SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FOUNDATION COMPONENTS:DISC
BMW IS RECALLING CERTAIN 2008 THROUGH 2010 F 650 GS MOTORCYCLES MANUFACTURED FROM JANUARY 11, 2008, THROUGH DECEMBER 8, 2009. A WASHER MAY INTERFERE WITH THE FRONT DISC BRAKE FASTENERS' TORQUE. AS A RESULT, OVER TIME, A FASTENER OR MUTIPLE FASTENERS COULD BECOME LOOSE, ALLOWING THE BRAKE DISC TO BECOME LOOSE.
Remedy: BMW WILL NOTIFY OWNERS AND DEALERS WILL REPAIR THE VEHICLES FREE OF CHARGE. THE SAFETY RECALL BEGAN ON JANUARY 13, 2011. OWNERS MAY CONTACT BMW AT 1-800-525-7417.
1,780 vehicles affected
POWER TRAIN
BMW IS RECALLING CERTAIN MODEL YEAR 2008 AND 2009 F650 GS AND F 800 GS MOTORCYCLES MANUFACTURED FROM SEPTEMBER 27, 2007 THROUGH MARCH 30, 2009. THE DRIVE CHAINS MAY NOT HAVE BEEN PRODUCED TO SPECIFICATION. AS A RESULT, OVER TIME THE DRIVE CHAIN COULD BREAK.
Remedy: BMW WILL NOTIFY OWNERS AND DEALERS WILL REPLACE THE DRIVE CHAIN AND SPROCKETS ON THE AFFECTED MOTORCYCLES FREE OF CHARGE. THE SAFETY RECALL BEGAN ON AUGUST 30, 2010. OWNERS MAY CONTACT BMW AT 1-800-525-7417.
1,916 vehicles affected
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING
BMW IS RECALLING CERTAIN MODEL YEAR 2008 THROUGH 2010 F650 GS AND F800 GS MOTORCYCLES MANUFACTURED BETWEEN JANUARY 2008 AND DECEMBER 2009. DURING ENGINE OPERATION, A VACUUM IS CREATED IN ORDER TO DRAW FRESH AIR INTO THE CANISTER. THIS AIR THEN MIXES WITH THE FUEL VAPORS CAPTURED BY THE CANISTER, AND IS SUBSEQUENTLY COMBUSTED. DUE TO THE ROUTING OF THE VENTILATION HOSE, WATER NEAR THE END OF THE HOSE COULD BE DRAWN INTO THE CHARCOAL CANISTER.
Remedy: DEALERS WILL INSPECT AND ADD AN ADDITIONAL HOSE AND ROUTE IT SUCH THAT THE PRESENT DEFECT IS PREVENTED. THIS REMEDY WILL BE PERFORMED FREE OF CHARGE. THE SAFETY RECALL BEGAN ON MAY 13, 2010. OWNERS MAY CONTACT BMW AT 1-800-831-1117.
4,498 vehicles affected
THE MOTORCYCLE HAS EXTENSIVE HAIRLINE CRACKS ON THE LEFT & RIGHT SIDE OF THE FUEL TANK. A HIGHLY REPORTED ISSUE ON BMW FORUMS. *TR
REFLECTIVE COATING ON REFLECTOR OF HEADLIGHT ASSEMBLY FIRST LOOSES ITS SHEEN THEN BECOMES VERY DARK (BURNED). THIS DRAMATICALLY REDUCES THE HEADLIGHT'S ABILITY TO ILLUMINATE THE ROAD AHEAD AND RESULTS IN A VERY UNSAFE RIDING SITUATION AFTER DARK. NOTE: MOTORCYCLE HAS BEEN MAINTAINED IN ITS OEM LIGHTING PROFILE, USING THE STANDARD / RECOMMENDED H7 TYPE BULB. *JS
REFLECTIVE COATING ON REFLECTOR OF HEADLIGHT ASSEMBLY IS PEELING/FLAKING OFF EXPOSING THE BLACK PLASTIC UNDERNEATH. THIS DRAMATICALLY REDUCES THE HEADLIGHT'S ABILITY TO ILLUMINATE THE ROAD AHEAD AND RESULTS IN A VERY UNSAFE RIDING SITUATION AFTER DARK. *JS
ENGINE STOPPED (BUT DID NOT SEIZE) AND VEHICLE STARTED RAPID DECELERATION. THE LOSS OF POWER WAS INSTANTANEOUS, BUT APPROXIMATELY 1 MINUTE EARLIER THE INSTRUMENT DISPLAY HAD GONE BLANK. THERE WERE NO PRIOR INDICATIONS OF TROUBLE. WHEN POWER LOSS OCCURRED, I PULLED IN THE CLUTCH AND COASTED TO A STOP AT THE SIDE OF THE ROAD. SUBSEQUENTLY TESTING SHOWED THAT BATTERY WAS DISCHARGED AND LOSS OF POWER WAS DUE TO FAILURE OF CHARGING SYSTEM, SPECIFICALLY, FAILURE OF GENERATOR STATOR (GENERATOR IN THIS VEHICLE USES PERMANENT MAGNET ROTOR AND WOUND STATOR). *TR
ENGINE STOPPED (BUT DID NOT SEIZE) AND VEHICLE STARTED RAPID DECELERATION. THE LOSS OF POWER WAS INSTANTANEOUS, BUT APPROXIMATELY 1 MINUTE EARLIER THE INSTRUMENT DISPLAY HAD GONE BLANK. THERE WERE NO PRIOR INDICATIONS OF TROUBLE. WHEN POWER LOSS OCCURRED, I PULLED IN THE CLUTCH AND COASTED TO A STOP AT THE SIDE OF THE ROAD. SUBSEQUENTLY TESTING SHOWED THAT BATTERY WAS DISCHARGED AND LOSS OF POWER WAS DUE TO FAILURE OF CHARGING SYSTEM, SPECIFICALLY, FAILURE OF GENERATOR STATOR (GENERATOR IN THIS VEHICLE USES PERMANENT MAGNET ROTOR AND WOUND STATOR). *TR
I WAS TRAVELING ON INTERSTATE 95 SOUTH IN MARYLAND NEAR COLUMBIA DOING APPROXIMATELY 65 MPH AND HAD TO SLOW FOR TRAFFIC AHEAD. I SLOWED TO 50 MPH AND DISENGAGED THE CLUTCH TO SHIFT GEARS AND THE ENGINE STALLED. I WAS NOT INITIALLY AWARE THAT IT HAD STALLED DUE TO THE GENERAL TRAFFIC NOISE. WHEN I ENGAGED THE CLUTCH IN THE LOWER GEAR MY REAR TIRE SKIDDED AND I ALMOST LOST CONTROL OF THE BIKE. THEN I REALIZED THE ENGINE HAD STALLED. I WAS ABLE TO ROLL START THE BIKE BY SHIFTING TO YET A LOWER GEAR AND ENGAGING THE CLUTCH RAPIDLY BUT THE ENGINE STALLED ALMOST IMMEDIATELY AGAIN. I ENDED UP HAVING TO DISMOUNT THE BIKE IN THE MIDDLE OF THE HIGHWAY TRAFFIC AND (VERY QUICKLY) PUSH IT TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD. I WAS THEN ABLE TO RESTART IT BUT IT WOULD NOT IDLE AT ALL. THIS WAS A VERY DANGEROUS INCIDENT THAT OCCURRED WITHOUT WARNING. NO WARNING LIGHTS WERE ILLUMINATED ON THE DASH. I'M AWARE THAT THERE IS A SAFETY RECALL FOR THIS MODEL BIKE BUT WHEN I CHECKED WITH THE DEALER ABOUT 2MONTHS AGO THEY TOLD ME THAT THE RECALL SERVICE HAD ALREADY BEEN PERFORMED ON THIS BIKE. *TR
I WAS TRAVELING ON INTERSTATE 95 SOUTH IN MARYLAND NEAR COLUMBIA DOING APPROXIMATELY 65 MPH AND HAD TO SLOW FOR TRAFFIC AHEAD. I SLOWED TO 50 MPH AND DISENGAGED THE CLUTCH TO SHIFT GEARS AND THE ENGINE STALLED. I WAS NOT INITIALLY AWARE THAT IT HAD STALLED DUE TO THE GENERAL TRAFFIC NOISE. WHEN I ENGAGED THE CLUTCH IN THE LOWER GEAR MY REAR TIRE SKIDDED AND I ALMOST LOST CONTROL OF THE BIKE. THEN I REALIZED THE ENGINE HAD STALLED. I WAS ABLE TO ROLL START THE BIKE BY SHIFTING TO YET A LOWER GEAR AND ENGAGING THE CLUTCH RAPIDLY BUT THE ENGINE STALLED ALMOST IMMEDIATELY AGAIN. I ENDED UP HAVING TO DISMOUNT THE BIKE IN THE MIDDLE OF THE HIGHWAY TRAFFIC AND (VERY QUICKLY) PUSH IT TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD. I WAS THEN ABLE TO RESTART IT BUT IT WOULD NOT IDLE AT ALL. THIS WAS A VERY DANGEROUS INCIDENT THAT OCCURRED WITHOUT WARNING. NO WARNING LIGHTS WERE ILLUMINATED ON THE DASH. I'M AWARE THAT THERE IS A SAFETY RECALL FOR THIS MODEL BIKE BUT WHEN I CHECKED WITH THE DEALER ABOUT 2MONTHS AGO THEY TOLD ME THAT THE RECALL SERVICE HAD ALREADY BEEN PERFORMED ON THIS BIKE. *TR
THE MOTORCYCLE STALLED SEVERAL TIMES SOMETIMES AT A STANDSTILL OTHER TIMES WHILE MOVING. THEN ENGINE SHUTS DOWN AND THEN CAN BE RESTARTED A SHORT TIME LATER. THE MOST DANGEROUS SITUATION WAS A STALL WHILE MOVING AT 35 MILES A HOUR IN HEAVY TRAFFIC. I WAS VERY CONCERNED ABOUT BEING HIT FROM BEHIND. THE ENGINE APPEARS TO BE GAS STARVED. TEMPERATURE OUTSIDE AT TIME OF INCIDENT WAS 80 DEGREES. AFTER SEVERAL STALLS I HAVE THE VEHICLE TOWED. *JS
THIS COMPONENT HAD FAILED MULTIPLE TIMES ON THIS VEHICLE (ABOUT TWICE PER YEAR) SINCE NEW. THE COMPONENT THAT IS REPLACED EACH TIME HAS BEEN THE FUEL PUMP CONTROLLER (SMALL ELECTRONIC DEVICE MOUNTED ON TOP OF THE FUEL TANK). I AM ABOUT TO PURCHASE MY FOURTH ONE. THE UNIT TYPICALLY FAILS WHEN AMBIENT TEMPERATURES ARE ABOVE 90F. WHEN THIS FAILS, THE FUEL PUMP WORKS INTERMITTENTLY. SOMETIMES THIS HAS HAPPENED AT LOW SPEEDS ON GRAVEL ROADS, CAUSING GREAT DIFFICULTY KEEPING THE BIKE UPRIGHT AS IT COMES TO A STOP. OTHER TIMES HAS BEEN ON THE HIGHWAY. THERE IS AN IMMEDIATE LOSS OF POWER, ALMOST AS IF THE KEY WAS TURNED OFF (HOWEVER ALL THE BIKE ELECTRONICS STAY ACTIVE). IN SOME CASES THE CONTROLLER BEGINS TO WORK AGAIN BEFORE THE BIKE HAS COME TO A STOP. ONCE THE PROBLEM SURFACES, IT GETS WORSE QUICKLY. MOST RECENTLY I WAS ABOUT 30 MILES FROM HOME WHEN IT FIRST DISPLAYED SYMPTOMS. IT WAS ALL HIGHWAY MILES. IN THE PROCESS OF GETTING THE BIKE HOME, THE ENGINE STALLED MORE THAN 20 TIMES. ONCE THE BIKE HAS BEEN SITTING FOR SEVERAL HOURS OR OVERNIGHT, THE PROBLEM GOES AWAY UNTIL THE COMPONENT GETS HOT AGAIN (USUALLY AFTER AN HOUR OR SO OF RIDING). FAILURE OF THIS COMPONENT HAS LEFT THE BIKE STRANDED ON MULTIPLE OCCASIONS OVER THE LAST TWO YEARS.
BMW F650GS GAS TANK CRACKING ON GAS FILL SIDE. WIFE AND I EACH HAVE F650GS 2009, BOTH ARE SPLITTING IN THE SAME SPOT, WIFE'S IS MUCH WORSE. *TR
SMELLING GAS BEHIND ME WHEN I RIDE. I HAVE A BMW F650GS WITH UNDER SEAT TANK - I NOTICED BOTH RIDE AND LEFT SIDE OF THE SIDES OF THE TANK ARE CRACKING. TANK SEEMS TO BE PLASTIC AND THERE IS A U SHAPED CUT THAT RUNS DOWN BOTH SIDES. THERE SEEMS TO BE A SPLIT OR CRACK THAT IS OVER SEVEN INCHES ON BOTH SIDES. I AM HOPING THERE IS NOTHING DANGEROUS ABOUT THESE CRACKS? *TR