BMW R 1200 GS Complaints

325 consumer complaints on file.

#10453832April 2, 2012
SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2007 BMW GSR1200 MOTORCYCLE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE REAR WHEEL SEIZED ABNORMALLY. THE CONTACT OPENED THE RESERVOIR FOR THE BRAKE CHAMBER AND FOUND THAT THE RUBBER WAS SEVERELY WORN. THE CONTACT ALLOWED THE VEHICLE TO COOL DOWN AND THE FAILURE WAS CORRECTED TEMPORARILY. THE FAILURE RECURRED LATER WHILE THE CONTACT WAS DRIVING AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS. THE STEERING WHEEL SEIZED ABNORMALLY AND THE VEHICLE WAS FLIPPED OVER. THE CONTACT SUSTAINED INJURIES TO THE KNEES. THE CONTACT LATER DISCONNECTED THE ABS BRAKE SYSTEM AND THE FAILURE WAS CORRECTED. THE CONTACT SPOKE WITH THE DEALER AND WAS TOLD THAT THEY WERE NOT FAMILIAR WITH THE TYPE OF FAILURE THAT THE CONTACT HAD ENCOUNTERED AND OFFERED NO FURTHER ASSISTANCE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT INSPECTED OR REPAIRED FOR THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGES WERE 46,000.
Crash:
Yes
Fire:
No
Injuries:
1
Deaths:
0
#10453738April 1, 2012
FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE
I WAS DRIVING DOWN THE HIGHWAY COMING HOME FROM WORK, I SMELLED SOMETHING BURNING, I WASN'T SURE IF IT WAS ME OR ANOTHER VEHICLE. I PULLED OVER AND NOTICED SMOKE COMING OFF MY EXHAUST PIPE, MORE INSPECTION SHOWED IT COMING FROM MY CONNECTION ON TOP OF MY FUEL PUMP, GAS WAS LEAKING FROM THE CONNECTION AND DOWN ON TO MY EXHAUST PIPE. I GOT IT HOME AND STARTED LOOKING INTO THE ISSUE AND FOUND MANY MORE PEOPLE WITH THE SAME PROBLEM. THIS IS A VERY DANGEROUS ISSUE AND IF IT ISN'T A RECALL NOW IT SHOULD BE. I WILL CALL TUESDAY WHEN MY LOCAL DEALER OPENS. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10450888March 9, 2012
SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC
WHILE RIDING DURING NORMAL OPERATIONS MY FRONT BRAKES ENGAGE AND LOCK UP THE FRONT TIRE, STOPPING THE MOTORCYCLE IN PLACE. THIS HAS HAPPENED ON MULTIPLE OCCASIONS. WHEN THIS HAPPENS WHILE MAKING A TURN I DROPPED THE MOTORCYCLE, LEFT THE TIRE LOCKED UP, UNABLE TO MOVE THE MOTORCYCLE IN TRAFFIC. *TR
Crash:
Yes
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10448606February 21, 2012
FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE
THIS VEHICLE HAS FAILED TO START SEVERAL TIMES AND HAS HAD TO BE TOWED TO DEALER AND REPAIRED THREE TIMES FOR FUEL SYSTEM RELATED PROBLEMS. ALONG WITH THE FAILURE TO START, WHILE DRIVING ENGINE QUITS RUNNING WHEN CLUTCH IS PULLED IN TO SLOW DOWN FOR TRAFFIC. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10447859February 13, 2012
POWER TRAIN
REAR DRIVE FAILURE WHILE RIDING TWO UP, OIL SOAKED REAR WHEEL, WHEEL WOBBLE. BETWEEN WOBBLE AND OIL CONTROL LOST (AND SLOW SPEED AT THAT POINT). *TR
Crash:
Yes
Fire:
No
Injuries:
1
Deaths:
0
#10447862February 13, 2012
POWER TRAIN
REAR WHEEL MOVED SIDE TO SIDE (BEARING ABOUT TO FAIL). SECOND R1200GS I OWNED WITH SAME SAFETY FAILURE, REPLACED AND SOLD MOTORCYCLE AT SEVERE LOSS AS TWO R1200GS REAR DRIVE FAILURES ON TWO LOW MILEAGE R1200GS. LOSS OF THOUSANDS UPON THOUSANDS OF DOLLARS. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10447521February 11, 2012
POWER TRAIN
FINAL DRIVE AND DRIVESHAFT FAILED. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10446715February 5, 2012
POWER TRAIN
FINAL DRIVE ON THE MOTORCYCLE FAILED. THIS IS A TYPICAL FAILURE FOR MANY BMW MOTORCYCLES. THERE WAS MINOR LEAKAGE/SEEPAGE OF FINAL DRIVE OIL BEFORE AND DURING THE FAILURE. NO CRASH RESULTED. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10446648February 4, 2012
POWER TRAIN
FINAL DRIVE FAILURE, COMMON TO THE SINGLE SIDED SWING ARM. REPLACED CROWN BEARING, NEEDLE SLEEVE, SEAL, AND O RING. THIS IS MY THIRD FAILURE ON THREE DIFFERENT BMW SINGLE SIDED SWING ARM MOTORCYCLES. $625.15 *KB
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10446688February 4, 2012
FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE
A PLASTIC FUEL LINE QUICK DISCONNECT FAILED AS THE FUEL LINE WAS BEING REMOVED FROM THE FUEL TANK TO PERFORM NORMAL MAINTENANCE. AS A RESULT THE BULKHEAD SIDE OF THE FITTING JAMMED OPEN ALLOWING FUEL TO POUR FROM THE FUEL TANK. THIS OCCURRED IN A GARAGE THAT ALSO CONTAINED A GAS FIRED WATER HEATER AND COULD EASILY HAVE CAUSED A FIRE. IN THIS CASE I WAS ABLE TO TEMPORARILY BLOCK THE FLOW, VENTILATE THE GARAGE, AND THEN DRAIN THE TANK. CONVERSATIONS WITH THE MAKERS OF THE FUEL LINE FITTING INDICATE THAT BMW RECOMMENDED AGAINST THEIR USE, ESPECIALLY ON CALIFORNIA VEHICLES. THE FITTING MANUFACTURERS OFFER THE SAME FITTINGS IN BRASS, WHICH I USED TO REPLACE THE BMW SUPPLIED FITTINGS. HOWEVER, THE PLASTIC BULKHEAD INTO WHICH THE FEMALE FITTING FITS HAD BEEN EMBRITTLED BY EXPOSURE TO FUEL AND IT ALSO CRACKED. THE BULKHEAD WAS REPLACED BY AN ALUMINUM PART I FABRICATED FOR THAT PURPOSE. I NOTIFIED TWO BMW MOTORCYCLE DEALERS OF THE PROBLEM BUT NEITHER WERE FAMILIAR WITH IT OR ANY SAFETY RECALL CAMPAIGN. SEARCHES OF VARIOUS INTERNET MOTORCYCLE FORUMS SHOWS THIS TO BE A COMMON PROBLEM NOT JUST ISOLATED TO THE BMW R1200GS. A DETAILED ACCOUNT OF MY EXPERIENCE CAN BE FOUND AT THE URL BELOW: HTTP://GUNSMOKE.COM/MOTORCYCLING/R1200GS/QUICK_CONNECTS/INDEX.HTML *KB
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10446587February 3, 2012
POWER TRAIN
AT THE INDICATED TIME, I NOTICED ROUGHNESS WHILE DRIVING. I STOPPED, EXAMINED THE DRIVETRAIN, AND FOUND ROUGHNESS WHEN TURNING THE REAR WHEEL BY HAND. I DRAINED THE DRIVETRAIN OIL AND FOUND METALLIC PARTICLES THE TEXTURE OF COARSE SAND ADHERING TO THE MAGNETIC DRAIN PLUG. THE LOCAL AUTHORIZED BMW DEALER EXAMINED THE MOTORCYCLE AND FOUND THAT A BEARING IN THE FINAL DRIVE HAD FAILED. BMW REPLACED THE BEARING AT NO COST UNDER WARRANTY. THIS IS THE SAME FAILURE AS DESCRIBED IN ODI NO. 10439549, AND CURRENTLY BEING INVESTIGATED UNDER CAMPAIGN DP12001. *KB
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10445077January 24, 2012
FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE
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. THE VEHICLES FAIRING EFFECTIVELY CAPTURES THE FUEL VAPORS CREATING A SIGNIFICANT RISK FOR FIRE. 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
#10444057January 17, 2012
EXTERIOR LIGHTING
THE TURN SIGNALS BEGAN WITH INTERMITTENT MALFUNCTION AND HAVE NOW FAILED COMPLETELY. AFTER INVESTIGATING I FOUND THAT THIS IS A TYPICAL FAILURE ON BMW MOTORCYCLES AND HAS BEEN TRACED TO NON-FUNCTIONAL MICRO SWITCHES IN THE HANDLE BAR CONTROL ASSEMBLIES, BOTH LEFT AND RIGHT. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10443840January 15, 2012
FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE
THE FUEL TANK FLANGES HAVE DEVELOPED CRACKS AND NOW GASOLINE LEAKS ONTO THE MOTOR WHILE DRIVING. THE MOTORCYCLE HAS FLANGES ON BOTH THE LEFT AND RIGHT SIDE, BOTH SIDES HAVE THE CRACKS AND THEY ARE IN THE SAME LOCATION. THE CRACKS EXTEND FROM WHERE THE GAS FITTINGS ARE ATTACHED.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10443264January 10, 2012
FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE
THE FUEL GAUGE STOPPED WORKING BECAUSE OF A FAILURE OF THE "FUEL STRIP" SENDER IN THE GAS TANK. EVEN THOUGH THERE HAVE BEEN MULTIPLE FAILURES OF THE FUEL STRIPS EVEN ON THE SAME BIKE, BMW REFUSES TO ACKNOWLEDGE THAT THERE IS A PROBLEM. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10439696December 13, 2011
SUSPENSION, POWER TRAIN
BMW MOTORRAD USA CUSTOMER RELATIONS AND SERVICES PO BOX 1227 WESTWOOD, NJ 07675-1227 DEAR SIR: I HAVE RECENTLY HAD A VERY SERIOUS ISSUE WITH MY NEW 2012 R1200GS ADVENTURE. I BROUGHT MY MOTORCYCLE TO MY DEALER FOR THE 600 MILE BREAK-IN SERVICE AND MENTIONED TO SERVICE MANAGER THAT I HAVE BEEN FEELING A WOBBLE THROUGH THE HANDLEBARS WHEN CORNERING AND WHEN DRIVING OVER UNEVEN PAVEMENT. WHEN I ARRIVED TO PICK UP THE MOTORCYCLE THE DEALER WAS HAPPY TO REPORT THAT THEY WERE ABLE TO FIX THE WOBBLE. IT WAS A PROBLEM WITH THE LEFT FORWARD SUSPENSION NEEDLE BEARING IN THE FINAL DRIVE UNIT. I ASKED IF IT WAS UNUSUAL FOR A BEARING TO FAIL SO QUICKLY. IMAGINE MY SURPRISE WHEN THEY INFORMED ME THAT THE BEARING WAS NOT EVEN INSTALLED AT THE FACTORY, IT WAS MISSING FROM THE FINAL DRIVE UNIT! THE ENTIRE LEFT SIDE WAS BEING SUPPORTED ONLY BY THE BEARING DUST CAP! THIS WAS CAUSING THE REAR WHEEL TO MOVE SIDE TO SIDE CAUSING THE INSTABILITY. MY DEALER, ADVENTURE BMW OF CHESAPEAKE VIRGINIA, DID A GREAT AND PROFESSIONAL JOB OF QUICKLY FINDING THE PROBLEM AND REPLACED THE ENTIRE FINAL DRIVE UNIT UNDER WARRANTY SINCE THE BEARING SURFACE WAS SEVERELY SCORED AND WOULD NOT ACCEPT THE MISSING NEEDLE BEARING. I ALSO CREDIT ADVENTURE BMW FOR THEIR EFFORTS AND WITH DIRECTLY PREVENTING A POSSIBLY LIFE THREATENING ACCIDENT IF THE BEARING DUST CAP HAD FAILED WHILE RIDING. I HAVE BEEN RIDING MOTORCYCLES SINCE 1974 WITH THE LAST 15 YEARS ON BMWS. I HAVE PUT OVER 100,000 MILES ON MY LAST 3 BMWS AND I AM AN EVERYDAY RIDER USING THE BMWS AS THE PRIMARY VEHICLE FOR MY TRANSPORTATION. I HAD CHOSEN BMW FOR THEIR QUALITY AND RELIABILITY BUT I AM NOW QUESTIONING MY DECISION AND YOUR MANUFACTURING QUALITY CONTROLS AND WONDER EVERY TIME I RIDE WHAT ELSE IS MISSING ON THE MOTORCYCLE, MAYBE ONE OF THE PISTON RINGS OR A CIRCLIP RETAINER IN THE TRANSMISSION.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10433733October 31, 2011
FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE
THE FLANGE ON THE FUEL TANK, CRACK, LEAKING FUEL EVERYWHERE, THIS HAPPENS TO OTHERS. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10425962September 18, 2011
FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE
DETECTED FUEL LEAKING FROM LEFT SIDE OF MOTORCYCLE. LEFT SHIN WAS COVERED IN GASOLINE. REMOVED SIDE COVERS AND DETECTED GAS SPRAYING FROM A PLASTIC GAS LINE CONNECTOR DIRECTLY ABOVE THE FUEL PUMP. 300 MILES FROM HOME AND THE NEAREST BMW DEALER. TIE WRAPPED GAS LINE TO STOP LEAKING. MANAGED TO RIDE THE MOTORCYCLE HOME. BMW IS AWARE OF THE PROBLEM AND HAS SELECTED A METAL CONNECTOR AS A REPLACEMENT. I HAD AN 18,000 MILE CHECK-UP PERFORMED BY THE DEALERSHIP IN JUNE 2011. NO RECALL BY BMW. MOTORCYCLE IS OUT OF WARRANTY, SO I MUST PAY FOR REPAIR. AFTER OPERATING MOTORCYCLE, GAS COLLECTS IN A BOWL ABOVE THE FUEL PUMP. WHEN YOU PLACE THE MOTORCYCLE ON THE SIDE STAND GAS CAN FALL ON THE HOT ENGINE. POTENTIAL FOR FIRE AND IGNITING GAS ON MY LEG IF A FIRE OCCURRED. THE MOTORCYCLE IS ALSO UNSAFE TO RIDE UNTIL REPAIRED. IF THIS WAS A CAR, THERE WOULD BE A RECALL. *TT
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10420291August 16, 2011
AIR BAGS
CRACKS IN THE PLASTIC TOP FLANGE OF THE FUEL PUMP ASSEMBLY RESULTED IS A SPRAY OF FUEL WHEN SYSTEM UNDER OPERATING PRESSURE (IE. ENGINE RUNNING). THIS 4 YEAR OLD MOTORCYCLE IS CURRENTLY NOT TO SAFE TO OPERATE AND IS OUT OF COMMISSION UNTIL TRAILERED TO A REPAIR FACILITY. THE FUEL SPRAY SOURCE APPEARS AROUND THE FEMALE THREADED 'HUB' OF THE FLANGE THAT ACCEPTS THE MALE THREADED 'QUICK DISCONNECT' OF THE FUEL LINE. THE FAILURE (OR CRACKING) APPEARS TO BE SPONTANEOUS, AS NO PRIOR EVIDENCE (GASOLINE ODOR) WAS NOTICED. THIS MOTORCYCLE HAS BEEN DEALER SERVICED REGULARLY, AND IS GARAGED AT ALL TIMES (DESERT S.W.). THE BIKE IS PAMPERED AND HAS NEVER BEEN ABUSED. I JUST CAN'T IMAGINE HOW A RELATIVELY LOW TIME, CRITICALLY IMPORTANT COMPONENT HAS FAILED. AN INTERNET SEARCH INDICATES THIS IS NOT AN ISOLATED EVENT FOR BMW MOTORCYCLES.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10417320July 29, 2011
FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE
A PLASTIC FLANGE ON THE FUEL PUMP CRACKED ALLOWING FUEL TO LEAK. THE FLANGE CONTAINS AN INTERNAL THREAD THAT SECURES ONE OF THE FUEL LINES. SEVERAL CRACKS ARE VISIBLE AROUND THE CIRCUMFERENCE OF THE FLANGE. CRACKS, IN MY OPINION, APPEAR TO BE RELATED TO OVER-TORQUE AT ASSEMBLY AND/OR MATERIAL DEGRADATION DUE TO THE COMBINED EFFECTS OF EXPOSURE TO FUEL, TIME AND AMBIENT TEMPERATURE. THE FUEL PUMP IS LOCATED IN THE FUEL TANK THAT IS POSITIONED DIRECTLY ABOVE THE ENGINE AND EXHAUST PIPE. FORTUNATELY THE VOLUME OF LEAKED FUEL WAS SMALL (<1 FL OZ) AND WAS CONTAINED WITHIN A DEPRESSED CAVITY ON THE TOP OF THE PUMP, OTHERWISE IT COULD HAVE DRIPPED ONTO THE HOT ENGINE AND EXHAUST HEADER POSSIBLY CAUSING A FIRE.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0

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