The sorry saga of 1200GS/GSA fuel pump controller failures (410 so far)

[teejay]

Well joined the fuel pump failure club in Italy on Day 7 of a 17 day trip, fortunately we had the piece of mind to take a spare and a spare EWS, just as well, 10 minutes and on the way again.

Bike is 07 1200GS now 17,152 miles.

Not impressed, mate on his 08 GS heated grips packed up on the right, been in several times as they are next to useless and now packed up, he had the EWS failure after 1000 miles!!!!

Teejay

mine happened on the motorway doin bout 70ish mph managed to coast off onto hard shoulder got it goin again got home. fuel pump just stopped and feul level indicator gone. was off road 2 days while chester motorad got part. they tell me they now stock the fpc at £67.49 inc vat. Ive got a 1200 gsa 2006my with 5995 on the clock nothing really. The service manager told me it was the achilies heel of the gsa, so why dont bmw recall and modify the fpc?? anyways all done now and running again.

2004 Model year 1200GS, owner from new
29000 all weathers
FPC died 100yds from home (luckily) after a couple of weeks laid up, following a very wet week in Ireland. Short push home.
New FPC posted to me by Clarks after a phone call with goodwill discount. (Thanks Clarks).
No lost time, £65 all in. Of course, it would have been rather more hassle in the rain when I was in Ireland - without breakdown cover. There is a lesson in there somewhere - carry a spare FPC, or get breakdown cover....

... another one.

When: 22 March 09

Where: Andes, Argentina, on the way to Bariloche. Day 3 of a 3 month South American tour.

Name: Charles Hodgson

Bike: 2006 R1200GS - 11k miles

Remedy: Was carrying a spare, thanks entirely to some homework on UKGSer and Horizons websites. Threads like this one led me to part with the £ and buy a spare FPC and ring antenna (for immobiliser). Bike died suddenly with no loss of compression or faults indicated. Guessed either failure in ignition (no spares so I would have been shafted) or the FPC. Swapped it and the bike (and me) started breathing again. Nearest BMW dealer would have been in Mendoza and generally its 21 days to get parts from Germany in Argentina from what I hear from other overland riders.

Cost: An hour and a half and we were back on the road. BMW in Hertford were good about it when I got back and gave me a replacement spare (bike is BMW Approved Used).

Bike proved to be very strong mechanically but this weakness is really surprising for a class act like BMW. You need to carry a spare FPC if you are getting seriously out of town.

[bsogri]

my 08 1200 gs failed at the TT, dealer was getting 50/70 bmw.s a day in for repair, EWS and fuel pump controllers when are Bmw going to sort this problem out.

[TunturiSport]

Tell me, are these symptoms due to fpc failure: I have a GSA 1200 -06 with 37 000 km (23 000 miles) in the clock. During the last few weeks I have experienced this twice: When driving very slowly the engine suddently stops. On both occasions I have managed to restart but the motor starts to run with hesitation. I will make a long jorney to Norway after 2 weeks and I am a bit worried.

Originally Posted by harry

Yes, I think it highly likely you are about to suffer an FPC failure.

Mine gave those symptons just before it failed.

Originally Posted by OldCroc

+1

[minkyhead]

congratulations tim ..mr ash in the mcn has put them on the spot proper ..i wonder how he came by your information
having been shafted by your pet hate problem in 2005 and 2006 i have watched from afar as they continued to deny and gloss over a problem that left me stranded ..and many others ruining a major holiday in the process
they no dam well whats been happening ... and four years on its still causing misery ....
i bet they pull their finger out now ...

[Tim Cullis]

I have the greatest respect for BMW on the cars front, but the motorrad side could give lessons in slipperyness to Mandleson. "A small percentage of bikes produced in 2007." What a load of bull.

[scotia_steve]

When did it happen? 29th June 09
Where were you? Home
Rider name Steve
Bike details R 1200 GS 08
Remedy BMW Emeregency, came out replaced within 1 hour
How many days work/holiday did you lose? None
Were there any incidental costs? No, warranty

Replaced with the black one although he had the original ones there too!

[Tim Cullis]

From GSClub site

When: 08 Nov 2008
Where: Plymouth
Name: Steve H
Bike: 05 GS
Remedy: Pushed to dealer and purchased replacement
Days lost: couple of hours
Mileage: 20,000 miles

-----------------------

3 more from MCN site

When: 2005 (1st of 2 incidents)
Where: Northern Ireland
Name: JoeDredd
Bike: 05 GS
Remedy: replaced under warranty
Comment: almost killed rider and pillion

When: 2006 (2nd of 2 incidents)
Where: Northern Ireland
Name: JoeDredd
Bike: 05 GS
Remedy: replaced under warranty
Comment: total failure on a roundabout

When: Sep 2008
Name: rcqd

[Tim Cullis]

From GSClub site:

When: Apr/May 2008 (1st failure)
Where: half mile from home, stuttered then died. Dry.
Name: Trevor Philips
Bike: 05 1200GS (ex BMW offroad school bike)
Remedy: collected replacement from CWs

When: 30 June 2009 (2nd failure)
Where: At home. Parked outdoors. Wet (pool in FPC socket)
Name: Trevor Philips
Bike: 05 1200GS
Remedy: part posted to me, 10 minute fix, but poor design.
Cost: £81 each time, I think.

[minestrone]

2004 GS
none starter at home.
31,500 miles, rode in all weather

came to go for my normal sunday ride out, engine would turn over, but would not start.
purchased & fitted a new fuel pump controler from Williams two days later (thay closed on monday!) and she started as normal.
I am about to strip my old unit down to make a Fpc bypass as described in an early thread.

[scubaGSA]

When ....... 04/07/2009
Where........ Fareham
On............. 08 GSA 11000 miles
Name Andy Holden
Wasted time 1 day
Additional costs £50 in Fuel for friends picking us up and ritual humiliation from every 1150 rider at the Hograost

We were at the Hograost in Andover and decided to pop down to Fareham to see Mandys brother. the bike died but picked up again on the way there so just though it was a 'glitch' had a nice dinner jumped back on the bike and it wouldnt start.

I rang BMW assist and she said oh dear sound like a FPC failure! An hour later BMW assist comes out sniffs the bike and says yep its the usual FPC failure, have you got one I ask? No we arent allowed to carry one as its not a recognised problem according to BMW!!!! Although he says I have done loads of replacements for these!!

Anyhow he says he cant get me one as BMW in Southampton? shut their parts on a saturday at 1300, its now 1400. So he will arrange recovery back to Ocean at Plymouth my local dealer which is great except all of my kit tent etc etc is at Andover. No problem we will get you a replacement bike he says.

An hour later I get a call sorry no bikes, will a car be ok? Yes a car is fine, ah but its Saturday afternoon so you will have to collect it from Southampton airport!! I ask my girlfirnds brother if he will take us and he says yes which I relay onto Mondial (BMW rescue) They say hang on will ring Avis and get back to me. Half hour later Avis ring and say we cant get a car from Southampton its gotta be Heathrow!!!! its now 1700, and oh yes by the way as you dont have your licence on you you will have to be there before 1730!!

Long story short got friends to drop us back at Hograost and had to put up with loads of leg pulling etc etc and Bike is on way to Ocean and we had to get more friends to pick us up and drop us back to Exmouth a 6 hour round trip for them.

Needless to say I will be having words with Ocean on Monday, also had EWS a year ago!! Love my bike but OMG how fecking much can you put up with.
Andy

[Tim Cullis]

Originally Posted by judge

Come on daddy Darkhorse fess up as to why you only made it to the Ace Adventure Day in four wheels and it wasn't just to keep Novice company

- When did it happen? February 2009
- Where were you? Central London
- rider name David Bellis (Darkhorse)
- bike details (model and year) R1200GS Adventure first reg 07.04.06 27000 miles
- remedy New controller fitted
- How many days work/holiday did you lose? about half a working day after a lot of messing around with BMW assist
- Were there any incidental costs? £50 excess and loss of earnings as self employed

[John Armstrong]

Are the majority of the 2009 failures on bikes pre the "improved" FPC ie 2006?

Originally Posted by Tim Cullis

Scroll back and do the count. Some are early bikes, some not so old, some new. And there have been various iterations of this component.

Originally Posted by OldCroc

My bike was manufactured in Sept 2008 therefore has the latest component. The FPC failed with 2000 miles on the clock!!!

[Tim Cullis]

When: May 2009
Rider name: Tony Spence aka Tonyplod
Bike: 07 1200GS, 10000 miles
Remedy: replaced under warranty
Comment: Technican said common problem, and they carry spares with them on break down vehicles.