BMW upgraded fuel sensor strip.

So some interesting news

if you calibrate a fuel strip and it fails you'll get the fuel strip error code that clears, and the miles and fuel display count down, making you think OK, it just didn't achieve anything.... But then it does nothing at all when you fill it up. Reacting as if you've put nothing in, so orange light and fuel message on the cluster remain, and the distance to empty counts down and at Zero the display reads "- -" and stays there with No error messages stored in the ECU - So BMW deliberately mess it up to get you back to the dealership - software that wasn't written by crooks would just leave the old values stored

So got the repaired strip out the cupboard (piezo igniter trick 19 times) and 4 paper clips, gave myself a 10% chance and 4 mins later "fuel strip calibration successful" - connected things up, did 20 yards and get a full tank of fuel
 
It did work for a while....

Now it doesn't again.
 
my probeeemer bit and a float doesn't like a full or nearly full tank if you leave the key on and use the side stand - it goes mad says how did I just get more fuel and throws the error of a failed strip - then gets over after a short ride
 
I had my fuel strip fail about 5 years ago. I now use the trip meter and refuel at about 160 miles. I was getting fed up with the warning being displayed all the time so I used the modification from Advrider forum. It puts 3 resistors in line with the fuel strip connector. That mod has been in place for 4 years now and is great. It normally shows a full tank
permanently but yesterday went down to half a tank! I don't care as long as the warning has gone. I suspect that either one of the resistors is breaking down or there is something more going on in the tank.
 
Got mine replaced around 3 months ago.
140 quid for the strip and 60 to fit by my local independent.

Working perfectly

As I said in another post, the strip is warranted for two years but I’d have to pay another 60 quid to have it replaced.

He also said if storing over winter for example, brim the tank. He reckons the strips dry out


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I've had 11 fuel strips.
Weirdly the last one fitted 2.5 years ago before the upgraded one came out is still working fine.
 
Resurrecting this thread.

After years of using a float + NL guys adaptor, with very unreliable reading, I purchased one of the updated strips.

Is the calibration procedure the o e described by botus on message #89? Nothing else?

In the next weeks I’m going to remove the float and dongle and reinstall a strip.

I generally still always use the odo, but having a vague indication and not always the yellow light would be nice.
The float + adaptor seems to “see” fuel only if the tank is full or nearly full. Anything else it goes to zero. Hence replacing.
 
er-minio said:
Resurrecting this thread.

After years of using a float + NL guys adaptor, with very unreliable reading, I purchased one of the updated strips.

Is the calibration procedure the o e described by botus on message #89? Nothing else?

In the next weeks I’m going to remove the float and dongle and reinstall a strip.

I generally still always use the odo, but having a vague indication and not always the yellow light would be nice.
The float + adaptor seems to “see” fuel only if the tank is full or nearly full. Anything else it goes to zero. Hence replacing.
Click to expand...
you need a tool to activate the think about calibration of OEM or this Argentinian strip...

its a weird get up - I think over the course of 4 mins (or so) it heats it up a few times trying to flatten the battery so BMW can write failed in the box and delete your current calibration settings (you can see on battery load if you support the poor thing trying - remember any BMW programming is meant to be undertaken with decent power supply holding it above 15V - only hacked versions of ISTA-P run on lower volts - whilst displaying a fake 15V in the corner)
 
Last edited:
I have motoscan + odb to activate the procedure.

I’ll see what I can use to support the battery.

I do have a ctek, the gray bmw charger, but can hook it up to another, way larger, 12v source in case.
 
We installed the new strips today on a couple of GSAs, including mine.
On my bike I removed the float + henk's dongle that I installed a few years back and never worked properly.

Calibrated the strips before putting them in the tank. Used an external power source to keep the battery topped up during the 4/5 minutes calibration.

All seems good. No errors.
I was surprised to see a semi-accurate fuel level just a few miles into the ride home.
I'll fill up the bike tomorrow and wait for a few full tanks though.

strip01.jpg


strip02.jpg


strip03.jpg


strip04.jpg


strip05.jpg


Float and converter:
float.gif
 
TLSgazza said:
I've had 11 fuel strips.
Weirdly the last one fitted 2.5 years ago before the upgraded one came out is still working fine.
Click to expand...
Almost a year after this post my strip has failed again.
Called into Wollaston's to enquire and was quoted £285.00 plus Vat. (And he said this is a heavily discounted price🤔) My last one was only £240.00ish all in. So the new strip is considerably more.
And to top of off they can't do it for 7 weeks. 🤬
 
Nippy Normans supply Touratech, Wunderlich, Desert Fox and many other makes of accessories.
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