Fuel gauge failure, suddenly stopped working and reads empty at all times.
2008 BMW R 1200 R: wrong fuel gauge reading
5 of the 11 complaints about the 2008 BMW R 1200 R describe wrong fuel gauge reading.
- owner complaints
- 5
- of this car's complaints
- 45%
- typical mileage
- 4,900
- recalls
- 2
Is there a fix? There are 2 recalls for this area of the car. See below
Wrong fuel gauge reading by model year
What owners say
Low fuel warning lamp did not come on leading to me running out of fuel on interstate highway. Fuel gauge indicated approximately 1/4 tank (3 bars) but was inaccurate. This is an unsafe condition since loss of engine power from running out of fuel can be quite dangerous on a motorcycle. The "fuel strip" (per bmw nomenclature) fails causing fuel gauge to read inaccurately and rendering low fuel warning lamp inoperative. This is a common failure on many bmw motorcycle models from 2005-2013.
From the dealer's repair order description: "the customer reports the fuel gauge reads low (light on) when full and reads full when empty. Also the residual range to zero counts down from 253 to three dashes in about three miles after every fill-up." fuel level sender part 16147697815 replaced.
My 2008 bmw r1200r motorcycle fuel gauge continues to malfunction or does not work. It has been replaced by the dealer multiple occasions. Merging with high speed high volume traffic in the dc area can be very dangerous if you run out of gas due to a fuel gauge error. I had the same problem with my bmw r1200gs adventure motorcycle. My brother has hid gauge changed on his bmw r1200gs adventure at least 5 times.
The fuel gauge shows fuel remaining and the warning light is not on and the engine runs out of fuel and dies with no warning. It has happened to my bike and to my sisters bike. My fuel gage stopped working completely after I ran out. Bmw repaired mine and it works ok now. I have seen this problem discussed repeatedly in many online forums.
Related recalls
Fuel system, gasoline: delivery: fuel pump
- What is wrong
- BMW of North America, LLC (BMW) is recalling certain 2009-2011 K1300 (S, GT), 2010-2011 S1000 RR, 2005-2011 R1200 (GS, GS Adventure, R, RT, S, ST), 2006-2010 HP2 (Enduro, Megamoto, Sport), 2005-2008 K1200 (R, R Sport, S, GT), and 2012 K1600 (GT, GTL) motorcycles that were repaired under recall 13V‑617 with the support ring remedy and where the fuel pump was not replaced at a later date. This recall involves the fuel pump, and also the auxiliary fuel pump as applicable. The affected motorcycles have a fuel pump flange that may crack, possibly resulting in a fuel leak while the engine is running.
- Risk
- A fuel leak in the presence of an ignition source can increase the risk of a fire.
- Remedy
- BMW will notify owners, and dealers will replace the fuel pump(s) with an improved version, free of charge. The recall began January 18, 2021. Owners may contact BMW customer service at 1‑800‑525‑7417.
Recall number 20V471000 · Recall details
Fuel system, gasoline: delivery: fuel pump
- What is wrong
- BMW of North America, LLC (BMW) is recalling certain model year 2005-2011 model year R-model motorcycles, model year 2005-2012 K-model motorcycles, model year 2010-2011 S 1000 model motorcycles, and model year 2006-2010 HP2 motorcycles. In the affected motorcycles, the fuel pump flange (and the auxiliary fuel pump flange if equipped) could develop cracks and leak fuel.
- Risk
- A fuel leak in the presence of an ignition source may result in a fire.
- Remedy
- BMW will notify owners, and dealers will either reinforce the fuel pump flange or replace the pump, as necessary, free of charge. The recall began on April 16, 2014. Owners may contact BMW customer relations at 1‑800‑525‑7417 or email BMW at [email protected].
Recall number 13V617000 · Recall details
Questions about the 2008 BMW R 1200 R fuel gauge
Is wrong fuel gauge reading a common problem on the 2008 BMW R 1200 R?
5 of 11 owner complaints about the 2008 BMW R 1200 R (45%) mention wrong fuel gauge reading. The model year with the most reports is 2013.
Is there a recall or service bulletin for this on the 2008 BMW R 1200 R?
There are 2 recalls and 0 service bulletins for the same area of the car. Check them below with your VIN.
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