Owner-reported complaints naming the fuel system system, filed with NHTSA
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Reports naming fuel storage or delivery — tanks, pumps, lines, injectors and fuel leaks. Every record below is an owner-reported complaint about the 2006 BMW K1200 R submitted to NHTSA — not a confirmed defect, not a recall and not a manufacturer bulletin. 9 reports on file name it.
Complaints are reports submitted by owners and drivers to NHTSA. They are not verified and do not establish that a defect exists.
Shown in the owner’s own words, exactly as filed
My motorcycle developed a large fuel leak running over the hot engine. i found the leak to be coming from the fitting where the fuel line attaches at the fuel pump. This motorcycle already had a repair several thousand miles ago for the same issue. Apparently it wasn't fixed. correctly because it is leaking pretty bad. Was the improved part installed? If so, Is the improved part also faulty?
I HAVE COMPLAINED ABOUT THIS ISSUE MULTIPLE TIMES TO MULTIPLE BMW DEALERS AND ALL ACT LIKE THEY'VE NEVER HEARD OF WHAT I AM DESCRIBING. IT'S ALL OVER THE MESSAGE BOARDS AND THERE ARE MANY PEOPLE WITH THIS PROBLEM. ENGINE CUTS OFF WHEN THE CLUTCH IS PULLED IN AND THE IDOL DROPS. IT IS VERY DIFFICULT TO RESTART THE BIKE QUICKLY AS IT SEEMS TO NEED 30 SECONDS TO 2 MINUTES TO "REST" BEFORE PRESSING THE IGNITION BUTTON WILL DO ANYTHING. THIS HAS HAPPENED TO ME AT LOW SPEEDS AND AT HIGH SPEEDS BUT TYPICALLY UNDER SIMILAR CONDITIONS. IT OCCURS WHEN THE BIKE HAS BEEN RUNNING FOR 30 MINUTES PLUS AND IS MORE PROBLEMATIC WHEN TEMPERATURE IS ABOVE 80 DEGREES. ON MOST RIDES, IT DOES NOT HAPPEN AT ALL. THE ISSUE SEEMS TO OCCUR RANDOMLY BUT ONCE IT DOES START HAPPENING, IT CONTINUES TO HAPPEN FOR THE REMAINDER OF THE TRIP. THIS IS EXTREMELY DANGEROUS AND BMW IS BASICALLY IGNORING IT. THIS HAS HAPPENED TO ME AT VERY SLOW SPEEDS AS I COAST INTO A PARKING LOT OR GAS STATION AFTER A LONG RIDE AS WELL AS AT 70 MPH ON A CROWDED HIGHWAY WHEN I PULL IN THE CLUTCH TO DOWNSHIFT. IT HAS OCCURRED IN VERY BUSY NYC TRAFFIC AND ON HIGHWAY EXIT RAMPS. BASICALLY, ANYWHERE WHERE THE CLUTCH MAY BE NEEDED TO DOWNSHIFT OR COAST TO A STOP IS A POTENTIAL AREA FOR THE ENGINE TO TURN OFF. SEVERAL TIMES, I HAVE BEEN STRANDED IN THE MIDDLE OF A BUSY ROAD WHERE I HAVE HAD TO GET OFF THE BIKE AND PUSH IT TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD UNTIL I COULD GET IT RESTARTED. MY ONCE BELOVED MOTORCYCLE NOW SITS IN MY GARAGE AND IS ONLY USED AS A BACK UP VEHICLE WHEN MY CAR IS NOT AVAILABLE. BMW NEEDS TO ADMIT TO THE PROBLEM AND ISSUE A RECALL BEFORE SOMEONE GETS KILLED.
FUEL STRIP INSIDE FUEL TANK THAT SENDS FUEL LEVEL INDICATIONS FAILED. THIS IS THE 4TH STRIP IN 3 YEARS. THIS PROBLEM IS PRESENT IN SEVERAL BMW MOTORCYCLES BUILT FROM 2005 TO PRESENT. *TR
WHEN I WAS STOPPED AT AN INTERSECTION I NOTICED A VERY STRONG FUEL SMELL COMING FROM MY MOTORCYCLE. I LOOKED FOR LIQUID FUEL LEAKING TO THE GROUND BUT FOUND NONE. I WAS VERY NEAR HOME, SO I RETURNED AND REMOVED THE BODY PANELS TO EXAMINE THE FUEL SYSTEM. I FOUND FUEL LEAKING FROM THE FUEL TANK/PUMP CAP DOWN ONTO THE TOP OF THE ENGINE AND ALTERNATOR. I REMOVED THE TANK AND EXAMINED THE FUEL PUMP ASSEMBLY AND FOUND MULTIPLE CRACKS RADIATING OUTWARD FROM THE PUMP OUTLET CONNECTOR. THE PLASTIC USED FOR THE FUEL PUMP CAP DOES NOT APPEAR TO BE HOLDING UP OVER TIME AND HAS CAUSED A FUEL LEAK THAT COULD CAUSE A FIRE WHEN IT COMES IN CONTACT WITH THE ALTERNATOR. THIS IS THE SECOND FUEL LEAK I HAVE HAD ON THIS MOTORCYCLE DUE TO POOR QUALITY PLASTIC COMPONENTS. *TR
THERE ARE SEVERAL CRACKS ON THE FLANGE WHERE FUEL LINE HAS A CONNECTION. THESE CRACKS ARE CAUSING FUEL TO LEAK ONTO THE MOTOR AND ALTERNATOR CREATING A FIRE HAZARD. FUEL ALSO POOLS IN AREAS WITH SENSITIVE ELECTRONICS WHERE FUEL WASN'T MEANT TO BE STORED. I HAVE NO DOUBT THAT THIS WOULD EVENTUALLY LEAD TO A FIRE THAT MOST LIKELY WOULD LEAD TO SEVERE BODILY HARM OR DEATH! IT APPEARS BMW IS AWARE OF THIS PROBLEM ALSO AS THEY HAVE UPDATED THIS PART AS WELL BUT HAVEN'T ISSUED A RECALL YET EVEN THOUGH ITS UNDER INVESTIGATION. ALL EVIDENCE SHOWS THAT BMW IS AWARE OF THESE INHERENT DESIGN FLAWS IN THIS MODEL MOTORCYCLE BUT REFUSES TO ISSUE A RECALL PUTTING THE PUBLIC AS RISK. I BELIEVE THE NHTSA NEEDS TO TAKE ACTION AND FORCE BMW TO RECALL AND REPLACE WITH THE UPDATED FUEL PUMP ASSEMBLY, INCLUDING THE FUEL PUMP CONTROLLER AND FUEL PUMP CONTROLLER GASKET. *TR
AFTER FINISHING A RIDE, HAD STRONG SMELL OF GASOLINE COMING FROM UNDER INSTRUMENT UNIT. DEALER TODAY FOUND CRACKED FUEL PUMP UNIT CAUSING BIKE TO LEAK GAS RIGHT ABOVE ENGINE. *TR
I NOTICED PETROLEUM SMELL WHEN AT A STOP LIGHT WHEN RIDING THE BIKE HOME FROM WORK. WHEN I PARKED THE BIKE ON THE SIDE STAND IN THE GARAGE FUEL BEGAN TO LEAK DOWN THE LEFT SIDE OF THE MOTORCYCLE. I IMMEDIATELY CALLED MY BMW MECHANIC WHO INFORMED ME TO RIDE THE BIKE OVER TO THE SHOP FOR INSPECTION. WHEN THE BIKE WAS PARKED AT THE SHOP THE MECHANIC OBSERVED THE FUEL LEAKING FROM THE LEFT SIDE OF THE BIKE. THEY KEPT THE BIKE AND EARLY NEXT WEEK I RECEIVED A CALL THAT THE FUEL PUMP WAS LEAKING GASOLINE. THE REPLACEMENT PRICE WAS 460 PLUS LABOR. I FEEL THAT BMW SHOULD BE RESPONSIBLE FOR REPLACEMENT OF THE DEFECTIVE PART AS THIS WAS A DANGEROUS AND POTENTIALLY FATAL OCCURRENCE AS GASOLINE WAS LEAKING ON A HOT ENGINE WITH THE POSSIBILITY OF A FIRE OR EXPLOSION BEING VERY REAL. I ALSO UNDERSTAND THAT THIS HAS HAPPENED TO SEVERAL BMW R1200 BIKES MANUFACTURED AT THE SAME TIME. *TR
I RODE BIKE TO WORK AND PARKED IT ON SIDE STAND. AFTER WORK I NOTED A WET SPOT UNDER BIKE BUT COULD NOT DETERMINE IF IT WAS OIL OR GAS. ON THE RIDE HOME I NOTED A PETROLEUM SMELL WHEN AT STOP LIGHTS. I PARKED THE BIKE IN THE GARAGE ON ITS SIDE STAND AND GASOLINE STARTED LEAKING FROM THE LEFT SIDE OF THE BIKE. I CALLED THE DEALER AND RODE IT OVER. UPON PARKING THE BIKE GAS BEGAN TO LEAK AGAIN. THE DEALER CHECKED THE BIKE CONFIRMING A GAS LEAK ORIGINATING IN THE AREA OF THE FUEL INJECTOR/DELIVERY SYSTEM. PARTS HAVE BEEN ORDERED AND IT IS SCHEDULED FOR REPAIR. *TR
WHILE RIDING THE VEHICLE, A STRONG FUEL SMELL WAS DETECTED. WHILE STOPPING TO INVESTIGATE, THE REAR TIRE LOCKED UP, BUT A CRASH WAS AVOIDED. I FOUND A LARGE VOLUME OF FUEL SPRAYING FROM BOTH SIDES OF THE MOTORCYCLE. THE FUEL CAME IN CONTACT WITH THE ALTERNATOR, THE HOT EXHAUST, AND THE REAR TIRE. BY THE TIME THE IGNITION WAS TURNED OFF TO TURN OFF THE FUEL PUMP, MY PANTS AND BOOTS HAD BEEN SATURATED WITH FUEL. UPON FURTHER INVESTIGATION, I FOUND THE PLASTIC FUEL LINE QUICK DISCONNECT COUPLER FROM THE FUEL PUMP TO THE INJECTOR SUPPLY LINE HAD CRACKED AND SEPARATED INTO TWO PIECES. THIS ITEM IS LOCATED BETWEEN THE FUEL TANK AND THE INTAKE MANIFOLD. THERE IS NO POSSIBILITY THAT AN OUTSIDE FORCE, I.E. ROAD DEBRIS, COULD HAVE COME IN CONTACT WITH THIS PART TO HAVE BROKEN IT. I CONTACTED THE DEALER AND THEY STATED THAT THEY HAVE SEEN THIS PART BREAK WITHOUT ANY OUTSIDE INFLUENCE AS WELL. THIS SORT OF FAILURE COULD EASILY RESULT IN FIRE AND/OR CRASH. THE PART NEEDS TO BE UPDATED TO A METAL CONNECTION THAT CAN WITHSTAND HEAT, VIBRATION, AND AGE TO BE SAFELY INSTALLED IN A TWO WHEELED APPLICATION. *TR
Higher-selling and older vehicles accumulate more reports. Counts are not failure rates and are not directly comparable between vehicles that sold in very different numbers.
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