[Norm De Plume]

I just replaced the rear wheel and tire on my 2013 GL1800.

The new rear wheel came with a new TPMS Sensor. Since installing the new wheel, and trying to get the sensors to reset, my TPMS light comes on and stays on. The Verification test ride points to the FRONT sensor being the problem child.

(I bought the rear wheel and tire online, but had the tire mounted and balanced by the dealership. I swapped the wheel, reset the TPMS system (using a ATEQ VT-15), and performed the verification myself.)

There are two possible explanations:
1. There's something about resetting the TPMS system I don't know (is there a secret handshake not specified in the Service Manual?) or
2. It's just a coincidence that the front sensor battery is at the end of its life.

I could ignore the TPMS light and trust my FOBO2 sensors and app, but since the front tire may as well be replaced to be in sync with the rear (15,000 miles on them before replacing the rear), and the bike has to go to the dealership to have the new front tire installed anyway, I shall ask you Gold Wing owners whether, as a matter of course, it makes sense to replace sensors with the tires.

I have no idea how long the batteries in the TPMS sensors are supposed to last. The bike is now 7 years old, so I'm thinking they're nearly done. One dealership told me he's seen them last 10 or more years, however.

My thinking is, with new tires, I probably have three to four years of riding before the tires need to be replaced again. If the batteries weren't close to dead already, they would probably not make it to the next tire change. At that point, the tires would have to come off to replace the sensors and the tires would need to be changed not long after that. Yes, sensors are expensive, but so is that extra visit to the dealership to deal with them separately from the tires.

This time around, I figure I'll get the benefit of some information from the dealership when the new front tire and sensor are installed. Are they running the same reset procedure laid out in the Service Manual? If so, and the TPMS light goes off - and stays off, I'll know that scenario 2 above played out. If not, I'll have learned something about that undisclosed "secret handshake" in scenario 1 above, in which case, going forward, the dealership is my only option for resetting the TPMS system when new sensors are installed.

I value the experience, opinions and advice of the sages and gurus at this site. Please feel free to comment.

 

[Willyfixit]

You're very close to the end of life for the sensor battery. One of my '09 sensors became intermittent about two years ago. I replaced the batteries in both, and have had no more problems.

 

[Norm De Plume]

You're very close to the end of life for the sensor battery. One of my '09 sensors became intermittent about two years ago. I replaced the batteries in both, and have had no more problems.

That was probably before Honda decided to solder the batteries into the TMPS sensors. The Service Manual advises to unsolder the battery on the 2012 to 2017 series GL1800s to recycle them before you discard the sensor and replace it with a new one. I suppose I could ask the dealership to remove the sensors, unsolder the old batteries, solder in new batteries and then reinstall the tires. But the labor for the solder work and the potential risk of the sensors being damaged in the process probably render that option moot.

You know, as much as I love the GL1800, there are times when I question Honda's design choices. Since one is already replaced, and the other is already on the docket to be replaced Friday, I've bought myself a few years to grumble about it before I research a more practical Plan B. (So far, I like the FOBO 2 sensors, but I'm given to understand there are other alternatives available to the Honda TPMS system)

Thanks for the feedback.

 

[bcihil]

The batteries were soldered from day one. Some people have taken the senors apart and replaced the batteries. Not a hard job if you can solder well. The dealer will not replace the batteries. According to Honda these sensors are not serviceable.
Fred Harmon, on this site, will replace the batteries for you. I don't know what he charges, but the turn around is quick.
Somewhere he has posted the procedure, along with the correct battery number.

 

[bloodbought1]

There’s a you tube video that shows how to change the batteries out online.


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

 

[bcihil]

There’s a you tube video that shows how to change the batteries out online.


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

Here's the link to one video.

 

[Ted Morison]

My 2010 TPMI quit. Rather than buy new, I’m going to try replacing the batteries. Ordered new bat’s from Amazon.....$6.50 compared to $300 for new TPMI ! Stay tuned for my results!

 

[Norm De Plume]

Do you have your own tire removal and reinstallation gear?

I just went through this exercise. By the time you factor in the trip to the dealership to remove the sensor from the wheel, the trip back home to do the battery replacement, and the return trip to the dealership to have the tire reinstalled, it seems more economical to just buy damned sensor and have it replaced in one trip. In future, I'll replace the sensor on every (or every other) tire change. Kill multiple birds with one stone..

OR see if the TPMS system can be disabled on the GL1800. Frankly, my FOBO 2 gives me more info for much less money and aggravation. If I could ignore the idiot lights on the instrument panel, I'd be happy to never think about the Honda sensors again.

By the way, the day after I finally got all the sensor and TPMS issues solved on my motorcycle (a 2013 GL1800), guess what error light lit up on my 2013 SL550? You guessed it. Failed TPMS sensor in the front right wheel. $205 all in to get that fixed. Sigh... That TPMS system at least reports tire pressures in real time while driving. It's my go to metric on the dash board. So, I have made the service appointment to have the sensor replaced.

 

[drswift]

Thanks for the video post.