2004 BMW R Series

UNLIKE MOST MOTORCYCLES, WHERE A SIGHT GLASS IS USED TO DETERMINE ENGINE OIL LEVEL, THE SUBJECT, AIR-COOLED, MOTORCYCLES ARE BUILT BY BMW WITH A POLYMER (PLASTIC) SIGHT GLASS THAT, IN SOME INSTANCES, MELTS DUE TO HIGH ENGINE/OIL TEMPERATURE.THIS TYPICALLY OCCURS WHEN THE MOTORCYCLE IS OPERATED CONTRARY TO BMW'S OWNER MANUAL ADMONITION: WARNING:DO NOT KEEP THE ENGINE RUNNING WHILE THE MOTORCYCLE IS AT A STANDSTILL -- RISK OF OVERHEATING AND FIRE.EACH OF THE ALLEGED FIRES OCCURRED WHILE THE MOTORCYCLE WAS PARKED AND IDLING.ODI IS UNAWARE OF ANY STRUCTURE FIRES WHERE A MELTED SIGHT GLASS IS THE ROOT CAUSE.OF THE EIGHT KNOWN FIRES, ONE OCCURRED IN 2000, THREE IN 2004 AND AGAIN IN 2005, AND ONE IN FEBRUARY, 2007.THE SUBJECT VEHICLES DO NOT HAVE AN ELEVATED FIRE-RELATED INSURANCE CLAIMS HISTORY. BASED ON THE LOW INCIDENCE RATE, IT APPEARS BMW'S WARNING IS EFFECTIVE AND NO DEFECT TREND IS IDENTIFIED.FURTHER USE OF AGENCY RESOURCES APPEARS UNWARRANTED.THIS INVESTIGATION'S CLOSING DOES NOT CONSTITUTE A NHTSA FINDING THAT NO SAFETY-RELATED DEFECT EXISTS AND WE RESERVE THE RIGHT TO TAKE FURTHER ACTION IF WARRANTED.

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 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

NHTSA ID

10483202

Incident

Sep 3, 2012

Mileage

20,000 mi

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.

NHTSA ID

10415941

Incident

Jul 21, 2011

Mileage

6,964 mi

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

NHTSA ID

10346214

Incident

Jul 22, 2010

Mileage

74,000 mi

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

NHTSA ID

10060775

Incident

Mar 8, 2004

Mileage

1,075 mi

The electrical system of BMW vehicles has been subject to an ongoing development process over the last few years. This has led to increased demands being placed on the battery. This document covers important information for the dealer on how to handle “discharged battery” complaints.

Discharged Battery Energy Diagnosis Must Be Performed: The electrical system of BMW vehicles has been subject to an ongoing development process over the last few years. This has led to increased demands being placed on the battery. This document covers important information for the dealer on how to handle "discharged battery" complaints. In order to properly repair the vehicle the first time in the workshop, it is very important that the diagnostic test plans are performed to completion, with all results taken into consideration. Without performing the energy diagnosis test plan, the root cause of the discharged battery cannot be identified. This increases the chances of a repeat repair.

Bluetooth issues between Navigators, mobile phones, communication and audio systems.

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