Concours 14 aftermarket TPMS replacement WORKS!

[Big Red]

First off, big thank you to johnchen for letting us all know about this. Apparently Mazda 3 sensors (PN:BBM2-37-140B) work. I went with the Autel universal sensor that was compatible with the Mazda 3 sensor. Knowing the Mazda 3 protocol and which sensor allowed me to program the Autel universal sensor so that it worked!

PROGRAMMING NOTE: IN HEX CODE THERE IS NO LETTER "O". IT IS ALWAYS THE NUMBER ZERO (0).

Autel USB programming pad: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07RGZR2M2
Autel universal TPMS: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B08L52HD4J or https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07FTQ93VH/




Others have said that they cannot read the Kawasaki sensor. That doesn't matter as long as you HAVE the sensor. The old style Kawasaki sensors have the code both on the cover, and on the circuit board.


Once you have your code, new sensor, and the pad, install the Autel software. Click the button "Car Brand", then click on Mazda, Mazda 3, then 2004/01-2004/12. Then click "Create Sensor". You'll see this screen, which shows the Mazda part number noted before.


Type in your sensor ID in the box, then click "Program". After it programs, click "Test Sensor" and verify your info. It'll look like this.


Then install your sensor, and drive it around the block. It took about 1/4 mile and the bike recognized the sensor! I am ecstatic. This sensor is an order of magnitude cheaper then the "right" one.

[VirginiaJim]

A big thanks to you, Red, for posting that info!

[robertv]

Thanks for the write-up and report!

[jonathan]

This sound great. Is it possible to install the new sensor and then do the setup? That way the shop can dismount the tire and swap the sensors in one step.

[Big Red]

This sound great. Is it possible to install the new sensor and then do the setup? That way the shop can dismount the tire and swap the sensors in one step.

Very likely. johnchen said the pad will read the sensor while it's installed. One would assume that you could program it as well. I'll try to remember to try to read the sensor sometime this week.

[BruceR]

That is sweet.  I have the original sensors in my '08.  I've been too lazy to take the tires off and get the sensors sent out to have the batteries replaced.  For $30 I'll just replace them.  Thanks for the pictures of the process.  Makes it very easy to understand.
Did you go with rubber or metal valve stem?

[Big Red]

That is sweet.  I have the original sensors in my '08.  I've been too lazy to take the tires off and get the sensors sent out to have the batteries replaced.  For $30 I'll just replace them.  Thanks for the pictures of the process.  Makes it very easy to understand.
Did you go with rubber or metal valve stem?

I went with metal. I don't think it matters either way. The metal one could have the gasket replaced every tire change, which may make changing the tire without breaking the sensor a little easier.

[dbird29]

O'Reillys has the Autel sensor for $28 and it's in stock

[Big Red]

This sound great. Is it possible to install the new sensor and then do the setup? That way the shop can dismount the tire and swap the sensors in one step.

I can verify that the pad WILL do a full scan of the sensor through the wheel. It should program fine.

[Big Red]

O'Reillys has the Autel sensor for $28 and it's in stock

The metal one is $42 in my area. It is nice to know I can get it local.

[maxtog]

So I wonder how long will the Autel sensor last?  Maybe it doesn't matter at that price, though.

What a great/neat idea to just program a new/cheap sensor with the old ID.  No KDS needed.

I still wish we had sensors that we could recharge from contacts on the valve stem.  That way they might never need replacing, just charging once every few years.  Or rechargeable external sensors that would just mimic the OEM ones and work with the bike's computer.  It sucks having a low/annoying or dead sensor and having to wait for a tire to be worn out to justify the unmount/balance/mount expense.

[Big Red]

So I wonder how long will the Autel sensor last?  Maybe it doesn't matter at that price, though.

I would think they’d last quite a while. Car drivers wouldn’t put up with sensors needing to be replaced before the tire either.

[Big Red]

I just ordered a TPMS service kit for $2.59 on Amazon. I'll verify fitment on the sensor. Cheap insurance to replace the gasket. Probably make it easier for the tire guy, too. Pop one bead, pull the sensor, pull the tire. Reverse to install.

[Big Red]

If anyone has a new style TPMS that they'd be willing to let me mess with, let me know. I'll send it back afterward. I promise only non-invasive testing.

[Boomer]

What I have never understood is why they don't just include a piezoelectric generator in the sensor.
That way the battery gets recharged whenever you ride it as braking or acceleration puts energy back into the battery.
But then if they did that I suppose they couldn't charge $300 for a new $25 sensor every few years. <sigh>

[Big Red]

I think it's 3 parts. First, like you said, they don't get to sell replacements. Second is their cost vs a battery. Third is I believe the FCC regs are harsher for something that generates its own power.

[B.D.F.]

It sure seems to be to be 'revenuing' by Kawasaki. It seems that the entire rest of the world has gone to sealed T.P.S.'s made by large brand companies such as Schrader. They are readily available for very reasonable sums, and the sensor mfg's make it easy for any tire service business to readily replace them as needed. Kawasaki surely did not just happen to miss what was going on, in fact they contracted Schrader to make them custom sensors with a secret decoder ring code to force customers to purchase these 'mangled' sensors from them at simply ridiculously inflated (mild pun intended) prices. Frankly this would simply not fly, at least in the US, if it were any brand of auto but less common vehicles tend to slip past the regulators.

On a similar topic: we (US) are sizing up to have an impressively large tangle between farmers and other heavy equip. users vs. John Deere regarding Deere making their equipment unserviceable by any but their dealer network. Of course there are two distinct views on this but in the end I believe J.D. will be cowed into some type of 'reasonable access' to their equipment by the US gummit. As an aside, I am looking at garden tractors right at the moment and while it would have been a no- brainer but to buy a 3XX or 5XX model from Deere, I am quite put-off by Deere's (and other large equipment manufacturers) behavior in this area. And while there are no such limitations on small equipment such as lawn tractors, it is rubbing my fur the wrong way just purchasing anything from them. The only problem is that they have little competition regarding quality and a dealer network.

<rant mode off>

What I have never understood is why they don't just include a piezoelectric generator in the sensor.
That way the battery gets recharged whenever you ride it as braking or acceleration puts energy back into the battery.
But then if they did that I suppose they couldn't charge $300 for a new $25 sensor every few years. <sigh>

[Big Red]

It sure seems to be to be 'revenuing' by Kawasaki.

Same reason I'm here vs the "other" forum. I believe in the freedom to fix your own stuff which is why I'm posting all of the results of my experimentation. I'm hopeful someone will let me play with a new model sensor.

[dbird29]

Looking at the FCC IDs from the various photos I've seen on the intertubes it looks like the original was a French company LDL Technology and the new sensors are Schrader.
It will be interesting if Big Red can find a new Schrader sensor and see if it wakes up from the low frequency signal. (Jchen's did)

It sure seems to be to be 'revenuing' by Kawasaki. It seems that the entire rest of the world has gone to sealed T.P.S.'s made by large brand companies such as Schrader. They are readily available for very reasonable sums, and the sensor mfg's make it easy for any tire service business to readily replace them as needed. Kawasaki surely did not just happen to miss what was going on, in fact they contracted Schrader to make them custom sensors with a secret decoder ring code to force customers to purchase these 'mangled' sensors from them at simply ridiculously inflated (mild pun intended) prices. Frankly this would simply not fly, at least in the US, if it were any brand of auto but less common vehicles tend to slip past the regulators.

On a similar topic: we (US) are sizing up to have an impressively large tangle between farmers and other heavy equip. users vs. John Deere regarding Deere making their equipment unserviceable by any but their dealer network. Of course there are two distinct views on this but in the end I believe J.D. will be cowed into some type of 'reasonable access' to their equipment by the US gummit. As an aside, I am looking at garden tractors right at the moment and while it would have been a no- brainer but to buy a 3XX or 5XX model from Deere, I am quite put-off by Deere's (and other large equipment manufacturers) behavior in this area. And while there are no such limitations on small equipment such as lawn tractors, it is rubbing my fur the wrong way just purchasing anything from them. The only problem is that they have little competition regarding quality and a dealer network.

<rant mode off>

[VirginiaJim]

No looks like about it...it was the French company.