Datatool Tracker Problems

Slowcoach

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Grateful for any help or ideas on this one.

My 2020 GS has a Datatool Stealth tracker fitted. It has worked fine for a couple of years but recently drained the battery so much the bike couldn't be started.

The dealer has tried to sort this out under warranty, fitted a new tracker and new battery after liaising with the Datatool techs. The problem wasn't solved.

So prior to my holiday I asked the dealer to disconnect the tracker and sort it out when I get back. After a great biking holiday I'm back, but the dealer can't fit me in to sort out the tracker problem for three weeks (but that's another story and my next bike won't be from them!).

Bearing in mind my confidence in both dealer and Datatool techs is now zero, I wondered if anyone else on here has had the same problem? If so, what was the solution.

I think you guys probably know more than the so called "experts"!

Thanks for your help.

:nenau
 
They all do that Sir. AFAIK, there is no solution to the problem other than either disconnecting the Datatool or ensuring it gets a daily charge, through riding enough or being kept overnight on a charger. No matter how much the dealer or Datatool might protest, seems to be a issue for most. Might be the reason why, aside any cost cutting, that bikes are no longer supplied with a tracker.
 
I got totally fed up with Datatool and their pointless tracker that also drained my battery.

Solution is to remove pillion seat and remove the tracker unit.. Replace pillion seat and problem solved!
 
I've never had a problem with mine, not does my battery ever go flat, even if left for weeks without starting the bike. I was told that it may be because I pay the £109/yr to have the tracker monitored and it therefore isn't constantly looking for the "beacon", but who knows?
 
Bob Jeffries said:
I've never had a problem with mine, not does my battery ever go flat, even if left for weeks without starting the bike. I was told that it may be because I pay the £109/yr to have the tracker monitored and it therefore isn't constantly looking for the "beacon", but who knows?
Click to expand...

Same experience for me. The tracker even has an alert function to tell you if the bikes battery goes below a set level. Mine has never been low enough to kick in though.
 
Victor c said:
Same experience for me. The tracker even has an alert function to tell you if the bikes battery goes below a set level. Mine has never been low enough to kick in though.
Click to expand...

I have the subscription.

This has had much discussion, including whether the bike is alarmed or not. The only other variable, besides how much the bike is used before laying it up, is whether there were some dud batteries about. Mine lost a lot of charge prior to daily charge. But it does seem a common experience.
 
Well, I thought so too, but they did something to my GS last Christmas, and it’s now fine, it can sit a couple of weeks, and still starts on the button, and the tracker is still working.

I don’t think there ever was a tracker issue, at least not on mine. They might have fitted a replacement battery, they certainly replaced the alternator.

It last failed on a Monday morning last December, going to work. I hadn’t ridden all weekend, but had done 70 odd miles on the Friday. The tracker didn’t kill the battery in 60-odd hours.

Ymmv
 
My 2019 GSA Datatool tracker was crap and kept wandering off track all by itself, causing nuisance calls to ask if I was at sea on a ferry etc. Datatool were excellent, they sent an engineer to rewire it which didn’t improve things much, so the same engineer returned a week later and fitted a brand new one. Since then it has been fine.
 
Is there a fuse for the Datatool tracker that can be simply removed to stop it draining the battery?
If so can anyone show a photo of where this is located?
Cheers
 
Sorted - Dramatic Fix..

Sorted out the problem. Many thanks to everyone who tried to help.

AJs at Shipley and Datatool couldn't figure out what was wrong so I got the tracker disconnected and a new battery fitted under warranty. Went on holiday to Europe and all was well.

I was that concerned about the reliability (on holiday I used to offer a little prayer to St Christopher before pressing the starter button lol) have now P/X the bike for a Ducati. Frying pan and fire springs to mind, didn't have a spot of bother with my last Ducati..

Shame it came to this but AJs and BMW customer services couldn't give a sh*t. £20k on a motorbike? is seen as a form of madness, BMW must be laughing all the way to the bank. "Don't get mad get even" so the saying goes.

Just seen the post about AJs being sold to Vertu. Explains a lot about the poor service from AJs recently.
 
That’s certainly a dramatic fix ��

I had issues with my data tool tracker as soon as I stopped subscribing. It would discharge the battery in a number of days. Had the tracker disconnected and it’s been fine ever since.
 
i thought about a tracker when i got my MGX-21 .

i got a monimoto one , not wired into the bike , but stand alone unit , hidden on the bike , fob on a lanyard round my neck . it costs £3 a month for the sim card . you can set the perimeter between fob and unit . i have it set at its' lowest distance ( about 30 foot) .

left the bike , at a friends house while i went to the shop, he sat on it , picked it up off the side stand , the unit rang me...had it on the bench , pumped up the bench , tracker went off.

battery should last 1 year , fob talks to unit every day , and displays on phone , state of charge. will show on a map where the bike is , updated every 5 mins.

brilliant bit of kit , AND you can move it from bike to bike .
 
Mate had similar problem, dealer found that tracker was faulty as it was keeping canbus live and therefore flattening GSA battery. Datatool replaced tracker, problem seems to be solved.
 
Datatool Stealth S5 battery drain

Like others here, went to start my 1250GS; battery drained (6V). Recharged then measured the battery drain, 50mA. I suspected the tracker, so removed rack and rear under seat unit to access tracker (8 bolts). Whilst measuring battery drain, I disconnected the tracker, battery drain now zero. I telephoned Datatool Technical Support, very helpful. Tracker load should be <1mA (ideally 0.4mA). They issued a software update and asked me to check in 24 hours (why?). No change. I considered getting them to replace my (only 18mths old) tracker but would I trust the new tracker it's probably going to have the same problem eventually. I considered removing the tracker and fitting an alternative, but I like the features of the Datatool tracker (accurate, Thatcham Approved etc). So decided 'better the devil you know'; I fitted a new Yuasa YTX14-BS battery and keep my bike on the Optimate 3 charger (ride it or charge it).
 
edtxw01 said:
Like others here, went to start my 1250GS; battery drained (6V). Recharged then measured the battery drain, 50mA. I suspected the tracker, so removed rack and rear under seat unit to access tracker (8 bolts). Whilst measuring battery drain, I disconnected the tracker, battery drain now zero. I telephoned Datatool Technical Support, very helpful. Tracker load should be <1mA (ideally 0.4mA). They issued a software update and asked me to check in 24 hours (why?). No change. I considered getting them to replace my (only 18mths old) tracker but would I trust the new tracker it's probably going to have the same problem eventually. I considered removing the tracker and fitting an alternative, but I like the features of the Datatool tracker (accurate, Thatcham Approved etc). So decided 'better the devil you know'; I fitted a new Yuasa YTX14-BS battery and keep my bike on the Optimate 3 charger (ride it or charge it).
Click to expand...

Interesting to get drain figures from Datatool, thanks for sharing.

Probably just as well to get a new battery. If you let a battery discharge below about 10v for a few days, chances are it'll never recover back to anywhere near full capacity.
 
I should have said Tech Guy told me <1mA drain, others have said 0.4mA. Just to be clear, I asked should it be 0.4mA he replied <1mA.:beerjug:
 
It’s because there is a load of shite batteries in the GS

Replace it with a proper one and all is well
 
Might be some dodgy trackers and some dodgy batteries. Minor problem if you have one or the other, major if you have both.
 
Funnily enough, I had a new battery fitted to my GS 1250 last week by my BMW dealer. I was convinced the tracker was draining the battery so much that after a few days it wouldn't start unless I kept it on the optimate.
They said the battery was duff, and the tracker was within specification for electricity consumption.
Since I've had the bike back the tracker has stopped working. Tracker tried several reboots, to no avail, BMW said they wouldn't have gone bear the tracker unit when they checked out the parked up drain on the battery. Tracker did, however, offer to send an engineer to my house to replace the unit for £130. I politely declined while I mused over the options. Was it a coincidence or has a tech disturbed something, or unplugged it and forgotten to restore it? Who knows.
Having read numerous threads about this issue I concluded that I was paying hard earned cash for a very useful bit of kit. However, would I want my bike back after some scumbag had busted the steering lock, dragged it away, and done unknown things to it? NO!!
So, I cancelled my subscription, got a pro rata refund, informed my insurance company (no extra charges demanded) and I still sleep soundly. It has an alarm, and registered on Datatag.
When it next goes in for a service, if I've not sold it by then (see for sale section) I'll have the unit removed.
I didn't have the options as I bought it used. But, if I order a new bike in the future, I'll probably have datatag, I will not have an alarm nor a tracker fitted. If I want a tracker I'll get a MoniMoto 7 which stands alone and is simple to use.
 
Nippy Normans supply Touratech, Wunderlich, Desert Fox and many other makes of accessories.
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