Battery in the DWA unit

g2k7s2 said:
Good afternoon, gentlemen, can you tell me where the dwa unit is and how to change the battery in it?
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Since I had this issue or warning pop up for me, I looked under the seat and in the battery panel. Nothing that I could see or fiddle around. So I called BMW showroom and an authorised service centre. Both couldn't help with what that issue is on phone or if I could do anything about it. They asked me to get the bike to showroom. They hooked it on the diagnostic computer and said the DWA alarm battery is low on voltage. (the same thing I had seen on manual & screen shot above).

They wouldn't tell me where the batteries are located but replaced it in about 15 mins. From what I could see through the service floor. The mechanic opened the battery panel on left and was working on it.

The batteries costed me AUD $32(a pair) & the labour $70+GST 10% and 3 hours of my time on a working Monday. So expensive service overall.

From my research online, there are a lot of advise on how to replace DWA alarm battery on BMW GS adventure bikes. On GS, the battery is easily located under seat and requires 2 x CR123a batteries that cost about $15. I feel it wouldn't be any different on R18s, however the location probably isn't easily accessible to replace it ourselves. Strangely none of other R18 owners have had this issue or resolved this themselves as I couldn't get any help here or other forums. My bike is about 3 years old and I am sure there are R18s older than mine. Anyways may be it was just a bad battery on mine that didn't last that long.

Thought I will put it out here for any one facing similar warning.
 
Behind left hand side panel. I’ll have my left index finger on it / and arrow. Just a case of moving wires to access DWA unit.
 

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Kate_brett you deserve a kudos as pictures are worth a thousand words as they say...Rider4life....thank you for what you had to go through in order to replace two cheap drug store CR123a batteries! I guess the DWA alarm batteries are a big secret at the dealerships....easy $$$!
 
kate_brett said:
Behind left hand side panel. I’ll have my left index finger on it / and arrow. Just a case of moving wires to access DWA unit.
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Thanks a ton. As 1911tex mentioned, the pictures really make it easier to locate. Definitely a lesson for other owners, myself included. I am still the new oner of this bike and probably didn't poke around a lot, though I looked superficially by removing the left panel and battery panel. I knew this was simple, however without knowing a lot about electricals, did not want go pulling cables, connectors and fuses!
 
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