Have you had a 1200GS/GSA fuel pump controller failure

I'm compiling a list of people who've had fuel pump controller failures on the 1200GS/GSA or other BMW bikes. I started thinking about this after reading about this poor guy on HUBB who'd been stuck in Tajikistan for two weeks!

If you've been affected could you please post details per the example below:

When: July 2008
Where: Khorog, Tajikistan
Name: PaulM
Bike: 1200GSA
Remedy: new part send by DHL from UK
Days lost: two weeks
Costs: two weeks hotels, DHL bill

Tim

[Trevor]

Went 100 yds from home. Pushed home down the hill. That's the way to treat a design fault. Seriously though, it's a poor piece of design. Lesson learned- carry a spare under the seat.

Thanks, but when and where was this? How was it sorted? What model/year of bike? Was it covered under warranty?

Tim

[Trevor]

2 months ago. 3.5 yr old R1200GS 13,500miles. Trying to go to work Sat. a.m. Took car instead then on to CWs to pick up unit. 10 minute job to change even for a mechanical idiot like me. No water ingress, unit probably just overheated. Didn't try post-warranty claim. Part of the joys of GSing?.
Still don't understand what the unit does, or why it's so unreliable. The other site (eek) has photos of how to shunt it out if it fails.
Let's face it, you have to accept that bikes are generally less developed/reliable/understressed than cars & get on with life

Thanks for the info. So far I have 124 documented failures from UK owners

Tim

[Steve]

Originally Posted by Tim Cullis

Thanks for the info. So far I have 124 documented failures from UK owners

Tim

I should imagine you could at least treble that from the number of owners who don't hang around on internet forums.

[EVO]

Bike registered January 2004. R1200GS

On way home April 2006 pump contol failed, bike just died half way up hill to house. Nearly killed me pushing it up the hill to get it home

Also fuel pipe fell Off in Germany June July 2005. Actually failed whilst over taking traffic. Nearly killed myself as not able to pull back in behind lorry as car had pulled up and had to cross oncoming main traffic to other side of road. BMW put it down to me having been riding on bumpy roads in the Alps for a week. I put it down to it not being correctly connected after service.

My brothers 2004 R1200GS pump control failed in France 2006, doing 70 mph in outside lane of auto route. We where delayed by a day waiting for BMW engineer to travel to us to repair, took 15 mins to repair. He admitted they had a team of drivers running around repairing these all over Euro Land.

[EVO]

Forgot to say both repaired under warrenty. My bike collected from house and his as stated whilst way.

Originally Posted by EVO

BMW put it down to me having been riding on bumpy roads in the Alps for a week.

what?

that is the craziest excuse I have ever heard. The 1200GS is designed for on/off road use. Off road use, by its very nature, is going to be bumpy!

I guess the next thing will be that it's the customer's fault "for not finding smooth roads to ride on"

good grief, whatever next

[Steve H]

Hi Tim - Page 31 of this weeks MCN - your letter with a pic. Well done, a very good dit.

Steve H

[matkat]

Hi Tim

March '04 bike
Jan 2006
2 miles from home, limped to Clarkes all replaced under warranty

March 09.
Same '04 bike cut out on way to Clarkes(to replace rear wheel bearing), re-started immediately. Parts replaced and charged for, as much for my piece of mind as their was some corrosion and water again when they stripped it)

If I was doing a big trip I would always take a spare !!

[Mez]

When ; May 2009
Where ; 1 mile from home
Who ; Mez/ Cornwall
What help ; Local "AA" agent via "KTM.Mark" on the phone sorted bypass job.
What inconvenience ; I missed a weeks riding in france, went in car cost another £100. Totally pissed off....!!!!

Mez/ Cornwall

[rocky]

R1200GSA ON AN 06 BIKE. Only done 6000 miles, failed in the lakes at the wkend. Good job there was 2 of us which were mechanicly minded. Hot wired it and it got me back to manchester BMW who kindly charged me £74 for a new one.
Guy in the workshop said they now change them at service intervals (but at the owners expence)

BMW you need your asses kicking

[pompeyian]

Right, so you created a list of missery in 2010, am I to assume you are going to now get a lawyer to take some sort of action against bmw?

I see you had a letter published in MCN in 2009 which at best would have devalued any 1200 up for sale that week.

Call me a cynic but Ive seen this sort of thing before, this exercise is futile unless you have a course of action.

[Steve H]

Originally Posted by pompeyian

Right, so you created a list of missery in 2010, am I to assume you are going to now get a lawyer to take some sort of action against bmw?

I see you had a letter published in MCN in 2009 which at best would have devalued any 1200 up for sale that week.

Call me a cynic but Ive seen this sort of thing before, this exercise is futile unless you have a course of action.

And the point of this post is?

Originally Posted by pompeyian

Right, so you created a list of missery in 2010, am I to assume you are going to now get a lawyer to take some sort of action against bmw?

I see you had a letter published in MCN in 2009 which at best would have devalued any 1200 up for sale that week.

Call me a cynic but Ive seen this sort of thing before, this exercise is futile unless you have a course of action.

Point 1,
The OP (Tim Cullis) has been gone from this site for some time as indicated by a zero post count and "guest" status so I doubt you will get a response from him.

Point 2,
The article was published in More Crap than News on July 1st 2009, not sure what your point is here but even if it wasn't 2 year old news I struggle to see how a short column in the tabloid press could devalue a model of bike unless you're the sort to believe everything (or should that be anything....) they print

Point 3,
Futile? Tim's campaign helped to raise awareness of the problem, BMW changed many units under goodwill foc. Many owners bought or were given replacement units as a back up or spare, many individuals worked out a "get you home" workaround solution to the problem, some enterprising souls even sold this workaround in a kit form. A course of action has been formulated and in many cases acted upon both by owners and the manufacturers, it seems failures of this item are now few and far between.

It's old news

I've had 2 1200GSA's and not had a problem with this unit, that's probably the kiss of death