Safety-related security scam?

[garyinaz]

Help... My dealer (Victory BMW in Chandler, AZ) is holding my 1997 BMW R100RT hostage. I brought my bike in for its 48k service, and while replacing the fuel filter, the mechanic claims to have found "bare wires" near the fuel pump. I asked him to just put it back together so I can get a second opinion or replace the unit it myself. He says he cannot do that as the wires could short and cause an explosion, and then the dealership would be liable. He wants $120 for a new pump/filter assembly and is refusing to return the bike unless the "problem" is repaired.

The place hasn't been the same since Lisa and Greg left.

[kbasa]

Make him show you the wires.

[Rich]

And then ask him if he has heard of heat-shrink, or if the wires are accessible, electrical tape. Jeeez.......

[garyinaz]

I'm heading down in the morning to inspect the pump/filter assembly myself. I'll reassmble it myself if I have to. The wires spend their normal lives inside the tank, so electrical tape is out. Shrink wrap and a heat gun might do the job... although I doubt the dealer will loan me any tools (I *do* have a tool pouch from Bob's BMW with full set of tools). Thanks for the feedback.

[jgr451]

The only legal reason a garage could have for not returning your property is an outstanding bill:they are entitled to exercise a Garagekeeper's Lien as long as they have possession.If that is not the case,they have neither the right nor the responsibility to arrest your pony.
They may be right about the hazard though,so I wouldn't necessarily blow them off...

[Gizmo]

Hi,

Victory BMW are idiots and were not much better when Lisa & Greg were there. I would go to Ironhorse in Tucson, where the service is above par and less expensive, the staff are all very helpful and knowledgeable. But I digress and this is not addressing your immediate concern. First they have no right to hold your motorcycle hostage and I would address that with them as stated earlier heat shrink would seem to be a solution. I would also call or write BMW NA, they need to know what kind of lousy service these jokers offer and maybe, they can help you in the process.

Hope it all works out.

[dlearl476]

On the ChainGang message board someone posted regarding their 650 being held hostage due to a fault in the ABS, Had it for several weeks as I recall. Nothing he could do about it. The really rotten thing about it was the dealer caused the problem at a 6K service!

[Montana]

If this is one of the internal assemblies, then the connectors are bare. I don't know why it works, but it does. I don't know why it doesn't blow up, but it doesn't.

[dbrick]

It doesn't blow up because the connectors are either submerged in the fuel, or located within the airspace just above the fuel. In either case, the mixture presented to the connectors is way too rich to support combustion. Submerged electric pumps with bare connections are pretty common in the automotive world, too.