Gas cap won't close

[DrSteve]

Problem solved!! Gas cap won't close

PROBLEM SOLVED

I have a 15 GS LC with keyless ignition. Filled the tank today and gas cap won't click shut. Key was close by, tried turning power back on and off, starting engine, going for a short ride. Still won't shut. Called dealer but they have not seen this problem and it's too far away for me to get there today.

HELP going on a long ride tomorrow.

Thanks

 

[Omega Man]

Great, how did you solve the problem? I did a little looking and didn't see any info on this type of problem.
OM

 

[David13]

I am going to say by pushing on it harder.
Mine is really hard to close. It takes a real hard steady push.
I guess the o ring or gasket is over size or something. Or just designed to get a good seal.
dc

 

[sailorlite]

Do the keyless ones still have that red rubber seal ring under the flap? They used to come adrift and either fall into the tank or otherwise compromise a good closing of the gas cap. (So check under the flap for a properly seated red ring).

 

[RYD1WD]

I have noticed, while talking to folks who bought keyless bikes from someone other than me, that many customers were not properly informed on how to close the filler cap properly. Yes, you CAN just push down to close it - but if you do that without holding up the release tab at the same time, it will cause the mechanism to eventually fail.

 

[exgman]

I have noticed, while talking to folks who bought keyless bikes from someone other than me, that many customers were not properly informed on how to close the filler cap properly. Yes, you CAN just push down to close it - but if you do that without holding up the release tab at the same time, it will cause the mechanism to eventually fail.

Well, that's good to know. I've been doing it wrong 4000 miles.

 

[henzilla]

Is there a tiny sentence in the Owners Manual mentioning the gas cap?

 

[exgman]

I thought the same thing, but decided I'd rather ride (60F in Boston today), and check out the actual piece. It looks like it could be pressed down into the slot without damage. That said, I tried it a couple of times and lifting the piece of the cover as it's closed definitely makes it easier. After 4K miles and probably 80+ closings, my latch didn't show any wear which I could see. Nonetheless, I'll keep lifting the latch from now on. Maybe I'll look at the manual sometime on this seemingly minor point.

 

[soundwave]

Is there a tiny sentence in the Owners Manual mentioning the gas cap?

Yes there is. For the R1200R it says:

"Press fuel filler cap of fuel tank down firmly."
"Fuel filler cap audibly engages."
"Fuel filler cap automatically locks after run-on time expires."
"The engaged fuel filler cap locks immediately when the steering lock is locked or during starting."


I have been mostly lifting the lever all this time just because it is easier to close that way.

 

[scyoung11]

Last time I filled mine up I had the same issue. The cap won't close. I have to use the palm of my hand and press hard to get the cap to lock. Will call the dealer this week to schedule a time go in.

 

[RYD1WD]

I just had this happen on Saturday... young sales guy who specializes in Ducati (is not trained/certified on BMW - which I take real issue with...) was showing a customer the keyless R12R demo, and unknowingly allowed him to mash the cap down without holding the tab up. He shagged it and it will no longer close, so the demo is now in service waiting for parts to remedy the problem. Would it surprise you that this alone drove the customer to buy one specifically NOT configured with keyless? One more argument against tech for tech sake...

 

[pglaves]

With all regard to BMW and the owners of these bikes - you'll have to be sh(^^(#@ me you can't shut the gas cap. Oh, please let me ride my K75 some more.

 

[marcopolo]

I just had this happen on Saturday... young sales guy who specializes in Ducati (is not trained/certified on BMW - which I take real issue with...) was showing a customer the keyless R12R demo, and unknowingly allowed him to mash the cap down without holding the tab up. He shagged it and it will no longer close, so the demo is now in service waiting for parts to remedy the problem. Would it surprise you that this alone drove the customer to buy one specifically NOT configured with keyless? One more argument against tech for tech sake...

Hah, I was thinking the same thing, and grateful once again that the '15 GSA I bought off the showroom floor did not come with keyless. Certainly, those who have it seem to like it, but if you've never had it on a bike, what's there to miss? I've never gone into my garage and stared wistfully at my bike, bemoaning the fact I have to use a key to start it.

 

[henzilla]

Yes there is. For the R1200R it says:

"Press fuel filler cap of fuel tank down firmly."
"Fuel filler cap audibly engages."
"Fuel filler cap automatically locks after run-on time expires."
"The engaged fuel filler cap locks immediately when the steering lock is locked or during starting."


I have been mostly lifting the lever all this time just because it is easier to close that way.

Welcome to the forum Soundwave

No mention of needing to lift lever

Is it in the dealer training kit only that seems to be known to few?

 

[wbrownell9]

Hah, I was thinking the same thing, and grateful once again that the '15 GSA I bought off the showroom floor did not come with keyless. Certainly, those who have it seem to like it, but if you've never had it on a bike, what's there to miss? I've never gone into my garage and stared wistfully at my bike, bemoaning the fact I have to use a key to start it.

I had keyless on my RT and I just whacked the gas cap with the heel of my hand. Latched every time. 32,000 miles and hadn't failed although from time to time I thought maybe a dab of HP grease might be a good idea.

New GSA has a key. I close it the same way - with a whack. My cars have had keyless since 2005 (luck of the draw, bought used), and my RT had it too so I got in the habit of putting the key in a pocket and forgetting about it. Now I have to remember, and sometimes I don't. Strange how 40 years of habit seem to have disappeared overnight. I have my reasons for turning it off with the sidestand instead of the key and am not planning on changing.

 

[viking59]

Care to share with us what the issue was?

 

[akbeemer]

With all regard to BMW and the owners of these bikes - you'll have to be sh(^^(#@ me you can't shut the gas cap. Oh, please let me ride my K75 some more.

Come on, Paul... What do you expect from a bike that ONLY costs $22K - $25K????

 

[36654]

With all regard to BMW and the owners of these bikes - you'll have to be sh(^^(#@ me you can't shut the gas cap. Oh, please let me ride my K75 some more.

Better yet...............it's an option they paid for!

 

[36654]

Come on, Paul... What do you expect from a bike that ONLY costs $22K - $25K????

Watch it Kevin............I heard you were looking at one of those RS's......This could be you.

 

[AKsuited]

Is there a tiny sentence in the Owners Manual mentioning the gas cap?

Yes, it says to push it down firmly.

If I recall (and riding season seems so long ago) that I always lift up the little tab when closing, since you have to lift the tab to open.

It seems something got lost in the translation. A little bit of a sidetrack, but I just replaced a router in my home network. The instructions for hooking up the router, both written and online, bore no resemblance to how I actually installed it. I puzzled over it for a while, then simply hooked it up identically to how the old router was hooked up, and it worked immediately. Ditto for getting the laptop to print over the network. Written and online instructions were no help, especially since Win10 was on the laptop. Reading the instructions only made it harder to figure out, since they were more wrong than right.

Sometimes you just have to figure things out yourself. Lift the little tab on the gas cap...it's not that hard!

Harry