TEMP and TPM...blank

[panaray]

After 2 months of hibernation, my MY11 RT went for the first long-ish (300mi) ride of the year. A bit of rain didn’t bother me.  It is the first ride I f the year, after all.
All good, except that the center LCD display went blank for temp and TPM. (Shows “- -“).
I had taken off the right side body panel to to see if the temp sensor was loose, but nothing unsual
Any suggestions?

[panaray]

Resolved.
I consider myself lucky.  The temp sensor now reads ambient temperature after I disconnected/reconnected the battery.  I can't vouch for the TPMS, as it still reads "--/--" but I haven't had a chance to ride it out of my garage.  Still too cold in New England.  I hope to test it whenever it warms up...in a few days or a month or two from now.  (who knows?)

[simbo]

Resolved.
I consider myself lucky.  The temp sensor now reads ambient temperature after I disconnected/reconnected the battery.  I can't vouch for the TPMS, as it still reads "--/--" but I haven't had a chance to ride it out of my garage.  Still too cold in New England.  I hope to test it whenever it warms up...in a few days or a month or two from now.  (who knows?)

Try running the bike in gear on the centre stand for a few seconds, It'll at least give you a reading on the rear TPMS if it's working.

[temesvar]

Is not recommended to run the bike just around the corner after a hibernation.
Should run it at least until it reaches the max. engine heat allowed, or at least
is what the masters of this engine are suggesting.
The TPMS takes some times to connect. Since it runs on batteries, is possible
that they are tired, but at least one should come on. I don't see both to go
down at the same time. If they are down, U are looking at purchasing a new
one for about $225 each and install them when change tires. Or, you may
want to try to replace the batteries, as this guy suggests:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Mpjz0cDjnK4

[panaray]

Thanks for the tip.


Hmmmm...trying out what the guy on YouTube did look easy enough, but I can also go back to carrying a tire pressure gauge too. Let’s see how the TPMS behaves when I go on my next ride. The TPMS supposedly doesn’t work until you hit 20-30 mph, according to the manual.
What I won’t do is to buy a new set. I see them online from $140 ea for OE ones (and much less from aftermarket ones that claim no recalibration). For that kind of money I’ll be able to buy a really nice tire pressure gauge and have enough leftover for a rear tire with mounting.

[Steve F]

I’m currently experiencing intermittent loss of the rear tyre TPMS display. All very random and for brief intervals only! Front tyre display is absolutely fine. I suspect a duff battery(ies), but not absolutely sure. As the vid suggests, battery changing looks reasonably straightforward, but it appears that only one of the two batteries in the TPMS sensor unit is changed. Did I miss something or was it overlooked. The only reference being made to the lower battery was the opposing battery contact tangs that helps facilitate battery re-fit. I was also curious as to how well ‘glue gun’ glue holds up to hot tyre temperatures in high ambients compared to the OEM black rubber-like epoxy goo that’s in the sensor unit. Just a thought....

[temesvar]

Thanks for the tip.
Hmmmm...trying out what the guy on YouTube did look easy enough, but I can also go back to carrying a tire pressure gauge too. Let’s see how the TPMS behaves when I go on my next ride. The TPMS supposedly doesn’t work until you hit 20-30 mph, according to the manual.
What I won’t do is to buy a new set. I see them online from $140 ea for OE ones (and much less from aftermarket ones that claim no recalibration). For that kind of money I’ll be able to buy a really nice tire pressure gauge and have enough leftover for a rear tire with mounting.

The TPMS is a gadget that for many years, we all did just fine without. Just like the temp. monitor, or even
the gas gauge. Is it convenient to have one? Sure is. But you have to pay for. This bike is my first with TPMS.
and it saved me from some inconveniences. Prior to a long weekend trip, I checked the pressure in the tires.
Next day, right after work was going to leave. On my way to work I collected a nail in my rear tire. On board it
warned me of flat tire, but noticed no low tire, so was wondering what was all about. Back home I checked and
found a nail in the tire. Without TPMS, I would have left on my trip, and the whole week end would have been
ruined! They are just to warn you if there is a problem. Either way, you still want to check with a good pressure
gauge.

[temesvar]

I’m currently experiencing intermittent loss of the rear tyre TPMS display. All very random and for brief intervals only! Front tyre display is absolutely fine. I suspect a duff battery(ies),but not absolutely sure. As the vid suggests, battery changing looks reasonably straightforward, but it appears that only one of the two batteries in the TPMS sensor unit is changed. Did I miss something or was it overlooked. The only reference being made to the lower battery was the opposing battery contact tangs that helps facilitate battery re-fit. I was also curious as to how well ‘glue gun’ glue holds up to hot tyre temperatures in high ambients compared to the OEM black rubber-like epoxy goo that’s in the sensor unit. Just a thought....

I don't know where you get that there are two batteries per unit? At the beginning of the video, is mentioned that there is
one battery per sender. As far as how the heat glue would hold at high temperatures, I have no idea. I guess will have to
try and learn. I didn't do it yet, but most likely will. If they will not work, so be it. But am not paying us$ 460 for the two!
My bike is a 2008 and the TPMS worked just fine until the beginning of last year. After nine year, just about any battery
goes flat! Is a shame that BMW did not make them senders with possibility to change batteries. Then every 4 years we
could have changed them when installing new tires.

[Steve F]

D’oh! It is as you rightly say (and highlighted at the beginning of the vid) one battery per sender unit. Anyway, yes, agreed that replacement cost (globally) is just ridiculous! Why don’t BMW make a maintainable sender unit? Come on, there’s no money for BMW in that idea!   

[panaray]

Update part deux:  over the weekend I did some maintenance to the bike.  It was finally warm enough to ride the bike around the neighborhood.  The good news is that as soon as I rode above 20 - 30 mph....voila! TPMS is working again.  In the end, disconnecting the battery fixed both problems.  I consider myself lucky.