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Feds probe BMW motorcycles for fuel leak problems

zenduddhist

New member
From today's Columbus, OH, Dispatch newspaper:

Federal safety regulators are investigating older BMW R-Series motorcycles for gasoline leaks that could cause fires.

The probe affects about 24,000 motorcycles from the 2005 through 2008 model years sold in the U.S.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration says the housing around the fuel pump can crack and leak gasoline. No fires or injuries have been reported, but the safety agency has received 28 complaints from owners of the bikes. At least two owners say that gas soaked their pant legs.

Investigators will check into how often the leaks happen and determine if a recall is necessary.
 
This is the hexhead fuel pump assembly cover fitting cracking issue ("fixed" in later camheads, such as my '12 R12RT by a different configuration of the cover).
 
... the housing around the fuel pump can crack and leak gasoline. No fires or injuries have been reported, but the safety agency has received 28 complaints from owners of the bikes. At least two owners say that gas soaked their pant legs.

Good! I was one of those 28 people who took the time to file a report.

This recently happened to me on my HP2e and thanks to help received here and on ADVrider, I was able to avoid having to buy a **$550 freakin' dollar*** part to fix it.

The cracks are caused by an incorrect application of tapered threads, and BMW should replace this part on all affected models. I had to ride my bike out of the woods in TN and 150 miles back to Atlanta with gas shooting out like a squirt gun because I had no other way to get home.

Curiously, the replacement part had a metal ring affixed to the flange to keep the plastic from cracking. Nothing like a band-aid fix, eh? :rolleyes

Beemer Boneyard sells a CNC-cut part for $35 that squeezes the flange to seal the cracks, and this along with some Yamabond case sealant and new metal quick disconnects has solved the problem. Sorta... this is basically jerry-rigged and I'd rather not be riding my bike with a fix like this, but $550 just isn't in the picture at this point in time.

Looking back through the thread on ADVrider, the part in question has increased in price from about $250 to $550 over the period of just two years. :banghead

Ian
 
Ian: could you post a link to the ADVrider thread?

Is this the fuel system componenet that sits in the well at the left front of the tank?

I had the one on my bike inspected and sealed by Anderwerks as part of its out of province inspection last spring.
 
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration says the housing around the fuel pump can crack and leak gasoline. .

The same thing happens on the Slant four K bikes, plus the plastic quick disconnect can break.
 
I had fuel all over my left leg from a cracked fuel pump recently on my 2007 R1200S.

I did not know this could be reported, or I'd be #29!
 
I had to buy the $500 + piece of plastic for my '06 R1200GS Adventure before the clamp solution came out. I am considering adding the clamp as preventive maintenance.

I did not file a report on it, but it sounds like I should have.

Roy F
Richmond, VA
 
Ian: could you post a link to the ADVrider thread?

Rinty - here you go:

http://www.advrider.com/forums/showthread.php?t=711467

Is this the fuel system componenet that sits in the well at the left front of the tank?

Yes, on the R1200GS. On my HP2e the plate is on the top. Various models put it various places.

I had the one on my bike inspected and sealed by Anderwerks as part of its out of province inspection last spring.

It sure is worth it. I was surprised at how quickly the problem appeared.

Ian
 
Quote from an earlier comment:

The cracks are caused by an incorrect application of tapered threads, and BMW should replace this part on all affected models. I had to ride my bike out of the woods in TN and 150 miles back to Atlanta with gas shooting out like a squirt gun because I had no other way to get home.

My question is what year specific was this a problem? And what year did BMW start addressing the issue?

In reading the some 40 or so comments and pictures on the other board AVRider, the BMW Engineers should have known better as threaded plastic has never worked unless there is a solid clamp or collar around the female threaded end. In the wonderful world of piping and valves, this a disaster waiting to happen as plastic will thermal cycle overtime.

Just replaced all the Tupperware on the left side and will have to go and remove it to complete an inspection.

As annoyed as I am, I appreciate the collective minds on this thread bringing this to my attention now and not when the fuel tank is full in the middle of summer.
 
Since this is now an active investigation I would urge everybody who has had such a failure on any model to go to the fed website (in post above) and report your problem. The worst outcome is for the Feds to decide it is a little isolated problem on one model. They need to address all the bikes/models that have the un-reinforced tapered plastic threads.

And by the way, I don't actually blame BMW alone. They didn't build the pumps. Yes, they should have caught the issue during design review, but who would ever imagine that a pump designer would do it that way. I suspect they just picked an off-the-shelf design already in a bunch of cars. Details matter though.
 
Complaint filed.

Incident date 7/19/2012 on the way to the MOA Rally.

Traveling on I-44 east of Joplin MO. Significant odor of gasoline. Found a safe place to pull off highway and saw fuel dripping from under the left fairing panel. Removed the panel to find puddles of gas in the fairing recess and the fuel pump recess. Wiped it all up and turned on the key, which started the pump and a strong stream of fuel was pumped out from a serious crack in the fuel pump plate at the fuel line fitting. The motorcycle was unsafe to ride so I called for a trailer, trailered the bike to Kansas City, Mo and Engle Motors. The entire fuel pump assy had to be replaced at a cost of $621.52. There is no question I was VERY lucky the motorcycle didn't catch fire while I was riding it. I called and filed a complaint to BMW with no response. I have receipts to prove the failure and witnesses. BMW needs to own this failure and recall ALL these machines to insure no one dies as a result of this. Calling this a fire hazard is understating the problem.
 
The R bikes at risk are Hex Heads up to some point in 2008 where BMW (Siemens, component manufacturer) made a modification to the pump housing, a collar pressed over the boss to contain it and to neutralize the outward tension created by the taper-fit female quick disconnect that seats in the boss. This ÔÇ£fixÔÇØ suggests they recognized a potential failure. It appears that the upgraded part is the same molded component but with a pressed on collar on the boss much as I described above. Part number remained the same.

As BMW resorted to a collar to effect a modification I would imagine the same could apply retro fitted (as a repair/ band-aid) to the early units if not already fractured. But where the housing is compromised, even if not weeping fuel, the collar would be insufficient for repair I believe. The housing should be replaced. This is the situation with my GS.

HereÔÇÖs the rub. Whereas you CAN purchase the fuel pump separate from the housing for $300 plus, you CANNOT purchase the housing separate from a new pump. Huh? Gimme a break! Cost $500 plus for the assembly.

If you donÔÇÖt blow up first, your wallet will.

At minimum: The housing should be offered as a separate purchase (upgraded unit). It should be priced affordable as the immobilizer rings finally were prior to recall.
Better: Replacement/upgrade should occur within a voluntarily BMW recall.
Best: NHSTA should mandate a recall.

I recommend that those with Hex Head R series bikes look at pump assembly closely. If your bike has the collar ensconced boss youÔÇÖre home free (presumably). If yours is the earlier unit check it for cracks. If free from cracking consider for now the available clamp collar through BeemerBoneyard or similar. If fractured, you know what that could mean. Register your concern with NHTSA. Write BMW. ItÔÇÖs a safety issue involving fuel and the potentiality of fire. And an out-of-pocket repair of over $500 because of a half ounce chunk of molded plastic is ridiculous. There needs to be an acceptable remedy.
 
Since I spent several hours reading about this issue, my mind started to get carried away with the what if syndrome?
Went into the shop after dinner tonight and pilled the tupper wear away to do a close up inspection. Was into my BMW dealer here this morning while out an about and questioned several service guys and they both admitted that only the GS seems to an on going problem with the fuel pump flange. As it would be, I still have another 1 1/2 years worth of warranty and this would be still covered, even after 114 kilometres.

Here is what I found and it was dirty and not pretty!

Will post another picture after this one, as I haven't figured out how to add several pictures at thge same time. Computer illiterate I guess!
 

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