Fuel guage

[SK_in_AB]

On my '06 R12T I have noticed my tank never taking on a full load when the gauge reads empty. Went as low as I could this week. The warning light came on and I drove around town about another 20 miles. On and off the side stand the Km to empty and fuel indicator kept resetting a bit as gas moved from one side to the other of the tank.

 

finally went for a fill when the fuel gauge bar was showing only a very small triangle at the bottom. On the center stand I managed to put in 22L with some slow topping up of the filler neck (stated useable capacity is 27 L - a full gallon more.

 

Is this enough evidence of a bad fuel gauge strip? I have 2 months left on my 3 year warranty and want to take the bike in if I can get it fixed for free.

[Pictou]

What you are describing is pretty normal behavior. I think BMW builds in a hefty reserve. Mine is the same as yours. When showing basically 0 miles to empty I can only put in something in the range of 20 to 22 liters.

 

You can have your fuel gauge recalibrated so the low fuel warning doesn't come on as soon.

 

My impression from what you describe is the fuel strip is working pretty much as it was designed.

[RodB]

My '05 RT is the same - I think once I rode for 50 Km's past the 0 km's left warning. I still couldn't put much more than 25 L in the tank. It's good that we have a "reserve".

[marcopolo]

I had mine re-calibrated so that the low fuel warning (yellow warning triangle and flashing pump icon) did not come on so early. It improved the situation. If I read the manual correctly I interpret it to mean that the low fuel warning should come on when you have the reserve fuel quantity remaining in the tank, i.e., 4 litres. In theory (and I emphasize theory), your bike should conk out when the Kms to empty read zero. Actually, the hardest part is topping off the tank. It seems like you can add dribs and drabs for what seems like an eternity. Most I've added at a fuel stop was 25 litres (I had 500 kms on the trip odometer). Before someone suggests, no I haven't removed the rubber thingy from the filler neck, nor do I plan to.

[Twisties]

My understanding is that yellow triangle comes on at about 50 miles before empty. At empty (0 miles range remaining on the BC, if so equipped), you are to have 1.4 gallons reserve.

[SK_in_AB]

Thanks. I guess this is pretty normal. Those reporting fuel strip problems seem to have it much sooner or mre severe than the 5 L left at empty. As long as I can rely on it and plan to run no more than 25km into the warning zone this is probably ok.

 

 

 

[Pictou]

If you don't already I would recommend that you set your trip gauge at each fill up. When my fuel strip failed it would read full all the time. After my experience with fuel strip problems I won't ever completely trust this thing.

[Lmar]

I think the most I've added has been about 24 liters. My miles to empty was basically at zero.