From my pal Don E., the recall affects 18 models in Canada, including 2011 and 2012 K16s. Will be interesting to see if NHTSA takes action in the USA:
websterize
I've heard several reports of K12/13GT bikes having this issue, but haven't heard of any K16 bikes, yet . . .
It'll be interesting to see if the NHTSA also moves to a full recall.
At least it's much easier to inspect on the K16, with the fuel pump mounting plate facing the back, as opposed to the K12/13GT with it buried at the front of the fuel tank.
I wonder if they'll replace the shitty plastic fuel inlet connector while they're in there . . .
It'll be interesting to see if the NHTSA also moves to a full recall.
At least it's much easier to inspect on the K16, with the fuel pump mounting plate facing the back, as opposed to the K12/13GT with it buried at the front of the fuel tank.
I wonder if they'll replace the shitty plastic fuel inlet connector while they're in there . . .
US bike imported to Canada covered by recall?
So is there a difference in builds for US vs. Canadian bikes? I imported my 2012 GTL (Dec 2011 build) from the US. Does the recall only cover bikes built for Canadian sales, or is it more of a danger in Canada than the US?
My bike is covered under the last recall regarding throttle software glitch.
So is there a difference in builds for US vs. Canadian bikes? I imported my 2012 GTL (Dec 2011 build) from the US. Does the recall only cover bikes built for Canadian sales, or is it more of a danger in Canada than the US
?My bike is covered under the last recall regarding throttle software glitch.
It reads to me like it's being investigated in both the US and Canada, but Transport Canada is further ahead in their process than the NHTSA.
I'm sure we'll see it come through in the States soon enough.
I'm aware of this fault from my Slant/4 GT days, but I'm not worried enough to tear into my GTL just yet. Next time I pull the tank I'll look at it, or just let the dealer do so when this comes through.
I'm sure we'll see it come through in the States soon enough.
I'm aware of this fault from my Slant/4 GT days, but I'm not worried enough to tear into my GTL just yet. Next time I pull the tank I'll look at it, or just let the dealer do so when this comes through.
is the fuel leakage visible???
The article stated with the key on the fuel system pressurizes, then can leak..
I guess if you notice any leakage at all try to see if it is gas..and if so call your dealer and have the bike towed in.
I will certainly be more aware and check for leaks now that I know it is a possibility.
Why are some of the parts on this bike so cheaply made? at 28k they still have to be making a good profit...
Cheers.
The article stated with the key on the fuel system pressurizes, then can leak..
I guess if you notice any leakage at all try to see if it is gas..and if so call your dealer and have the bike towed in.
I will certainly be more aware and check for leaks now that I know it is a possibility.
Why are some of the parts on this bike so cheaply made? at 28k they still have to be making a good profit...
Cheers.
I haven't heard of any K16 bikes having this failure.
I have heard of a few K12/13GT bikes having the leak. Those bikes use a similar fuel pump flange, placed in front of the fuel tank, right over the hot engine. A female quick disconnect with a tapered pipe thread is screwed into a round plastic boss. If overtightened and/or exposed to heat, this thin plastic boss can crack, causing fuel to leak out when under pressure.
But even then, fuel actually spraying out is pretty rare.
And the K16 has the fuel pump plate at the back of the tank away from engine heat.
The official solution is to inspect the fuel pump flange, replace it if it shows cracks, and add a metal ring clamp to prevent further cracking. Note that the metal clamp solution has also been developed independently of BMW, and can be bought from Beemer Boneyard.
This repair is being done on every BMW that uses a similar style of fuel pump flange, regardless of whether there has been a history of leaks with that particular model or not.
My solution is to inspect the flange the next time I have the tank cover off, and if I see any problems, to talk to my dealer. Otherwise, I'll just wait for the US recall and have it taken care of then.
I have heard of a few K12/13GT bikes having the leak. Those bikes use a similar fuel pump flange, placed in front of the fuel tank, right over the hot engine. A female quick disconnect with a tapered pipe thread is screwed into a round plastic boss. If overtightened and/or exposed to heat, this thin plastic boss can crack, causing fuel to leak out when under pressure.
But even then, fuel actually spraying out is pretty rare.
And the K16 has the fuel pump plate at the back of the tank away from engine heat.
The official solution is to inspect the fuel pump flange, replace it if it shows cracks, and add a metal ring clamp to prevent further cracking. Note that the metal clamp solution has also been developed independently of BMW, and can be bought from Beemer Boneyard.
This repair is being done on every BMW that uses a similar style of fuel pump flange, regardless of whether there has been a history of leaks with that particular model or not.
My solution is to inspect the flange the next time I have the tank cover off, and if I see any problems, to talk to my dealer. Otherwise, I'll just wait for the US recall and have it taken care of then.
OK, I've gathered some further information on this topic, so let's put it all in one place for easy reference.
This is based on the K1600, as that's the bike I have on hand for reference. Other bikes should look quite similar, if not exactly the same.
I took some pics comparing the fuel pump plate on a 2012 GTL (built Feb 2011, so part of this recall) and the plate on a 2013 GTL (built Jan 2013, so not part of this recall).
In the first pic of the 2013 GTL, you can clearly see the silver metal ring around the raised plastic boss that the female quick disconnect threads into. This reinforcement, along with not over tightening of the tapered pipe thread fitting, should eliminate any potential cracking issues.
![Image]()
In this pic of the 2012 GTL, you can see the silver metal ring is not there.
![Image]()
Older Beemers, such as the K12/13GT and the R12RT/GS use a similar fuel pump plate, with a taller threaded plastic boss that is more prone to cracking. This is a pic of a fuel pump plate (from an RT, I believe) that had developed cracks, but wasn't leaking yet (at least while it was all still put together):
![Image]()
BMW's solution is to replace the fuel pump plate with the updated version on bikes where cracks are found, or to add a reinforcing clamp on bikes where no cracks are found. This has been a known fix on various Beemer forums, such that Beemer Boneyard actually sells a Fuel Pump Flange Repair Clamp for the K12/13 and R12 bikes. I imagine the BMW factory clamp is quite similar, with slight variations depending on the specific model involved.
![Image]()
One other issue that has come up on some older bikes is the plastic male portion of the quick disconnect has been known to break. There is a slot on the fitting's body that makes the fitting quite thin at that point, and clumsy removal/insertion can stress that area, eventually leading to a break.
No, I don't know why BMW and the NHTSA didn't address this at the same time, except maybe this problem is more likely to occur during service than suddenly while you're riding down the highway.
You can see the white plastic male fitting in the first pic above, but here it is again, next to the replacement metal (chrome plated brass) fitting.
![Image]()
The correct replacement fitting can be bought from Omega.com, for $36.10 under part # FT-LCD230-04-FKM. That exact part # will get you the 90° metal version, with the correct 1/4" inlet and outlet, and the fuel-safe Viton o-ring.
You can also buy the mating female part in metal, but those don't really fail, so it's best to just leave the factory plastic female fitting in place.
The hardest part about this replacement is getting the old hose clamp loose and getting the new clamp on. It's easiest to just cut the hose to get the old clamp off, but you want to minimize how much hose you take off. There's a bit more slack on the K16 bikes than the older K12/13 and R12 bikes, but still, it's best to retain as much length as possible.
You can use a new BMW-style pinch clamp, as pictured above, but that requires a special pinch clamp tool, as shown below.
![Image]()
If you don't have this tool (or don't want to buy it for one clamp), you can use a standard small screwdriver-operated hose clamp. It's probably worth it to buy a special fuel line clamp with a smooth inside that minimizes damage to the fuel line from your local auto supply store. Be sure to orient the thick part of the hose clamp to the back of the male fitting so as to avoid interference with the fuel pump plate or female fitting.
And this pic shows the new fitting installed (notably on the old style fuel pump plate).
![Image]()
That ought to clear things up a bit.
This is based on the K1600, as that's the bike I have on hand for reference. Other bikes should look quite similar, if not exactly the same.
I took some pics comparing the fuel pump plate on a 2012 GTL (built Feb 2011, so part of this recall) and the plate on a 2013 GTL (built Jan 2013, so not part of this recall).
In the first pic of the 2013 GTL, you can clearly see the silver metal ring around the raised plastic boss that the female quick disconnect threads into. This reinforcement, along with not over tightening of the tapered pipe thread fitting, should eliminate any potential cracking issues.
In this pic of the 2012 GTL, you can see the silver metal ring is not there.
Older Beemers, such as the K12/13GT and the R12RT/GS use a similar fuel pump plate, with a taller threaded plastic boss that is more prone to cracking. This is a pic of a fuel pump plate (from an RT, I believe) that had developed cracks, but wasn't leaking yet (at least while it was all still put together):
BMW's solution is to replace the fuel pump plate with the updated version on bikes where cracks are found, or to add a reinforcing clamp on bikes where no cracks are found. This has been a known fix on various Beemer forums, such that Beemer Boneyard actually sells a Fuel Pump Flange Repair Clamp for the K12/13 and R12 bikes. I imagine the BMW factory clamp is quite similar, with slight variations depending on the specific model involved.
One other issue that has come up on some older bikes is the plastic male portion of the quick disconnect has been known to break. There is a slot on the fitting's body that makes the fitting quite thin at that point, and clumsy removal/insertion can stress that area, eventually leading to a break.
No, I don't know why BMW and the NHTSA didn't address this at the same time, except maybe this problem is more likely to occur during service than suddenly while you're riding down the highway.
You can see the white plastic male fitting in the first pic above, but here it is again, next to the replacement metal (chrome plated brass) fitting.
The correct replacement fitting can be bought from Omega.com, for $36.10 under part # FT-LCD230-04-FKM. That exact part # will get you the 90° metal version, with the correct 1/4" inlet and outlet, and the fuel-safe Viton o-ring.
You can also buy the mating female part in metal, but those don't really fail, so it's best to just leave the factory plastic female fitting in place.
The hardest part about this replacement is getting the old hose clamp loose and getting the new clamp on. It's easiest to just cut the hose to get the old clamp off, but you want to minimize how much hose you take off. There's a bit more slack on the K16 bikes than the older K12/13 and R12 bikes, but still, it's best to retain as much length as possible.
You can use a new BMW-style pinch clamp, as pictured above, but that requires a special pinch clamp tool, as shown below.
If you don't have this tool (or don't want to buy it for one clamp), you can use a standard small screwdriver-operated hose clamp. It's probably worth it to buy a special fuel line clamp with a smooth inside that minimizes damage to the fuel line from your local auto supply store. Be sure to orient the thick part of the hose clamp to the back of the male fitting so as to avoid interference with the fuel pump plate or female fitting.
And this pic shows the new fitting installed (notably on the old style fuel pump plate).
That ought to clear things up a bit.
Excellent post Ken! Thanks for the new understanding. I feel a lot better turning my bike over to the dealer tech if I at least have a concept of the problem and the fix.
I am taking mine in this morning for the recall, dealer said it would take a couple of hours.
My 2012 was "banded" on Saturday. They saw no evidence of a problem so that was it. I was there 2 hours in total but they did the state inspection and another recall which required a computer flash.
The wait time was softened by the service writer, who tossed me the key to a 2014 RT and said to go ride for an hour and it would be done.
I did and it was. Loved the RT but I won't be trading the GTL.
The wait time was softened by the service writer, who tossed me the key to a 2014 RT and said to go ride for an hour and it would be done.
I did and it was. Loved the RT but I won't be trading the GTL.
Resurrecting an old tread... Ever since I had a motor new installed last year I've occasionally smelled gas; not bad, just not usual. Yesterday the smell was really bad; further investigation, I could see the top of the motor, under the rear of the gas tank was wet. I 'was' going to tear in to it but remembered I have a Zurich Warranty. A call to my local dealer, Morton's, confirmed something like this would be covered by Zurich. Taking the bike in on Tuesday... And, yes, the recall had been performed on my bike.
Duane
Duane
It would be hard for me not to at least take a look at the back of the gas tank where the fittings are and look for signs of leaking. Hope it's an easy fix and you're back on the road with only fresh air to smell.
The recall involved fitting a small metal collar to the quick disconnect on the outside of the tank. BMW says if that cracks, you need a complete $1000 fuel pump assembly. I replaced both half’s of the quick disconnect with a metal aftermarket version for $150. As expected, it took longer to pull everything out to remove the airbox to get to the offending fitting, than actually replacing it.
Took bike in today; cracked fuel line elbow, replaced with BMW part (plastic), Zurich covered repair.
Duane
Duane
Super, that should clear the air around you Glad to hear it was a fairly easy fix. You were past due for something easy.
Glad to hear it was a fairly easy fix. You were past due for something easy.
I have a 2012 K1600GTL. It just had its 18000 mile check. On the way to the MOA Rally in Des Moines, I developed a large fuel leak. After trailering to OKC BMW Dealer, the pump was replaced $650.00. $187 for installation. My friend who I was riding with has a 2012 GTL. He had the same thing happen six months ago.
How many people on the forum have had this happen to their K1600? Have you had a fuel leak requiring a fuel pump replacement?
I think is a problem BMW has been dodging since this problem triggered a recall in Canada.
How many people on the forum have had this happen to their K1600? Have you had a fuel leak requiring a fuel pump replacement?
I think is a problem BMW has been dodging since this problem triggered a recall in Canada.
That recall was not a recall for the fuel pump. It was a recall to add the metal reinforcing ring around the fuel line fitting.
Mine was replaced at it's 36,000 mile service at no additional charge, a few weeks ago. Several weeks before the scheduled service, I started to smell gas. It was very slight and at first I was in denial, but the it got worse. It got to the point where I would not park it in the garage and did not ride it again until it was time for the service. BMW paid for the replacement.
As a follow up, I started to notice the smell of gasoline a few weeks ago ( a month after the fuel pump was replaced) and attributed it to maybe an over fill of just fuel expansion. Denial? I don't think that is what it is and I have an appointment with BMW local service this Tuesday. My bike was # 386 (build date 0311) in the US ..
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