NHTSA Complaint #10536439 — 2007 BMW R1200 RT

SIRS, I AM THE ORIGINAL PURCHASER/OWNER OF A BMW R1200RT MOTORCYCLE, VIN# [XXX]. I HAVE HAD TO REPLACE THE FUEL GAUGE SENSOR (PART # 16147675547 - SENSOR AND # 16117677883 - GASKET) THREE TIMES ALREADY. NOW IT HAS FAILED AGAIN. THIS IS THE 4TH TIME IT HAS NEEDED TO BE REPLACED IN 6 YEARS. I CONTACTED MY DEALER (BMW MOTORCYCLES OF COUNTRYSIDE IL) AND SPOKE WITH SERVICE MANAGER [XXX]. [XXX] INFORMED THAT MY LAST FUEL SENSOR REPLACEMENT WAS 27 MONTHS AGO AND THEREFORE IT WILL NOT BE COVERED UNDER WARRANTY (24 MONTH), DESPITE IT HAVING FAILED AND BEEN REPLACED MULTIPLE TIMES AND DESPITE THE FACT THAT THE MOTORCYCLE HAS LESS THAN 14,000 MILES ON IT. HE THEN ESTIMATED IT WOULD COST ME $350 TO REPLACE THE SENSOR. IF THIS WAS THE FIRST TIME I HAD TO REPLACE THE SENSOR, I WOULD UNHAPPILY PAY THE $350 AND ATTRIBUTE IT TO THE MOTORCYCLE BEING 7 YEARS OLD AS THE MILEAGE IS NEGLIGIBLE. BUT THIS IS NOT THE CASE. THIS PART HAS REPEATEDLY FAILED. [XXX] ACKNOWLEDGED THAT THIS IS A WIDESPREAD AND RECURRENT PROBLEM. MY OWN RESEARCH INDICATES THAT MULTITUDES OF BMW R1200 MODEL MOTORCYCLE OWNERS HAVE ALSO BEEN EXPERIENCING MULTIPLE AND REPETITIVE FUEL SENSOR FAILURES FOR MANY YEARS. THIS ISSUE IS DOCUMENTED UNDER NHTSA ID # 10033130 AND BMW SERVICE BULLETIN NO. SIB-16-02-09. THIS R1200RT IS THE MOST EXPENSIVE MOTORCYCLE I HAVE EVER PURCHASED. I FIND IT UNCONSCIONABLE THAT BMW EXPECTS ME TO PAY THE FULL REPLACEMENT COST OF A PART THAT HAS REQUIRED MULTIPLE REPLACEMENTS OVER THE COURSE OF 14,000 MILES, A PART THAT OBVIOUSLY IS THE SUBJECT OF AN INHERENT DESIGN/MANUFACTURING FLAW. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6). *TR