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2015 BMW G 650 Gs

Recalls, owner-reported complaints, investigations and safety data

Data refreshed

Owner complaintsComplaints are reports submitted to NHTSA by owners and drivers. NHTSA does not verify most reports before publishing them, and a complaint does not establish that a defect exists. Volume is influenced by how many of a vehicle were sold, how long it has been on the road, and how much attention an issue has received.
4
Latest Apr 7, 2019
Safety recallsA safety recall is issued when a manufacturer or NHTSA determines that a vehicle has a safety-related defect or does not comply with a federal motor vehicle safety standard. Recall repairs are free. Whether a specific vehicle is covered depends on its VIN — a recall listed for a model year does not necessarily apply to every vehicle of that year.
2
Latest Sep 26, 2016
InvestigationsNHTSA opens an investigation to examine whether a safety defect may exist. An open investigation is not a determination that a defect exists, and many investigations close without a recall. Investigations can, however, lead to one.
0
Crash or fire reportedComplaints whose submitter recorded that a crash or a fire occurred. These are the reporter's own answers on the NHTSA form, not verified findings.
0

Overview

Our database contains 4 NHTSA owner-reported complaints for the 2015 BMW G 650 Gs, most frequently naming the driver assistance, engine and fuel system categories. 2 safety recalls have been issued covering this model year; and 3 manufacturer communications are on file.

Complaints are reports submitted by owners and drivers to NHTSA. They are not verified and do not establish that a defect exists.

What owners report

Complaints grouped by the component NHTSA recorded

  • Driver assistance133.3%
  • Engine133.3%
  • Fuel system133.3%

Percentages are of component mentions. A single complaint can name more than one component, so these do not sum to the total complaint count.

Safety recalls

2 campaigns cover this model year

Recalls apply to specific vehicles, not to every vehicle of a model year. Check your VIN with NHTSA or your manufacturer's dealer to confirm whether a recall affects your vehicle.

Check a VIN on NHTSA.gov
16V689000

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:SOFTWARE; ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE

Sep 26, 2016
1,398 units potentially affected
The defect: BMW of North America, LLC (BMW) is recalling certain model year 2013-2016 BMW G650GS motorcycles manufactured March 8, 2013, to October 12, 2015, and 2013-2015 BMW G650GS Sertao motorcycles manufactured March 8, 2013, to May 23, 2014. The affected motorcycles may stall during operation due to an engine control unit (ECU) software issue.
The risk: If the engine stalls during operation, it increases the risk of a crash.
The remedy: BMW will notify owners, and dealers will update the ECU software, free of charge. The recall is expected to begin November 18, 2016. Owners may contact BMW customer service at 1-800-525-7417. Note: This recall supersedes recall 15V-537. Motorcycles that were repaired under that recall need to have their software updated again as part of this campaign.
BMW of North America, LLCView on NHTSA.gov
15V537000

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:SOFTWARE; ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE

Aug 24, 2015
1,060 units potentially affected
The defect: BMW of North America, LLC (BMW) is recalling certain model year 2013-2015 G 650 GS motorcycles manufactured March 8, 2013, to March 2, 2015, and 2013-2014 G 650 GS Sertao motorcycles manufactured March 8, 2013, to May 23, 2014. The affected motorcycles may stall when they are idling and the clutch lever is pulled in.
The risk: If the engine stalls, there is an increased risk of a crash.
The remedy: BMW will notify owners, and dealers will install a revised version of the engine control unit software, free of charge. The recall began on October 14, 2015. Owners may contact BMW customer service at 1-800-525-7417 or by email at [email protected].
BMW of North America, LLCView on NHTSA.gov

Recent owner complaints

Reports submitted to NHTSA, shown in the owner's own words

Fuel system
Filed Apr 7, 2019

SOME TIMES MOTORCYCLE WILL NOT IDLE. HAS DONE IT WHILE TRYING TO MOVE IN TRAFFIC SITUATION. VERY DANGEROUS

NHTSA ID
11194423
Incident
Mar 3, 2019
Mileage
2,000 mi
Driver assistance
Filed May 4, 2017

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2015 BMW G650GS. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 5 MPH, THE MOTORCYCLE STALLED WITHOUT WARNING. THE CONTACT APPLIED THE CLUTCH AND RESTARTED THE MOTORCYCLE. THE FAILURE RECURRED SIX OTHER TIMES. THE MOTORCYCLE WAS REPAIRED PER NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 16V689000 (ELECTRONIC STABILITY CONTROL) ON NOVEMBER 17, 2015 AND JANUARY 28, 2017. THE MOTORCYCLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURES. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 9,000.

NHTSA ID
10983534
Incident
May 2, 2017
Mileage
9,000 mi
Filed Dec 30, 2016

DEFECTIVE ECU CAUSES ENGINE TO STALL UNEXPECTEDLY DURING OPERATION, RESULTING IN SUDDEN LOSS OF POWER. THIS IS A KNOWN PROBLEM TO BMW AS THIS EXACT SAME MODEL HAS BEEN RECALLED IN AUSTRALIA FOR THE EXACT SAME REASONS.

NHTSA ID
10938842
Incident
Nov 15, 2016
Mileage
5,800 mi
Engine
Filed Jul 1, 2016

MOTORCYCLE HAS HAD RECALL 15V57000 TO RESOLVE ENGINE IDLE AND STALLING ISSUES. MOTORCYCLE STILL STALLS AND MAY NOT RESTART WITH OUT USING THE THROTTLE. THE ENGINE DOES NOT IDLE, THE ATTACHED LINKS ARE VIDEO EVIDENCE OF THE ISSUE. VEHICLE WAS MOVING LESS THAN 5 MPH, COMING TO A STOP WITH CLUTCH IN. VEHICLE DID NOT IDLE AND FAILED TO RESTART IMMEDIATELY. HTTPS://YOUTU.BE/EFCOUPIMGDY HTTPS://YOUTU.BE/9JSJ_9RXMQY

NHTSA ID
10882191
Incident
Jun 30, 2016
Mileage
8,400 mi

Manufacturer communications

A bulletin sent by a manufacturer to its dealers. Not a recall, and repairs are not necessarily free.

B611305

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

The electrical system of BMW vehicles has been subject to an ongoing development process over the last few years. This has led to increased demands being placed on the battery. This document covers important information for the dealer on how to handle “discharged battery” complaints.

MC61223015

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:SOFTWARE; ENGINE

Idling is occasionally unstable (most often after long journeys); the engine sometimes cuts out and will do so again after being restarted. Software issue.

MC51142327

EQUIPMENT

Leaks have been reported in fork legs. The cause is reported be from oil lubricating film with accompanying dirt/grease ring is incorrectly interpreted to be a leaking fork leg. Investigations have shown that the part is not defective.

Manufacturers file copies of the bulletins they send to dealers with NHTSA. These often describe diagnostic or repair procedures for a known condition. They are not recalls: repairs described in a bulletin are usually only free if the vehicle is still under warranty or the manufacturer has extended coverage.

Compare model years

Complaint and recall counts across every year of this model

BMW G 650 Gs by model year
YearComplaintsRecallsInvestigationsIssue Index
2016510—
2015Viewing420—
2014620—
2013220—
2011100—
2009200—

Higher-selling and older vehicles accumulate more reports. Counts are not failure rates and are not directly comparable between vehicles that sold in very different numbers. Older model years have had longer for reports to accumulate.