markwdaisy

Ok bike family. I haven't been able to find a post on this specifically, so I figure a new threat is the way to go.

I just got a new gravel bike with Di2. I took it for a quick spin the other day, shifted through the gears flawlessly, no problem. I let it sit a couple days on the stand, go to shift through the gears, and just completely unresponsive. No shifting whatsoever; doesn't even try to move. Of course I think battery is dead... I pull out the charger, plug it in... within about 5 minutes, the orange light on the charger goes out (I've tried plugging it back in a few times since, but it sounds like this indicates it's charged?). I thought possibly it was in crash mode. I hold the button on the junction box, it flashes red, and it shifts perfectly through the gears while i'm spinning the cranks. As soon as it's done... completely unresponsive again. I've checked every connection that I can easily get to, and everything feels solid (or clicks back in when I reconnect). I'm stumped. Any ideas out there?

Polaris OBark

I would start with this:

https://bettershifting.com/how-to-tr...-drain-issues/

Polaris OBark

Also, if you just purchased it from a dealer, it might be most expedient to take it back and make this their problem. It really should "just work."

Koyote

This. You're asking the wrong people.

Polaris OBark

At the bottom of the FAQ I posted, in the comments section, it is noted that if you are using the phone app, and quit the phone app without exiting the program first, it will behave as you describe.

Barry2 

Hi Mark,
welcome to bike forums.
you’re correct, with the light going out it should be fully charged.
given that the light goes out quickly it’s not likely a battery drain issue.

Is this 11 or 12 speed?
Is this rim or disc brakes?
If it has one, is the front derailleur also unresponsive?

Barry

BTinNYC 

Shifter unplugged?
PS
I now see you've checked the connections. If you have a FD, does the left shifter work?

bbbean 

Did you check connections to be sure nothing came unplugged?

cxwrench

OP specifically posted that he did the crash mode reset and it shifted fine...how would any connection be unplugged? I agree 100% with take it back to the shop and have them figure it out. I work on Di2 bikes all the time and I'd have to see it before I'd suggest anything.

Barry2 

The crash reset will cause the derailleur to move.
Is this OP's definition of "shifts fine".
I wonder if it's a 12sp/disc setup and the coin cell is dead'ish in the brifter..
But if OP doesn't reply to direct questions.... back to the store it goes.

Barry

markwdaisy

Hey! This is an 11 speed with disc brakes. The front derailleur is also non-responsive. I tested the battery as well, and it's fully charged.

Is it possible for the system to be "stuck" in crash mode even after running the reset?

The other thing, I did remove the rear wheel temporarily but reinstalled just fine. Not sure if that could cause an issue?

markwdaisy

Also, I did check all of the connections (including at each shifter), they are all snapped in tight. I did a quick ride around the block on the bike the day before it stopped working. The rear derailleur shifting normal / smooth.

Barry2 

Have you made any attempt to connect the bike to a computer via USB or Bluetooth ?
Computer includes phones or tablets.

Barry

Polaris OBark

Unless you yanked out an exposed cable, the system has no way of knowing if the rear wheel is present or absent.

You have to pedal through the crash reset, so that it can explore all 11 gears, so if you didn't do that, you might have to repeat while the bike is propped up and you can turn the crank.

My kid has an Emonda that periodically failed until the Trek dealer replaced the battery and pulled everything apart and put it back together again. It could be something as simple as a non-fully-seated wire, or it could be a major problem.

It is very rare for Di2 to be that problematic, but clearly it can happen.

Take it to your dealer.

They have more advanced diagnostics they can run on it, to help isolate the problem.

All we can do is make guesses and suggest you go through the trouble-shooting list that I posted in Post 2.

Polaris OBark

OK, if the rear derailleur works fine, chances are it is simply not seeing the front. Re-seat the connection by pulling the wire out with the plastic tool (preferably) or your fingers, and then re-seat it until you feel/hear a snap indicating it has clicked into place.

If you have the USB charger, hook it up to a Windows computer and use Shimano's software to see if it finds the front derailleur. If it doesn't, it is either a loose connection, an dead derailleur, or a firmware mismatch*. If any of this sounds even remotely challenging (or even if it doesn't), take it to a dealer. If you just got it, it is still within the 2 year Shimano warranty, and whatever warranty the bike comes with.

*If the derailleur is not appearing due to a firmware mismatch, download an older version of the software that allows you to see the derailleur, and then install the firmware update. But this is a really unlikely explanation if you just bought the bike.

markwdaisy

I did "pedal" through all the gears top to bottom. For whatever reason, I can't even hold in the shifter to get a battery reading on the junction box.

Additionally, I did drop the bike at the dealer yesterday and oddly enough JUST got this response: "We have to call Shimano on your bike. Not sure what the deal is. I think it may be stuck in crash mode because we ran the diagnostic on it and everything is perfectly fine. The battery has a full charge."

Ugh.

markwdaisy

I should mention, the rear derailleur and front don't work after working fine on the pedal around the block.

Polaris OBark

You did everything you could reasonably be expected to do. They will sort it out.

Polaris OBark

When my (adult) kid got an Emonda, I decided to kick in some money to allow him to get Di2 rather than mechanical shifting, the reason being mine had been flawless, requiring no maintenance, for years. He had a problem similar to what you describe, which manifested itself at his first triathlon. I felt terrible, because I was the one who insisted he get it (for ease of use and maintenance). It is a very rare situation, but that is cold comfort when it is happening to you. Hopefully they will get it sorted quickly.

markwdaisy

Yes thanks for all the quick replies here... hoping it's an easier solve. Love my bike shop guy, but can be slow as molasses at following up hahahah so we'll see.

What ended up being the solution for the Emonda?

Polaris OBark

It took several trips to the shop over about 2 years, but they finally, after replacing the battery, twice, some of the cables (one of which they said was too short and getting pulled on), and probably a bunch of stuff I never heard about (the rest is second-hand info), they finally resolved it. The store was bought out by Trek in the middle of the saga, which probably didn't help. He still doesn't really trust it, but it has been stable now for a year.

I should also add that he doesn't have the world's greatest mechanical aptitude (which is why I thought Di2 would be helpful) and can be remarkably ham-fisted, so I cannot rule out user error.

The problem with Di2 is it almost always is flawless, so if someone comes in with a problem, the first instinct is to blame the user. (I'm not a mechanic, but I catch myself thinking that way too.)

Koyote

I've had precisely one problem with my Di2 bike, and it was my fault: it originally had the cable running from the left shifter to the right shifter routed under the bar tape (naturally), but passing from the left side of the bar to the right side under the stem. i.e., it came out from under the bar tape on one side, and entered under it on the other side. When winter came, I got my big headlight mount under the wire, but just barely -- and managed to pull the plug out of the left shifter, which left the entire system inoperable. My mechanic's solution was to unwrap the bars and route the wire through the handlebar, which is probably how he should've done it in the first place.