STiago
Member
Just happened when I was about to start the engine. No crank, just a click sound. Battery is full charged. Must be the crank position sensor again! Off to the dealer through roadside assistance.
18, 549 kms
18, 549 kms
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Fault in engine control..again!
- Thread starter STiago
- Start date
wspollack
Well-known member
I'm very sorry to hear about that, both for your troubles and because I own a '23 C 400 GT (with currently 8,000+ miles -- c. 13,000 kms).
I don't recall reading about anyone else having a problem with the crank position sensor (or any sensor, for that matter) on a C 400, and now you have had two(!) of these issues. But I'm an old guy, so my memory is increasingly suspect. You recall reading about anyone else having a similar problem?
I don't recall reading about anyone else having a problem with the crank position sensor (or any sensor, for that matter) on a C 400, and now you have had two(!) of these issues. But I'm an old guy, so my memory is increasingly suspect. You recall reading about anyone else having a similar problem?
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- #3
STiago
Member
I have not read anywhere about this issue, but it happened to me once and now the symptoms are the same so assuming its the same, just waiting for the tow truck to pick the scooter up and drop off to the dealer, I called the dealer and told them what happened and they said the first available tech will be looking into it. So fingers crossed what the problem is. Warranty is still good for another 6 months so I guess we will find out next week, I will update once I hear back from the dealer.
Cheers
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- #4
STiago
Member
Update from BMW..they found the ECU being faulty and are replacing it...hoping to get it back in 2 weeks time.
wspollack
Well-known member
Thanks for the update. Good luck to you.
sinosoul
New member
is it normal for dealerships to take 1.5 mo to diagnose an issue? Also, have you tried to buy extended warranty after this faulty computer?
wspollack
Well-known member
I don't know what "normal" is, but the one time that I needed an engine problem diagnosed, well, it certainly took a looooong time.
Check out my time-line in the first two posts of this thread I started two years ago: www.bmw-scooters.com/threads/bmw-swapped-out-my-used-22-c-400-gt-for-a-brand-new-23-c-400-gt-free-part-i-of-ii.2932/
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- #8
STiago
Member
it took 9 weeks to complete this particular repair. It depends on what the issue is, usually when any ECU replacement is required there will be a lot of back and forth between dealer and bmw.
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- #9
STiago
Member
Picked up the scooter, rides like new, paper work says a recall was done, replaced piston rings, I see new head gasket, engine side cover was opened and resealed, I did not get a full report on what was done, because those are warranty repairs. I do see a brand new ECU in there. Am not sure if I should get extended warranty, factory warranty expires March 2026.
wspollack
Well-known member
That's pretty soon, March '26. Me, I would get the warranty. There are so many (and expensive) things that can go wrong with these scoots, as both of us have seen.
I plan on getting the longest possible warranty for my '23, just as I did for my '22. Only difference is that I will not buy it early, as I did before (when I had some spare cash).
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- #11
STiago
Member
I agree, these things are not reliable as we would like it to be. Its always on the knife edge. I don't even know if anyone makes anything reliable these days, I was thinking of getting a 1300 GS adv, am rethinking that after reading a lot of those are also having issues.
wspollack
Well-known member
I browse www.bmwlt.com/ (where I'm a member, among many other moto forums) from time to time. I've read about adaptive-cruise failures (not that I'd want that myself -- regular cruise is fine with me), BMW's replacing drive shafts on late-model RTs, and so forth. So it seems as if BMW is having problems with both fancy and basic parts of bikes.
But, I agree with you, that so are a lot of other bike manufacturers. Maybe quality-control has got to pot throughout the industry, and maybe there are too many fancy doo-dads on bikes these days.
For instance, my other bike, a Meteor 350, is both very basic and very trouble-free. I've had that for three seasons now, and the only thing that broke was a gear-position sensor (replaced free, under warranty). Based on reading and participating in their forums, I can attest that Royal Enfields are certainly not perfect, but problems tend to be pretty minor like that. No fancy stuff on those bikes.
Back to the warranty: if pretty much just one thing -- and pretty much ANY one thing, not just an engine or transmission -- goes wrong on our scooters, the part(s) and labor are going to equal or exceed the cost of the warranty. Or so it seems to me.
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- #13
STiago
Member
I think the cost of warranty is a bargain when it comes to the labor and parts for these repairs, But it also increases the cost of ownership, when resale value does not exist for scooters. Extended warranty is a maximum of 3 years, may be it will make it another 3 years with warranty repairs but at some point when all possible warranty has expired it could fail and be worth scrap. I agree bikes like royal enfield are more reliable because they are not too complex. I might have to consider the cost of warranty and resale value to decide what am going to do with it. Ideally sell it as it is in spring and get something else, Honda advx or something like that.
wspollack
Well-known member
I don't know if this is different for Canada, or maybe it's changed here in the USA, too: back in September 2022, I bought my extended warranty for my '22 C 400 GT that I had purchased new in June 2022. As I mentioned, I had some extra cash, and just wanted to take care of that purchase before I frittered it away.
In any event, my warranty added four years to the original three-year warranty. It was set to expire in June 2029 (unlimited mileage) -- I can post a copy of my receipt, if you like.
Regardless, I typically hang onto bikes for about four years. That's not something I plan, but it's just worked out that way, over the years. And I've never considered trade-in value. Maybe that's just me, but I buy a bike that I want and can afford, and that's it. I figure my money's going toward my using and enjoying a bike while I have it, period.
If I get some additional money out of the process, as a trade-in or private sale, so much the better, but it's not something I take into account. And I've never made or even asked for a killing, regarding this money at the "back end"; mostly, I just want to get any cash at all, and free up the space in the garage.
I think you can go crazy, or at least get a headache, if you try to anticipate trade-in value at time of purchase. Perhaps I've just been fortunate enough to have had my system work for me and my finances, in the the 28 years I've been buying bikes now.
Also, I'm now 77, and don't have any more plans to buy more bikes, i.e., I anticipate my C 400 GT and my Meteor 350 lasting as long as I can keep riding. Yeah, I've thought that sort of thing before, but I've never been this old before, and this is also the first time that I've had two bikes in the garage on a "permanent" basis, so each one gets half the use, which should help in their longevity.
SamKool
Member
fyi: from san francisco bmw dealer i was given the option to buy up to a 10 year unlimited mileage warranty, in essence 7 additional years after bmw warranty expires.
no idea if that's a standard option worldwide.
wspollack
Well-known member
My guess is that what you were offered to buy was a third-party warranty, as opposed to an extended warranty from an arm of BMW itself.
I'm basing that guess on:
1) What I was offered back in 2022, when I discussed the issue with the finance manager at Max BMW, and asked for the longest period. I was told that it was four additional years -- for a total of seven years -- with unlimited mileage. And that is what I bought.
2) A page on Max's web site still maintains that this is the longest period, calls the warranty "BMW Motorrad ESC" and so forth. The page in question is www.maxbmw.com/extended-warranties and here's a screen grab of part of that page:
3) That contract I had purchased is titled "BMW Extended Vehicle Protection," so "BMW" is noted, and no other company is mentioned:
And so that's what I base my assumption on. Of course, that page at Max's could be outdated, BMW itself may now offer longer periods, and so forth. I will find out next year, when I will purchase a BMW extended warranty from the shop (assuming the bike has not self-destructed before then, and assuming I haven't self-destructed, either).
Barring any change from three years ago, however, note that if offered a choice, I would much rather pay for four years added by BMW than seven years added by a third party. But that's me, and I understand that different situations may make different solutions preferable.
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- #17
STiago
Member
The maximum offered warranty in Canada is 3 years after the expiration of the initial 3 year warranty..and its $2200 CAD around 1560 USD
sinosoul
New member
This is exactly what my indy mechanic said. However he meant it as: "what do you expect with a cylinder cylinder 350cc motor going 7K rpm for an hour at a time?" Not in terms of a newish 1300GS
SamKool
Member
yes, it is a 3rd party but it covers everything the original bmw factory warranty covers. i went with the 7 year (bmw + 4) unlimited miles contract. it has a $200 deductible. my cost was $1,230, which breaks down to $0.84/day, which i felt is easily worth my peace of mind.