Ews

glenn.1

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Typical isn’t it been cleaning my bike for the last two months when I actually come to ride it up comes the error code EWS... Two questions firstly how much is an antenna ring and secondly how much would a garage charge to replace it... Posts on here mention drilling out the security bolts... which is beyond me to be honest... cheers
 
The antenna ring is about 35 quid from motorworks, IIRC. But I have no idea how much a garage would charge you to change it. It may not necessarily be the problem. You can test this by buying an antenna (or borrowing one from someone), connecting it up, putting the spare key into it and using your main key to start the bike. If that makes sense.
 
I was quite close £31 plus delivery. Make sure this is the one for your bike though Linky.
 
Thanks for that ... just ordered it now.. so it’s possible to connect the ring with the old one in situ.. without taking owt off?
 
Thanks for that ... just ordered it now.. so it’s possible to connect the ring with the old one in situ.. without taking owt off?

On an 800GS, it certainly is. you do need to undo one cable tie and it is a pain to do if you have big hands. But it is certainly possible. Can't tell you about the hexhead, but I am almost sure it is exactly the same antenna. so the connector would be the same. if you can get access to pull it out, you should be able to wire in the spare antenna with the old one bolted in. Stick a cable-tie through you spare key and spare antenna so you don't drop them. That can actually get you home in an emergency, if it is not in the way of anything on the hexhead... :thumb
 
Here you go. This seems to be the thing done on an R1200GS. Hope it is the right one. There is a whole thread on ADVrider.

scibeer_EWSpost.jpg


You'd also benefit from a code readout if you know someone with a GS911 or Rheingold. (or pay a dealer to do it, but you have to get it there first... )
 
Before you spend any cash,

do the following


Handlebars on full left lock - turn on ignition - check kombi (instrument cluster) EWS displayed - bike will not start - EWS not displayed bike will start

Handlebars in centre position - turn on ignition - check kombi (instrument cluster) EWS displayed - bike will not start - EWS not displayed bike will start

Handlebars on full Right lock - turn on ignition - check kombi (instrument cluster) EWS displayed - bike will not start - EWS not displayed bike will start


If the bike starts in any one of the above tests, ie no EWS displayed on the kombi, chances are it's not the ring antenna

It willmore than likley be a break in the wiring in the headstock area, right by a big tight cable tie ;)

give me 5 mins to link the thread showing how and where

Found it

https://www.ukgser.com/forums/showthread.php/493560-EWS-warning/page2?highlight=ring+antenna

Pg 2 ;) its a pita to work on the headstock wiring, you have to remove the tank ideally

I just stripped back from the ring antenna connector until i found the break
 
That’s great... I may have a go misen... only thing is drilling out the bolts ... it looks to me like there torx plus heads.... I’ll try and post a piccy from eBay... or is it not that simple... ie heads designed to snap of if tried to undo...sorry can’t upload photo .. keeps asking for url... the photo is on mi phone...
 
That’s great... I may have a go misen... only thing is drilling out the bolts ... it looks to me like there torx plus heads.... I’ll try and post a piccy from eBay... or is it not that simple... ie heads designed to snap of if tried to undo...sorry can’t upload photo .. keeps asking for url... the photo is on mi phone...

Yes they are anti tamper heads

Before you do that, have you ascertained if it is the unit or a broken wire

Dont spend £30 and a mornings work only to find out it isnt the ring antenna.


It takes 10 minutes to check for a broken wire
 
There are a couple of different types of security bolts. If it is the same as F800 (5-star security Tiorx) , I never understood why people bodge it instead of just buying the right bit. It costs sh1tpence anyway. This is the set I got to change my RA and it works perfect on the 800GS [ but out of stock currently. ] https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B0044UMELK I am sure you can find it/an alternative elsewhere

FWIW, I do agree that shoogling cables about as a first-stop is never a bad idea. You should try that first. Your problem may well be something other than the ring-antenna, as I said in my first post.

Good luck mate.
 
Quick update... I bought a new antenna ring and plugged it in using spare key ... still ews.. tried a new battery... still ews..when it began I was trying to start the bike .. it turned over for a second or so then ews ... it seems unlikely to be a broken wire cos I can move the handle bars fully side to side.. and I’ve jiggled the loom and has made no difference... I’m just wondering if you have to reset the ews code somehow ...
 
Sorry to hear that mate. I'd concentrate on wiring in the first instance then. (Simply because you are really not going to like the alternative possibilities)

Yes, EWS will stay as a fault in the ECU, but it will not stop you starting the bike.It will be a "past fault"; in the "fault memory" with the date and time, if you prefer. If it says EWS, it means that the EWS block is currently present and the bike won't start.

EWS, by the way, stands for "elektronische waagen sperre" (or some variant of it) and it can be caused by many things. In the simplest form, it is communication goes like this : ECU sends a "challenge" [asks the ring-antenna to read the RFID code from the key] . RA "excites" the coil in the key and reads the hexadecimal sequence from the key. Those numbers are then sent back to the ECU and if they match with the ones stored in the ECU memory, the EWS lock is removed and the bike starts. So it is either 1) Ringantenna 2) wiring between RA and the ECU, or 3) the ECU.

You hopefully eliminated the RA, now make sure that the wiring is good. If you have a multimeter and the wiring diagram for your bike, you can test continuity between the pins on the RA and on the lage ECU connectors. You'll need some pins on the end of the probes. I'd definitely do this before cutting into the harness.

When you are testing, does the bike go through the normal starting procedure (lights, instruments... whatever a hexhead does)? Also when testing, connect everything, ignition on, wait for a little while (say, 20 sec) off again and then on again before you check the EWS.

Good luck
 
Quick update... I bought a new antenna ring and plugged it in using spare key ... still ews.. tried a new battery... still ews..when it began I was trying to start the bike .. it turned over for a second or so then ews ... it seems unlikely to be a broken wire cos I can move the handle bars fully side to side.. and I’ve jiggled the loom and has made no difference... I’m just wondering if you have to reset the ews code somehow ...

You cannot reset an EWS fault by plugging in a box and pressing a button.

EWS is displayed, because the ring antenna has

A) Failed / broken

B) Not getting power

c) A fault with the key. or it cannot read the key

However the key is passive - ie it has no power it works by the ring antenna generating an inductive loop which excites the chip in the key which then sends its code to the ring antenna

Your comment " it seems unlikely to be a broken wire cos I can move the handle bars fully side to side."

?? Say what ...

I will go over it again

Put the key in the ignition and turn and hold the bars all the way to the left turn the key on - do you get EWS on the display yes - no - Yes EWS = - bike will not start

Put the key in the ignition and turn and hold the bars straight ahead turn the key on - do you get EWS on the display yes - no - Yes EWS =- bike will not start

Put the key in the ignition and turn and hold the bars all the way to the right turn the key on - do you get EWS on the display yes - no - Yes EWS =- bike will not start

If the bike does not show EWS in one of the above positions left mid right, then chances are its a broken wire. by moving the bars you move the wires and make the broken ends touch and the EWS

symbol will not be displayed

If as you say it dosent work in any position and with a new unit is a 99.5% certainty that you have a broken wire ( the other 0.5%) is a power pin backed out of the plug

Hate to say it, but you need to strip the tank and front end to get to the loom. work from the power plug back stripping the wrapping back as you go

It will more than likely be in the area of a cable tie (pulled too tight ) if you look at the post i attached. you can see where the wire broke. mid way in a run in the middle of the bundle ?
 
Thanks for the info guys... I’ve done the off then on in all the positions of the bars... I’ll do the continuity test between the RA and the ecu... I guess I’m lucky that it’s not intermittently showing ... so if it is a wire... it’s definitely parted... I’ll get mi meter art... I’ll keep you informed....
 
It doesn’t do the normal ignition on procedure... a red triangle comes on and it says check... after about 5 seconds the triangle turns yellow and the check is replaced by ews!..
 
It doesn’t do the normal ignition on procedure... a red triangle comes on and it says check... after about 5 seconds the triangle turns yellow and the check is replaced by ews!..

Yup as it should -

basically if EWS is showing, it aint going to start :)
 
Well I’ve scanned the Haynes manual
Wiring diagram but there’s no mention of the ra ring .. don’t suppose anyone knows where the 4 wires from the ra end up...
 
Well I’ve scanned the Haynes manual
Wiring diagram but there’s no mention of the ra ring .. don’t suppose anyone knows where the 4 wires from the ra end up...

Chapter 7.30

Immobilser antenna RH side of engine control ECU


- 4 - 3 - 2 - 1 - RA
4 wires Blue/White - Yellow/ Brown / Yellow White (twisted pair) - Green / Brown
57 - 55 - 43 - 8 - ECU
 
Nice one ... found it... there’s about 25 wiring diagrams in my book 04-09.., it’s on 7-32 ... I’ll check tomorrow...
 


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