2000 BMW BMW Motorcycle

THIS PE WAS OPENED AFTER NHTSA RECEIVED 3 VOQS CONCERNING ALLEGED FRONT AXLE SEPARATIONS ON CERTAIN BMW F650 GS MODEL MOTORCYCLES SOLD FOR USE IN THE UNITED STATES (THE SUBJECT VEHICLES).COMPLAINTS INVOLVING MOTORCYCLES IN NON-US MARKETS ARE NOT COUNTED IN THIS TOTAL.AFTER GATHERING ADDITIONAL INFORMATION ABOUT THIS SUBJECT, WE ARE NOW AWARE OF FOUR CONFIRMED INCIDENTS INVOLVING MODEL YEAR 2001-2003 SUBJECT VEHICLES.ALL FOUR BIKES WERE BUILT BEFORE SEPTEMBER, 2002.OF THESE, TWO INVOLVE MY 2001 BIKES AND THE OTHER TWO, MY'S 2002 AND 2003, RESPECTIVELY.THE INCIDENTS OCCURRED IN 2002, 2003, AND TWO IN 2008.IN EACH INSTANCE, THE LUG FRACTURES ARE FORCED FRACTURES RATHER THAN FATIGUE-RELATED.BETWEEN OCTOBER 1999 AND SEPTEMBER, 2002, BMW BUILT APPROXIMATELY 4,300 SUBJECT VEHICLES.AFTER SEPTEMBER 12, 2002, ALL F650GS'S WERE BUILT WITH REINFORCED LOWER FORK TUBES TO REDUCE, ACCORDING TO BMW,THE POSSIBILITY OF ANY SIGNIFICANT FRACTURE THAT COULD OCCUR AT THE FORK LEG AXLE LUG AREADURING A CRASH.BMW TOOK THIS ACTION BECAUSE THE SUBJECT VEHICLES ARE DESIGNED FOR OFF-ROAD USE WHERE CRASHES (MANY MINOR) ARE COMMON AND DID NOT WANT RIDERS TO HAVE TO DEAL WITH A BROKEN FORK AS A RESULT.CURRENTLY, THERE IS NO DATA CONCLUSIVELY ESTABLISHING THAT THE SUBJECT FORK LUGS ARE SEPARATING BEFORE AN ALLEGED CRASH OCCURS.ADDITIONALLY, THE INFREQUENT, SPORADIC, AND RANDOM NATURE OF THE FAILURES FAILS TO ESTABLISH A DEFECT TREND CURRENTLY EXISTS.A SAFETY-RELATED DEFECT HAS NOT BEEN IDENTIFIED AT THIS TIME AND FURTHER USE OF AGENCY RESOURCES DOES NOT APPEAR TO BE WARRANTED.ACCORDINGLY, THIS INVESTIGATION IS CLOSED.THE CLOSING OF THIS INVESTIGATION DOES NOT CONSTITUTE A FINDING BY NHTSA THAT A SAFETY-RELATED DEFECT DOES NOT EXIST.THE AGENCY WILL TAKE FURTHER ACTION IF WARRANTED BY THE CIRCUMSTANCES.

BMW IS CONDUCTING A RECALL (04V-028).AN INFORMATION REQUEST(IR)RESPONSE WAS NOT RECEIVED. UPON BMW'S RECEIPT OF THE IR, AND AFTER DISCUSSIONS WITH ODI, BMWDETERMINED THAT A RECALL WAS NECESSARY. ON CERTAIN MOTORCYCLES, THE O-RING CONTAINED WITHIN THE FUEL LINE QUICK-DISCONNECT COUPLING COULD BECOME DAMAGED.FURTHER, THERE IS ALSO A PROBLEM INVOLVING CRIMP-TYPE HOSE CLAMPS, WHICH CAN ALSO RESULT IN A SMALL FUEL LEAK.DEALERS WILL INSPECT, AND IF NECESSARY, ADJUST ALL CRIMP-TYPE HOSE CLAMPS.ALSO ALL FUEL LINE QUICK-DISCONNECT COUPLINGS WILL BE INSPECTED.IF A LEAK IS DETECTED, THE QUICK-DISCONNECT O-RING WILL BE REPLACED.IF DAMAGED, THE COUPLING WILL BE REPLACED.OWNER NOTIFICATION IS EXPECTED TO BEGIN DURING FEBRUARY 2004.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2000 BMW F-650 (NA). WHILE TRAVELING 35 MPH, THE CONTACT NOTICED SMOKE COMING FROM THE REAR OF THE VEHICLE. WITHIN SECONDS, THE REAR OF THE VEHICLE WAS ON FIRE. THE FIRE DEPARTMENT WAS CALLED TO EXTINGUISH THE FIRE AND A REPORT WAS FILED FOR THE INCIDENT. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE DEALER. THE MANUFACTURER REP ADVISED THAT THE FAILURE WAS DUE TO AN AFTERMARKET BATTERY AND THE WIRING. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THERE WERE NO PRIOR WARNINGS OF THE FAILURE. THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 30,000. UPDATED 3/7/11 *CN THE CONSUMER LEARNED THE PROBLEM WAS DUE TO THE VOLTAGE REGULATOR. UPDATED 03/14/11

NHTSA ID

10350626

Incident

Jul 27, 2010

Mileage

30,000 mi

REAR UNIT FINAL DRIVE . *TR

NHTSA ID

10275623

Incident

Jun 22, 2009

Mileage

46,000 mi

EVIDENCE OF CRACKING TO LOWER ALUMINUM FORK LEGS ON BMW F650 GS MOTORCYCLE MANUFACTURED IN 2000 WITH POTENTIAL SEVERE CONSEQUENCES IF TOTAL FAILURE OCCURS WHILST MOTORCYCLE IN USE ON PUBLIC ROADS FROM PROPAGATION OF CRACKS THROUGH NORMAL USE.(ROAD VIBRATIONS ETC) THIS VEHICLE HAS COVERED A TOTAL OF APPROXIMATELY 22,000 MILES SINCE FIRST REGISTRATION AND 12,000 MILES OF THOSE HAVE BEEN UNDER MY OWNERSHIP. REFERENCE TO OTHER REPORT NO'S 10244404, 10238415, 10245369. *TR

NHTSA ID

10250116

Incident

Mar 16, 2007

Mileage

22,000 mi

THE FRONT AND REAR BRAKES TOTALLY FAILED WHEN THE ABS WAS USED ON A DIRT ROAD. STANDING ON THE REAR BRAKE FOOT PEDDLE AND SQUEEZING THE FRONT BRAKE HAND LEVER AS HARD AS POSSIBLE HAD NO EFFECT WHATSOEVER. JUST AS IF THEY WERENT EVEN USED. SECONDS EARLIER THE BRAKES WORKED PERFECTLY. AND AFTER RESTARTING THE MOTORCYCLE THEY WORKED PROPERLY AGAIN. IT IS UNBELIEVABLE TO ME THAT AN ABS SYSTEM WOULD BE DESIGNED IS A WAY THAT WHEN IT FAILED IT RENDERED THE BRAKES TOTALLY INOPERABLE: THE EXACT OPPOSITE OF FAIL SAFE. IN ONE CASE I NEARLY RAN OFF A CLIFF AT UNDER TEN MILES PER HOUR. ONCE I FIGURED OUT WHAT CAUSED THE PROBLEM I TURNED THE ABS OFF WHEN RIDING ON DIRT. NOT LONG AFTER THE LAST INCIDENT THE ABS QUIT WORKING COMPLETELY. THE DEALER TOLD ME THE TROUBLE CODE SAID THE ABS MODULATOR HAD A STUCK PISTON. I HAVE NOT YET REPLACED THE MODULATOR FIGURING I WAS MUCH SAFER WITHOUT THE ABS.

NHTSA ID

10201261

Incident

Jul 14, 2005

Mileage

25,000 mi

MISHLER BMW OF BEAVER DAM, WI INSTALLED A NEW PAIR OF METZLER ME880 TIRES ON MY 2000 BMW K1200 LT MOTORCYCLE RIMS ON AUGUST,5 2005. I INSTALLED THESE RIMS ON AUGUST,6 2005 AND PROCEEDED TO DRIVE APPOX. FIVE MILES. WHILE MAKING A RIGHT TURN ONTO A HIGHWAY THE BIKE STARTED TO SLIDE OUT FROM UNDERNEATH ME, I PUT MY RIGHT LEG DOWN IN AN ATTEMPT TO SUPPORT THE BIKE. THIS RESULTED IN A FRACTURE TO MY ANKLE AND LOWER LEG. I BELIEVE THIS ACCIDENT WAS A DIRECT RESULT OF THE RELEASE AGENT USED TO UNMOLD THE TIRES DURING THE MANUFACTURING PROCESS STILL ON THE TIRE. *JB

NHTSA ID

10134935

Incident

Aug 6, 2005

Mileage

68,000 mi

FAILURE OF THE FINAL DRIVE UNIT ON A 2000 BMW K1200LT MOTORCYCLE. *NM

NHTSA ID

10132253

Incident

Jun 20, 2005

Mileage

49,188 mi

ABS FAILURE

NHTSA ID

10127222

Incident

Jun 23, 2005

Mileage

3,200 mi

RIDING ON SUMMER VACATION 2500 MILES FROM HOME. FINAL DRIVE BEARING AND OIL SEAL FAILED COATING THE REAR TIRE OF MY MOTORCYCLE WITH OIL THE BEARING FAILURE COULD HAVE CAUSE REAR WHEEL LOCK UP. OIL LEAK FROM THE SEAL FAILING COVERED REAR TIRE AND REAR BRAKE PADS WITH OIL. BRAKE PADS HAD TO BE REPLACED FROM EXPOSURE TO OIL. CRASH WAS AVOIDED IN THIS CASE. OZZIE'S BMW PICKED BIKE UP AND MADE REPAIRS WITH HIS IN STOCK PARTS. DEALER HAS SEEN THIS FAILURE BEFORE AND WAS READY TO MAKE THIS REPAIR AGAIN--THUS HE HAD THE PARTS IN STOCK. *AK

NHTSA ID

10093619

Incident

Jul 13, 2002

Mileage

34,000 mi

BMW: PROCEDURE FOR DETERMINING AND REPLACING INCANDESCENT AND HALOGEN LIGHT BULBS UNDER WARRANTY. *RM

BMW VEHICLES: FUEL LEVEL SENSOR REPAIRS. WHERE IT IS NECESSARY TO REPLACE THE RIGHT OR THE LEFT SIDE FUEL LEVEL SENSOR DUE TO A FAILURE, THE ENTIRE PUMP AND HOUSING OR DELIVERY UNIT (SUCTION JET ASSEMBLY) DO NOT NEED TO BE REPLACED AS WELL. IN SOME CASES, EPC DOES NOT SHOW THAT THE REPAIR KIT IS AVAILABLE SEPARATELY IN THE ILLUSTRATION, BUT IT IS AVAILABLE IN THE PARTS DESCRIPTION. ALL MODELS. NO MODEL YEARS LISTED. *PE

BMW MOTORCYCLE: ENGINE FUELS CONTAINING ETHANOL. BMW MOTORRAD HAS NO OBJECTION TO THE USE OF SI ENGINE FUELS CONTAINING UP TO A MAXIMUM OF 10% ETHANOL AND IMPOSES NO WARRANTY RESTRICTIONS. ETHANOL MIXTURES IN PROPORTIONS HIGHER THAN 10% CAN HAVE AN ADVERSE EFFECT ON PERFORMANCE AND CAN RESULT IN DAMAGE TO COMPONENTS THAT COME INTO CONTRACT WITH FUEL. NO WARRANTY CLAIMS WHATSOEVER FOR DAMAGE CAUSED IN THIS WAY WILL BE ACCEPTED. NO MODEL YEARS LISTED. *PE

INFORMATION REGARDING REPLACEMENT TIRES. **MR

INFORMATION REGARDING E46 M52TU / B25 WITH ZF 5HP19 AS OF 3/2000 PRODUCTION. **MR

SUBJECT REGARDING MISSING / INCORRECT COMPONENT LOCATIONS IN ETM FOR 2000 MODEL YEAR VEHICLES FROM 4/99. *TT