Fuel strip poll

[deilenberger]

Someone on the original forum I posted this on suggested that each failure be considered an incident, and deserves it's own report to NHTSA. Right now - my thinking is- he's right. It means I'll be busy filling out 4 more reports.

[siman00]

Filed mine just a few minutes ago and confirming email just arrived. Hope it does some good...

09 RT, 58,000 miles First failure. Paid out of my pocket...

[lkchris]

At the beginning, understand this ...

The USA Federal Government ONLY mandates recalls for one of two issues.

1. The vehicle fails to meet emissions requirements

2. The vehicle exhibits a safety problem.


Anybody that thinks a failed fuel gauge is a safety problem is dreaming. BMW can voluntarily recall anything they want and that will describe the car problem, i.e. a voluntary action on BMW's part to keeps its customers happy. Clearly a fuel leak situation is likely a safety problem--hence the government investigation of motorcycle fuel pumps. No leak is associated with failed fuel strips.

If one were to be in the mode of "dreaming" here, i.e. seeing the world as all roses, I'd think BMW MOA would have such a relationship with BMW Motorrad USA that they could occasionally publish official responses/discussions of problems that only fit under the category "voluntary" action by BMW.

This for unknown reasons seems to have never become a BMW MOA agenda item.

Sure would save a lot of wasted forum bandwidth.

PS: Were BMW to liberalize its policies regarding voluntary recalls, we'd see the effects in increased prices for the bikes.

[deilenberger]

Kent,

Call me (and a lot of other people) dreamers - but having your engine stop in certain situations can certainly be considered a safety hazard. Just like with the BMW cars that ARE being recalled for the exact same fault. We know that would never happen to you - but to us less skilled riders who simply expect a feature of the bike that we paid for to work, it is a hazard.

BTW - you can't "waste" bandwidth, you can only use it. Bandwidth simply exists, and "using" bandwidth to complain about the use of bandwidth has always puzzled me. But if using it bothers you - then I'd suggest you pay attention to what I wrote:

Fell free to ignore this if it doesn't seem reasonable to you..

No one is compelling you to read this, or do it. It's simply a suggestion. And as far as increased prices for BMW bikes - we see that anyway and they continue to have problems that are ignored by BMW, which loses them customers. Seems a rather shortsighted business viewpoint to me, but I guess they feel it works for them.

Have a nice day.

[AZ-J]

If this can cause your engine to stop, then it is enough to make a vehicle a lemon. In AZ, fix the same driving-related item 4 times under warranty, you have a lemon under law.

[lkchris]

Lemon, perhaps, but unsafe not a chance.

Fuel strips don't cause motors to stop, running out of fuel does.

If fuel gauges were safety items they would be required by law. They're not.

Back in the mid 1990s Mercedes experiment with biodegradable wiring harnesses and sure enough lots of them failed before their time. The motor would stop running. Despite lots and lots of efforts by cheapskates trying to get Mercedes forced to replace these harnesses under mandated safety warranty, it never happened. Why? It was a known defect, easily spotted by a professional technician and easily repaired before problems arose.

Again, this is a consumer satisfaction issue and NOT a safety or emissions issue. Recourse is with BMW, not the government. Be nice if MOA was interested in helping, but apparently it isn't.

[AZ-J]

Wrong again, Kent. My bike has no fuel gauge. So if the fuel strip goes I am fooled to think the bike has no fuel and pull over, turn the bike off and call for assistance. That can be dangerous itself, here where large trucks are known to hit stopped motorcycles. If you want details, I can provide the gory ones.

[drummer]

05 45000 miles and I believe it is the original fuel strip - I got the bike at 36000. Now is it functioning correctly, that's another question. Some times after a fill up it takes a few stops and starts of the engine before it registers the fuel correctly. Some times you start the bike and you have 120 miles left and within 10 miles you only have 40 miles left. Just one of the many challenges and joys.

[dave39]

No - 2009 1200RT 17,300 miles

[cjack]

We've had...I forget...somewhere between 5 to 7 fuel strips fail on 3 BMW K1200Ses. I finally figured out how to change one without removing the K1200S tank. My wife's small hand can reach down into the tank filler opening and unplug the fuel sensor and plug a new one in .
But I fault BMW for the "fuel issue in the US" response by BMW since one on my wife's K1200S failed at less than 10 miles on fuel from Germany when the bike came out of the crate. The fuel sensors are clearly failing because of manufacturing techniques or poor design. Most of ours (maybe all) failed mechanically where the sensor strip is connected to it's cable wiring inside what looks to be an epoxy block.
BMW addressed the faulty key code sensors which I think were not as much as a safety issue as the fuel sensors. I can't come up with as many scenarios for safety issues with failing to start your bike in a parking lot or driveway as I can for running out of gas on an Interstate Highway. One can only guess that the key code issue was potentially more expensive to ignore (road side service, etc.) than the fuel strip issue. If you run out of gas, that is not a road side service issue...at least that can be the argument against coverage. But if the bike won't start...I see coverage there. I think that has to be how BMW decides to create a campaign or not.
So there you have it. It's not at all about safety in either issue...but probably all about warranty costs. I don't know why I keep buying these damn BMW bikes...maybe because when they're running, they're the best thing out there.

[drw2ge]

NO- (Thank God!) 2010 R1200RT 14K miles (Fingers crossed, broke a cardinal rule...)

[robinpolk]

2006 r1200rt no fuel strip failure (yet)

[btlalum]

2007 RT, ~28K miles, no failure (although it's been slow to respond to a refill since the bike was new)

[granged]

Just coming up on 20,000 km service. No problems. Almost always use Shell V Power no ethanol.

[dave39]

I have a 2009RT with nearly 18k. No fuel strip problem yet.