NHSTA opening investigation into BMW final drive failures

This recurring problem isn't with some sort of new gee-whiz feature like ESA or gyro-coupled traction control or some paradigm shifting solution like Telelevers & Duolevers or a feature or accessory only found on upline models (Accord vs Civic). We are talking about a simple gear set that turns power transmission 90 degrees.

Come on guys, I didn't start this thread to bash BMW nor have I ever told anyone not to buy one. I admit I do poke that those I perceive as dismissive of the this and other blemishes in a mostly or even highly reliable line of motorcycles. I just thought it was noteworthy that after years of discussion in the MC community that the NTSHA opened the investigation after a letter writing campaign from interested BMW owners. Believe me, I wasn't one of them.
 
TPadden said:
I have over 300,000 miles on BMW's with one FD failure (at 106,000 miles). Hardly a problem, I easily pulled to the side of the road. Fix was a trailer and a little money; I can live with 96% good. :)

I have less than 3,000 miles riding with very small groups of very elite SToc members with no less than 5 of them leaving the road for no apparent reason. Luckily only 1 required a helicopter ride. 5 is too many even when nobody asked me. :(

My point is about as nebulous as yours, but little anecdotes usually have little point :D.
Click to expand...

Nebulous or not (good word!), they are first-hand examples which steered me away from buying a BMW. Much a I love riding them, I'm not prepared to take the risk. Sod's law would have the FD fail on the first day of a 2 week trip, now that would be a problem for me.

Of course lots of bikes have their weaknesses - my last 2 Hondas both fried their reg-recs within a few weeks of each other. But new units cost me ?60 each and they are a simple swap. Carrying a spare would be easy and cheap, and a roadside swap could be done in minutes if necessary.

I don't know of any weaknesses with the ST11 yet, I've looked around and not found anything. I'd be interested to know if there are any!

So no-one knows why 5 riders left the road? Weird. I hope they are all OK now. I don't see how this relates to BMW FD failures though??
 
Mellow said:
Again, being a man-made product (apologies to women but I'm smart enough to never refer to women and defects in the same sentence... ah... oops) they will never be perfect.
Click to expand...

Well, I've NEVER heard of a Kirby vacuum failing. Course you better get that from a $1000 vacuum. Hey, maybe they were designed and assembled by women, LOL!
 
Just read in this morning's paper that NHTSA is looking into reports of fires in Toyota Camry and RAV4 doors. Apparently caused by a power window switch, but get this: there have been 6 (SIX!) reports and no injuries. So NHTSA investigates Toyota after six complaints but BMW motorcycles had been ignored for years.

:confused: pete, RT owner
 
There's this, too...BMW has been fined $3m because "the automaker provided too little information on its safety-related reports and did not report faults promptly, as the law requires." According to the story, all but one case was related to motorcycles.

Curious to find out more about the RAV4 as that's the daily driver for Mrs Bones.
 
BMW makes great bikes, and most are reliable, but when I consider buying one there remains a nagging question of 'is this one going to be a mechanical nightmare?' 'Is this one going to leave me stranded?

I know the BMW feeling ... my wife loves her X3, I dislike it although I think it is a great vehicle in many aspects. For example, there are many complaints of coolant dumps by the X3 (very frequently 'chatted' online by X3 owners), differential leaks, and quizzical behavior by the idiot lights. My wife's has experienced all that stuff and she still loves it. Her X3 has emptied itself of coolant--the dealer never found the cause and just refilled it and said 'good to go'. The 'oil level sensor' (there is no dipstick) frequenly lights up, yet the dealer checks and says 'the level is fine--ignore the light'. It has eaten one transfer case, and the second one is giving the early rumbles of failing. It is a 2008 and has 55k miles and has spent many weeks at the dealer--that is not acceptable to me as a consumer for a vehicle of that cost.

Good thing she has the extended warranty as she's given a new vehicle to drive every time her X3 is in the shop (she loves the 335xi, and I kinda like the right foot pedal myself!)

Is the BMW experience different than Honda? Yes in my opinion. My wife and I have had many Honda autos over the decades... not one has generated anything close to the problems that her X3 has. Yet, when there is a problem, BMW has generally taken care of it.

I've had many Honda motorcycles and not one has left me stranded. And to be balanced, my ST1300 has been the most problematic Honda I've ever owned (re fuel pump issue, coolant leaks). But there's a difference: the BMW costs elicitis from me the expectation of better reliablility--I don't have the expecation of reliability from a Honda based on cost. Yet based on my experience of never being stranded, I have the expectation of reliability. As of late, I question whether a new Honda motorcycle has the same reliability--the engines are great, but the rest of the components are made by the same OEMs that everyone else uses.

For me, even if the warranty is great and any problems arise on a BMW motorcycle (such as a final drive), I don't consider it acceptable to give up the bike for extended periods for repair nor to have a failure (however remote the chance) while on a trip.

Now, before anyone flames me, the above are my objective feelings based on actual Honda experiences and reading of other's BMW experiences. Subjectively? I'd love a BMW motorcycle and I wouldn't be surprised to find my wifey has one delivered for my 50th Bday in May! Then, I'll drink the coolaid, get a blue roundel tatoo'd on my ____, and will think that I've been nuts to stay on a Honda for so long! LOL
:bmwkick1:
.
:D
 
BakerBoy said:
Subjectively? I'd love a BMW motorcycle and I wouldn't be surprised to find my wifey has one delivered for my 50th Bday in May! Then, I'll drink the coolaid, get a blue roundel tatoo'd on my ____, and will think that I've been nuts to stay on a Honda for so long! LOL
:bmwkick1:
.
:D
Click to expand...

Baker, what's your wife's email address? I'll see if I can push the issue of a new Beemer. What model and color do you prefer? Pretty big leap going from, let's see, what was that last present...a shoe rack??? to a new Beemer. But then again 50 years old is worth a little something extra. Giddy Up! :D
 
pepollock said:
Just read in this morning's paper that NHTSA is looking into reports of fires in Toyota Camry and RAV4 doors. Apparently caused by a power window switch, but get this: there have been 6 (SIX!) reports and no injuries. So NHTSA investigates Toyota after six complaints but BMW motorcycles had been ignored for years.

:confused: pete, RT owner
Click to expand...

What year models?
 
I didn't want to make this thread about Toyotas, but you asked, so...

From an AP report in today's Boston Globe: 2007 Camrys and RAV4s, up to 830,000 vehicles. No recalls yet, only investigating.

Again, 6 reports (out of 830K vehicles), no injuries but one Camry reportedly destroyed.

I now return you to the original topic.

pete
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top Bottom