NHTSA Issues Recall for Leaking Front Brakes

[Motor32]

Today the dealer installed new calipers on my 2020 RT. I'm hoping this is the last of the problems with the brakes, fingers crossed.

 

[motormike]

Leaking brake calipers

I find it somewhat ironic that for years, Harley Davidson was a loyal used of Hays brake calipers on their motorcycles. This in spite of the fact that every test and review described them as "wooden" and "high effort". I owned a few mid-90's Harley's with Hays brake calipers, and the criticism was well justified. Harley finally saw the light around 2005 or so and switched over to Brembo as their brake supplier. Now BMW decides to switch from Brembo to Hays as their supplier...BANG! It never ceases to amaze me how well a company will shoot itself in it's foot just to save a few pennies.

 

[GTRider]

I find it somewhat ironic that for years, Harley Davidson was a loyal used of Hays brake calipers on their motorcycles. This in spite of the fact that every test and review described them as "wooden" and "high effort". I owned a few mid-90's Harley's with Hays brake calipers, and the criticism was well justified. Harley finally saw the light around 2005 or so and switched over to Brembo as their brake supplier. Now BMW decides to switch from Brembo to Hays as their supplier...BANG! It never ceases to amaze me how well a company will shoot itself in it's foot just to save a few pennies.

Brake feel is largely a function of the ratio between master and slave cylinders, so it’s surprising that H-D didn’t change the MC diameter to correct the problem. Brembo may have had a voice on that when they became the supplier.

Best,
DeVern

 

[Motor32]

Today the dealer installed new calipers on my 2020 RT. I'm hoping this is the last of the problems with the brakes, fingers crossed.

Ten days after getting new calipers installed on my 2020 R1250RT, I go out to my garage and see them leaking again. So far I've had a new seal kit installed (600 miles) and then full calipers (6000 miles) four months later. Returning to the dealer in the morning. I own a LEMON.

Steve

 

[kaileybutt]

Calipers leaking

Ten days after getting new calipers installed on my 2020 R1250RT, I go out to my garage and see them leaking again. So far I've had a new seal kit installed (600 miles) and then full calipers (6000 miles) four months later. Returning to the dealer in the morning. I own a LEMON.

Steve

Sorry to hear that - do you have the part numbers of the newly installed calipers available?

Thanks

 

[Motor32]

Ten days after getting new calipers installed on my 2020 R1250RT, I go out to my garage and see them leaking again. So far I've had a new seal kit installed (600 miles) and then full calipers (6000 miles) four months later. Returning to the dealer in the morning. I own a LEMON.

Steve

So I go to the dealer today and they check the brakes and tell me they weren't leaking from the calipers but the fluid was just RESIDUAL fluid under the bleeder caps. I'm not so sure about that excuse, then they tried to up-sell me on some prime swampland in Florida. I'll be watching the brakes even closer now.

Steve

 

[GTRider]

So I go to the dealer today and they check the brakes and tell me they weren't leaking from the calipers but the fluid was just RESIDUAL fluid under the bleeder caps. I'm not so sure about that excuse, then they tried to up-sell me on some prime swampland in Florida. I'll be watching the brakes even closer now.

Steve

That’s sort of a red flag on the caliper swap, since the bleeder outlet and it’s rubber cap should both be flushed free of brake fluid as part of the cleanup on finishing a bleeding job. Otherwise, that residual fluid can attract moisture and generate corrosion in the bleeder. So, there should never be residual fluid left after brake work. Just sayin’,

DeVern

 

[Motor32]

Sorry to hear that - do you have the part numbers of the newly installed calipers available?

Thanks

The part #34111614797 for the left caliper and #34111614798 for the right caliper. I was told the CNC machine that caused the issue was slightly out of tolerance and that it has now has been corrected.

Steve

 

[kaileybutt]

Calipers leaking

The part #34111614797 for the left caliper and #34111614798 for the right caliper. I was told the CNC machine that caused the issue was slightly out of tolerance and that it has now been corrected.

Steve

Thank you Sir - safe travels!

 

[PGlaves]

10,000 grooves cut too deep for the O ring can be a bit of a problem, they say.

 

[taran1900]

Yes.

https://static.nhtsa.gov/odi/rcl/2020/RCRIT-20V476-7338.pdf

Wrong. The R1250Rs are not part of the recall. The Rs have Brembo calipers. The recall is for the bikes with Hayes calipers.

 

[Motor32]

Today after seeing my brakes leaking again on my 2020 R1250RT I sent this email below to BMW. I'm not sure what to do, any input?

Thanks.

Steve


To All BMW Customer Service Staff and Interested Parties,

Today (Saturday), I go out in my garage and see my brakes are leaking again for the umpteenth time. This is beyond a dealership fix. Both dealers I've taken the bike to (Iron Horse BMW in Tucson, GoAZ in Peoria) have been great in trying to resolve the issue, but unfortunately have not been successful. The problem remains. I have spent WAY TOO MANY hours scheduling my time and then hanging out at the dealership while they're trying to figure this out.

This is from the Arizona Lemon Law: "The same nonconformity has been subject to repair four or more times by the manufacturer, its agents or authorized dealers but the nonconformity continues to exist".

I'm not sure how to proceed since ---

#1 Prior to purchase was told the 2020's didn't leak = leaking after first ride home.

#2 I've had the rebuild kit installed (600 miles) = still leaking.

#3 Replaced the calipers (6000 miles) = still leaking.

#4 Told the fluid leaking was just "residual" under the bleeder caps (6250 miles) = still leaking (even after returning home, days later, still leaking).

I've paid a premium price to purchase a BMW motorcycle, which has been nothing but problems. I've owned Japanese bikes for over 35 years and have never had any continuing issues. Beyond frustrated.

I would like this problem fixed or a new replacement motorcycle that does not have any problems. This bike is a lemon.

Thank you,

 

[PGlaves]

Today after seeing my brakes leaking again on my 2020 R1250RT I sent this email below to BMW. I'm not sure what to do, any input?

Thanks.

Steve


To All BMW Customer Service Staff and Interested Parties,

Today (Saturday), I go out in my garage and see my brakes are leaking again for the umpteenth time. This is beyond a dealership fix. Both dealers I've taken the bike to (Iron Horse BMW in Tucson, GoAZ in Peoria) have been great in trying to resolve the issue, but unfortunately have not been successful. The problem remains. I have spent WAY TOO MANY hours scheduling my time and then hanging out at the dealership while they're trying to figure this out.

This is from the Arizona Lemon Law: "The same nonconformity has been subject to repair four or more times by the manufacturer, its agents or authorized dealers but the nonconformity continues to exist".

I'm not sure how to proceed since ---

#1 Prior to purchase was told the 2020's didn't leak = leaking after first ride home.

#2 I've had the rebuild kit installed (600 miles) = still leaking.

#3 Replaced the calipers (6000 miles) = still leaking.

#4 Told the fluid leaking was just "residual" under the bleeder caps (6250 miles) = still leaking (even after returning home, days later, still leaking).

I've paid a premium price to purchase a BMW motorcycle, which has been nothing but problems. I've owned Japanese bikes for over 35 years and have never had any continuing issues. Beyond frustrated.

I would like this problem fixed or a new replacement motorcycle that does not have any problems. This bike is a lemon.

Thank you,

Forget premium this or that. It is a motorcycle. The Arizona Lemon Law applies to motorcycles. I suspect three attempts to fix a problem, and not fixed defines a Lemon as in many states. I would pursue that option if possible.

 

[exgman]

Motor 32:

PM Sent.

 

[taran1900]

Today after seeing my brakes leaking again on my 2020 R1250RT I sent this email below to BMW. I'm not sure what to do, any input?

Thanks.

Steve


To All BMW Customer Service Staff and Interested Parties,

Today (Saturday), I go out in my garage and see my brakes are leaking again for the umpteenth time. This is beyond a dealership fix. Both dealers I've taken the bike to (Iron Horse BMW in Tucson, GoAZ in Peoria) have been great in trying to resolve the issue, but unfortunately have not been successful. The problem remains. I have spent WAY TOO MANY hours scheduling my time and then hanging out at the dealership while they're trying to figure this out.

This is from the Arizona Lemon Law: "The same nonconformity has been subject to repair four or more times by the manufacturer, its agents or authorized dealers but the nonconformity continues to exist".

I'm not sure how to proceed since ---

#1 Prior to purchase was told the 2020's didn't leak = leaking after first ride home.

#2 I've had the rebuild kit installed (600 miles) = still leaking.

#3 Replaced the calipers (6000 miles) = still leaking.

#4 Told the fluid leaking was just "residual" under the bleeder caps (6250 miles) = still leaking (even after returning home, days later, still leaking).

I've paid a premium price to purchase a BMW motorcycle, which has been nothing but problems. I've owned Japanese bikes for over 35 years and have never had any continuing issues. Beyond frustrated.

I would like this problem fixed or a new replacement motorcycle that does not have any problems. This bike is a lemon.

Thank you,

Hmm... Based on all of the things tried by the dealers so far, I find it difficult to believe that the calipers are responsible. It does not make sense because they have replaced them. Unless you have the really horrible luck of getting two new calipers which have exactly the same issue. There's nothing in the bike itself that can cause the calipers to start leaking all of a sudden other than the calipers.

Of course there is another possibility. The only thing that makes sense to me is that BMW has gotten a batch of defective calipers from Hayes and that they replaced them with two equally defective calipers in your case. Not the dealers fault. This would also tend to indicate that it's not the seals that are the problem, but that the calipers themselves are. I have a very early R1250RT and have no issue with leaking calipers. In fact, I just completed my 12k service on the bike and the calipers were bone dry.

I think BMW has a bunch of defective calipers on their hands and simply have not figured it out yet, or they have and you are now stuck waiting for calipers from a new batch. Compounding the problem is they don't have enough stock on hand yet.

I'd be pissed too. Really pissed. With BMW, it's truly a crap shoot as to whether or not you get a good bike or one with a basket full of trouble.

 

[PoorUB]

Wrong. The R1250Rs are not part of the recall. The Rs have Brembo calipers. The recall is for the bikes with Hayes calipers.

Crap, I read it as RT.

 

[PGlaves]

The calipers that are being recalled apparently leak because a groove was machined slightly too deep for the cross section of the fitted O rings on some apparently unknown number of calipers. When the machine is set slightly wrong this is the result.

 

[Motor32]

I made this video and also started another post on my experience.

Steve

 

[DougA]

Happy ending: I bought a 2019 brand new in March. It was leaking in the show room. Had to wait until May for replacement calipers to come in before delivery. All fixed now. 7,100 km (4,400mi) on the clock now and still bone dry (I just checked).
(In Canada).
I have the gold calipers if that matters.

 

[exgman]

Here's a link to the NHTSA PDF issued on 8/31/2020: https://static.nhtsa.gov/odi/rcl/2020/RCRIT-20V476-7338.pdf