NHTSA Complaint #10430822 — 2006 BMW K1200 S

THE BIKE HAD BEEN SERVICED ABOUT 3 WEEKS BEFORE. I WAS RIDING A 3 MILE TRIP INTO TOWN AND NOTICED A STRONG GASOLINE SMELL, THINKING IT WAS THE CAR I WAS BEHIND, HOWEVER IT INCREASED, AND WHEN I GOT TO TOWN, IT WAS OBVIOUS THAT IT WAS COMING FROM MY M CYCLE, AND HAD GOT VERY STRONG. I CALLED THE SERVICE PEOPLE WHO CAME AND TOOK IT AWAY. THERE WAS A FLOW OF FUEL UNDER THE TANK ON THE INSIDE OF THE FAIRING, AND THE SMELL WAS OVERPOWERING. (THE SYSTEM IS ALWAYS POSITIVE PRESSURE, EVEN WHEN NOT ON, APPARENTLY). MY MECHANIC, WHO USED TO BE LEAD MECHANIC AT THE LOCAL BMW M CYCLE SHOP DISCOVERED THAT THEIR WERE FOUR CRACKS AT THE BASE OF THE FLANGE, WHERE THE FUEL FLOWS FROM. IT IS A CRITICAL SAFETY ISSUE, BECAUSE THEIR IS ONLY A THIN HEAT SHIELD SEPARATING THIS FROM AN OPEN ALTERNATOR, THROWING OUT SPARKS. THE VAPOR COULD VERY EASILY IGNITE. IT WAS REPLACED AT MY COST, BUT THE CYCLE IS ONLY 5 YEARS OLD, GARAGED AND ONLY 24000 EASY MILES, BUT THIS FAILED, AND COULD HAVE EXPLODED, THE VAPOR WAS THAT BAD. I TOOK IT TO THE LOCAL BMW SHOP, THEY EXAMINED THE FAILED PUMP, AND ADVISED ME TO CONTACT BMW SERVICE. I HAVE EMAILED THEM 4 TIMES AND CALLED THEM 4 TIMES SINCE INFORMING THEM OF THE PROBLEM, BUT APART FROM ONE MISSED CALL WITH THEM LAST THURSDAY, I HAVE NOT HEARD BACK FROM THEM. THEIR SERVICE IS NON EXISTENT. THIS IS A MAJOR SAFETY ISSUE, HIGH PRESSURE FUEL VAPORS, IF I WAS UNDER HIGH TOURING SPEED FOR INSTANCE, WITH THE PROXIMITY OF THE ALTERNATOR COULD LEAD TO THE CYCLE CATCHING FIRE, EVEN "BLOWING UP". THERE WERE FOUR CRACKS ON THE BASE OF THE FUEL PUMP FLANGE. I THINK THEY WANT TO BLAME ETHANOL, THE LOCAL SHOP SAYS THAT IS THE CASE, BUT THEY HAD A SIMILAR PROBLEM WITH THE 1200R SERIES AND REPLACED IT WITH METAL INSTEAD OF PLASTICS. THANK YOU FOR YOUR HELP WITH THIS, I AM SURE OTHERS HAVE HAD THIS PROBLEM, IT NEEDS TO BE RECOGNIZED AND STOPPED. *TR