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

[SeanC]

When - Friday 08 June 2012
Where - Outside my house! Nairobi Kenya
Rider - Sean Culligan
Bike model and year - 1200 GSA 2007
Remedy - Had a spare (Thank you, Tossers for your advice!)
Days lost - None
Incidental costs - Nil

Switched it off on Thursday evening after a normal day. Would not start on Friday morning. Suspected the FPC and the GS 911 confirmed it.

 

[AndyW]

Another one...

Terry Tritten has sent the following message from the Contact Us page on http://www.motorcycleinfo.co.uk/:

"On June, 28th, 2012, I was riding five miles out of town on a major busy highway in the USA, my 2007,1200 GS broke down. The remedy is waiting on parts and missed one day holiday doing so. Incidental cost so far is $100,00 tow bill plus parts."

 

[neiljitsu]

Me too! In my shed on way into work, most inconvienient.

 

[stonesracing]

When - Friday 08 July 2012
Where - North Norfolk coast
Rider - Ian Stones
Bike model and year - 1200 GS 2005
Remedy - Towed Home, bike collected by the dealer (only bought it 4 days previous)
Days lost - None
Incidental costs - Nil (RAC Recovered)

Then:

When - Friday 011 July 2012
Where - Riding back from bike shop after collecting the bike from ^^^^^
Rider - Ian Stones
Bike model and year - 1200 GS 2005
Remedy - RAC engineer bypassed controller to allow me to ride home
Days lost - None
Incidental costs - Nil (RAC Recovered), controller replaced this time under warranty!!

Absolutely loving the bike though, had a GSXR750 before so quite a different riding style!

Ian

 

[Neil A]

Another one

When - Friday 27 July 2012
Where - At home, Laxey, Isle of Man
Rider - Neil Atkinson
Bike model and year - 1200 GS 2004
Remedy - Luckily the bike came with a spare one under the seat; stuck that on. Sorted in less than 30 minutes. Now going to use the old one to make a by-pass. Would have been much more of an issue if it hadn't happened at home, with access to the right tools (torx bit and pliers to get the little connectors out). Lesson - carry the tools on the bike with the by-pass when I've made it!
Days lost - None
Incidental costs - Nil to me, but the previous owner had bought the spare FPC, which Motorworks are selling at a bit under £90, so about £90, effectively

NB - the bike's previous (first) owner had already replaced one FPC, which was why he had bought the spare, but I don't know the details of that failure

 

[Philjt]

Fuel Pump Failure

When = 2011
Where = Overtaking vehicles on Duel Cariageway, 2miles from home.
Name = Phil
Bike = 2006, R1200GS (22000miles)
RAC recovery to home address.(luckily I am a member!)
Costs = Replaced pump myself, as dealer too expensive.

 

[TuscanTourer]

Got Off To A Bad Start!

Nice to see I'm not alone in being marooned in the shit middle of nowhere.

- Thursday 16th August 2012
- Motorway about 19km from Florence in the direction of Pistoia
- Jason Fuller
- R1200GS 2012(!) with just 1500 miles on the clock.
- Taken to NovaMoto BMW Florence, part replaced under warranty after 6 days.
- One week of holiday = no trip to Spain & stuck in my mate's house!
- No cost: luckily I had the European breakdown with my ebike policy (well worth the £50).

 

[KIWI RICHARD]

Oldest GS in New Zealand

Hi from New Zealand ,My 04 failed at about 65,000 kms or just under 40,000miles ,just as well I carried a spare.Cheers

 

[rust bucket]

Pump controller

Failed 2km from Bilbao ferry terminal had to push it to the ferry!
06, 27000 miles, circuit board had burnt out due to water ingress

 

[52blackshadow]

Yup, another one.

Add me to the list. 90 k miles and everything else had already gone wrong.

Shad.

 

[ChrisThis]

fuel pump controller

WHEN 13:05:2010
WHERE Garstang, Lancashie
RIDER ChrisThis
BIKE R1200GSA 2008 (18426 miles on clock)
REMEDY New controller fitted by Dealer.

 

[Mr K]

Think of it as a service item.... I think they last about 3 years - my latest one had no sign of water ingress.
Carry a spare.

 

[madmax]

Think of it as a service item.... I think they last about 3 years - my latest one had no sign of water ingress.
Carry a spare.

Probably the kiss of death for mine, but here goes! 2006 GSA 42,000 and still on the original, oh well I'll go buy a replacement asap.

 

[Mick-B]

2006 R1200GS - FPC failure

- When did it happen? - 6.35pm, 2nd January 2013
- Where were you? - Leaving work (Tower Hill, City of London)
- Rider name - Mick-B
- Bike details (model and year) - R1200GS 2006 - 56,750m
- Remedy - BMW Emergency Assist agent quickly diagnosed full tank of fuel not reaching engine - bike recovered same evening to BMW Park Lane workshop in Battersea / Nine Elms who replaced the (original) FPC the following day.
- How many days work/holiday did you lose? - Not applicable
- Were there any incidental costs? - Fortunately not for the repair. Recovery and replacement part/labour covered by BMW warranty but approx £15 return railfare (home that evening and back to work the following day and then across London to Battersea to collect the bike) to my own account - it could have been a whole lot worse

A fantastic way to start 2013...

 

[thegasman]

Confirmed FPC failure

Dunno yet, but if you see a Tosser waiting by the side of the roundabout on J1 of the M32, give us a wave.

Thought so, add another one.

56 plate GS, 25.5k miles.
07:30, 24/1/13.
Cut-out when pulling up to stop at lights, on roundabout J1 M32 (pushed across 5 lanes traffic to side of road)
Starter motor was cranking and fuel in tank so immediately thought FPC after previously seeing this thread.
While waiting for RAC called around to see who had one in stock - Bath Road Motorcycles came up trumps, and said they would fit it too.
Recovered by very nice RAC man to BRM, who relieved me of 80-odd quid. RAC man then fitted the unit and made sure everything working before I headed off.
Got to work 2.5 hours late, so not too bad. Toes still thawing out.

Massive thanks to BRM and RAC man for sorting me out.

Old unit was alloy type, heavily pitted and corroded. Will have a proper look at home, am I right that some people have repaired them?

When I asked the chap at BRM whether I should buy another against future failures, he said the new ones didn't seem to have the same problem. It's the black unit, code 7-720-776. Is he right or should I buy another one if heading off on a long trip?

Also, anyone got a link for a how-to to bridge the unit for a short term fix?

Sean

 

[thegasman]

wire fix

Also, anyone got a link for a how-to to bridge the unit for a short term fix?

Sean

Neat: http://www.ukgser.com/forums/showthread.php?t=193142

 

[thegasman]

Happy after new FPC

Now a few days after fitting new FPC and a very happy bunny. I'd been a bit suspicious that the bike hadn't been running as well as it should for a while, and my fuel economy had taken a dive. Since fitting new FPC I have my old bike back - lovely!

 

[Geziuks]

First time it happened was 6th of February, near Midhurst. after that I could start it again, rode for 10 minutes and died again, got home safely on recovery truck, cost involved £100. Bike R1200 GSA 2008. Haven't had problems after that.. strange..
The second time was yesterday!
On Thursday left the bike overnight for a service, got the FPC replaced (at a cost of about £100). Driving down the M1 on Friday, all happy that the bike is like new, and then out of nowhere, engine stalled (good that I was riding 70mph in the left lane and not +90mph on the right), waited for a recovery truck about 3-4hours (lost track of time). Waiting now for Monday, bike will go back to service where it was fixed and hopefully I'll be able to enjoy it once again. Oh, and the milage is 23050miles

 

[AndyW]

Another....

Francis G has sent the following message from the Contact Us page on http://www.motorcycleinfo.co.uk/:

"for your survey. The fuel pump controller failed on my 2008 R1200RT seven miles north of LevelLand, Texas on highway 387. Fortunately my cell phone worked and was able to have the bike hauled to Wild Fire Motorcycle Shop in Lubbock, TX. Where they diagnosed the problem. Loaded the bike in a trailer and returned it to Omaha Ne for repair. If I had the jumper you sell I might have been able to get home riding the bike. "

 

[DrFarkoff]

Another one this morning

at the ferry in Larne friend was heading for a couple of days away

Obvious signs of water above and below the seal

Changed it for mine out of My 1200GS and away he went

I've said it all along all that it needs is the vented cover made into a rain cover so water can;t pool in there and some rubber grease or vaseline round the seals just in case you get well wet in a monsoon

(oh and mine has a skiff of black waxoyl brushed on to waterproof the alloy too)