# Kawasaki KIPASS Warnings: NO TRANSPONDER and Others

Source: https://themotorcyclelocksmith.com/san-diego/guides/kawasaki-kipass-no-transponder-warning/

Business: The Motorcycle Locksmith, mobile motorcycle locksmith. Phone and text: (619) 775-1858 (San Diego side).

> On a Kawasaki Concours 14, NO TRANSPONDER means the bike cannot find its KIPASS fob nearby, and you have about 10 seconds, while the warning symbol is showing, to bring a registered fob back and switch on again. TRANSPONDER LOW BATTERY is an early warning about the fob's coin cell. IMMOBILIZER ERROR and the two steering lock messages point at the motorcycle, and the owner's manual sends those to a Kawasaki dealer.

## The KIPASS messages and what each one means

KIPASS is Kawasaki's proximity fob system. The Concours 14 shows its warnings as text in the multifunction meter, usually together with the warning indicator light and a warning symbol. The table follows the 2013 Concours 14 ABS owner's manual. Newer KIPASS models have their own displays, so check the manual for those.

| Message | What the manual says it means | What the manual tells you to do |
| --- | --- | --- |
| NO TRANSPONDER | The fob is not near the motorcycle | Find the fob. The engine can be started again only while the warning symbol is displayed, which is 10 seconds |
| TRANSPONDER LOW BATTERY | Fob battery voltage is low; shown after the key knob is turned to ON | Replace the fob battery at the earliest opportunity |
| SUBKEY ID ERROR | The fob was not read correctly when held at the ignition switch with its battery discharged | Check the fob is within 2 cm (0.8 in) of the switch, or use the spare fob; then a dealer |
| IMMOBILIZER ERROR | A problem in the immobilizer system; the warning light goes on or blinks | Have the system checked by an authorized Kawasaki dealer |
| STEERING LOCK ERROR or STEERING LOCK ID ERROR | A problem in the ignition switch unit, or the unit is not communicating correctly | Have the ignition switch unit checked by a dealer |

## NO TRANSPONDER in detail

This is the message riders see most, and it appears in two situations. The first is riding off without the fob, for example when it is in a jacket left at home or with a passenger who stayed behind. The manual says the message is displayed when the motorcycle goes away with the fob left behind, once speed is over 20 km/h (12 mph), and it tells you to check where the fob is after the motorcycle stops.

The second is when the engine stops and no fob is being carried. The message appears with the warning indicator light, then the warning symbol stays in the meter for 10 seconds. During those 10 seconds the engine can be started again, using a registered fob and turning the key knob to ON. Once the symbol goes out, the manual says the engine cannot be started, and its advice is to use the spare fob or consult a Kawasaki dealer.

The practical point for a Concours 14 rider: if NO TRANSPONDER comes up on the road, work out where the fob is before you turn the key knob to OFF.

## When the fob battery is low or flat

TRANSPONDER LOW BATTERY appears while the cell still has some life. The manual adds a detail that catches people out: once the battery is fully discharged, the low battery message is not displayed at all. So a fob that gave a warning last month and now gives nothing may simply be flat.

A flat fob still has a backup. The manual describes holding it against the ignition switch, within 2 cm, so the bike can read it without battery power. Started that way, the bike does not show NO TRANSPONDER or the low battery message afterward, even if the fob is then left behind, so take extra care to keep it on you. The spare fob supplied with the bike works the same close-range way: the manual says it has the immobilizer function but not the KIPASS function.

**Rather have us handle it?** Call or text with your year, make, model and location. Call or text (619) 775-1858.

## The warning light that blinks after you park

The same warning indicator light doubles as the armed signal. It starts blinking when the key knob is turned to OFF and stops after 24 hours, with the immobilizer still enabled. Kawasaki lets the owner switch that blinking off using the meter buttons shortly after switching off, and the manual notes two things about it: the blinking stops by itself when battery voltage drops below 12 V, and the setting cannot be changed while the light is reporting a fuel injection or KIPASS problem.

With the key knob on, a properly coded key and clear communication mean no blinking. Blinking at that point means an improperly coded key or a failed exchange between the antenna and the key.

## Fob problem or bike problem, and what a visit involves

Before blaming the fob, the manual lists two causes it does not count as faults: radio interference, and a fob battery that is flat or fitted incorrectly. It names broadcasting stations, electric power stations, cell phones and personal computers, and a fob that is close to or covered by metal. The working range is about 80 cm (31.5 in) from the antenna, and the manual warns that reading can fail depending on where the fob sits even inside that range.

If the spare fob works at the switch and the main fob does not, even with a new CR2025 cell, the main fob is the problem. If neither is read, or the dash shows IMMOBILIZER ERROR or a steering lock message, the fault is on the motorcycle. Kawasaki has its dealers register fobs, up to six per bike, and the manual says new fobs cannot be registered once every fob is lost, so replace a failed fob while one still works.

The mechanical emergency key inside the fob is ordinary locksmith work, and we cut those at the bike. For fob registration, call us with the year and model first and we will tell you whether it is a dealer job. Have your photo ID and registration or title ready either way.

## Quick questions

### How long do I have after NO TRANSPONDER appears?

The manual gives 10 seconds. The engine can be started again only while the warning symbol is displayed, and after it goes out you need a registered fob at the bike or the spare fob.

### My Concours 14 never showed a low battery message and now the fob is dead. Is that normal?

It can be. Kawasaki's manual says TRANSPONDER LOW BATTERY is not displayed once the fob battery is fully discharged, so a flat cell can give no warning at switch-on.

### What does SUBKEY ID ERROR mean?

It appears when a fob with a discharged battery is held at the ignition switch and is not read correctly. The manual says to check that the fob is within 2 cm (0.8 in) of the switch or to use the spare fob, and to see a dealer if the message stays.

### Can I stop the warning light blinking when the bike is parked?

Yes, on the Concours 14. The manual describes switching the blinking mode off with the meter buttons within twenty seconds of turning the key knob to OFF. The immobilizer stays enabled either way.

## Services that can help

- [Transponder and Immobilizer Key Programming](https://themotorcyclelocksmith.com/san-diego/services/motorcycle-key-programming/): Chip keys and fobs programmed to your immobilizer.
- [Motorcycle Key Replacement](https://themotorcyclelocksmith.com/san-diego/services/motorcycle-key-replacement/): New keys cut by code or from the lock, for all major makes.
- [Lost Motorcycle Key, No Spare](https://themotorcyclelocksmith.com/san-diego/services/lost-motorcycle-key/): No key at all? We make a working key at the bike.

## Key details by make

[Kawasaki keys](https://themotorcyclelocksmith.com/san-diego/makes/kawasaki/), [All makes](https://themotorcyclelocksmith.com/san-diego/makes/)

## Keep reading

- [Keyless Motorcycle Not Detecting the Key: Causes and Backups](https://themotorcyclelocksmith.com/san-diego/guides/keyless-motorcycle-not-detecting-key/): Owner's manuals give a short list of reasons a keyless bike fails to detect its fob: a weak fob battery, the fob carried against a phone, laptop or metal object, strong radio interference nearby, the fob switched off or out of range, and a low battery on the bike itself.
- [Motorcycle Key Fob and Keyless Ignition Problems](https://themotorcyclelocksmith.com/san-diego/guides/motorcycle-key-fob-and-keyless-problems/): Most keyless motorcycle problems come down to a weak fob battery, a fob the bike is not reading, a damaged fob or a lost one.
- [Motorcycle Key Fob Battery Replacement by Make](https://themotorcyclelocksmith.com/san-diego/guides/motorcycle-key-fob-battery-replacement/): Most motorcycle key fobs run on a single 3 volt coin cell.
- [Motorcycle Immobilizer Light Flashing: What It Means by Make](https://themotorcyclelocksmith.com/san-diego/guides/motorcycle-immobilizer-light-flashing/): A slow flash with the ignition off is normal on a bike with an immobilizer: Honda HISS, Yamaha and Triumph manuals all describe the light blinking for 24 hours after you switch off to show the system is armed.
- [Cruiser and Touring Motorcycle Keys: Bags, Forks, Fobs](https://themotorcyclelocksmith.com/san-diego/guides/cruiser-and-touring-motorcycle-keys/): Yes, keys for cruisers and touring bikes can be replaced, and on most of them it is a mechanical job because the key is a plain cut or barrel key.

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