NHTSA Complaint #10217488 — 2002 BMW RT SERIES

DROVE VEHICLE 10 MILES AND PARKED IN GARAGE. CAME BACK ONE HOUR LATER AND FUEL FUMES PERMEATED THE GARAGE. POOL OF FUEL OBSERVED UNDER THE RIGHT HAND CYLINDER OF 2002 BMW R1150RT MOTORCYCLE WITH FLOOR AREA OF GARAGE AND STOWED ITEMS SOAKED IN GASOLINE. EXTREME DANGER OF EXPLOSION IN GARAGE HAD WATER HEATER OR GAS FURNACE HAD STARTED TO OPERATE. QUICK DISCONNECT IN PRESSURIZED FUEL SUPPLY LINE HAD FAILED. ITEM HAD BEEN SERVICED UNDER A RECALL NOTICE 04V-028 BY SAN JOSE BMW IN JUNE 2006. INTERNET SEARCH REVEALS THIS IS A SYSTEMIC PROBLEM WITH BMW MOTORCYCLES DUE TO A 'LATENT DEFECT' IN PLASTIC BEING EMPLOYED IN THE QUICK DISCONNECT AND O RING PRONE TO FAILURE. O RING AND PLASTIC MATERIAL USED IN FUEL LINE QUICK DISCONNECT DOES NOT STAND UP TO GASOLINE, ESPECIALLY ETHANOL BLENDED GASOLINE AS USED IN CALIFORNIA SF BAY AREA. BMW AWARE OF THIS SYSTEMIC PROBLEM BUT HAS FAILED TO ACT RESPONSIBLE AND ISSUE A RECALL SPECIFYING METAL BASED (BRASS, STEEL, OR STAINLESS STEEL) QUICK DISCONNECT CONNECTORS ALONG WITH VITON O-RINGS THAT WILL WITHSTAND ETHANOL BLENDED GASOLINE AND THE 40 PSI LINE PRESSURE IN THE BMW MOTORCYCLES FUEL SUPPLY LINES TO THE FUEL INJECTION SYSTEM. FAILURE COULD RESULT IN FIRE AT SPEED ON A HIGHWAY OR AN EXPLOSION AND FIRE WHEN MOTORCYCLE IS PARKED IN AN ENCLOSED AREA SUCH AS A GARAGE WITH AN IGNITION SOURCE (HEATER/FURNACE) WHEN THESE CRITICAL FUEL SYSTEM COMPONENT(S) FAIL AND LEAK THE CONTENTS OF THE FUEL TANK TO THE FLOOR. BMW RECALL 04V-028 DOES NOT FULLY RESOLVE THIS SERIOUS HAZARD, RESULTING IN A HIGH PROBABILITY OF A MAIN FUEL SYSTEM LEAK AND POTENTIAL FOR SERIOUS INJURY AND/OR PROPERTY DAMAGE. *TR