2004 BMW R SERIES — Problems, Recalls & Safety Data

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 BMW R-SERIES. THE CONTACT STATED THAT HE SMELLED FUEL BEING EMITTED FROM THE VEHICLE WHILE IT WAS PARKED IN A RESIDENTIAL GARAGE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER FOR DIAGNOSIS AND THE CONTACT WAS INFORMED THAT THE O-RING IN THE FUEL LINE QUICK-DISCONNECT COUPLING WOULD NEED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED. THE CONTACT WAS THEN INFORMED OF A RECALL FOR THE FAILURE UNDER NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER: 04V028000 (FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:DELIVERY:HOSES, LINES/PIPING, AND FITTINGS). THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED BUT ADVISED THE CONTACT THAT HIS VIN WAS NOT INCLUDED IN THE RECALL AND OFFERED NO FURTHER ASSISTANCE. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 20,000. UPDATED 12/21/12*LJ UPDATED 1/7/2013 *JS

WHILE DRIVING ON THE HIGHWAY (IN A WORK ZONE), FUEL BEGAN SPRAYING FROM THE RIGHT SIDE OF THE MOTORCYCLE AND THE VEHICLE LOST POWER. AFTER PULLING TO THE SHOULDER OF THE ROAD AND TURNING THE VEHICLE OFF, GASOLINE CONTINUED TO LEAK ONTO THE HOT EXHAUST PIPES AND VAPORIZED INTO A CLOUD OF SMOKE. FORTUNATELY, THE LEAKING FUEL DID NOT IGNITE. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO AN AUTHORIZED BMW REPAIR FACILITY WHERE IT WAS DETERMINED THAT THE "MALE" SIDE OF THE FUEL LINE QUICK-DISCONNECT COUPLING HAD CRACKED. THE ORIGINAL PART IS MADE OUT OF PLASTIC BUT THE REPLACEMENT PART HAS BEEN UPGRADED TO METAL. NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER 04V028000 ADDRESSES A SIMILAR PROBLEM WITH THIS SAME COMPONENT, HOWEVER, IT DOES NOT INCLUDE ALL VEHICLES WITH THE PLASTIC FUEL LINE QUICK-DISCONNECT COUPLING. THIS RECALL CAMPAIGN SHOULD BE EXPANDED TO INCLUDE ALL VEHICLES WITH THE PLASTIC FUEL LINE QUICK-DISCONNECT COUPLING.

BMW MOTORCYCLE FINAL DRIVE FAILURES. IN 2001 I PURCHASED A NEW BMW R1100RT. APPROXIMATELY ONE YEAR INTO OWNERSHIP 25K MILES THE FINAL DRIVE FAILED WHILE I WAS RIDING. I THOUGHT THE REAR WHEEL WAS FALLING OFF. I WAS ABLE TO GET THE BIKE STOPPED WITHOUT INCIDENT. I WAS TRAVELING APPROXIMATELY 70 MPH. THIS WAS A VERY DANGEROUS SITUATION, NOT ONLY WAS THE REAR WHEEL LEANING TO ONE SIDE THE WHOLE REAR HALF OF THE MOTORCYCLE WAS COVERED WITH OIL, RESULTING IN NON WORKING REAR BRAKE AND A OIL COVERED TIRE AND WHEEL. BIKE WAS REPAIRED . BUY THE TIME I MADE IT HOME FROM MY TRIP THE REAR DRIVE WAS FALLING APART AGAIN. FINALLY IT WAS REPAIRED AGAIN. AFTER THAT I LOST ALL CONFIDENCE IN THAT BIKE, THINKING HOW UNSAFE THE SITUATION WAS. IN 04 I TRADED THE BIKE IN ON A NEW BMW GS1150 ADVENTURE. WAS ON A EXTENSIVE TRIP THROUGHOUT THE WESTERN UNITED STATES. JUST LAST WEEK 7/21/10. HEADING HOME. WHILE NEAR STURGIS SD. I FELT A STRANGE VIBRATION WHICH WAS GETTING WORSE BY THE SECOND. I EXITED THE FREEWAY AT THE NEAREST EXIT, PULLING INTO A PARKING LOT I GOT OFF THE BIKE TO FIND THE WHOLE REAR HALF OF THE MOTORCYCLE COVERED IN OIL AND OIL RUNNING OUT OF THE FAILED FINAL DRIVE. ONCE AGAIN THIS A VERY DANGEROUS SITUATION ON A MOTORCYCLE. AFTER A FEW DAYS IT WAS REPAIRED AND I MADE IT HOME OK. BMW KNOWS THERE IS A DESIGN FLAW IN THEIR FINAL DRIVE DESIGN RENDERING THEM SUSCEPTIBLE TO A FINAL DRIVE FAILURE. BUT THEY WILL NEVER ADMIT IT. WHEN THIS HAPPENS IT CREATES A VERY DANGEROUS SITUATION FOR THE RIDER, AS THERE IS USUALLY OIL ALL OVER THE BIKE, THE REAR WHEEL AND TIRE AND THE REAR BRAKES WHICH RENDER THEM USELESS. SOMETHING NEEDS TO BE DONE TO GET BMW TO ADMIT THIS VERY DANGEROUS PROBLEM AND FIGURE OUT HOW TO FIX IT. *TR

RIGHT REAR TURN SIGNAL STEM JUST FEEL OFF NEAR THE SIGNAL LIGHT. PLASTIC JUST BROKE AFTER A 175 MILE RIDE TO RIDGEWAY COLORADO. LESS THAN A 32ND OFF AN INCH KEEPING IT IN PLACE. HAD TO FINISH THE LAST 60 MILES WITH OUT IT.*AK