Key issues...

[Phill Elston]

Hi all,
A bit of help/advice required from the "hive-mind"...
I have a 2018 GS Adventure. A few weeks ago it showed me the "key-fob battery low/out of range" message. I replaced the battery with a spare that I had and this appeared to solve the issue. Last week, I again got the same message. Thinking that perhaps I had used a battery that was old/faulty, I went out and bought a Duracell battery and replaced with it.
Now when I try to start the bike with the regular keyfob, all I get is a flashing red LED in the bottom left of the TFT.
If I use the plastic "emergency" key, the bike flashes up and will start - but obviously gives the "remote key not in range" message.
Any known reasons for this? More importantly... Any KNOW fixes??
TIA.

 

[EVskiy]

Change like for like brand of battery. What brand of battery did you have in your key originally.

Had same issue with wife’s car key snifter buying an Amazon special… Like for like battery solved the problem.

 

[Phill Elston]

Change like for like brand of battery. What brand of battery did you have in your key originally.

Had same issue with wife’s car key snifter buying an Amazon special… Like for like battery solved the problem.

Hi Ev,

I guess that's worth a try!

 

[MrC99]

If you have a search on the forum you'll find a number of people with issues with batteries for the fobs. General opinion is to avoid Duracell like the plague and use Varta or even better Panasonic.

 

[Bigcats]

Stay away from Duracell!!

Seems to throw up issues for most people

 

[Phill Elston]

Whale oil beef hooked - Evskij was on the money!
As was MrC99 & Bigcats...
Looked in the wallet where I keep the service book and had a spare "Varta" (as was in the key previously) popped that in and Robert was my mothers brother!

Cheers all - thread closed

 

[Phill Elston]

...or it would be - that option seems to have disappeared.

 

[LockieP]

Glad you’ve sorted the problem.
I had a similar problem with my K1600 & the tech at BMW said they only use Varta batteries so that’s what I stick with now. They’re cheaper too!

 

[rjsmith26]

Glad your sorted - recheck all ok after a ride / 1 week. I have done a Varta battery change 2 weeks ago, 1 ride and next time to bike - 50% low warning on key fob. Tried another Varta from a different pack and same issue of low battery a couple of days after changing. Common theme think all the Varta's came from Amazon - The first fail battery after 1 ride I put in another device - set of digital calipers and all works perfectly, I guess the painless (yeah right) keyless = "it will make your life easier" (hmm) is outreageously twitchy about something in batteries. Will pick up more Varta? from Screwfix? and see if that helps.

 

[littleade]

You've got to love keyless, the answer to a problem that never existed that provides another

 

[MrC99]

You've got to love keyless, the answer to a problem that never existed that provides another

On the other hand there's quite a few people like me who love it, and I'd happily have another bike with it. No need to faff around with keys in the rain when filling up each week. No keys wearing out or barrels playing up due to wear & tear or moisture getting in. For me it's just worked for nearly 9 years & 67k miles on a bike that lives outside.

 

[Morety]

I agree. I'd not be fussed if I didn't have keyless but the only issues I've ever had were down to the battery fitted. I find it very convenient although I'm less convinced about keyless central locking (about to find out how that works as I have my first spin on a 2024RT today).