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TPMS question

kat4568

Member
Member
I installed LED head lights, a set of LED's in the turn indicators and ran into a weird issue. I now have the front tire TPMS intermittently reading tire pressure.
I am thinking this is a coincidence with the battery in the TPMS loosing life and the installation of the LED's.
What are your thoughts?
Thanks,
Ken
 
I can't imagine any relationship between these. The TPMS battery is entirely contained in the TPMS unit. What year is your C14? The older TPMS modules which tend to be in the 2012 and older bikes are easily replaceable. The newer units are more difficult.
 
Thanks jwh20,
My Concours is a 2013. The TPMS reading is a ---- line. I'm thinking the battery is in the process of needing replaced.
Thanks again,
Ken
 
This photo shows the two styles of C14 TPMS modules:

c14_tpms_styles.jpeg

The one in the wheel is the new type and the one in the hand is the older type that has a easily changed battery. While 2012 seems to be the cutover, there are exceptions.

I think there is someone in COG that has been changing the new type but that takes some doing. Several COG members change out the old type and it only takes a few minutes.
 
I had a TPMS on my 08 go intermittent. Eventually it went full time ---. I replaced the battery with no luck and sent it to Fred for battery replacement. Still ---. We concluded that it was a failed TPMS, not a bad battery.
 
I had a TPMS on my 08 go intermittent. Eventually it went full time ---. I replaced the battery with no luck and sent it to Fred for battery replacement. Still ---. We concluded that it was a failed TPMS, not a bad battery.
I had the same happen to me. šŸ˜Ŗ
 
FWIW, the battery powered LED light I have for my bicycle will interfere with a wireless signal. I moved the light to the left hand drop and it fixed the problem.
 
Garmin makes a TPMS that works with some ZUMO s. It simply replaces the valve stem cap and has its own cap that screws off to replace a small coin battery. I have one on the failed Concours stem and one on both of my Multistradas wheels. The Zumo has a tire pressure app that is easy to use, you set your own low pressure warning level. I like the way it works better than the Concours units as it shows actual pressure not temperature corrected pressure. It is interesting to see how the pressure changes as your riding style changes or whether the road is wet or dry.
 
LED lights can cause interference with wireless signals, so the new lights could indeed be causing your problems.

I have done a few of the new style sensors, but I've concluded it isn't worth the time and risk, so I'm not doing them anymore. You risk breaking everyone you do, and there is no easy way to do them. The batteries for them are also harder to source and they take 10 times longer to replace.

The good news is that the batteries in the newer style sensors should last 2-3 times as long as the ones in the older style sensors did. I'd expect to see them go at least 5 years, and probably much more. I've yet to see one where the battery actually was depleted.
 
I gave up on the factory TPMS system. Horrible design. Batteries are not replaceable, so you have to buy completely new units and then pay your local dealer to dismount your tires, install the new TMPS sensors, and then program them to communicate with the bike computer. Costs $600 to, in effect, replace two button batteries. I now run cheap CAREUD sensors I bought on Amazon, and they work just fine. The sensors replace the valve stem caps, and the internal button batteries last about a year. The receiver/display unit attaches to the handlebars and has an internal battery that charges via a USB port and lasts for about a week with daily riding. The air pressure accuracy is right on.
 
Jerry, the TPMS batteries in your 2009 can be replaced, they aren't designed to be, but you can do it and it's really not that hard to do. I've done about a dozen of them with 100% success so far. Once you replace the batteries with a high quality Panasonic CR2032 F1N that comes with the solder tabs, they seem to last about 5 years. Let me know if you need help replacing the batteries in your sensors.
 

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Fred H, you are correct, my new side marker and turn indicators lights were causing interference with wireless signals. I made the mistake of using the green wire off the day light wiring harness. This lead to the TPMS working intermittently.
Instead I rewired the LED side marker power wire to the fuse block, using a dual fuse holder and sharing the horn socket. Horn fuse is 10 amps, the LED fuse I put in is a 5 amp. There is an inline fuse in the power lead from the LED lights also.
My problem is gone, tpms is working with no issues, and my lights are working great.
Thanks for all your help,
Ken
 
Jerry, the TPMS batteries in your 2009 can be replaced, they aren't designed to be, but you can do it and it's really not that hard to do. I've done about a dozen of them with 100% success so far. Once you replace the batteries with a high quality Panasonic CR2032 F1N that comes with the solder tabs, they seem to last about 5 years. Let me know if you need help replacing the batteries in your sensors.
Thanks for the offer, but I've moved on. I tried replacing the batteries in the TPMS sensors and ended up destroying them. At this point, I'd have to buy new sensors and pay a dealer to program them. It's not worth it to me as the aftermarket system works just fine.
 
I just replaced the battery in my rear tire TPMS sensor yesterday while changing the tire. Haven't installed the wheel yet, but I replaced the front tire TPMS sensor battery a few years ago and it's still working fine.

I was surprised the rear sensor was still working after 13 years. How long the battery lasts may be more of a function of mileage, not time in service. I have only 20K miles now on the bike. The old rear sensor battery was still reading 3.04 volts. The new battery is reading 3.30 volts.
 
Jerry, good to hear ya got something working to monitor your TPMS. I think it's a great safety feature to have on the bike.

IBAJIM....13 years! You win! That's the longest I"ve ever heard one of the CR2032 batteries working by a long shot. I put Panasonic batteries in mine about 7 years ago and still working good.
 
Not to be a debbie downer here, but it only has 20k miles on it. Those tpms havent been activated so the batteries havent been discharging. Its kinda sad that bike has only been ridden 1500 per year.
 
Not to be a debbie downer here, but it only has 20k miles on it. Those tpms havent been activated so the batteries havent been discharging. Its kinda sad that bike has only been ridden 1500 per year.

Actually, lithium batteries don't like to sit unused, and this can make them fail early. They will actually last longer if they are used on a regular basis.
 
Not to be a debbie downer here, but it only has 20k miles on it. Those tpms havent been activated so the batteries havent been discharging. Its kinda sad that bike has only been ridden 1500 per year.
My '08 currently has right around 23k on it. 18k of those are mine, this since summer of 2010.

My '12 has 14.5k and is undergoing its first valve check.

There have been several other motorcycles (currently, two) which have kept or are keeping the C14s company in my garage. All are like tools in the toolbox: Certain ones get ridden for certain things. We're coming up on cooler, potentially wetter weather so the cruisers will be put up for the season soon and the '08 will see the lion's share of use until spring.
 
Thanks fred, i wasny aware of the that fact. I assumed that the battery having not being activated and put into use would still be as strong as the day it was put in.

....and to all u multiple bike owners, i wasnt even thinking about the fact that multiple bikes means juggling bikes to put miles on them. Ive only ever had 1 bike at a time, at it gets all the love.....my sincerest apologies....
 
INTERESTING! My new to me '13 has 8k and both TPMS sensors are claiming low battery. This is my second '13, last one never delt with.

Is there any deciphering needed here?

I am doubtful that the TPMS sensor batteries have been changed, BUT, the bike has pretty fresh Angel GTs on it, cannot have more that 1500 miles on them. It ALSO has LEDs in front (4) last owner installed.

The bike starts, tire pressure shows blank (as it should till moving..right?) all good. Then as I start to move, I get the dash flashing of both sensors needing batteries. Then after riding for a bit, mainly on HWY in 6th, the low battery light goes off for both and I get tire pressure for both and the other display windows all work normally.

Good news is, based on picture above, I have the old type sensors so servicing is doable.

Last question, is there anyway to disable these temporarily? I am not pulling tires for a while and just want the dash to function over LOWBATTERY

thx
 
The cold is going to effect the response to the reading.

With regards to taking wheels off to replace the tpms, there was a thread on the forum showing,explaining on how to remove the tpms without taking the wheels off, using clamps to move the tire to the side giving you access to the tmps. It works, i did it and replaced my batts a couple years ago..
 
INTERESTING! My new to me '13 has 8k and both TPMS sensors are claiming low battery. This is my second '13, last one never delt with.

Is there any deciphering needed here?

I am doubtful that the TPMS sensor batteries have been changed, BUT, the bike has pretty fresh Angel GTs on it, cannot have more that 1500 miles on them. It ALSO has LEDs in front (4) last owner installed.

The bike starts, tire pressure shows blank (as it should till moving..right?) all good. Then as I start to move, I get the dash flashing of both sensors needing batteries. Then after riding for a bit, mainly on HWY in 6th, the low battery light goes off for both and I get tire pressure for both and the other display windows all work normally.

Good news is, based on picture above, I have the old type sensors so servicing is doable.

Last question, is there anyway to disable these temporarily? I am not pulling tires for a while and just want the dash to function over LOWBATTERY

thx
My '13 has the new sensors, so unfortunately, not quite so easy to change. The few contacts I had who would change the batteries, no longer do as it is easy to break the sensor housing the batteries.

Guess the TPMS sensor types changes sometime during '13.

Bes to you ...
 
Actually, lithium batteries don't like to sit unused, and this can make them fail early. They will actually last longer if they are used on a regular basis.
Fred, what is the failure mode, open or short? I suspect open from my experiences with batteries.
 
INTERESTING! My new to me '13 has 8k and both TPMS sensors are claiming low battery. This is my second '13, last one never delt with.

Is there any deciphering needed here?

I am doubtful that the TPMS sensor batteries have been changed, BUT, the bike has pretty fresh Angel GTs on it, cannot have more that 1500 miles on them. It ALSO has LEDs in front (4) last owner installed.

The bike starts, tire pressure shows blank (as it should till moving..right?) all good. Then as I start to move, I get the dash flashing of both sensors needing batteries. Then after riding for a bit, mainly on HWY in 6th, the low battery light goes off for both and I get tire pressure for both and the other display windows all work normally.

Good news is, based on picture above, I have the old type sensors so servicing is doable.

Last question, is there anyway to disable these temporarily? I am not pulling tires for a while and just want the dash to function over LOWBATTERY

thx
Press and hold both dash buttons down and the red ight will come on but you can then scroll through the rest of the stuff. If the light bugs you cover it with tape. what I do. Only my front sends codes when it is cold. 2013 with one each new and old style TPMS. Hope it will just die and do the triple dash fix. 50 years riding and hundreds of thousands of miles without TPMS, another 10 years without it should not matter.
 
Fred, what is the failure mode, open or short? I suspect open from my experiences with batteries.

Lithium batteries develop a problem called Anode Passivation. It is a crystalline build up on the anode of the battery when it isn't used. This causes the voltage to drop. If the layer isn't too thick, it will break down once the battery is used and current flows through it again, and then the voltage will start to return to normal. This is why sometimes you'll see a sensor fail after the bike has been sitting for a long time, but after it is ridden a few times the sensor starts working again. As the battery ages and is exposed to heat the layer will get thicker. If the Passivation layer gets too thick, the battery is destroyed.
 
Lithium batteries develop a problem called Anode Passivation. It is a crystalline build up on the anode of the battery when it isn't used. This causes the voltage to drop. If the layer isn't too thick, it will break down once the battery is used and current flows through it again, and then the voltage will start to return to normal. This is why sometimes you'll see a sensor fail after the bike has been sitting for a long time, but after it is ridden a few times the sensor starts working again. As the battery ages and is exposed to heat the layer will get thicker. If the Passivation layer gets too thick, the battery is destroyed.
BINGO!! Thanks Fred! This all makes sense, with my situation, last night it started to act normal, it was also 70 deg for the first time.
 
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