Failed Key-Fob ended 7500km Trip short

[technoguppy]

I feel your frustration, you had so much trouble just because of a malfunctioning smart key... Of course it happens on your long trip and not around town... I wish the smart key system was optional - personally I don't like it and don't need it.

If I understand this correctly it was not only the wireless operation that failed, but also using the smart key just like a standard key to start the bike. Perhaps the first case of a "totally dead smart key" for the Rocket? I don't recall another case on this forum (but admittedly I don't read everything).

That's correct. The smart key "lost" its identity with the ECU and therefore was being recognized by the bike. You are correct though, even with a "dead" smart-key the passive or alternate approach should work provided the key-fob and motorcycle are still paired. So if it was just a dead key-fob battery you should be able to start the bike using this method. Good catch.

 

[TURBO200R4]

I'm now going to attach a spare key to my fob that never leaves my side. Thanks for the heads up. I'm about to embark on a zigzag trip in the US from AZ to KY so this could very well happen to me.

I am in tucson az if u want to stop and have a cup

 

[Zutt]

Why the tin foil around the spare key?

 

[Tripps]

To shield it from communication with the ecu, it will wear the battery out quickly. DAMHIK

 

[Mighty Mouse]

Why the tin foil around the spare key?

1965 said they want to keep the tin foil and to use aluminum foil.
I bet there is a metal box key holder you could slip in your coat although I'm not sure of what metal would block the sensor.

 

[Tal]

This solution isn't in support of a lost key so you may have missed the point of my post. For that problem (and not a failed key-fob) you'd likely have to retrieve the standard/spare key from another safe place as suggested in the owner's manual. But in the seemingly likely event that your key-fob (aka Smart Key) fails on you for any reason, you can still use the key to open the seat, get the spare key, unwrap it from the tinfoil (as suggested), and be on your way.

No, i didnt misunderstand ...im saying if you keep the spare key under the seat then you may not be able to unlock the seat to get it out...but only if you misplace the original. I think your story was great...well said.

 

[Aldo B]

That's correct. The smart key "lost" its identity with the ECU and therefore was being recognized by the bike. You are correct though, even with a "dead" smart-key the passive or alternate approach should work provided the key-fob and motorcycle are still paired. So if it was just a dead key-fob battery you should be able to start the bike using this method. Good catch.

So sorry to hear what you went through. Very appreciative of your sharing the experience and the great suggestion so that the rest of us can avoid a terrible experience. Thank you!!

 

[maurice]

Our annual bike trip was supposed to take us from Toronto to Newfoundland and back. A trip estimated to be 7500km over 25 days. We were going to see some great sights, some great roads, and spend some time with my son in Halifax.

On or about day 3 of the trip I get the ever popular "Key-Fob missing" error while riding. I also get a "Check the Key-Fob Battery" message some time later. All of which came and went without any issue whatsoever. Then it got uglier...

The bike wouldn't start. Push to engage the engine and nothing. The Display Panel blinks at you with its red light (more on that later) and nothing... Then, lo and behold, it starts. Yay, we're off to the hotel. At the hotel, I grad my tools, my spare battery and I change it out. Bike starts repeatedly. I sleep well.

Next day, some breakfast, some roads of Cape Breton Island, then off to the ferry terminal to board for our 17-hour ferry from Sydney to Argentia, Newfoundland. But wait, now the bike really won't start. And by now many of you have already guessed at the solution (like I did) and you too would be wrong. The following were done repeatedly in search of a starting motorcycle while the clocked ticked down to a ferry crossing that was $1000 (for me and my wife's bike).

• Is the Key-Fob on? Check - Green light shows when pressed
• Is the motorcycle battery good? Check - 14.6V when running, 12.8V when off
• Is the Key-Fob battery in properly? Check - all good, no issues, even moved the little tongs for the battery for a better fit
• Kick-stand down? Check
• Bike in Neutral - Check
• Clutch in - Check
• Lather, rinse, repeat
  • NOTE: My bike is for the Canadian Market, we do not have a Master Ignition Switch like those in the US.

Called the dealership where I bought it from. They suggested the aforementioned steps above. Check. They also found a dealer closer to me. They were 1900km away, the closer dealer was only 415km away. Check. Called him. Repeat steps again. "Sorry mate, nothing we can do without getting connected to it" he said.

Rent a U-Haul in Sydney on July 28th before a long weekend in Nova Scotia. Buy some tie-down straps at the local Canadian Tire (think Sears or Pep Boys or an automotive based Walmart without the groceries). Load my R3GT and my wife's HD Heritage Classic into the back with the help of some very supportive bikers who noticed our troubles. Drove to Truro, Nova Scotia for the night's stay (because it's a long weekend and hotels are in short supply). Get up in the morning and make for APD Motorsports in Glen Haven, Nova Scotia just outside of Halifax.

So it's July 29th at this point; I get the phone call later in the day says "What's the problem? It started for me!"... He says "I updated the keyless ignition software and it's working!" to which I think great, see you in on Tuesday" But wait there's more. At or about 10am Tuesday August 3rd he calls as we're packing up our 6th night in the hotel "Seems that didn't do the trick, let me try a few other things but I likely won't get back to you until tomorrow." Okay, talk to you on tomorrow... He asks "Do you have the other key for it?" To which I reply "Yes but it's at my home in Toronto". He asks "Can you get it here?". "Sure" I said. I then call a friend who was checking the mail amongst other things for us as we were supposed to be gone almost a month, have her go into my safe and get the spare keys. She sends them priority overnight to the dealer and they arrive the next afternoon. Here's when the fun starts...

"You sent the wrong keys!" he states. "Do you have the other key-fob?". To which all the R3 owners know, you get ONE key-fob and two spare (standard) keys. He had the ONE key-fob and it wasn't doing the trick. I then asked if he had tried the "emergency method" for starting the bike with the spare key. "Not yet!" he said. An hour later, he calls back. "Bike is working with the spare key"

Great! Next day August 5th by now, we are packed up, leaving the hotel (for good this time) and off to get both bikes. He was gracious enough to store the Harley too while we were down on our luck. I started the bike with the spare key (more on it and the red light soon). We put on our rain gear, and were off home.

The RED LIGHT on the display when you click the Engine Start/Stop switch. It's doing something and I'm about to tell you what...

If you have a valid key-fob its looking for it and if it finds it, it turns on the display and you can start the bike. If it doesn't find the key-fob, it reads the sensor in the rear left panel to see if the spare is nearby. If it is detected, the display comes on, you can start the bike and all is good. It's NOT instant. There's a pause. The order of events is something like this...

1. Push up or push down the Engine Start/Stop switch as you normally would to start the bike, the red light on the display blinks at you at this point
2. Holding the metal end of the standard key (not the end with black end on it) shown below by the red circled X, wave it around the rear left fender
3. In a second or two, the display comes on, and then you've got a minute (60 seconds) to start the bike or it shuts itself off.
4. Lather, rinse, repeat. All told, click the switch, position the spare (standard) key, and in a couple of seconds you're golden.
5. NOTE: I did not have to hold it right up to the sensor or finely position it. I just needed to wave it about close the area. If you have saddle bags, it's literally between the mounting points of the saddlebags. Very easy to find once you do it a few times. Which if you haven't already, you should try.

So what was the problem, you ask. The KEY-FOB was the problem!!!
It seems that it is no longer capable of being paired with the ECU and as such it is as useless as brown-paper riding gloves on a rainy day. The key-fob is back-ordered like all things electronics these days; so in 6 - 8 weeks I should have a new one. I then have to take it to the dealer to have the replacement key-fob paired with the bike and hopefully that's it.

My recommendation is to wrap a spare (standard) key in some tinfoil. Put it under your seat and have it handy for when your key-fob dies (either outright or from a battery failure).

Hope this helps people in the future. If you have any questions, I'll do my best to answer them.

Page 63 of Owner's Manual

Page 64 of Owner's Manual

P.S. The trip was still 4100km, I still got to spend time with my son in Halifax, and I still have the rest of the season to enjoy the bike. Silver linings.

So sorry to hear, that this problem HAD to occur at the worst time!

 

[Louballs]

Could you not just keep the spare key on the same key ring as the original key fob? What's the purpose of the foil? Also, that situation would have had me insanely livid.

 

[technoguppy]

Could you not just keep the spare key on the same key ring as the original key fob? What's the purpose of the foil? Also, that situation would have had me insanely livid.

1 - Yes, I suppose you could. Just a preference to not fill up the key ring but to each his own.
2 - The tin foil (aluminum foil) is to prevent the sensor (at the rear left panel) from inadvertently reading the RFID of the spare (standard) key; which would not be secure and render the bike operable by anyone who turned it on. More out of caution than anything.
3 - I was disappointed more than anything. A trip that was postponed in 2020 and and highly anticipated in 2021 was ruined by bad electronics. I guess I could yell at the sky gods or something but really it was about getting running again. My time in the military taught me to solve first, whinge second.

I posted this so that others may avoid a similar fate. If I help one person avoid such an situation, I'll be good.

Of note: I won't disclose the details but Triumph America, upon submission of my related expenses did offer me something as compensation for my troubles. Not a total reimbursement but something which is more than they were obligated to do. So kudos to them.

Update: The key-fob is ordered and is due in 3 weeks, so a trip to the dealer for pairing of the fob to bike and then I should be back to normal (with tin-foiled key stowed under the seat).

Also of note: I said "F@ck it" and we're going to do the trip again next year, come hell or high-water! Only this year our return trip will be through the New England states!! Yay!!!