Shimano Common Di2 Problems and Solutions
Basic troubleshooting of Di2 systems
Basic troubleshooting of Di2 systems
It is important to recognize that many Di2 “problems” are not actually problems. Many cyclists and mechanics, especially those new
to electronic shifting, have an incomplete understanding of the ins and outs of Di2. This guide should help to fill in some of the most
common gaps and ensure a positive experience.
I opened the E-TUBE PROJECT Mobile App on my mobile device, but it’s not finding my bike’s Wireless Unit
Make certain that your system includes an EW-WU111 or similar unit installed and have an appropriate Junction A and Master Unit
as shown in the Compatibility Charts found at si.shimano.com. Put your Wireless Unit in pairing mode by holding down the button on
the A-Junction or Display Unit for between 0.5 and 2 seconds. Then, tap the button in the App that says “Bluetooth® LE Connection”.
You should see your unit listed on the menu. Select the unit, and it will connect to your phone. If you have further issues, refer to our
standalone Connecting to the E-TUBE PROJECT Mobile App via Bluetooth® LE tech guide.
My shifting seems to work normally, but I can’t get my rear derailleur into the smallest cogs
Gear Position Control works to prevent the excessive wear and possible damage associated with the small-small cross-chained position
on compact and mid-compact cranksets. Shift the front derailleur up to the big ring, and the rear derailleur will once again have access
to all cogs. For Di2 systems on bicycles running a standard 53-39 crankset, this option can be adjusted using the E-TUBE PROJECT App.
My derailleurs move when I push my shift buttons, but not in the ways I expect
Your bike may be in Shift Mode 1 or Shift Mode 2 rather than Manual. Double-click, like a mouse, the button on the A-junction to cycle
through the three shift modes until both lights illuminate for 2 seconds, indicating Manual Shift Mode. Alternatively, the shift buttons
may not be mapped correctly. Connect the system to the E-TUBE PROJECT App and verify all switch settings.
I set up SyncroShift and custom shift mapping in the E-TUBE PROJECT App, but my bike is still shifting the same way
The Di2 system’s default mode is Manual Shift. To change shift modes, double-click the button on the A-Junction like you would on a
computer mouse. The lights on the A-Junction will indicate that new shift mode:
My front derailleur stopped shifting during my ride
As the battery loses charge, the system will turn off the front derailleur to save energy. Continued use without charging will result in the
deactivation of the rear derailleur as well. Always check your charge level before leaving on an extended ride.
After connecting my bike to the E-TUBE PROJECT App, my shifting has stopped working
While connected to the E-TUBE PROJECT App on a PC or mobile device, the Di2 system is put into adjustment mode and will not shift. To
exit adjustment mode and resume normal operation, you must select “Complete Setup” on the computer or “Disconnect from Bluetooth
LE” on the mobile App.
When I plug my bike into the SM-BCR2 to charge the system, it does not actually charge
The SM-BCR2 requires 1 Amp of current. If you are plugging into a computer, there may be less than 1 amp of current available.
Try using a power block with an output of at least 1 Amp.
I don’t know how much power is left in my battery
Hold one of the shift buttons for at least one-half of a second. The lights on the A-junction will light up in a specific pattern indicating
the charge level:
Continued on next page
Manual ShiftManual Shift LED for battery indication: Illuminates green (for 2 seconds)
LED for button Illuminates red (for 2 seconds
LED for battery indication: Blinks green (2 times)
LED for button Blinks red (2 times)
Sychronized Shift 1
LED for battery indication: Blinks green (3 times)
LED for button Blinks red (3 times)
Sychronized Shift 2
Illuminates green
(for 2 seconds)
Flashes green
(5 times)
100%
50%
25%
0%
Illuminates red
(for 2 seconds)
Flashes red
(5 times)COMMON Di2 PROBLEMS AND THEIR SOLUTIONS
I am attempting to use the E-TUBE PROJECT Mobile App, but I can’t get past the screen that asks for a passcode
Close the E-TUBE PROJECT App, then go to your mobile device’s Settings menu, then the Bluetooth menu. Find the profile for the
wireless unit to which you are trying to connect and “forget” the device. Reinitiate pairing mode on the wireless unit and re-pair the
mobile device using the current passcode.
I forgot the passcode to my WU-111 or other wireless unit
Unplug the E-TUBE wire from the terminal at the end of the battery. Wait thirty seconds, then reconnect the E-TUBE wire. In most cases,
the passcode will revert to the factory default of 000000. If that option does not work, use the SM-PCE1 or SM-PCE02 to connect the bike
to a computer running the latest version of E-TUBE Project. After completing a connection check and updating all firmware as needed,
open the Bluetooth LE settings menu. From here, you can reset the password to the factory default of 000000. Once restored to default,
you can repeat the pairing process outlined in the Connecting to the E-TUBE PROJECT Mobile App via Bluetooth® LE tech guide.
I want to build a gravel or cross bike, but I want to be able to use a very large cassette
With Di2 systems, it is possible to use one type of shifter with another type of derailleur – drop-bar shifters with mountain bike
derailleurs, for instance. There are, however, some compatibility issues. A Di2 system can have two road derailleurs or two mountain
derailleurs, or one mountain OR one road, and the system will work with any switches. A Di2 system WILL NOT FUNCTION with one road
derailleur AND one mountain. 1x11 systems pose no issues and are becoming increasingly popular, but a 2x system will be limited to
either a road crankset with a road cassette, or a mountain bike crankset with a mountain bike cassette of no more than 42 teeth. See
the Compatibility Charts on si.shimano.com for complete details. One word of caution: when connecting to E-TUBE PROJECT, select the
bike type based on the type of derailleur you are using. GRX components are considered a part of the Road family.
Ever since I crashed my bike, the rear derailleur won’t shift
Di2 systems utilize a Rear Derailleur Protection function that temporarily disables the rear derailleur by severing the connection
between the motor and the link. Hold down the button on the A-Junction for 5 seconds or more while pedaling the bike to exit Crash
Protection Mode. The rear derailleur will cycle up and down the cassette. Once it stops moving, your bike is now back to normal
operational mode. It would also be a very good idea to check the derailleur hanger for straightness as soon as possible.
My rear derailleur will shift into the largest cog on my cassette for a few moments, but then falls back down to the second cog.
This happens when the low limit screw is set too tight – the derailleur is unable to over-shift as it was designed to, and will return to the
second-largest cog in order to avoid damaging the drivetrain. Make certain that the low limit is adjusted as per the instructions in the
appropriate Dealer Manual, which can be found at si.shimano.com.
What sort of routine maintenance I can perform to help make sure I have the best possible experience with my Di2 bike
The most important things you can do for your Di2 bike are the same as for any other bike: keep the drivetrain clean and lubricated,
replace wear parts early, dry it off after it gets wet, and take it into the shop for routine tune-ups and inspections. Beyond that, you should
get into the habit of updating your firmware regularly and inspecting the E-TUBE wires for any signs of damage or deterioration. Using
your TL-EW02, unplug the E-TUBE wires and check the contacts for contamination or corrosion. If you do these sorts of inspections on
a regular basis, you will be far less likely to experience sub-par performance.
to electronic shifting, have an incomplete understanding of the ins and outs of Di2. This guide should help to fill in some of the most
common gaps and ensure a positive experience.
I opened the E-TUBE PROJECT Mobile App on my mobile device, but it’s not finding my bike’s Wireless Unit
Make certain that your system includes an EW-WU111 or similar unit installed and have an appropriate Junction A and Master Unit
as shown in the Compatibility Charts found at si.shimano.com. Put your Wireless Unit in pairing mode by holding down the button on
the A-Junction or Display Unit for between 0.5 and 2 seconds. Then, tap the button in the App that says “Bluetooth® LE Connection”.
You should see your unit listed on the menu. Select the unit, and it will connect to your phone. If you have further issues, refer to our
standalone Connecting to the E-TUBE PROJECT Mobile App via Bluetooth® LE tech guide.
My shifting seems to work normally, but I can’t get my rear derailleur into the smallest cogs
Gear Position Control works to prevent the excessive wear and possible damage associated with the small-small cross-chained position
on compact and mid-compact cranksets. Shift the front derailleur up to the big ring, and the rear derailleur will once again have access
to all cogs. For Di2 systems on bicycles running a standard 53-39 crankset, this option can be adjusted using the E-TUBE PROJECT App.
My derailleurs move when I push my shift buttons, but not in the ways I expect
Your bike may be in Shift Mode 1 or Shift Mode 2 rather than Manual. Double-click, like a mouse, the button on the A-junction to cycle
through the three shift modes until both lights illuminate for 2 seconds, indicating Manual Shift Mode. Alternatively, the shift buttons
may not be mapped correctly. Connect the system to the E-TUBE PROJECT App and verify all switch settings.
I set up SyncroShift and custom shift mapping in the E-TUBE PROJECT App, but my bike is still shifting the same way
The Di2 system’s default mode is Manual Shift. To change shift modes, double-click the button on the A-Junction like you would on a
computer mouse. The lights on the A-Junction will indicate that new shift mode:
My front derailleur stopped shifting during my ride
As the battery loses charge, the system will turn off the front derailleur to save energy. Continued use without charging will result in the
deactivation of the rear derailleur as well. Always check your charge level before leaving on an extended ride.
After connecting my bike to the E-TUBE PROJECT App, my shifting has stopped working
While connected to the E-TUBE PROJECT App on a PC or mobile device, the Di2 system is put into adjustment mode and will not shift. To
exit adjustment mode and resume normal operation, you must select “Complete Setup” on the computer or “Disconnect from Bluetooth
LE” on the mobile App.
When I plug my bike into the SM-BCR2 to charge the system, it does not actually charge
The SM-BCR2 requires 1 Amp of current. If you are plugging into a computer, there may be less than 1 amp of current available.
Try using a power block with an output of at least 1 Amp.
I don’t know how much power is left in my battery
Hold one of the shift buttons for at least one-half of a second. The lights on the A-junction will light up in a specific pattern indicating
the charge level:
Continued on next page
Manual ShiftManual Shift LED for battery indication: Illuminates green (for 2 seconds)
LED for button Illuminates red (for 2 seconds
LED for battery indication: Blinks green (2 times)
LED for button Blinks red (2 times)
Sychronized Shift 1
LED for battery indication: Blinks green (3 times)
LED for button Blinks red (3 times)
Sychronized Shift 2
Illuminates green
(for 2 seconds)
Flashes green
(5 times)
100%
50%
25%
0%
Illuminates red
(for 2 seconds)
Flashes red
(5 times)COMMON Di2 PROBLEMS AND THEIR SOLUTIONS
I am attempting to use the E-TUBE PROJECT Mobile App, but I can’t get past the screen that asks for a passcode
Close the E-TUBE PROJECT App, then go to your mobile device’s Settings menu, then the Bluetooth menu. Find the profile for the
wireless unit to which you are trying to connect and “forget” the device. Reinitiate pairing mode on the wireless unit and re-pair the
mobile device using the current passcode.
I forgot the passcode to my WU-111 or other wireless unit
Unplug the E-TUBE wire from the terminal at the end of the battery. Wait thirty seconds, then reconnect the E-TUBE wire. In most cases,
the passcode will revert to the factory default of 000000. If that option does not work, use the SM-PCE1 or SM-PCE02 to connect the bike
to a computer running the latest version of E-TUBE Project. After completing a connection check and updating all firmware as needed,
open the Bluetooth LE settings menu. From here, you can reset the password to the factory default of 000000. Once restored to default,
you can repeat the pairing process outlined in the Connecting to the E-TUBE PROJECT Mobile App via Bluetooth® LE tech guide.
I want to build a gravel or cross bike, but I want to be able to use a very large cassette
With Di2 systems, it is possible to use one type of shifter with another type of derailleur – drop-bar shifters with mountain bike
derailleurs, for instance. There are, however, some compatibility issues. A Di2 system can have two road derailleurs or two mountain
derailleurs, or one mountain OR one road, and the system will work with any switches. A Di2 system WILL NOT FUNCTION with one road
derailleur AND one mountain. 1x11 systems pose no issues and are becoming increasingly popular, but a 2x system will be limited to
either a road crankset with a road cassette, or a mountain bike crankset with a mountain bike cassette of no more than 42 teeth. See
the Compatibility Charts on si.shimano.com for complete details. One word of caution: when connecting to E-TUBE PROJECT, select the
bike type based on the type of derailleur you are using. GRX components are considered a part of the Road family.
Ever since I crashed my bike, the rear derailleur won’t shift
Di2 systems utilize a Rear Derailleur Protection function that temporarily disables the rear derailleur by severing the connection
between the motor and the link. Hold down the button on the A-Junction for 5 seconds or more while pedaling the bike to exit Crash
Protection Mode. The rear derailleur will cycle up and down the cassette. Once it stops moving, your bike is now back to normal
operational mode. It would also be a very good idea to check the derailleur hanger for straightness as soon as possible.
My rear derailleur will shift into the largest cog on my cassette for a few moments, but then falls back down to the second cog.
This happens when the low limit screw is set too tight – the derailleur is unable to over-shift as it was designed to, and will return to the
second-largest cog in order to avoid damaging the drivetrain. Make certain that the low limit is adjusted as per the instructions in the
appropriate Dealer Manual, which can be found at si.shimano.com.
What sort of routine maintenance I can perform to help make sure I have the best possible experience with my Di2 bike
The most important things you can do for your Di2 bike are the same as for any other bike: keep the drivetrain clean and lubricated,
replace wear parts early, dry it off after it gets wet, and take it into the shop for routine tune-ups and inspections. Beyond that, you should
get into the habit of updating your firmware regularly and inspecting the E-TUBE wires for any signs of damage or deterioration. Using
your TL-EW02, unplug the E-TUBE wires and check the contacts for contamination or corrosion. If you do these sorts of inspections on
a regular basis, you will be far less likely to experience sub-par performance.
