Might seem a bit pedantic but found out last night it's not a recall but a campaign, obviously BMW don't like the thought of a recall on a part they have been claiming is not an issue
Seems that it effects biles from September 2006 to March 2008 (as Stumpy mentioned earlier) and dealers are being sent a list of vin numbers for the bikes involved.
Heard that BMW have developed a special tool to reduce the time involved in changing the little bugger, anyone of a cynical nature might wonder if the reason this campaign is happening now is as it will be less costs involved.
It's not uncommon in the automotive industry to have a campaign, as opposed to a recall. Recalls are often governmental lead, requiring strict adherence to assorted rules and reg's.
We insure the guarantee and recall cover for a huge ball bearing manufacturer. They had a possible problem with a very large batch of wheel bearings (coming from one - maybe two - factories) possibly in thousands of cars, assembled by assorted manufacturers in only some countries. It all revolved around the possible contamination of a specific batch of steel from just one furnace.
The vehicles were not dangerous per-se. However, it was agreed with the multiple insurers of the single policy that
all the possible bearings would be changed, whether a customer knew, wanted it or not. All that happened was that customers' services took a bit longer. However, as most people leave their vehicle in for a day, nobody noticed. Unused bearings, sitting in little boxes in stores and in motor factors also had to be traced. In the end they found the lot.... The claim, brought under the guarantee section of the policy, was several million dollars......Guarantee insurance is often bloody expensive to buy.....but often worth it.
Some people might remember the little letter that dropped through their door, asking early 1200GS owners to drop by to have the ABS cable re-routed (clip added) to avoid numpty wheel changers cutting the cable with the front disk. It's very similar and was, again, not a recall. The EWS electronics are, perhaps, sourced from several suppliers, who (in turn) may have received their components from other suppliers. It takes a while to sort out if there really is a problem, what it is, where the components came from and where they have gone....thankfully, the automotive industry is quite good at it...
The making of a batch of special tools, if it's true, would seem sensible. If you had hundreds of repetitive jobs to do, wouldn't you do the same? It speeds the process for everyone, not least the customer who has to wait / have no bike to use, whilst it's fixed.
Simple guide to a complex problem and cover:
Manufacturers and retailers Insurance
Product Guarantee and Recall
Costs of replacing, repairing or recovering products which have failed to perform their intended function
Faults arising from design, manufacture, installation or use
Advice design and consultancy if connected directly to the supply of products or physical work, e.g. construction, following failure of product
Financial loss of customer or third parties
Costs of recalling faulty, or suspected faulty, products
Advertising and transport cost associated with recall of products
Examination and replacement costs associated with recalled products
Failure to perform, i.e. cover excluded from standard products liability policy subject to an 'inefficacy' exclusion, e.g. for fire extinguishers
).
