DIY TPMS Change

steve l

Member
Most current BMW motorcycles are equipped with a Tyre Pressure Monitoring System to monitor the air pressure and temperature in the tyres. After 4 years service both the TPMS sensors on my 2017 C650GT started to fail. The symptoms of this were, slow to start up and intermittent ---- on the display instead of pressure readings. After being charged £200 by a BMW dealer to change one sensor on my R1200RT some years ago I looked for an alternative solution and found the tyre sensors available on Ebay for £18.

New tyre pressure sensors can be taught in on BMW motorcycles using the UniCarScan UCSI-2000 (£50), MotoScan app in the ultimate version (£50) installed on an Android smartphone and a TPMS activation device EL-50448 (£8). The MotoScan app will also reset the service indicator on our bikes.

When the vehicle is stationary for around 20 minutes, the TPMS sensors go into stand-by mode and do not send any data in order to save the battery. Leave the bike stationary for half an hour before starting the learn process. It is essential that only the sensor you wish to learn is active and its ID number is only visible in the MotoScan app after the learn process. The ID is not printed on the sensor case or packaging.

Establish a connection to the bikes RDC control unit in the MotoScan app. Go to “Service Functions” and select “Teach-in TPMS sensor”. Make a note of the fitted sensor IDs before starting the learn process.

Press the “Front” or “Back” buttons in the app to start teaching. So that the TPMS sensor can be taught in, it must be activated. The EL-50448 activation devices have a short range and should be placed with the transmitter near the sensor. Activate the new sensor away from the bike, preferably behind a brick wall. You do not want to activate and relearn an existing sensor.

Move the new activated sensor close to the bike. When it is recognized by the bike, the RDC control unit will read the ID and you can save it using the MotoScan app. Label the sensors so they can be correctly fitted during your next tyre change.

Back out of the phone app. Turn off the bike, wait half an hour, then recheck the new tyre sensor ID numbers in the MotoScan app. I activated my new sensors under pressure inside an old plastic drinks flask fitted with a tyre valve, this provided some functional testing before final fitting.

The MotoScan website help section states that the battery status of the TPMS sensors, tyre pressure and air temperature can be displayed using the app, this information was not available for my C650GT. Being able to check the TPMS battery voltage in a years time would have been useful.

I did look into replacing the batteries (CR2050HR) in the sensors but after spending one hour carefully digging out the hard potting compound and looking at the tagged batteries available I decided the possibility of a poor connection was high and not worth the trouble. Some sensors are date stamped during manufacture, the Lithium batteries fitted have a shelf life of 10 years and only lose about 1% of their capacity per year of storage. Do not to be too concerned if the sensors purchased are a few years old.

My currant plan is to routinely replace the sensors every 4 years during a planned tyre change. They are fitted with a 6mm Torx Screw at 9Nm and Loctite 243 (Blue).
 

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Delray

Well-known member
That's a helpful, detailed tutorial. Thanks for contributing.

I'm surprised your sensors started to fail at four years. I thought the life span was longer. Earlier this year my rear sensor started to fail at eight years (2013 model) and 15,000 miles. I live in a year-round warm climate. Wonder if that makes a difference.

I bought a Chinese sensor for $20, took the tire off the bike (5 bolts) and drove it to a local motorcycle shop. They installed the new sensor for $20 (one #30 torx bolt holds it in place), then I put the tire back on the bike and used the MotoScan app and "wake up" tool in your photo. WAY better than the $300 my local BMW dealer wanted. The Chinese sensor reliably reads 3 lbs. psi low, but at least it's consistent. It's easy enough to add 3 lbs. to the dashboard reading.
 

EvilTwin

Active member
That's a helpful, detailed tutorial. Thanks for contributing.

I'm surprised your sensors started to fail at four years. I thought the life span was longer. Earlier this year my rear sensor started to fail at eight years (2013 model) and 15,000 miles. I live in a year-round warm climate. Wonder if that makes a difference.

I bought a Chinese sensor for $20, took the tire off the bike (5 bolts) and drove it to a local motorcycle shop. They installed the new sensor for $20 (one #30 torx bolt holds it in place), then I put the tire back on the bike and used the MotoScan app and "wake up" tool in your photo. WAY better than the $300 my local BMW dealer wanted. The Chinese sensor reliably reads 3 lbs. psi low, but at least it's consistent. It's easy enough to add 3 lbs. to the dashboard reading.
7-8 years or more seems to be average for the batteries in these sensors.
 

steve l

Member
My R1200RT TPMS sensors failed at 8 years and 40,00 miles. It is disappointing that my bike with 22,000 miles needed new sensors.
 

rskreli

New member
Most current BMW motorcycles are equipped with a Tyre Pressure Monitoring System to monitor the air pressure and temperature in the tyres. After 4 years service both the TPMS sensors on my 2017 C650GT started to fail. The symptoms of this were, slow to start up and intermittent ---- on the display instead of pressure readings. After being charged £200 by a BMW dealer to change one sensor on my R1200RT some years ago I looked for an alternative solution and found the tyre sensors available on Ebay for £18.

New tyre pressure sensors can be taught in on BMW motorcycles using the UniCarScan UCSI-2000 (£50), MotoScan app in the ultimate version (£50) installed on an Android smartphone and a TPMS activation device EL-50448 (£8). The MotoScan app will also reset the service indicator on our bikes.

When the vehicle is stationary for around 20 minutes, the TPMS sensors go into stand-by mode and do not send any data in order to save the battery. Leave the bike stationary for half an hour before starting the learn process. It is essential that only the sensor you wish to learn is active and its ID number is only visible in the MotoScan app after the learn process. The ID is not printed on the sensor case or packaging.

Establish a connection to the bikes RDC control unit in the MotoScan app. Go to “Service Functions” and select “Teach-in TPMS sensor”. Make a note of the fitted sensor IDs before starting the learn process.

Press the “Front” or “Back” buttons in the app to start teaching. So that the TPMS sensor can be taught in, it must be activated. The EL-50448 activation devices have a short range and should be placed with the transmitter near the sensor. Activate the new sensor away from the bike, preferably behind a brick wall. You do not want to activate and relearn an existing sensor.

Move the new activated sensor close to the bike. When it is recognized by the bike, the RDC control unit will read the ID and you can save it using the MotoScan app. Label the sensors so they can be correctly fitted during your next tyre change.

Back out of the phone app. Turn off the bike, wait half an hour, then recheck the new tyre sensor ID numbers in the MotoScan app. I activated my new sensors under pressure inside an old plastic drinks flask fitted with a tyre valve, this provided some functional testing before final fitting.

The MotoScan website help section states that the battery status of the TPMS sensors, tyre pressure and air temperature can be displayed using the app, this information was not available for my C650GT. Being able to check the TPMS battery voltage in a years time would have been useful.

I did look into replacing the batteries (CR2050HR) in the sensors but after spending one hour carefully digging out the hard potting compound and looking at the tagged batteries available I decided the possibility of a poor connection was high and not worth the trouble. Some sensors are date stamped during manufacture, the Lithium batteries fitted have a shelf life of 10 years and only lose about 1% of their capacity per year of storage. Do not to be too concerned if the sensors purchased are a few years old.

My currant plan is to routinely replace the sensors every 4 years during a planned tyre change. They are fitted with a 6mm Torx Screw at 9Nm and Loctite 243 (Blue).
Question ? my tpm was working fine on my 2020 c650gt until I fu*&d it up. i have deleted the front and rear sensor ID by mistake with Moto scan app and now I dont have the old ID and my dash now shows --:--. what can I do with OBD LINK and mototscan app?
 

steve l

Member
Leave the bike stationary for half an hour before starting the learn process. It is essential that only the sensor you wish to learn is active and its ID number is only visible in the MotoScan app after the learn process. The ID is not printed on the sensor case or packaging.

Establish a connection to the bikes RDC control unit in the MotoScan app. Go to “Service Functions” and select “Teach-in TPMS sensor”.

Press the “Front” or “Back” buttons in the app to start teaching. So that the TPMS sensor can be taught in, it must be activated. The EL-50448 activation devices have a short range and should be placed with the transmitter near the sensor. When the sensor is recognized by the bike, the RDC control unit will read the ID and you can save it using the MotoScan app.
 

AAWW

Member
Question ? my tpm was working fine on my 2020 c650gt until I fu*&d it up. i have deleted the front and rear sensor ID by mistake with Moto scan app and now I dont have the old ID and my dash now shows --:--. what can I do with OBD LINK and mototscan app?
Just ride the bike.
Recognition is automatic on >2016 bikes.
NO NEED for Motoscan, GS911 etc.
 

Ceesie76

Active member
I just did this on my 2016 Sport. I had bought two new OEM sensors at Wunderlich (around $170 I believe) and had my two new tires (Shinkos, $160 total delivered for both together - so the sensors cost more than the tires!) mounted by a motorcycle shop. My Sport has 9,000 miles and that was just about the limit for the original tires. Coincidentally, the rear TPMS sensor battery was getting low as I started to receive a '-' intermittently for the rear tire pressure. So the batteries lasted some 7 years and it made sense to do the tires & batteries at the same time.

Soon enough I received the constant triangle warning light on the dash with the '-dashes-' where the tire pressures would normally be indicated. Over two weeks of riding and the bike sure did not recognize the new sensors 'auto'.

I bought the TPMS wake-up tool ($12 on Amazon) and with it, and my Motoscan ultimate app, I was able to learn both sensors to the ECU by, in turn, activating first the rear, then the front, sensors while the app did the 'programming'. I did not need to know the sensor IDs, the app identified those automatically. I wasn't sure whether I only needed to press the button on the wake-up tool briefly, OR all the time during the relearning, so I just held it down for the 20 seconds or so per tire that it took. I had to aim it pretty close to the rubber sidewall where the sensors are - opposite the tire valve on the rim, so 180 degrees away from the valve.

Test ride, and all is well, pressures are being transmitted and I hope to be good through 2030!

Thanks for all the info here, it really helped. I reckon doing the tire/sensor replacement this way rather than through a BMW dealer saved me at least $750?
 

Greg goes wild

Active member
I have that TPMS going with the --- --- on for about 15 to 20 minutes then either the rear
pressure would be right at 43 lbs. then after a little bit the front would be at 38 I do NOT
have a i ph. to do that stuff. When the tire pressure gets about 2 lbs low i air it up. My
bike is a 2016 C 650 GT.
 

Ceesie76

Active member
Well the new TPMS sensors came in real handy last night, one day after I managed to have the bike recognize and 'use' it.
I ran over something with my front tire that caused a pretty bad leak - I got a RED FLASHING triangle and the air pressure readings came on the screen. Showing the front wheel losing pressure FAST, as in, 3 psi per 20 seconds. I did manage to ride the 2 miles home, stopping to refill at a gas station once. I think I was at 9 psi when I parked the bike.

So, 5 years with the original tires, never any problems - mounted new tires and sensors and, boom, within two weeks a flat on the brand new tire.

I identified the leak and plugged it this morning. A brisk test ride showed the tire keeping perfect pressure for a couple-miles at 36 psi. I will check later today to make sure it's definitely plugged, but is the common wisdom that a plug repair is ok? I know the sensor / bike will warn me if it senses a drop in pressure, like it did last night. I can't imagine the plug would cause a 'blowout' type event down the road? Or should I bite the bullet and order another new tire (they're less than $70 delivered, but then the installation will cost more than that. I could do it myself probably, I did it on my 1976 Yamaha XS 650 a few years ago so have the tools however I could not balance it). All opinions welcome!
 

Delray

Well-known member
... is the common wisdom that a plug repair is okay?

I got a flat last week in the rear tire of my 2019 C 650 GT. Front flats are unusual, usually the front tire stands up the nail or screw for the rear to run over and puncture it.

I always keep my tires at 36/42 and the reading never varies more than 1 psi. Riding home from the beach, I noticed the reading was 36/39. Had to be a leak. Sure enough, when I got home and looked at the rear, it had picked up a big screw. I patched it with a Slime Deluxe Tire Plug Kit, around $12.00 at Walmart. Because the tire is nearly new, with a little over 3,000 miles, I am going to ride it with the plug instead of buying a new tire. I've done this before on two or three other bikes with rear flats. I don't know what common wisdom is, but I plug tires carefully and feel very confident with them.

When I bought this bike, I flew from South Florida to Charleston, South Carolina to get it. I arrived to find a rear flat tire -- the owner had picked up a nail that morning while filling up the gas tank for me. He drove me to Walmart for a tire plug kit, I plugged the tire and rode 555 miles back to Florida. Pretty sure I checked the TPMS reading at least once a minute all the way home. TPMS is a big reason why I feel confident riding with a plugged tire.

I've never heard of "blowout" events with a plug. In fact, the risk of blowouts on a bike is greatly reduced at higher speeds because a motorcycle tire completes a full revolution so fast the air doesn't have time to escape. That's why most riders notice flats on the exit ramp of a highway as they're slowing down, and not going 65 mph down the interstate. The main exception is catastrophic failure of the valve stem, particulary dangerous on front tires because you lose steering control. Everyone should make sure your valve stems are in top shape, and preferably metal!
 
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mjnorris

Active member
I did not trust myself to do it correctly. My dealership here would not plug my tire for me. Had to go to a small independent tire shop in a nearby suburb to get it done as the chain stores would not touch a motorcycle tire. If it happens again I’ll try it myself.
 

Delray

Well-known member
It's kind of like GOOD, BETTER, BEST ....

GOOD: Plug the tire.

BETTER: Plug the tire, take it off the bike and install a patch inside the tire. That gives you double protection against leaks.

BEST: Replace the tire with a new tire.

Plugging is a simple process, as the video below shows. Long as you get the gummy stick deep enough, pull the metal tool out smoothly and don't see tiny bubbles when you spit or spray water on the plug site, you're good to go.

To refill, I don't use CO2 cartridges. When I travel, I carry the plug kit and $20 Slime Tire Inflator with cigarette-lighter adapter. I can plug into the bike or, preferably, a car or truck. A finished plug leaves a little lump outside the tire at the plug site that evens out quickly and blends with the tire (photo).

In my case, I had only 3,000 miles on a new Metzeler that cost $200 to buy and put on the rim (I take the old tire off and drive it to a motorcycle shop), and I really didn't want to spend another $200 so fast on another tire.

How to video:


IMG_7687.jpg
 
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