I knew getting a bike with this option would annoy me and I was right.

So I was off sick for a week and the bike stood throughout and after this the key just wouldn’t work while in my bag in the topbox any longer, requiring me to put it on the back seat to get it to start.

No big drama right? Buy a CR2032 as the internet recommended and quickly changed it at the office. At the time I thought the original battery was a little bit snug but didn’t care to compare it before it went in the bin and just assumed it was in there so long with the gasket pushing it down that it just kind of stuck.

Come down to the parking area after work and computer says no. Of course don’t have the spare key with me but lifting the seat I get the bike to agree and take me home while moaning about there being no key all the way.

Fiddling some more at home and now it just says bugger off, but the spare still works which tells me it’s not the bike’s own battery that has run down, which wouldn’t make sense anyway since the lights go on and it starts without complaint.

So have I just got the wrong battery in there? Or have I somehow broken the key fob?


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Not sure what you have for stores in South Africa but if you have a place that deals in only batteries such as in the USA go there. Take your bike and ride over to one of these places with the non working fob and let them help you sort out. They deal with this stuff every day so would be your best bet to determine what is wrong.

(08-09-2019, 09:34 AM)SauRoN Wrote: I knew getting a bike with this option would annoy me and I was right.
...
So have I just got the wrong battery in there? Or have I somehow broken the key fob?

Maybe ... one or t'other. I changed the battery in my fob over a year ago with a CR2032 (even made a video) and there was no issue afterwards. Been good ever since although the last time it was at the dealership they claim that the battery was getting low again. Works fine to me and there is no icon on the dash.

(08-09-2019, 03:06 PM)darrell Wrote: Not sure what you have for stores in South Africa but if you have a place that deals in only batteries such as in the USA go there. Take your bike and ride over to one of these places with the non working fob and let them help you sort out. They deal with this stuff every day so would be your best bet to determine what is wrong.

In that case might as well just take it to the dealer for a look.

It’s going there anyway for a courtesy check of the shaft at 45,000km which isn’t far off.


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(08-09-2019, 03:45 PM)Grumpy Goat Wrote:

(08-09-2019, 09:34 AM)SauRoN Wrote: I knew getting a bike with this option would annoy me and I was right.
...
So have I just got the wrong battery in there? Or have I somehow broken the key fob?

Maybe ... one or t'other. I changed the battery in my fob over a year ago with a CR2032 (even made a video) and there was no issue afterwards. Been good ever since although the last time it was at the dealership they claim that the battery was getting low again. Works fine to me and there is no icon on the dash.

This is my concern, I haven’t seen the low battery warning at all leading up to this which is what made me think it may be the bike’s own battery being the problem.

But considering it fires first time without issue, surely the transponder should be the last thing to not work?

Funnily enough I swopped the battery once before when I thought it was the fob, meanwhile it was me who left the bike on overnight with the key fob in the boot in which case the normal timeout doesn’t work.

At the time thought of putting the old battery back in and keeping the other spare, so it must have been the same code of battery already and as you say that’s the right one.

Maybe should just put the other one in the pack inside, maybe it’s just a dud battery and here I am looking for deeper problems assuming the battery is fine.

Actually, will just pull out the volt meter later.

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(08-10-2019, 03:41 AM)SauRoN Wrote: ...
Actually, will just pull out the volt meter later.

Hehehe ... I was just about to suggest that.

(08-10-2019, 03:40 AM)SauRoN Wrote: [quote='darrell' pid='1245' dateline='1565384801']


It’s going there anyway for a courtesy check of the shaft at 45,000km which isn’t far off.


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SauRoN - when time permits or you know have something in detail on the "courtesy check of the shaft" would you be so kind to start a new thread on what they are checking exactly and the results. My dealer shared with me they are replacing some drive shafts on the larger touring models in the 90,000 - 100,000 mile range. I'm considering putting a new drive shaft in mine this winter during its annual service checkup, which hasn't been done in 2 years.

(08-10-2019, 06:41 AM)darrell Wrote:

(08-10-2019, 03:40 AM)SauRoN Wrote: [quote='darrell' pid='1245' dateline='1565384801']


It’s going there anyway for a courtesy check of the shaft at 45,000km which isn’t far off.


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SauRoN - when time permits or you know have something in detail on the "courtesy check of the shaft" would you be so kind to start a new thread on what they are checking exactly and the results. My dealer shared with me they are replacing some drive shafts on the larger touring models in the 90,000 - 100,000 range. I'm considering putting a new drive shaft in mine this winter during its annual service checkup, which hasn't been done in 2 years.

Will do.

Mine sounds similar to what your dealer has stated.

After my 40,000km service they just told me that they’ve had a few failures on various models (mostly off-road ones) in the LC range and as a courtesy would like to do a full strip down and checkup.

I doubt that means they’ll also just replace it at their cost, but rather that they’ll advise me on a plan going forward.

I always feel a bit suspicious about these things, because it always feels like they will most certainly find something and then recommend I spend money on the problem.

Told them I’d bring it back at 45,000km so I’m exactly in between services and also hoping the new RS will be there for a ride.

Then again, BMW has never disappointed me, unlike the Triumph before it.


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Well fancy that, the battery was actually flakey.

The difference in readings is marginal though but the one that was in the key didn’t quite make it to 3V clocking in a 2.89V or so while the “new” one from the same package reads at 3.15V.

Don’t buy Duracell next time.

Ironically enough the package claims +50% more power with the disclaimer being that it’s specifically tested to some key fob standard.

In my case it’s been exactly -100% effective.




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So all is good with the fob?

(08-10-2019, 05:59 PM)Grumpy Goat Wrote: So all is good with the fob?

Yup, all sorted under quick garage testing.

Don’t expect any other result out on the road.


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(08-11-2019, 02:21 AM)SauRoN Wrote: Yup, all sorted under quick garage testing.

Don’t expect any other result out on the road.

Excellent.

So you say don't get a Duracell. What other option is there? I know the off brand stuff is really suspect, so I always go for the Duracell. Need another choice here. Maybe the bunny?

(08-13-2019, 10:59 AM)BobAintStoppin Wrote: So you say don't get a Duracell. What other option is there? I know the off brand stuff is really suspect, so I always go for the Duracell. Need another choice here. Maybe the bunny?

We have been noticing of late that the Duracell batteries are leaking with age a heck of a lot more than they ever used to in the past. Maybe they changed their manufacturing process. Could be the warm weather is a contributory factor.

(08-13-2019, 10:59 AM)BobAintStoppin Wrote: So you say don't get a Duracell. What other option is there? I know the off brand stuff is really suspect, so I always go for the Duracell. Need another choice here. Maybe the bunny?

Probably all made in the same place and I just happened to strike it unlucky.

The other Duracell in the packet worked after all.

Maybe that’s why they sell two in a pack? ?


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I buy mostly Duracell batteries and only remember one bad battery out of the package.
I've heard of people getting bad batteries when buying online. I'm guessing these are cheap imitations.

(08-14-2019, 09:27 AM)Lee Wrote: I buy mostly Duracell batteries and only remember one bad battery out of the package.
I've heard of people getting bad batteries when buying online. I'm guessing these are cheap imitations.

We buy all ours from Costco or Sam's and never online and they are all good in the see-through packet. But in time, while installed they start to leak and corrode. Wife stopped buying Ray-o-vac for that reason and now we don't know what to make of this. Oh well ...

(08-14-2019, 11:27 AM)Grumpy Goat Wrote: We buy all ours from Costco or Sam's and never online and they are all good in the see-through packet. But in time, while installed they start to leak and corrode. Wife stopped buying Ray-o-vac for that reason and now we don't know what to make of this. Oh well ...

I've had AA and AAA batteries leak that were installed in a device and I forgot about them for a few years.
This seems to happen with all brands and for me it's nothing new.

On batteries like the CR2032 I have been able to find a date on the package. In the past I have found some packages of batteries in the store with dates that were already more than two years old.