Tire Pressure Sensor Failure

[snag]

I had my dealer put new PR3s on my '08 about 200km ago, the bike has 14,700km on it now and the rear tire pressure sensor has just failed. It's been a bit slow to report in for awhile; coincidence or ham fisted tech? Does anyone have experience with sensor failures and timing thereof?

Doug

[websterize]

If the signal was intermittent before the tire change, it's probably the TPM battery. A tech at my local dealer said the battery lasts around five years, and that the entire TPM module has to be replaced — you can't pop in new AAs, unfortunately. Add an electronic handshake for the new TPM to the bike's nervous system, and … oh, it's just money.

[pistonbroke]

hi
my rear sensor is slow to show up , i think this is normal till you do a mile or two and a bit of heat generates
piston

[MJB]

MY TPS failed 2 days after I had new tires installed in Las Vegas, by BWM dealer. Had them installed then the next day left for Utah, on my way home to Toronto Canada.
So I didn't want to turn around and go back, so I just kept any eye on things, because after a while ridding the yellow warning light would come on saying I had low tire pressure. After the bike was shut off the TPS would rese, but after a while ridding it would show low pressure again. I think it was the front tire. So anyway when I got back to Toronto, took the bike in for service and told them of the problem. BMW order 2 new TPS at no charge, but could not get then to sync with the bike. It took about 2 weeks of testing and calling BMW in Germany. They ended up doing a complete reinstall of the software and now the system works fine. That was last year in 2010, so no issues this year. I'm told the parts are under warrantee for 2 years. I did not have to pay for any of the work or parts.

[websterize]

i think this is normal till you do a mile or two and a bit of heat generates
piston

After starting my bike, in summer or winter, the tire pressure readings appear on the info display seconds after the wheels begin to rotate. I don't think the acquisition of the sensor signals is related to temperature.

Upon further reading, TPM signal acquisition has everything to do with speed. (Temperature compensation does play a role in the overall TPM system, however, because tire pressure increases as the tire temperature increases.)

From the manual on TPM function:

"… Each sensor has a centrifugal-force tripswitch that does not enable transmission of the measured values until the motorcycle has accelerated to above approximately 30 km/h for the first time. The display shows -- for each tyre until the tyre-pressure signal is received for the first time. The sensors continue to transmit the measured-value signals for approximately 15 minutes after the motorcycle comes to a stop."

[snag]

So the other night at 11:30 on the way home from work (second shift) I get the yellow general warning and "_ _" for the back tire. Manual says signal transmission error. Check the pressure, 2.0 bar (28lbs), low but ok and check my new PR3 for a puncture, found none. Must be sensor.

Tonight I give the tire a shot of air and check the pressure, 1.0 bar, maybe not the sensor. Fill the tire go for a ride on greasy start of rain roads, the sensor works fine. Hard on the brakes, hard on the gas, no ASC or ABS intervention, great traction with the new PR3s. Get home, soap the tire find the culprit, a 1" long toothpick size piece of metal. My first puncture in 15 years and it happens to a tire with 200km on it. At least the shaft drive makes wheel removal a breeze. Not sure why I got the signal transmission error, but will certainly be watching when the tire goes back on. Or maybe my problem is the nut that connects the handlebars to the saddle!

Doug

[websterize]

Occam's razor strikes again.