K&N REPLACEMENT FUEL FILTER Complaints

I am reporting a failure covered by NHTSA Recall 26E048 and K&N's handling of my safety report. I installed a K&N 81-0300 fuel filter on my 1999 Yamaha YZF600R in early April 2026. About one month later, the motorcycle became unable to idle. The filter's internal rubber O-ring, washer, or gasket disintegrated, sending black debris into the carburetors and clogging the pilot jets. On May 4, 2026, I reported this exact failure during a recorded K&N support call. I cited similar Amazon reviews and warned about fuel leakage, fire, loss of engine performance, and danger to a rider. The representative said he had not seen or heard of the problem and would escalate it. I was not told to stop using the filter. K&N requested the failed filter and recovered rubber material for evaluation. I returned the filter and most material in June, but K&N never provided its findings or warned me of a broader safety defect. K&N issued a stop-sale bulletin on July 20 and filed Recall 26E048 on July 23. On July 23 and 24, K&N's warranty manager offered me $250 to close my damage claim, subject to a broad release and confidentiality provision, and said the claim would be closed if I declined. K&N did not disclose the stop sale, recall filing, third-party testing, safety-defect determination, or stop-use instruction. Although K&N had my contact information, safety report, and failed product, it never directly notified me of the recall. I first received a stop-use notice from Amazon on August 13, 2026. Repairs required carburetor removal and cleaning, fuel-system flushing, filter replacement, reassembly, and synchronization. The motorcycle operated properly afterward. No crash, fire, injury, or police report occurred. I ask NHTSA to review K&N's consumer notification and safety disclosures, including its attempt to obtain a broad release and confidentiality commitment without disclosing the active stop sale and recall.