NHTSA Complaint #10501063 — 2000 BMW R1100

I EXPERIENCED A SIMILAR FAILURE AS DESCRIBED IN ODI NO. 10439549, AND CURRENTLY BEING INVESTIGATED UNDER CAMPAIGN DP12001: BMW MOTORCYCLE FINAL DRIVE FAILURE. MY 2000 BMW R1100R FINAL DRIVE HAS FAILED THREE TIMES IN 150,000 MILES. THE FIRST FAILURE OCCURRED DURING MY AFTER-MARKET WARRANTY PERIOD AT 58,378 MILES ON 5/7/2003. DUE TO THE FINAL DRIVE BEARING FAILURE, THE REAR WHEEL BECAME LOOSE, AND THE FINAL DRIVE UNIT WAS LEAKING OIL. THE UNIT WAS REPLACED BY SAN DIEGO BMW MOTORCYCLES (AT THE TIME: BRATTIN BMW) BEFORE THE UNIT FAILED CATASTROPHICALLY. THE SECOND FAILURE (THE ONE THE DEALER INSTALLED AS A REPLACEMENT) OCCURRED AT 114,000 MILES IN NOVEMBER, 2008. AGAIN, THE REAR WHEEL BECAME LOOSE AT THE BEARING, AUDIBLE GRINDING SOUND COULD BE HEARD FROM THE FAILING UNIT, AND IT WAS LEAKING GEAR OIL. I SENT THAT FINAL DRIVE UNIT TO A PRIVATE MECHANIC FOR REBUILD. THE THIRD FAILURE (OF THE REBUILT UNIT) OCCURRED AT 143,663 MILES ON 7/16/11. BY THIS TIME, I HAD BEGUN PERFORMING MY OWN ROUTINE SERVICE, AND HAD OBSERVED AN INCREASE IN THE SIZE AND AMOUNT OF METAL FLAKE ON THE FINAL DRIVE DRAIN PLUG OVER THE COURSE OF ~18 MONTHS. AT THE TIME OF REPLACEMENT, I COULD FEEL A SLIGHT GRINDING IN THE BEARING WHILE ROTATING THE REAR WHEEL, AND OIL WAS LEAKING FROM THE INPUT SHAFT SEAL. ANY TIME THAT I ASK A BMW DEALER ABOUT THE PREVALENCE OF FINAL DRIVE FAILURES, THE QUESTION IS BLOWN OFF. *TR