2000 BMW K1200LT

The Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) received a defect petition requesting that it open an investigation into model year (MY) 1998-2009 BMW KLT series motorcycles for final drive bearing failures.The petitioner asked NHTSA to issue an order that [BMW] be required to recall the affected models for inspection ofcomponent wear and proper assembly of the [final drive] bearing.ODI has reviewed the petition, assessed relevant consumer complaints, and gathered other data in the course of investigating this issue.Based on its review, ODI does not believe that a safety-related defect trend currently exists for final drive bearing failures in the subject motorcycles.Therefore, in view of the need to allocate and prioritize NHTSA's limited resources to accomplish the agency's safety mission, the petition is denied.However, the agency will continue to monitor information related to this issue and will take further action if warranted.For detailed information, see the Federal Register notice: https://federalregister.gov/a/2013-13779.

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.

AVON STORM 3 MOTORCYCLE FRONT TIRE DEVELOPED A FLAT AREA AFTER ONLY 1500 MILES. TIRE IS OUT OF ROUND.

NHTSA ID

11221970

Incident

May 24, 2019

Mileage

111,500 mi

DP12001 THE FINAL DRIVE FAILED AT 74,000 MILES WITH THE BEARING FAILING AND THE SEAL LEAKING OIL ONTO THE REAR WHEEL. AFTER REPAIR AT AN AUTHORIZE BMW MOTORCYCLE DEALER THE FINAL DRIVE FAILED A SECOND TIME AT 91,000 MILES.

NHTSA ID

10817228

Incident

Sep 9, 2013

Mileage

74,000 mi

WHILE TRAVELING ON INTERSTATE HIGHWAY I NOTICED A NEW RHYTHMIC VIBRATION TRANSMITTED THROUGH FOOTPEGS, VARIED SPEED & VIBRATION RATE ALSO VARIED. STOPPED, CHECKED WHEELS & TIRES, NO DEFECTS NOTED, CONTINUED TO DESTINATION. PARKED MOTORCYCLE ON IT'S CENTER STAND, REMOVED HELMET, GLOVES, JACKET & STOWED. VISUALLY INSPECTED MOTORCYCLE APPROXIMATELY 15 MINUTES LATER & FOUND FINAL DRIVE LUBE DRIPPING FROM FINAL DRIVE, REAR BRAKE CALIPER ONTO REAR WHEEL, RUNNING DOWN RH SIDE OF REAR TIRE AND DRIPPING ON THE FLOOR. FLUID LOSS AT THAT POINT ESTIMATED TO BE APROX. 1 TEASPOON. ROTATING REAR WHEEL FOUND ROTATION "NOTCHY"/NOT SMOOTH, TURNING FASTER BY HAND COULD HEAR RUMBLE. SUSPECT CROWN BEARING CAGE FAILURE, FURTHER DAMAGING SEAL. DRAINED FINAL DRIVE, FOUND FLUID VERY DARK WITH METAL PARTICLES SUSPENDED IN FLUID. MAGNETIC DRAIN PLUG COATED WITH FLAKES & SLUDGE OVER 1/4 INCH THICK. EXAMINED DRAINED FLUID & FOUND PIECES OF SEAL MATERIAL. PHOTOGRAPHED ALL FINDINGS. FINAL DRIVE HAS BEEN REMOVED FOR REPAIRS. FINAL DRIVE HAS HAD REGULAR, SCHEDULED FLUID CHANGES WITH NO ABNORMALITIES NOTED, LAST CHANGE AT 52K MILES, NEXT CHANGE WOULD HAVE BEEN 60K MILES. A CATASTROPHIC FAILURE OF THE CROWN BEARING COULD CAUSE LOSS OF CONTROL OF THE MOTORCYCLE, AND POTENTIALLY SERIOUS INJURY TO A RIDER &/OR PASSENGER. SUSPECT THAT THE PRELOAD ON THE BEARING WAS SET TOO HIGH FROM THE FACTORY & THAT THE DAMAGE PROGRESSION CAUSED BY THIS ERROR WAS EXPONENTIAL OVER TIME. *TR

NHTSA ID

10682576

Incident

Feb 8, 2015

Mileage

57,800 mi

THE FINAL DRIVE FAILED AND THE BEARING SEAL LEAKED OIL ON THE REAR TIRE. *JB

NHTSA ID

10544316

Incident

Sep 9, 2013

Mileage

74,870 mi

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2000 BMW K1200 LT MOTORCYCLE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 70 MPH, THE REAR OF THE VEHICLE BEGAN TO WOBBLE AS IF THERE WAS A FLAT TIRE. THE CONTACT MERGED TO THE SHOULDER AND INSPECTED THE VEHICLE BUT THERE WAS NO VISIBLE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO A DEALER WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE FINAL DRIVE BALL BEARING NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED BUT THE FAILURE RECURRED. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 25,035 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 31,500.

NHTSA ID

10526460

Incident

Jul 8, 2009

Mileage

25,035 mi

I HAD TAKEN A TRIP TO ATLANTA, GA 700 MILES ONE WAY AND THE FOLLOWING WEEK WAS RIDING TO AND FROM WORK. THERE WAS A NOISE THAT I COULD NO IDENTIFY. I TOOK IT TO THE DEALER AND THEY TOLD ME THAT I HAD A REAR BEARING PROBLEM. THIS WAS THE SECOND REAR BEARING TO GO OUT ON ME. *TR

NHTSA ID

10507404

Incident

Jun 16, 2009

Mileage

42,537 mi

I WAS TRAVELING WITH FRIENDS BACK HOME FROM A 200 MILE TRIP. THE BIKE STARTED MAKING NOISE IN THE REAR AND ONE OF THE RIDERS WITH ME SAID THAT MY BIKE WAS NOT ACTING WRIGHT. WE STOPPED LOOKED AT MY REAREND AND OIL WAS LEAKING. I GOT BACK ON BIKE TO MAKE IT HOME AND THE LONGER I RODE THE MORE NOISE IT MADE. TOOK IT TO THE DEALER AND WAS TOLD THAT MY REAREND BEARINGS HAD GONE OUT. *TR

NHTSA ID

10507402

Incident

Mar 23, 2005

Mileage

15,378 mi

MY FINAL DRIVE MAIN BEARING FAILED AS I WAS TRAVELING ON THE TURNPIKE. FORTUNATELY, I WAS AWARE OF THIS POTENTIAL AND HAD INSTALLED A CHIP DETECTOR IN THE FINAL DRIVE UNIT. THAT ALERTED ME OF THE FAILURE BEFORE IT BECAME AN IMMEDIATE DANGER TO ME. SUBSEQUENT REBUILD OF THE UNIT SHOWED THAT THE ORIGINAL BEARING HAD BEEN OVER-SHIMMIED TO .30MM WHEN THE FACTORY SPECIFICATION CALLS FOR .05MM TO .10MM. AS FAR AS I AM AWARE, THIS WAS DONE AT THE FACTORY. THIS MEASURED OVER-SHIM IS ALSO CONSISTENT WITH THE GALLING OF THE INNER RACE WHICH WAS VISIBLY OFF CENTER AND AT ABOUT 45 DEGREES TO THE AXIS OF THE BEARING WHERE THE LOAD SHOULD HAVE BEEN ON THE RACE. I HAVE RETAINED THE RACE IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO SEE IT. *TR

NHTSA ID

10483257

Incident

Sep 19, 2011

Mileage

46,300 mi

With the introduction of the new watertight fuse box a change was made from large type fuses to mini fuses. While the correct fuses are installed in the fuse box, the older, large type fuses were supplied in the on-board tool kit.

Map data should be stored on a 64 GB SD card. In GARMIN Express the note appears that a maximum of 32 GB is possible.

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: WHEEL SPEED DEPENDENT, CLEARLY AUDIBLE CLANKING NOISE OCCURS WHEN BRAKING TO ADJUST SPEED. E SERIES (K25; K25/02; K25/03; K25/11; K25/12; K25/HP; K26; K27; K28; K29; K29/HP; K40; K41; K43; K43/HV; K44; K589/03; K71). 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