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Tiger 800 immobiliser problems

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28K views 35 replies 5 participants last post by  propforward  
S
#1 ·
Hi,

just trying to get a feel for this and see if any other people have had this problem.

Bike is a 800 xc 2013 and I have had a intermitant immobiliser problem for ages.

The bike is now booked into Metropolis motorcycles in London and will hopefully be fixed on Friday.

The problem I have is that the ignition key does not always disarm the immobiliser. I have read that a couple of other guys have also had this problem and wondered if it was becoming common. The problem has now got so bad that it now takes me 10mins, of turning the key on and then off again, before the key gets read and sends a signal to disarm the immobiliser. I have read on the Tiger800 forum that the complete ignition has to be replaced with new keys added. Something to do with an internal sensor failing.

This has now made the bike un-ridable until it is sorted. The bike is only 11 months old and this has been happening for months, but getting worse.

Is this becoming a common fault?

si
 
#2 ·
It is not common to the best of my knowledge. I know several folks with Tiger 800's, who have never complained of this. I never had any issues with my Tiger 800, nor my current Explorer and Street Triple, which also use the immobilizer.

My guess is that it is a small sampling of units sold that are experiencing problems and not a common issue. At least not so far. If it becomes widespread, there will likely be a service bulletin issued.


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S
#4 ·
Bit of an update here.

Triumph at Vauxhall, London have had my bike all day and they still can't work out why the keys are not being read and hence why the bike doesn't start everytime. Engineer has checked the immobiliser, the connections to it, the connections to the ignition etc etc. Nothing wrong.

Trouble is the antenna is within the ignition and therefore can't be tested, ie to see if it is sending a signal.

I have tried telling them that it could be the signal coming from the ignition that it is not being sent by the antenna to the immobiliser, but they are checking it in there own way

Just trying to save time and their money, but never mind.

Si
 
#6 ·
I have a 2013 800XC and I ordered some spare immobiliser keys and they have never worked quite right (I created a post about this).

I have done some tests, being mindful of keeping only one key within about 5 m of the bike and in fact, putting the others inside a car (an ersatz faraday cage):

If I start the bike with one of the two original keys the either spare will start the bike within about one minute but the alarm icon continues to be lit. If I wait more than two minutes the spares will not work. I talked with a couple of triumph dealers and none claim to have any ability to 'pair' a key with a bike. They all seem to think that the keys must be pre-set at the factory according to the four digit code.

I have searched online and found no further enlightenment - I would be grateful if anyone can enlighten me.
 
S
#8 ·
Ermmm this is fun Day 3, No bike.

Spoke to Engineer on Saturday, he hasn't got the foggiest whats wrong!!!!

He is now speaking to Triumph to see if he can take off a Immobiliser and ignition from one of their showroom bikes and fit it to mine, to see if that works.

Was funny when he said to me on Saturday, that the bike is worse now compared to when I brought it in. When I took it in 1 key was working, ok it took 15mins to start but it still worked. But what he has done is wipped both keys, re coded them and now neither work
3 days labour so far....

Waiting for a call back to see what the next move is

si
 
S
#10 · (Edited)
Not to worry any Tiger owners out there, I have since found this on the adventure rider forum. The guy who started the thread has since had a brand new Tiger replacement for a bike that had the same problems as mine. I hope it doesn't come to that. I don't know if any chief exec's read these forums and they will never admit to this. But time for a valid question.

Is there a problem with these immobiliser's and would a recall not be in order? Just a valid question. I wouldn't want all you guys out there with Tigers that have just gone out of warranty to suddenly find that you begin to have problems. That immobiliser and Ignition is very expensive!!!!!!!!!:eek:

Luckily my bike is only 11 months old. It started doing this only once or twice but has been doing it every time I try to start it.

http://www.advrider.com/forums/show...showthread.php?t=806008"]http://www.advrider.com/forums/showthread.php?t=806008

si

Just had a call the next thing they are doing is swapping the immobilser out for one of the shop bikes immobilisers....
 
#11 ·
I just ran quickly through that thread. That sounds a lot like a terrible dealer was to blame for a lot to do with that. When Triumph suggests taking parts off a new bike at the dealership and the dealership refuses too, that's a dealer fault. Once Triumph got deeply involved in it, it wasn't that long before the guy got a new bike. That dealership should get that franchise pulled. They should never discuss financial loss over warranty work with the customer, that's bad business.
 
S
#12 ·
Well before i left for home i had a phone call fron metropolis. The engineer had swapped out the ignition and immobiliser with new keys and guess what. The bike works.
Now all i'll see if they charge me for any of the work. I am assuming that if the unit was faulty then this should be covered by the warranty.
Si
 
S
#13 ·
Well looks like I'm up with a battle. Metropolis have just rung me and said the bill for the immobiliser and ignition is £1585...... :blink:

There are 6 cases that I have found that this problem has occurred and they have all been replaced under warranty.

I am mad!!!!!!

Now we will have a stale mate. They have my bike and I won't pay and I have there loan bike.

Me thinking my next bike won't be a Triumph!!!!

si
 
#18 ·
sexysi said:
Just waiting from a response from Triumph via the dealer.

Be interesting as to the outcome.



si
Click to expand...


If it were me, there is no way I would be waiting for a response from Triumph via the dealer. I am not that patient. I would have been in their ears and on their screens, first thing this AM :)


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#20 ·
I think I'd be calling them. No emails in a situation like this. Head that dealer off at the pass, who knows what they're telling Triumph.

Triumph Motorcycles Ltd
Jacknell Road
Hinckley
Leicestershire
LE10 3BS
United Kingdom

Telephone +44(0) 1455 251700
 
#22 ·
If you can find an email, which I couldn't, go for it. From Googling it, it seems as though people had no luck getting email responses but made out well by calling. If you can't find an email I'd call them and tell them the story then ask for their email address.
 
S
#23 ·
Good news,

Just spoke to Triumph and all of this is covered, ie: the replacement ECU/Immobiliser and the Ignition. Spoke to a very nice man at Hinkley and he said it is a very uncommon fault, but the Antenna/Ignition is a man made product and does sometimes fail.
He said that he had emailed Metropolis last night.
So phoned up Metropolis a minute again and they still state that they have not heard from Triumph.
So told them maybe they should phone Hinkley and find out for themselves.

Why do I have to do the dealers job?

si
 
#26 ·
sexysi said:
So phoned up Metropolis a minute again and they still state that they have not heard from Triumph.
So told them maybe they should phone Hinkley and find out for themselves.

Why do I have to do the dealers job?

si
Click to expand...

I am a skeptic, but my translation of that is "We have heard from Triumph, but we didn't like what we heard. Rather than admit that we heard from them, we are going to deny it until we have had the opportunity to call them and plead our case about how we are getting paid."

It is a good thing you called and got the straight dope from Big T

- Sean


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S
#25 ·
Final sting in the tail.

Got down to Metropolis and am told that I now have two sets of keys as they never changed the fuel cap or rear seat locks.

Paul the workshop manager never spoke to me but stood in the corner moaning to the engineer who fixed the bike about how much money this job owes him.

I just took the keys and paid nothing?

Should I ask for the locks for the above or just leave it?

I suppose I could always put a complaint into the MD of Metropolis and cc in Triumph.

si
 
#28 ·
Oh, no way I would have let them hand me two sets of keys. It's a pain in the arse for you and will affect resale / trade down the road. That would have to be rectified to make me satisfied.

The service managers reaction to how much this job owes him, makes me even more sure of what I typed previously. I believe they had already heard from Big T, but didn't like where it left them as far as being compensated for labor.

Unfortunately for them, that should be between them and Big T, and not be made your problem.


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#27 ·
I think I'd be in touch with Triumph again asking them what the correct procedure is for that. If Triumph accepted responsibility for the ignition failure then they should do what it takes to make the bike the same as it was from the factory. And that is to NOT have two separate keys. It sounds like the dealer is already worried about money lost so they're not doing more than they want even though they will get paid for the work just not immediately.
 
#31 ·
Excellent advice. Always be pleasant to the one that is bending over backwards for you. I'd talk to Triumph directly rather than the dealer, eliminate the middle man. That could help maintain a better relationship with you and the dealer and Triumph knows that.


I'm going though the same thing right now with VW of North America. We have a brand new VW with only 2300 miles on it with an issue that required removing the whole dash. The dealer had been terrible to deal with. So now VW of NA contacts us directly with what is going on with the car. VW knows they'll lose a loyal (4 VW's now) customer with a bad dealer experience.
 
S
#33 ·
Waiting to speak to Peter at Triumph about fitting the extra locks. I am fed up with Metropolis motorcycles now. They know dam well they need to fit the locks, but never said anything to me. They handed me 2 sets of keys.

It says in the Triumph workshop manual that you should never have 2 transponder keys near the ignition, but that is how it has been left.

I bet they cross charge Triumph £300 for a complete lock set.

I just hope for their sake they don't throw the other 2 locks in the bin, otherwise they will have to change the whole lot again!!!!

si
 
S
#34 ·
Amazing one call and a message on the Triumph facebook site, and Peter at Triumph sorts it all out at warranty department, lock set on order and will be replaced without a charge under warranty when it comes in.

Result!!!!

Actually a bit happier now! I have now got a working bike with new locks coming.

si
 
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