Fuel cap stuck

tspivey

tspivey

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Anyone else had this on an R1300GS? I had my running in service yesterday and on the ride home I knew I’d need fuel. I pulled up with 24 miles left and couldn’t get it to unlock, no matter what I tried. This is only about the 4th/5th time I’ve put fuel in it and on a couple of occasions it didn’t open, then did. I thought I was maybe doing something wrong, but it never played up on my R1250GS.
Anyway, knowing about removing the two front screws I was able to get in and fill up, using the tool kit under the seat. I’d just told the service desk that morning that everything was fine, no problems.
Another excuse to ride over to West Yorkshire.
I’d not seen this reported on the list of R1300GS problems anywhere.
 
No question is a daft question but I had my R1250GS keyless ride long enough to know how it works. In the book it says the light, bottom left corner on the dash should come on when the petrol cap lever is lifted, showing its searching for key fob. Nothing on mine.
 
On the 1250 it was often due to the filler cap T25 retaining screws being too tight. I always used to push down on the rear of filler cap before lifting the release flap on my 1250GS.

Fortunately my 1250RS doesn't have clueless
 
Overfilling and getting splash back into the release pin mech. is the prime cause of failure DAMHIK ;)

It washes the lubricant off, and the pin sticks

Some spray lube applied, and normal service was resumed
 
Has to be opened within a certain number of seconds.
Clean the inside of the mechanism and loosen / tighten screws until it unlocks every time.
Common occurrence if you have fitted a tank bag ring.
If it sticks normally pushing down on the front loosens the grip so the mechanism let’s go.

I found out after fitting tank lock ring and had to open a mates for him using the same push method.

Barry
 
Cleaned, PTFE’d and slackened off the screws a little and it appears to be working. Will keep an eye on it, always got my Torx driver on hand if needed.
Didn’t think I’d be DIY ing quite so early on in my ownership.
 
tspivey said:
Cleaned, PTFE’d and slackened off the screws a little and it appears to be working. Will keep an eye on it, always got my Torx driver on hand if needed.
Didn’t think I’d be DIY ing quite so early on in my ownership.
Click to expand...
Is there a T25 on 1 end of the screwdriver in the "toolkit" under the seat?
 
tspivey said:
Cleaned, PTFE’d and slackened off the screws a little and it appears to be working. Will keep an eye on it, always got my Torx driver on hand if needed.
Didn’t think I’d be DIY ing quite so early on in my ownership.
Click to expand...
In fairness could be worse - I didn’t think my wouldn’t start the first time I wanted to take it out!

Barry
 
Did you have the key close to the front or middle of the bike?. Think the 1300 is more sensitive to the key being closer than the 1250 was.
Mine behaves strangely when trying to open the fuel cap if you don't open it straight after switching off the ignition. You seem to have to do like a double pull eg pull the flap up & then release it back down partially, then pull it fully up again and it opens.

I thinks it's deliberate but not sure why??.
The manual isn't very clear but mentions two scenarios for opening it. It's badly worded & says to pull up the flap while it searches for the key & then to pull it up again! But it hasn't said whether to hold it up first while it's searching for the key.

Anyway I've pasted it below :--

"The fuel filler cap can be
opened within the defined
waiting time after the ignition
has been switched off, without
the radio-operated key being
within range.
Waiting time for open-
ing the fuel filler cap
2 min
There are two variant ways
of opening the fuel filler cap:
Within the waiting time.

After the waiting time has ex-
pired.
Variant 1
Requirement
Within the waiting time
Slowly pull tab 1 on the fuel
filler cap up.
Fuel filler cap unlocks.
Fully open the fuel filler cap.
Variant 2
Requirement
After the waiting time has ex-
pired
Bring the radio-operated key
into range.
Slowly pull tab 1 up.
The indicator light for the ra-
dio-operated key flashes while
the search for the radio-oper-
ated key is in progress.
Slowly pull tab 1 on the fuel
filler cap up again.
Fuel filler cap unlocks.
Fully open the fuel filler cap"
 
Last edited:
Appreciate this thread is a little old but…

We’re currently away from home en route to Greece, sunny weather and all that, and suffered the stuck fuel cap problem for the first time in the 3 years I’ve had the bike.
Massively inconvenient as it was 4.30pm, due on the Ancona/Igoumenitsa ferry early the next day, very low on fuel, and in a little one-horse town with a dodgy phone signal. I knew that I could undo the screws to get fuel in if I had to, but overlooked the fact that SW Motech use Allen key screws not torx, and I only had torx screws driver bits… my fault, I should have checked. I also cursed, thumped it (percussive maintenance), pressed the mount/cap all over the place, turned the ignition on and off again several times.. no dice. I knew that over-tightening the bolts causes problems, but the mount’s been on there for two years.
Fortunately I found a BMW Motorrad dealership within 30 mins travel and headed up, in short time they fixed it - dust/crap in mechanism, no charge thanks 👍
However, they added that BMW were unhappy with the SW Motech tankbag mount fitted to the filler surround, stating that BM believe that the additional loading from the weight/stress of the bag may possibly be causing some of the filler caps to stick.

First time I’ve heard that suggestion, perhaps the same applies to the Givi mounts too?
 
The trick is to hold the cap down at the front, turn the bike off, then pull flap whilst pushing down still on the cap. Quick clean and away you go.

Barry
 
I just cycle my keyless ignition then pop the fuel cap open.
 
Steve398 said:
Appreciate this thread is a little old but…

We’re currently away from home en route to Greece, sunny weather and all that, and suffered the stuck fuel cap problem for the first time in the 3 years I’ve had the bike.
Massively inconvenient as it was 4.30pm, due on the Ancona/Igoumenitsa ferry early the next day, very low on fuel, and in a little one-horse town with a dodgy phone signal. I knew that I could undo the screws to get fuel in if I had to, but overlooked the fact that SW Motech use Allen key screws not torx, and I only had torx screws driver bits… my fault, I should have checked. I also cursed, thumped it (percussive maintenance), pressed the mount/cap all over the place, turned the ignition on and off again several times.. no dice. I knew that over-tightening the bolts causes problems, but the mount’s been on there for two years.
Fortunately I found a BMW Motorrad dealership within 30 mins travel and headed up, in short time they fixed it - dust/crap in mechanism, no charge thanks 👍
However, they added that BMW were unhappy with the SW Motech tankbag mount fitted to the filler surround, stating that BM believe that the additional loading from the weight/stress of the bag may possibly be causing some of the filler caps to stick.

First time I’ve heard that suggestion, perhaps the same applies to the Givi mounts too?
Click to expand...
Blox :) i had the same when mine failed on the 16 plate

2nd filler pot, as the locking mech failed on the first - known problem

I'd done a splash of fuel over the filler and into the lock pin mech

Get it in there and it's fatal, it washes the lube out, and it causes the pin to stick

Just get the cap open , and squirt loads of wd40 into the pin area, and normal service will be resumed

Givi is an allen key as well
 
richardbd said:
So, instead of a key to open the fuel cap, now I have to carry a T25 instead.

Progress…

:D
Click to expand...
Believe me, I do as a matter of course, but to get the Motech mount off I needed an Allen key as well, so that’ll be another thing to pack.
 
Interesting ... I've had a 1300GS Loan Bike since Monday and the Service Advisor that handed over the keys was at great pains to demonstrate exactly how I should open the fuel cap when I needed to refill the tank.

During this demonstration, he failed to get the cap open on three out of six attempts :blast
 
Nippy Normans supply Touratech, Wunderlich, Desert Fox and many other makes of accessories.
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