BMW R 1200 GS Complaints

325 consumer complaints on file.

#10508135April 13, 2013
FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM
SMELL OF GASOLINE WHILE RIDING. DISCOVERD FUEL LEAK FROM CRACKS IN PLASTIC FLANGE WHERE FUEL LINE ATTACHES TO FUEL TANK. FOUND OUT THIS IS A COMMON FAILURE. NEW MODELS HAVE A UPDATED PART. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10505324April 2, 2013
POWER TRAIN
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 BMW R1200GS MOTORCYCLE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC FOR UNRELATED MAINTENANCE WHEN THEY NOTICED THAT THE REAR WHEEL FINAL DRIVE WAS SEVERELY WORN. THE PART WAS ORDERED AND THE VEHICLE WAS LATER REPAIRED. THE REAR BRAKE PADS WERE REPLACED DURING THE REPAIR DUE TO AN EXCESSIVE OIL LEAK FROM THE REAR WHEEL. THE DRIVE SHAFT WAS ALSO DAMAGED AND WOULD NEED TO BE REPLACED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE PROBLEM. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 68,000. UPDATED 06/10/13 *BF THE CONSUMER STATED THE FINAL DRIVE SEAL BLEW WHILE DRIVING. THE REAR TIRE WAS COVERED IN OIL. IN ADDITION, THE REAR BRAKE PAD HAD TO BE REPLACE DUE TO OIL DAMAGE. WHILE REPAIRING THE FINAL DRIVE. THE MECHANIC FOUND THE DRIVE SHAFT WAS NOTCHY AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10504958March 29, 2013
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM, FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM
FUEL GAUGE FREQUENTLY INDICATES PLENTY OF FUEL IN TANK WHEN TANK RUNS EMPTY. GAUGE WILL ALSO OCCASIONALLY SHOW EMPTY WHEN SEVERAL GALLONS OF FUEL IN TANKS. *TR ## VIN FAILED ##
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10503488March 18, 2013
FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 BMW R1200 MOTORCYCLE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THERE WAS FUEL LEAKING FROM THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT INSPECTED BY A DEALER OR AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT CONTACTED. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGES WAS APPROXIMATELY 26,200. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10502600March 13, 2013
FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM
FUEL GAUGE/FUEL STRIP STOPPED WORKING PROPERLY. IT STARTED SHOWING A FULL TANK EVEN WHEN THE TANK WAS ALMOST EMPTY. SOMETIMES WILL SHOW AN EMPTY TANK WITH THE "LOW FUEL LIGHT" LIGHTING UP RANDOMLY, SOMETIMES EVEN WITH THE TANK FULL. THE FUEL GAUGE IS UNRELIABLE AND A CONSTANT DISTRACTION WHILE RIDING, A FAIRLY POSSIBLE HAZARDOUS ISSUE. THE FUEL GAUGE CANNOT BE DISCONNECTED, IT WILL MESS UP WITH THE ON BOARD COMPUTER. MULTIPLE BMW R1200GS OWNERS REPORTED VERBALLY AND IN WRITING THE SAME ISSUE WITH THE FUEL GAUGE FAILING EVEN IF REPLACED UNDER WARRANTY. THE BMW DEALERS AND CORPORATE REPRESENTATIVES ARE NOT COVERING THE FAULTY PART AFTER THE WARRANTY EXPIRES. PLEASE ADVISE. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10501443March 5, 2013
POWER TRAIN
I WAS GETTING AT A STOP LIGHT AND THE REAR WHEEL LOCKED ABRUPTLY. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10499988February 25, 2013
FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM
AS I WAS RIDING THE FUEL GAUGE WENT FROM SHOWING FULL TO SHOWING EMPTY IN LESS THAN 10 MILES. THE FUEL GAUGE CONTINUED TO SHOW THAT THE GAS TANK WAS EMPTY EVEN AFTER SUBSEQUENT FILL UPS. BMW REFUSED TO FIX THE FAULTY GAUGE OR FUEL STRIP AS MY BIKE WAS 38 MONTHS OLD EVEN THOUGH THIS IS A KNOW PROBLEM WITH BMW MOTORCYCLES. THIS PROBLEM I FEEL IS A SAFETY HAZARD AS IT MAY CAUSE THE BIKE TO RUN OUT OF GAS WITHOUT ANY WARNING. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10499336February 19, 2013
FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM
FUEL STRIP FAILED. REPLACED AGAIN IN 6/2012. FAILURE RESULTS IN FALSE GAUGE READING WHICH CAN LEAD TO RUNNING OUT OF FUEL AT SPEED IN TRAFFIC. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10498314February 15, 2013
FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM
DURING SERVICE, TECH NOTICED A CRACK IN THE FUEL PUMP HOUSING. BIKE IS UNSAFE TO DRIVE DUE TO RISK OF FUEL LEAK AND FIRE HAZARD. THIS PROBLEM IS WELL DOCUMENTED AND COULD POTENTIALLY LEAD TO LOSS OF LIFE OR SEVERE BURNS. RECOMMEND RECALL ON THIS PART. *TR THE ISSUE IS SO WELL KNOWN, ONLINE PARTS STORES ARE SELLING A PARTS FIX. REQUEST REASON WHY RECALL HAS NOT BEEN ISSUED.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10493510January 19, 2013
POWER TRAIN, WHEELS
RIDING THE MOTORCYCLE TO DEALERSHIP WHEN I NOTICED A VIBRATION IN THE DRIVE TRAIN. DEALERSHIP DIAGNOSED AS FINAL DRIVE CROWN BEARING FAILURE(ESSENTIALLY REAR WHEEL BEARING). *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10493320January 17, 2013
FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM
AFTER SMELLING GASOLINE WHILE VEHICLE WAS PARKED IN MY GARAGE, I REMOVED THE OUTER BODY PARTS AND DISCOVERED THAT THE FLANGE WHERE THE HIGH PRESSURE FUEL LINE IS ATTACHED TO THE FUEL TANK HAS SEVERAL CRACKS RADIATING OUT FROM WHERE THE FITTING IS SCREWED INTO THE FLANGE. GASOLINE HAD BEEN LEAKING OUT AND ACCUMULATING ON THE FLANGE. FUEL COULD HAVE LEAKED ONTO THE EXHAUST WHILE RIDING, RESULTING IN A POSSIBLE FIRE. APPARENTLY, THIS PROBLEM IS KNOWN BY BMW, AS IT REPORTED ON SEVERAL WEBSITES. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10493015January 15, 2013
FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM
AFTER STOPPING AT LOCAL GAS STATION TO FILL UP WITH GAS AS PER NORMAL, NOTICED GAS SMELL, BUT COULD NOT DETECT ANY VISIBLE LEAK. RODE FOR A SHORT DISTANCE, RETURNED HOME. AFTER STOPPING ENGINE AND DISMOUNTING, NOTICED MY LEFT PANT-LEG WAS SOAKED IN GASOLINE. AFTER REMOVING SIDE [LEFT] PANEL WAS ABLE TO SEE VISIBLE FUEL LEAK (MORE OF A SPRAY). LEAK ONLY OCCURRED WHEN FUEL PUMP WAS OPERATING. SOURCE OF LEAK WAS THE FEMALE CONNECTOR OF THE FUEL LINE. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10492342January 12, 2013
FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM
CRACKS DEVELOPED IN THE FUEL PUMP FLANGE CAUSING FUEL TO LEAK ON THE ENGINE. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10492118January 10, 2013
FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM
I HAVE DETECTED THE SMELL OF RAW GAS COMING FROM THE DRIVER'S SIDE OF MY MOTORCYCLE. I REMOVED THE SIDE COVER AND TANK SHROUD TO DISCOVER THAT THE PLASTIC FLANGE THAT CONNECTS THE FUEL PUMP TO THE FUEL LINE HAS CRACKED AND IS LEAKING A FINE MIST OF FUEL OUT INTO THE ATMOSPHERE AND AT WORST CASE ONTO THE LEFT CYLINDER OF THE MOTORCYCLE. IT SEEMS THAT THIS IS A PROBLEM PREVALENT TO THESE MOTORCYCLES AND COULD CAUSE THE VEHICLE TO BURST INTO FLAMES IF LEFT UNATTENDED. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10490417December 28, 2012
FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM
WHILE RIDING WITH PRETEEN SON ON THE PASSENGER SEAT, GAS FUMES BECAME APPARENT. UPON INSPECTION FOUND THE TOP OF THE RIDERS RIGHT FUEL PUMP WAS LEAKING FUEL VIA SEVERAL CRACKS THUS ALLOWING FUEL TO ESCAPE AND BECOME A HAZARD. THE FOLLOWING HAS ALREADY BEEN SUBMITTED TO YOU BUT IT EXPLAINS THE ISSUES WITH THIS FAULTY FUEL PUMP BETTER THAN I COULD FAILURE OF THE FUEL PUMP HOUSING HIGH-PRESSURE FUEL QUICK DISCONNECT REINFORCEMENT FLANGE CRACKS UNDER HIGH PRESSURE CYCLING AND LEAKS, SENDING RAW FUEL DOWN THE LEFT FAIRING IN CLOSE PROXIMITY OF THE VEHICLES LEFT EXHAUST PIPE AND IGNITION SYSTEM COMPONENTS. CONSEQUENCES OF FAILURE THE COMBINATION OF HIGH FUEL PRESSURE AND NEGLIGENT DESIGN CREATE SUBSTANTIAL RISK FOR RIDERS OF THE IMPACTED VEHICLES. THERE ARE MULTIPLE NEGATIVE CONSEQUENCES OF THIS FAILURE, A FEW OF WHICH ARE OUTLINED BELOW: 1. RIDERS BECOME FUEL SOAKED AS FUEL LEAKS DOWN THE LEFT FAIRING AND THEN IS FORCED BY FAIRING AIRFLOW DYNAMICS ON TO THE RIDERS LEFT LEG. 2. FUEL VAPORS, CAPTURED BY THE FAIRING AND HEATED BY THE EXHAUST PIPE BECOME EXTREMELY VOLATILE AND COULD LEAD TO A FIRE AND/OR EXPLOSION. 3. FUEL VAPORS RISING FROM THE FAIRING AND EXITING THE TOP OF THE FAIRING BETWEEN THE INSTRUMENT PANEL AND FUEL TANK, ARE BLOWN BY AIRFLOW INTO THE RIDERS FACE. PRELIMINARY ANALYSIS EXAMINATION OF THE FUEL PUMP ASSEMBLY SUGGESTS THAT THE HIGH-PRESSURE FUEL QUICK DISCONNECT REINFORCEMENT FLANGE WAS INADEQUATELY DESIGNED FOR THE FUEL PUMP OUTLET PRESSURES. BMW'S CHOICE OF A NON-METALLIC (COMPOSITE) PUMP HOUSING COMBINED WITH A COMPOSITE HIGH-PRESSURE DISCONNECT FITTING WAS UNWISE AND THE FAILURE MECHANISM IS OBVIOUS. HIGH PUMP PRESSURE EXPANDS THE COMPOSITE HIGH-PRESSURE FITTING CAUSING IT TO READILY LOAD THE FUEL PUMP HIGH-PRESSURE QUICK DISCONNECT FLANGE. OVER TIME, PRESSURE CYCLING CAUSES THE QUICK DISCONNECT REINFORCEMENT FLANGE TO CRACK ALLOWING FUEL TO LEAK. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10488899December 16, 2012
FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM, ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
AFTER FILLING UP ON FUEL AND DRIVING HOME (LESS THAN FIVE MILES), I PARKED THE MOTORCYCLE. LATER IN THE DAY, I NOTICED FUEL ON THE ASPHALT BENEATH THE BIKE AND LEAKING FROM THE FUEL PUMP, DOWN ONTO THE ENGINE, LEFT EXHAUST PIPE AND OTHER PARTS OF THE FRAME. FURTHER INSPECTING, I FOUND FUEL POOLED ATOP THE FUEL PUMP HOUSING. MOPPING UP THE FUEL, I IDENTIFIED A HAIRLINE CRACK IN THE UPPER PLASTIC HOUSING THAT HOLDS THE FUEL PUMP, FUEL PUMP ELECTRONICS AND FUEL LINE CONNECTION. THE FUEL PUMP ELECTRONICS UNIT WAS DAMAGED BY EXPOSURE TO THE FUEL, CAUSING SILICON INSULATION TO CRUMBLE AND FALL AWAY. (EVIDENCE THAT THE LEAK HAD EXISTED FOR SOME TIME, BUT ONLY CAME TO MY ATTENTION AFTER THIS PARTICULAR FILL-UP.) REPLACEMENT PARTS ESTIMATE FROM BMW: $680.34 (INCLUDING TAX, BUT EXCLUDING INSTALLATION.) *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10487932December 11, 2012
FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM
FUEL PUMP FLANGE, A PLASTIC PART, ON THE GASOLINE TANK, HAD A NUMBER OF CRACKS. I FOUND THE PROBLEM THROUGH DISCUSSIONS WITH OTHER MOTORCYCLISTS. I FEEL THAT IF I HAD NOT CHECKED FOR THE KNOWN PROBLEM (AMONG THE BMW MOTORCYCLING COMMUNITY) FUEL WOULD HAVE LEAKED AND POSED A SERIOUS FIRE PROBLEM AND POSSIBLE INJURY TO MYSELF, POSSIBLY FATAL. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10487986December 11, 2012
STRUCTURE, FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM
DISCOVERED 12/9/2012. EXTENT OF CRACKING INDICATES THAT THE ISSUE LIKELY BEGAN A NUMBER OF YEARS EARLIER. MY FUEL TANK HAS PLASTIC QUICK DISCONNECT FITTINGS ON LEFT AND RIGHT SIDE. NUMEROUS (8-12) SMALL RADIAL CRACKS HAVE APPEARED IN EACH OF THE QUICK DISCONNECT REINFORCEMENT FLANGES, EXTENDING IN SEVERAL CASES DOWN TO THE TOP OF THE TANK. CONTINUED GROWTH OF THE CRACKS INTO THE THREADED AREA HAVE RESULTED IN FUEL LEAKS ON OTHER BIKES WITH THIS SAME CONFIGURATION (BUT NOT YET ON MY BIKE). BELIEF IS THAT THE COMPOSITE QUICK DISCONNECT EXPANDS DURING PRESSURE CYCLING AND IMPARTS A RADIAL LOAD TO THE PUMP HOUSING QUICK DISCONNECT REINFORCEMENT FLANGE. OVER TIME, THIS PRESSURE CYCLING CAUSES CRACKS TO APPEAR IN THE REINFORCEMENT FLANGE WHICH EVENTUALLY RESULT IN FUEL LEAKS. SEE ODI 10428629 AND CASE [XXX] INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6). *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10485807November 22, 2012
FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM
FUEL STARTED LEAKING FROM TOP OF GAS TANK , LEAKING FROM CRACKS IN FLANGE CONNECTION VERY UNSAFE FIRE HAZARD. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10485387November 21, 2012
FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM
AT THE SUGGESTION OF A FELLOW BMW MOTORCYCLE CLUB MEMBER, I INSPECTED THE FUEL LINE FITTINGS WHERE THEY ATTACHED TO THE FUEL PUMP. THERE WERE NUMEROUS CRACKS IN THE PLASTIC AROUND ONE OF THE FITTINGS. I WAS PREPARING FOR A SUMMER TRIP WITH A FRIEND WHO ALSO OWNS A R1200 GSA, SO I BOUGHT TWO CLAMPS (SAME KIND AS SOLD BY BEEMER BONEYARD) SO WE COULD AVOID A POTENTIAL FAILURE DURING THE TRIP. I AM DISAPPOINTED THAT BMW DID NOT TAKE RESPONSIBILITY FOR THIS OBVIOUS SAFETY HAZARD. I HAVE SEEN RECALLS FOR OTHER MOTORCYCLES FOR POTENTIALLY DEFECTIVE FUEL LINES, SO WHY IS THIS NOT ANY DIFFERENT? *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0

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