BMW final drives and NHSTA

[Justin]

Looks like the NHSTA  finally got enough complaints about the BMW final drive failures to open an investigation. Some info below if anyone is interested.

After over 145 individual complaints filed between April 2001 and August
2011, the NHSTA has finally opened its first official investigation into the
failure of crown gear bearings on BMW models equipped with the Paralever
style final drive.  NHSTA investigation DP12001 opened 1/20/12 is centered
on 1999-2005 K1200LTs for now.  But, if the findings are what we all believe
they will be, the scope of the investigation should be expanded.   I found
the only way to get NHSTA to listen and focus was to pepper its director,
David Strickland, with repeat letters as well as inquiries from WA Senator
Patty Murray who chairs the subcommittee over funding for the NHSTA.   If
you have had a final drive failure on your Paralever equipped BMW, and have
NOT already reported it to the NHSTA, I urge you do it now.



You will need your VIN, (est.) date of failure and mileage.  State your
model as well. While they should be able to identify from VIN, their data
was wrong 50% of the time.  Specify if gear oil leaked.


www.safercar.org


or call (888) 327-4236


or mail to:

NHSTA

Office of Defects Investigation (NVS-210)

West Building

1200 New Jersey Ave SE

Washington DC 20590


In your complaint, select "Power Train" as the component and reference that
you have had the same failure as described in ODI No. 10439549, and
currently being investigated under Campaign DP12001.


Send an email to your Congressman and US Senator to follow up on your behalf
as well.

[atadaskew]

What's weird about the NHTSA is how they decide what is and what is not worthy of a recall.
Missing a sticker that says 'wear a helmet' in your owner's manual?  Instant recall!
Have a fuel pump that fails when it gets hot, that has been reported by hundreds upon hundreds of owners (Piaggio in their 125, 250 and 300cc FI scooters) to the NHTSA by filling out the info on their website - nothing.
After 4 years of failing fuel pumps, Piaggio has instructed its dealers to perform a pump swap with a newly designed/sourced unit but unless the owner is in the know, he/she may be riding unaware until the motor quits while in traffic.
So even Piaggio acknowledges it in a back-a$$ed way, but no recall from the NHTSA..

[BobW]

Shouldn't have had to come to this, but I hope the investigation fairly addresses what has been a very serious issue for many riders for far too long. Be following this closely.

[Kneescrubber]

Wow. 145 complaints in 10 years. Something is seriously amiss.

[OMJunk]

Why is it only BMW owners and the company itself that deny there is a problem. I found a website some time back that listed more than 300 USA owners with rear drive failures. If 300 in the US have found and registered with that site, how many have had the problem? I would think several thousand.

[BobW]

I agree, Something is seriously amiss and the variables are only known to BMW. An odd seal weeping or extremely rare bearing failure would be one thing, but the reported numbers on such an important part to fall apart are fairly "high" or at least continual even without speculating on the unreported cases.  

Not sure why Kool Aid drinking alibis come into this type of Q.C. and safety issue. This has been reported by numerous riders (some with multiple OEM supplied parts failures) with Ks (brick and wedge) and Rs, so why would you dismiss the concern with a smug declaration unless you work for BMW or the parts supplier. The differential has been in use for many years in diverse applications with great reliability and it should be an item you literally never hear about let alone it being the subject of a safety investigation. BMW should have made this right way before "it" got to this point.

Safe travels.

[GilaMonster]

Why is it only BMW owners and the company itself that deny there is a problem.....

And why is it that only non-BMW owners continually want to post that there is a problem.  I am *sure* that there has never been a failure of a chain or sprocket on other brands.

[Kneescrubber]

And why is it that only non-BMW owners continually want to post that there is a problem.  I am *sure* that there has never been a failure of a chain or sprocket on other brands.

google honda regulator rectifier

[cruisin]

And why is it that only non-BMW owners continually want to post that there is a problem.  . . . .

It's the equivalent of Harley riders and loud pipes; compensation for deficiencies elsewhere.  

[sprint_st]

Wow. 145 complaints in 10 years. Something is seriously amiss.

This coin has a lot more than two sides.  First, I'd bet the number of failures is way, way higher than the number reported to NHSTA.   Then again how many units using that particular final drive are we talking about.  If you can believe what you read, BMW said it is less than 2% of all units.  NHSTA know how to play the numbers game and ya know, it is very likely that the failures could very well be statistically insignificant.

[Kneescrubber]

Anyone click on the safercar.org link?

[DNA]

Many of the failures I know of were on GS models as well.

[BobW]

Couple random thoughts; My 07 r didn't fail so I guess I shouldn't post about this concern? It's a machine that is allegedly built with quality German engineering at the "upper" end of the performance spectrum and they know how to do R+D and Q.C. BMW acknowledged their problems peaked around 2008 and they were correcting "things".  Didn't "Christine" just have a fd failure after Lawn Dart sold her? JMO, but a bad rectifier is more in line with the failures on the key fobs for BMW, it could strand you, but not the same type of concern. I wouldn't alibi Honda for a GW  frame that cracks anymore than BMW for these final drive issues. Not sure why some folks make it personal other than to distract, no reason not to be objective. BTW, having owned several shaft driven bikes, Honda, BMW and Moto Guzzi, as well as many chain driven, I am aware anything can fail, but even though mine had no problems I still want those that did have failures to get help or at least a factual answer to their concern.  BMW also has/had problems with the chains failing on the early F800GS, easy fix, replaced them with a better one, but it's hard to do that with a fd. The tit for tat doesn't do anything to address cause and affect for Us.....  

Safe travels.        

[spd2918]

It's a machine that is allegedly built with quality German engineering at the "upper" end of the performance spectrum and they know how to do R+D and Q.C.  

That's the key to it.  Some BMW owners beat this drum of "quality German engineering" to justify the higher purchase and maintenance costs of their mounts.  That's why they get teased when the drives go (a component that seems to be bulletproof in much less expensive bikes).

You can compare it to the Packer fans I know.  They run their mouths and talk crap all season.  When they lose in the second round of the playoffs you want to rub their noses in it.

[Justin]

Anyone click on the safercar.org link?

Should be safercar.gov

I just copied the info from another list to share. Personally I don't have a BMW, so I don't care - Just though it might be of interest to others.

[Kneescrubber]

Ya know, I never said BMW didn't have problems with final drives. They have problems the same as every other manufacturer. Hell, any real airhead user knows they had valve problems during the early 80's. I had to set the exhaust valve lash on my '83 R80ST every oil change. Sometimes the intake. But I didn't complain to the government about it, I fixed it by replacing the valves and valve seats with better materials. Problem solved.

[sprint_st]

That's the key to it.  Some BMW owners beat this drum of "quality German engineering" to justify the higher purchase and maintenance costs of their mounts.  That's why they get teased when the drives go (a component that seems to be bulletproof in much less expensive bikes).

You can compare it to the Packer fans I know.  They run their mouths and talk crap all season.  When they lose in the second round of the playoffs you want to rub their noses in it.

Ya know, there is a difference between couch potatoes watching a game that MOST have never played and commenting on or being loyal to a motorcycle brand.  You want to talk fanatics roll up on the COG forum, or the Gold Wing forum, or god forbid the FJRForum.  I don't know of ANY motorcycle that doesn't have issues.  My favorite was the denial of fuel connector issues by Triumph on 955's.  So WTF, if Beemer guys think their bike is the best, so what.  The topic really is if the stats indicate a problem with final drives or just, like a whole lot of internet BS, the guys that had an issue with a potential break point blowing the issue out of proportion.  Bottom line is without all the numbers we just don't know.

[spd2918]

Ya know, there is a difference between couch potatoes watching a game that MOST have never played and commenting on or being loyal to a motorcycle brand.  You want to talk fanatics roll up on the COG forum, or the Gold Wing forum, or god forbid the FJRForum.  I don't know of ANY motorcycle that doesn't have issues.

Yup- that's why I wrote "some BMW owners" when responding to the German Engineering Myth (thanks for that, Doyle Dane Bernbach).

I have been to all the COG Nationals since 2006 and I have not found one rider as fanatical as the COG Forum trolls.  They welcome all brands and gave me only a little trouble when I did the Black Hills National on an Ultra Classic Electroglide.

[cruisin]

That's the key to it. Some BMW owners beat this drum of "quality German engineering" to justify the higher purchase and maintenance costs of their mounts.  That's why they get teased when the drives go (a component that seems to be bulletproof in much less expensive bikes).

You can compare it to the Packer fans I know.  They run their mouths and talk crap all season.  When they lose in the second round of the playoffs you want to rub their noses in it.

hmmmm, I've surfed around this site and others and have yet to read any post by a BMW owner saying, "my bike is better than yours because it is German engineered and cost a lot of money."  What I do see is a lot of non-BMW owners constantly ragging on BMWs for no apparent reason.  Could it be out of jealousy?  Let's see some actual quotes of the beemer guys thumping their chests over their bikes or money spent or anything else; without the quotes the you have nothing substantive to say.

[atadaskew]

What I do see is a lot of non-BMW owners constantly ragging on BMWs for no apparent reason.  Could it be out of jealousy?

Easy there.
Next thing you know, this could become a Harley bashing thread.