NHTSA Complaint #10403676 — 2005 BMW K1200 S

MY 2005 BMW K1200S HAS HAD AN ENGINE FAILURE. WHILE HEADING WEST ON I 110 IN HARRISION COUNTY I HAD NOTICED A SLIGHT JERK IN THE ENGINE, 5 SECONDS LATER I HAD A SUDDEN EXPLOSION. I HAD THOUGHT I HAD A BLOWOUT ON THE REAR TIRE BUT AS I WAS TRYING TO CONTROL THE MOTORCYCLE I NOTICED A HUGE AMOUNT OF SMOKE BEHIND ME THAT FILLED THE INTERSTATE ON BOTH SIDES THAT WAS VERY DENSE. WHEN FINALLY COMING TO A STOP JUST PAST THE PASS CHRISTIAN EXIT IN THE SERVICE LANE I NOTICED OIL POURING FROM THE BOTTOM OF THE MOTOR. HAD THE TRAFFIC BEEN HEAVY I'M SURE I WOULD HAVE BEEN RAN OVER OR CAUSED AN ACCIDENT IN EITHER LANES OF TRAFFIC.LOOKING AT THE BIKE AND REMOVING THE LEFT BODY PANEL, I FOUND A HOLE ABOUT 3 INCHES BY 2 INCHES WITH THE CONNECTOR ROD HANGING OUT OF THE HOLE. IT APPEARS THE COLLAR CONNECTING THE ROD TO THE CAM SHAFT BECAME LOSE AND CAME APART. THE SCREWS ARE STILL IN THE COLLAR AND LOSE WITH NO HEAD.THE ENGINE HAD PLENTY OF OIL AS I ALWAYS MAKE SURE THE LEVEL IS GOOD BEFORE GOING LONG DISTANCES. I CONTACTED MY DEALER AND TOLD THEM WHAT HAD HAPPENED. THEY HAD TOLD ME THEY NEVER HAD HEARD OF THAT HAPPENING BEFORE AND THOUGHT FOR SURE THAT BMW WOULD TAKE CARE OF THIS PROBLEM. BUT AFTER THEY CONTACTED BMW THEY SAID NO. I CONTACTED BMW OF NORTH AMERICA AND AFTER GOING BACK AND FORTH WITH THEM AND ALL THE RED TAPE IT CAME TO THIS. BMW TOLD ME IF IT IS A DEFECT ON THERE PART OR NOT, THEY WERE NOT GOING TO DO ANY REPAIRS WHAT SO EVER. TOLD ME A NEW MOTOR WAS ABOUT 11 THOUSAND DOLLARS. SO, I HAVE A K1200S SITTING IN MY SHED IN WHICH I AM STILL MAKING PAYMENTS ON. BEFORE THIS EPISODE I THOUGHT I DID NOTICE A SLIGHT RATTLE IN THE ENGINE WHEN TAKING OFF BUT I THOUGHT IT WAS JUST THE VALVES TAPPING BECAUSE I WAS DUE FOR A SERVICE. I HAVE DONE SOME RESEARCH ON THIS AND HAVE FOUND A FEW OTHERS WITH THE SAME PROBLEM IDENTICAL TO MINE. MY DEALER DID TAKE AN OIL SAMPLE TO HAVE IT ANALYZED BUT I NEVER HEARD ANYTHING ABOUT IT. *TR