that on the day

Just picked up my bike today from Benham Motorrad in Wolverhampton. New uprated L&R switchgear supplied & fitted FOC even though out of warranty by 10 months.

The starter button failed while the bike was sat on paddock stands in my garage. Went to start it & nothing !!

My usual dealer where I bought the bike & who've done all of the servicing didn't really want to know (unless I basically paid for parts & labour). They even said they had no knowledge of switchgear problems even though they'd replaced the LH one under warranty when the bike was 9 months old due to failure of the high beam switch.

Benham Motorrad were the complete opposite. Friendly, helpful & honest, even though I had never dealt with them before. They were extremely confident that BMW would agree to replace the faulty RH switch & that the LH one would also be replaced at the same time.

I had the bike recovered & taken to Benham, and within 2 days received notice that both switches had been replaced. Not even any labour to pay for.

I know who'll be getting my business from now on.

My headlights went out at night on a country lane 5miles from home, the full beam light was on on the dash. after an interesting ride home, and a call to Bahnstormer in Maidenhead, 4days later the bike had been collected, left switchgear replaced and bike dropped back, no mention of any payment.

Will definately use them again.