2006 BMW R1200 RT Fuel/propulsion System Problems

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 BMW R1200 RT. WHILE DRIVING 55 MPH, THE CONTACT SMELLED FUEL COMING FROM THE FUEL PUMP. THERE WERE NO WARNING INDICATORS ILLUMINATED. THE CONTACT STOPPED THE VEHICLE AND NOTICED FUEL LEAKING OVER THE ENGINE. THE CONTACT ASSOCIATED THE FAILURE WITH NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 13V617000 (FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE). THE CONTACT CALLED BMW MOTORCYCLES MCDONOUGH (LOCATED AT 755 INDUSTRIAL BLVD, MCDONOUGH, GA 30253, (770) 957-7404) AND INFORMED THEM OF THE FAILURE. THE MOTORCYCLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 41,109. *LN CONSUMER STATED THIS ISSUE WAS ADDRESSED ONCE IN RECALL 13V617 IN 2014. REPAIR HISTORY INDICATES MY BIKE WAS CHECKED FOR THIS ISSUE BUT THERE IS NO INFORMATION ON WHETHER REPAIRS WERE PERFORMED. GIVEN THE INFORMATION IN THE TECHNICAL DOCUMENT, EITHER THE PUMP WAS REPLACED ENTIRELY OR THERE WAS NOTHING DONE. NO METAL REINFORCING RING WAS PLACED ON THE FUEL PUMP, SO EITHER THE PUMP WAS REPLACED WITH ANOTHER FAULTY PUMP OR NO REPAIRS WERE MADE. THIS RECALL WAS NOT ADDRESSED ON MY BIKE EVEN THOUGH THE BIKE WAS CHECKED. I AM HAVING THE EXACT ISSUE MENTIONED FOR SIEMENS FUEL PUMPS IN BMW MOTORCYCLES UNDER THE RECALL. PHOTOS, FUEL LEAK NHTSA INVESTIGATION, AND 2006 BMW REPAIR HISTORY ATTACHED.*JB

Mileage: 41,109

FUEL LEAK: THE PLASTIC AROUND THE FUEL PUMP OUTPUT FITTING IS CRACKED AND LEAKING. MY LEFT LEG WAS COVERED IN GASOLINE AS WELL AS MY LEFT FAIRING. *TR

Mileage: 45,256

IN-TANK FUEL PUMP LEAKS FUEL AT THREADED CONNECTION TO OUTLET QUICK-RELEASE FITTING. I PURCHASED AND INSTALLED A REINFORCEMENT CLAMP MADE BY A THIRD-PARTY SUPPLIER AND REINSTALLED THE QUICK-RELEASE FITTING WITH A FUEL-RESISTANT THREAD SEALANT, BUT THE FITTING STILL LEAKS. I'LL TRY ADHESIVE INSTEAD, ON THE ADVICE OF OTHERS WITH THE SAME PROBLEM. FUEL LEAKS ARE NOT ACCEPTABLE ON ANY VEHICLE, PARTICULARLY NOT ON A SUPPOSEDLY HIGH-QUALITY MOTORCYCLE. *TR

Mileage: 9,678

I SMELLED FUEL (ON AND OFF) ON THE HIGHWAY ON THE WAY TO WORK. WHEN I CAME TO MY PARKING SPACE, THEN I REALLY SMELLED IT. WHEN I LEANED THE BIKE TO PUT IS ON THE SIDE STAND SOME FUEL DRIPPED OUT FROM UNDER THE COWLING, RIGHT BY THE EXHAUST PIPE. AFTER WORK, IN THE PARKING LOT, I DISASSEMBLED THE COWLING AND FOUND THAT THE BASE OF THE FUEL PUMP ASSEMBLY PACKAGE WHERE THE FUEL LINE CONNECTOR FITTING GOES INTO, WAS CRACKED, (NOT ENOUGH PLASTIC AROUND THE FITTING). I CALLED THE DEALER AND HE KNEW EXACTLY WHAT I WAS REFERRING TO, AND WAS TOLD THE PART WAS $550 BECAUSE IT INCLUDED THE FUEL PUMP (WHICH I DON'T NEED). I DECIDED THAT I WOULD NOT BUY ANOTHER DEFECTIVELY DESIGNED PIECE, SO I GOT A CLAMP AND PUT IT OVER THE CRACKED PART, AND EPOXIED IT. MAKING IT A BETTER DESIGN. THE NEXT DAY, I ALSO WAS TOLD THAT THE NEW PIECE FROM BMW HAS THE SAME SOLUTION TO THE PROBLEM, A STEEL BAND. I DON'T KNOW IF THEIRS IS STAINLESS STEEL LIKE MINE. AT FIRST, I WOULD HAVE SETTLED FOR JUST THE PART I NEEDED, BUT TO BE SOLD THE SAME CRAP PLUS A PART I DIDN'T NEED, I WASN'T GOING TO DO IT. AT THE URGING OF ANOTHER DEALER I CALLED BMW CUSTOMER SERVICE AND THEY SAID THEY DIDN'T CARE ABOUT MY PROBLEM, IN A PROFESSIONAL WAY OF COARSE. I TRY NOT TO PANIC ABOUT SAFETY ISSUES (I AM AN INSPECTOR OF EQUIPMENT IN ANOTHER LINE OF WORK). HOWEVER, THEIR LACK OF CORRECTIVE BACKING OF A BADLY DESIGNED PART CAUSED ME TO FILE THIS COMPLAINT. IT IS AT IT'S CORE A SAFETY ISSUE. *TR

Mileage: 17,125

WHILE RIDING MOTORCYCLE NOTED FUEL SMELL AND DISCOVERED LEAKING FUEL FROM CRACKS IN THE FUEL PUMP ASSEMBLY TOP PLATE WHERE THE PLASTIC HIGH PRESSURE LINE QUICK DISCONNECT FITTING SCREWS IN TO THE TAPERED PIPE THREADS OF THE PLASTIC PLATE. NOTED EVIDENCE OF FUEL LEAKAGE POOLING WITH POTENTIAL OF DRIPPING ONTO HOT EXHAUST COMPONENTS. IF FUEL WERE TO BE IGNITED THERE WOULD LIKELY BE A CATASTROPHIC FIRE AND POTENTIAL CRASH. THERE IS ALSO THE POSSIBILITY OF LOSS OF TRACTION FOR THE REAR TIRE DUE TO LEAKAGE ON THE GROUND, ALSO POTENTIALLY LEADING TO A CRASH. I BELIEVE THIS IS A SERIOUS DESIGN SPECIFICATION FLAW THAT MAY OCCUR ON ALL THE MOTORCYCLES SIMILARLY EQUIPPED. I ALSO BELIEVE THIS WARRANTS IMMEDIATE ACTION BY BMW, BOTH FOR MOTORCYCLES THAT HAVE YET TO FAIL, AND FOR THOSE THAT HAVE FAILED AND HAVE BEEN REPAIRED BY THE OWNERS. *TR

Mileage: 57,012

GAS LEAKING FROM LEFT SIDE FAIRING AFTER RIDING WITH SMALL SPILL OF GAS ON GARAGE FLOOR. TAKEN TO MORTONS BMW DEALER TODAY WHERE DEFECTIVE O-RING AND CRACKS IN FUEL PUMP FLANGE WERE NOTED. PRIOR # JBN1-18051. *TR

Mileage: 20,580

FUEL SMELL ON CLOTHING AND LEAKING FUEL FOUND DRIPPING ON HOT EXHAUST DURING STOP AT GAS STATION TO REFUEL. IMMEDIATELY PUSH MOTORCYCLE TO SAFE AREA AWAY FROM GAS STATION TO ASSESS CAUSE OF LEAK. FOUND MULTIPLE CRACKS IN PLASTIC FUEL PUMP HOUSING FLANGE THAT WHICH THE HIGH PRESSURE FUEL LINE QUICK DISCONNECT THREADS INTO. FUEL WAS POOLING APPROXIMATELY ONE INCH DEEP ON TOP OF THE FUEL PUMP HOUSING AND NEXT TO FUEL PUMP ELECTRICAL CONTROL RELAY AND WIRING. MOTORCYCLE HAD TO BE TOWED 75 MILES TO NEAREST BMW MOTORCYCLE DEALER FOR FUEL PUMP AND HOUSING REPLACEMENT. *TR

Mileage: 39,127

FUEL GAUGE SHOWED 1/3 OF TANK OF FUEL REMAINING AND 110 MILES LEFT BEFORE RUNNING OUT OF GAS. BIKE RAN OUT OF GAS WHILE RIDING DOWN HIGHWAY AS TANK WAS EMPTY. WAS ABLE TO PULL OVER TO SIDE OF ROAD SAFELY AND CALL FOR ASSISTANCE. FUEL GAUGE HAS NOT READ ACCURATELY SINCE. *TR

Mileage: 22,500

I STARTED THE MOTORCYCLE ENGINE. A FEW SECONDS AFTER IT STARTED, GASOLINE STARTED TO GUSH FROM THE FRONT OF THE BIKE ONTO THE ENGINE. BEFORE I KNEW IT, I WAS IN A PUDDLE OF GASOLINE. I SHUT IT OFF AS SOON AS I REALIZED WHAT WAS HAPPENING. I MOPPED UP THE GASOLINE OFF OF THE FLOOR TO ELIMINATE THE FIRE DANGER. I LOCKED THE STEERING AND PUT THE KEY AWAY AFTER THAT. *TR

Mileage: 27,658

THE HIGH PRESSURE OUTLET PORT ON THE FUEL PUMP ASSEMBLY DEVELOPED CRACKS THAT EXTENDED FROM THE OUTSIDE OF THE FEMALE PORTION OF THE OUTLET INTO THE THREADS. THIS ALLOWED GASOLINE TO SPRAY ONTO THE INNER PORTION OF THE BODY MOLDING AND RAN DOWN ONTO THE ENGINE AND THE RIDERS LEG ON THE LEFT SIDE. *TR

Mileage: 20,120

ENGINE BEGAN STALLING FREQUENTLY AT END OF RIDING SEASON (FALL 2011) WHEN THE ENGINE WAS AT ITS NORMAL OPERATING TEMPERATURE. ENGINE STALLING OCCURRED WHEN DECELERATING WITH CLUTCH ENGAGED OR AT IDLE, ENGINE WOULD NOT RETURN TO NORMAL IDLE SPEED WITHOUT STALLING. THE ENGINE WAS SERVICED/MAINTAINED BY AN AUTHORIZED LOCAL BMW MOTORCYCLE DEALER ON 3/10/2012 ? 3/13/2012 WITH HOPES THAT ENGINE WOULD RETURN TO NORMAL OPERATING BEHAVIOR FOR THE FOLLOWING RIDING SEASON (2012). THIS SERVICE/ MAINTENANCE INCLUDED BUT WAS NOT LIMITED TO BMW INSPECTION WITH ANNUAL SERVICE, INCLUDES ALL FLUIDS AND VALVE ADJUSTMENT AND THROTTLE BODY SYNCHRONIZATION. BUT ON 5/6/2012 THE BIKE WAS RIDDEN ON ITS FIRST LONG RIDE OF THE SEASON. AFTER RIDING APPROXIMATELY 65 MILES THE BIKE BEGAN TO HAVE THE SAME SYMPTOMS AS DURING THE LAST RIDE IN THE FALL OF 2011. ON 5/8/2012 THE BIKE WAS TAKEN TO THE SAME LOCAL BMW MOTORCYCLE DEALER THAT PERFORMED THE ANNUAL MAINTENANCE IN MARCH. DURING THE WEEK OF 5/15/2012 THE BIKE WAS DIAGNOSED, REPAIRED AND AVAILABLE TO BE PICKED UP ON 5/18/2012. THE DIAGNOSIS FROM THE DEALER'S SERVICE TECHNICIAN IS STATED ON THE SERVICE INVOICE AS FOLLOWS: PLASTIC FUEL CONNECTOR HAD HAIRLINE CRACK CAUSING FUEL CUT RELAY TO NOT ACTIVATE WHEN DECELERATING CAUSING ENGINE TO STALL. UPGRADED PLASTIC FUEL CONNECTOR WITH METAL CONNECTOR. PARTS REPLACED WERE BMW PART NUMBERS: 16 12 1 176 918:HOSE CLAMP 13 53 7 700 800:PLUG (METAL FUEL LINE MALE CONNECTOR) N/A:FUEL HOSE CUT 1FT. *TR

Mileage: 42,772