R1200GS LC RDC Sensor Replacement

My rear tire pressure sensor has been intermittently acting up for some time now. And of late, it has been occurring more frequently. BMW calls it the RDC system (Reifendruckkontrolle in German, or Tire Pressure Monitor), and from my online research, most sensors on the R1200GS go around the 3-4 year mark.

RDC Sensor (PN:36318532731) – $155 from IGN.

Each sensor contains a non-user-replaceable CR2032 battery sealed within the unit. Replacement, while not impossible, is a rather messy affair which includes digging up potting compound, desoldering, re-soldering and re-sealing the potting – all with no guarantee that the unit will still continue to work. The sole local dealership charges a whopping $270 for replacement! And since I didn’t quite trust the cheap Chinese-made “compatible sensors”, I bought an original BMW replacement sensor and replaced it myself.

Different style RDC sensor units for the R1200GS LC.

There are 2 versions of RDC Sensor units for the R1200GS LC. One’s for cast wheels, and the other is for cross-spoked wheels. The one for cross-spoked wheels come with an integrated valve stem – which was the one that I needed.

41 counts of RDC interference flagged out by the onboard computer since I last reset it in mid-June.

That’s the old RDC sensor sitting in the wheel.

Brand new RDC sensor ready to be installed onto the R1200GS LC.

Physically replacing the RDC sensor was a simple affair – remove tire, remove old sensor, install new sensor, re-install tire. After that, you’ll need to program the bike to recognise the newly-installed sensor. That’s where the GS-911 comes in useful.