My TPMS is dead!

[Derek]

Anyone ever have one that just dies without warning? 3 seasons ago I was getting the “low battery” warning message whenever it was cold out. Warning went away after a few minutes when the tire warmed up. Replaced the batteries successfully when I had the tires changed.

Few weeks ago I replaced the tires, no TPMS error messages (even in the cold). Think the sensor worked for the first short ride but I know it never worked for the second and after. Had the tire pulled and replaced the battery again (confirmed power to the circuit board).

Spun the TPMS for several minutes (attached to my pedal bike tire spinning beside the bike) but my C14 just doesn’t see it!

Any ideas on something else to check or do I have to breakdown and order a new TPMS and have it programmed.

Post this message on a FB page this morning and found this has happened to a few others but has anyone fixed this by replacing and reprogramming a new TPMS?  Could it be anything else?

So if I buy a new TPMS and have the tire shop remount the tire can I take the bike to a dealer to have it added or do they need to see the new TPMS?  I know the FOB needs a number but does the TPMS come with a number?

[AmphibSailor]

The tpms id must be programmed into the ecu for it to be recognized.  The id is usuallu on the tpms.

[Freddy]

I have a somewhat similar issue with a friends bike whereby he was getting the low battery warning for a while.  I replaced the battery for him and it worked ok  for just a few weeks then low battery warning again, so repeated the process a couple of months later.  Again worked ok for some weeks before showing low battery warning.  Did it all again a third time with the same outcome.  I have concluded that the component that switches power off within the sensor (early type) is not doing so, thereby causing the replacement batteries to become flat in a few weeks.  A friendly dealer's parts guy (who owes me a favour) is sending me 2 used sensors from a paying customer's bike who recently had 2 new sensors installed.  I'll fit new batteries to them and replace the dead one above and have a spare.  I have KDS to do so (delete the old ID and enter the new ID into the bike's ECU).  The ID is printed on the sensor and obviously must be recorded before fitting.

Regarding giving the repaired sensor a whirl on the end of a cord after battery replacement, I find this always works ie display shows 0psi plus flat tyre warning.  It takes 60-75 seconds for the TPMS to wake up after I start to whirl the thing.  I ensure that the sensor is not upside down when doing so.

[IBAJIM]

Freddy:

Thanks for that info !!

[lather]

Just to add my experience on a TPS failure. I had done two successful battery replacements on my first 08. On the second go round the rear worked but the front failed. I sent it to Fred Harmon to test and it tested good and he replaced the battery. However, on install I got ---.

Fred refunded my money and I went about my business, riding without a functioning front TPS. However the TPS began intermittently functioning! Usually it would start displaying after a few miles but would go off after another few. Sometimes it would work on start out but stop after a some miles sometime more sometimes less but it generally was off 60 to 70 percent of the time. This went on for 18 months or so until the bike was totaled. I did research on the accelerometers that turn these devices on by centrifugal force and my guess is that this is what was failing on mine.

[Derek]

I have a somewhat similar issue with a friends bike whereby he was getting the low battery warning for a while.  I replaced the battery for him and it worked ok  for just a few weeks then low battery warning again, so repeated the process a couple of months later.  Again worked ok for some weeks before showing low battery warning.  Did it all again a third time with the same outcome.  I have concluded that the component that switches power off within the sensor (early type) is not doing so, thereby causing the replacement batteries to become flat in a few weeks.  A friendly dealer's parts guy (who owes me a favour) is sending me 2 used sensors from a paying customer's bike who recently had 2 new sensors installed.  I'll fit new batteries to them and replace the dead one above and have a spare.  I have KDS to do so (delete the old ID and enter the new ID into the bike's ECU).  The ID is printed on the sensor and obviously must be recorded before fitting.

Regarding giving the repaired sensor a whirl on the end of a cord after battery replacement, I find this always works ie display shows 0psi plus flat tyre warning.  It takes 60-75 seconds for the TPMS to wake up after I start to whirl the thing.  I ensure that the sensor is not upside down when doing so.

2 years ago I spun the sensor on a string... this time I put on on my pedal bike tire.... didn't think it mattered if it was upside down or not... will try the string theory again.
Thanks

[Derek]

Just to add my experience on a TPS failure. I had done two successful battery replacements on my first 08. On the second go round the rear worked but the front failed. I sent it to Fred Harmon to test and it tested good and he replaced the battery. However, on install I got ---.

Fred refunded my money and I went about my business, riding without a functioning front TPS. However the TPS began intermittently functioning! Usually it would start displaying after a few miles but would go off after another few. Sometimes it would work on start out but stop after a some miles sometime more sometimes less but it generally was off 60 to 70 percent of the time. This went on for 18 months or so until the bike was totaled. I did research on the accelerometers that turn these devices on by centrifugal force and my guess is that this is what was failing on mine.

Thanks for the info.... sounds like what is likely gone with mine.

[Sailor Rich]

Derek have you seen anyone break a tps during a tire change before  ?

[Derek]

once!  but it wasn't the actual TPMS only the valve stem part,,,, good thing he had a spare!   

[MAN OF BLUES]

I have a somewhat similar issue with a friends bike whereby he was getting the low battery warning for a while.  I replaced the battery for him and it worked ok  for just a few weeks then low battery warning again, so repeated the process a couple of months later.  Again worked ok for some weeks before showing low battery warning.  Did it all again a third time with the same outcome.  I have concluded that the component that switches power off within the sensor (early type) is not doing so, thereby causing the replacement batteries to become flat in a few weeks.  A friendly dealer's parts guy (who owes me a favour) is sending me 2 used sensors from a paying customer's bike who recently had 2 new sensors installed.  I'll fit new batteries to them and replace the dead one above and have a spare.  I have KDS to do so (delete the old ID and enter the new ID into the bike's ECU).  The ID is printed on the sensor and obviously must be recorded before fitting.

Regarding giving the repaired sensor a whirl on the end of a cord after battery replacement, I find this always works ie display shows 0psi plus flat tyre warning.  It takes 60-75 seconds for the TPMS to wake up after I start to whirl the thing.  I ensure that the sensor is not upside down when doing so.

I hate the thought of 'spinning' the sensor on a string, and the outcome of an "oops" moment, I do recommend the Bicycle tire thing tho, and noted it in the past...
turn your bicycle upside down, and securely duct tape the sensor with some foam rubber padding to hold it in a "as normally installed" emulation on the bicycle rim, between the spokes... then bring the bike right up next to the C14's side, near the ECU, and "pedel that wheel" up to high gear, that should get ya 20mph for sure, and if you bounce the bike a bit, should get that motion sensor sensing....

as for the sensor codes,..
if the sensors had already been registered to the bike, they are stored there already, and the i.d. code can bee seen using the KDS program;

"During sensor replacement, the replacement sensor’s ID must be registered with the Smart
ECU. The registration number can be found on the body of the sensor, or on the packaging.
The exsisting senor's ID numbers can be displayed in Real Time Monitor."

and, the sensor i/d should also be marked on the sensor, at least that's what the book says...

the attached pages also go thru the process for -de-registering a sensor, so maybe that would do the trick, bring the KDS up, and go thru the steps to get to the "realtime monitor", record the numbers for the sensors, both of them, and then de-register (i/d code goes to 0000000) and manually re-register them again 9Input the code number).... this may provide the solution... let us know if it works...
see below:

[Derek]

Freddy you Da man!

I had it attached it to the wheel and was likely sideways against the spokes so it would clear the bike frame.  On your advice I made sure it was oriented correctly on the outside of the pedal bike tire and pedaled....about 90 seconds later I checked the display.... 0 psi and "low tire pressure" warning!   Never so happy to see that warning.  Will test it a few more times to ensure its going to stay working before tire is remounted in a few days.... just in time to put the bike away for winter.... sniff sniff!

thanks all!
Derek

I have a somewhat similar issue with a friends bike whereby he was getting the low battery warning for a while.  I replaced the battery for him and it worked ok  for just a few weeks then low battery warning again, so repeated the process a couple of months later.  Again worked ok for some weeks before showing low battery warning.  Did it all again a third time with the same outcome.  I have concluded that the component that switches power off within the sensor (early type) is not doing so, thereby causing the replacement batteries to become flat in a few weeks.  A friendly dealer's parts guy (who owes me a favour) is sending me 2 used sensors from a paying customer's bike who recently had 2 new sensors installed.  I'll fit new batteries to them and replace the dead one above and have a spare.  I have KDS to do so (delete the old ID and enter the new ID into the bike's ECU).  The ID is printed on the sensor and obviously must be recorded before fitting.

Regarding giving the repaired sensor a whirl on the end of a cord after battery replacement, I find this always works ie display shows 0psi plus flat tyre warning.  It takes 60-75 seconds for the TPMS to wake up after I start to whirl the thing.  I ensure that the sensor is not upside down when doing so.

[Freddy]

I only have bikes that require fuel, not muscles.   

[4Bikes]

For what it’s worth, I had my front TPMS display ——- for a long periods of time. Sometimes it would come back. I replaced the battery during a tire change, and again the ——- for long portions of a ride. And then, it started working fine and has never done it again even once. Can’t explain is because it has now worked with no issues for well over 3 years at this point. Radio anything no matter what it is seems to stop working reliably at some point.

[strum]

I had one that would not work occasionally . i always thought it was a weak or cold battery and figured it was would be replaced  the next tire change , then it stopped working altogether . turned out to be a broken solder joint.

[Freddy]

Yeah, I've had that very same issue too.