Difficulty Refilling The Fuel Tank (SI B16 01 20)
Publication date: 2020-04-03Reference number: SI B16 01 20
DIFFICULTY REFILLING THE FUEL TANK
TECHNICAL SERVICE BULLETIN
| BMW: | All Models |
SITUATION
The vehicle is difficult to refill with fuel. A blockage in the rubber hose portion of the filler pipe assembly may be the root cause.
PROCEDURE
- Use special tool 0 495 588 (16 1 080) to hold open the flap at the top of the filler neck.
This will avoid getting the borescope (1) stuck in the filler neck upon removal.
- Insert the borescope flexible camera head down into the filler neck.
If you can see the internal check valve (ICV; item 1) at the bottom of the filler neck, the rubber hose is not collapsed and your restriction resides somewhere else in the system.
- If you cannot see the ICV at the bottom of the filler neck, the rubber hose is collapsed and needs to be replaced.
Replace only the rubber section of the filler neck. Do not replace the entire fuel filler neck.
Refer the applicable repair instructions for the specific vehicle by entering the VIN into AIR or ISTA.
A new hose material started production as of August 2018. If cases are seen after this production date, please create an Info Only TSARA case with pictures.
IMPORTANT INFORMATION ABOUT THE CHARCOAL CANISTER
Removing the charcoal canister (Carbon Canister - AKF) from the vehicle to weigh it on a scale is not a viable diagnosis step.
All charcoal canisters will appear to feel heavy or weigh heavier than a new unused replacement unit because the carbon content has absorbed the fuel vapor. The increased weight is normal and is not a defect, the canister should not be replaced.
If an excessive amount of raw fuel is found in the canister and/or the charcoal contents appear to be falling out of the canister, then there may be an issue present that requires the canister to be replaced.
If additional diagnosis assistance is required, create a TSARA hotline case with a clear description with pictures of what is found and wait for their response.
PARTS INFORMATION
Obtain and confirm the part numbers for your specific vehicle by entering the chassis number in either ETK or AIR which takes into account specific equipment and/or options.
| Part Number | Description | Quantity |
|---|---|---|
| Refer to ETK/AIR | Filler pipe (Lower rubber hose connection) | 1 |
WARRANTY INFORMATION
Covered under the terms of the BMW New Vehicle Limited Warranty for Passenger Cars and Light Trucks.
| Defect Code: | 1611019400 | Filler pipe, (including filler hose), fuel tank, difficult to fill tank |
|---|---|---|
| Labor Operation | Description | Labor Allowance |
| 16 11 060 | Removing and installing or replacing the fuel filler neck (Main work) | Refer to AIR |
| OR | ||
| 16 11 563 | Removing and installing or replacing the fuel filler neck (Plus work) | Refer to AIR |
| And, as needed: | ||
| 16 00 6## | Extracting and topping up fuel in fuel tank (Associated work). "##" indicates amount of fuel removed, liters. | Refer to AIR |
| And, as needed: | ||
| 16 99 000 | Work time for the borescope inspection of the lower filler neck area (vehicle in the workshop) | 2 FRU |
If you are using a Main labor code for another repair, use the Plus code labor operation 16 11 563 instead of 16 11 060.
Refer to AIR for the corresponding flat rate unit (FRU) allowances.
Work time labor operation code 16 99 000 is not considered a Main labor operation; however; it does require an individual punch time to support the FRU amount claimed and an explanation on the repair order and in the claim comments section.
Other Repairs
If other eligible and covered work is performed as a result of diagnosing the issue described in this bulletin, claim this work with the applicable defect code and the labor operations that are listed in AIR (including diagnosis with separate punch times).



