2008 BMW K1200 S Problems
Owner-reported complaints filed with NHTSA, grouped by component
Data refreshed
What this page shows
Everything below is an owner-reported complaint submitted to NHTSA about the 2008 BMW K1200 S, grouped by the component NHTSA recorded on the report. These are not confirmed defects, and they are not recalls. NHTSA does not verify most reports before publishing them, and a category with more reports in it is not evidence that a part is defective.
Complaints are reports submitted by owners and drivers to NHTSA. They are not verified and do not establish that a defect exists.
Reports by component
Ranked by how many owner reports name each component category
- Fuel system947.4%
- Engine526.3%
- Brakes210.5%
- Electrical210.5%
- Driver assistance15.3%
Percentages are of component mentions. A single complaint can name more than one component, so these do not sum to the total complaint count.
Each component in detail
What the reports in each category say, in the owners' own words
Fuel system
Reports naming fuel storage or delivery — tanks, pumps, lines, injectors and fuel leaks.
From owner reports, verbatim
BMW K1200S 2008, ENGINE SHOTS OFF WHEN COMING TO STOP ON LOW SPEEDS. THE BIKE THEN NEEDS TO BE IN A COMPLETE STOP, SWITCH GEAR TO NEUTRAL TO RESTART. IT HAPPENS RANDOM AND COULD HAPPENED ANYWHERE. IN ONE RIDE IT HAPPENED 3 TIMES AND IT HAS HAPPENED EVERY TIME I RIDE IT SO FAR. I NEED HELP TO FIX THE ISSUE! IT FEELS REALLY UNSAFE AS THE ENGINE AND DRIVE TRAIN ARE CRUCIAL ELEMENTS OF THE TRACTION IN A MOTORCYCLE, IF THIS WERE TO HAPPENED IN A CURVE OR THE FREEWAY...IT COULD BE A DISASTROUS TIME. I HOPE SOMEONE CAN READ THIS AND DO SOMETHING TO HELP FIX THE ISSUE.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 BMW K1200 S. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE FUEL WAS EMPTY AND THE VEHICLE STALLED. THE CONTACT STATED THAT AFTER REFUELING, THE FUEL GAUGE INDICATOR BECAME INOPERABLE. THE DEALER STATED THAT THE FUEL LEVEL SENSOR STRIP NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 17,500.
Engine
Reports naming the engine itself — including stalling, misfires, oil consumption, cooling and internal engine components.
From owner reports, verbatim
BMW K1200S 2008, ENGINE SHOTS OFF WHEN COMING TO STOP ON LOW SPEEDS. THE BIKE THEN NEEDS TO BE IN A COMPLETE STOP, SWITCH GEAR TO NEUTRAL TO RESTART. IT HAPPENS RANDOM AND COULD HAPPENED ANYWHERE. IN ONE RIDE IT HAPPENED 3 TIMES AND IT HAS HAPPENED EVERY TIME I RIDE IT SO FAR. I NEED HELP TO FIX THE ISSUE! IT FEELS REALLY UNSAFE AS THE ENGINE AND DRIVE TRAIN ARE CRUCIAL ELEMENTS OF THE TRACTION IN A MOTORCYCLE, IF THIS WERE TO HAPPENED IN A CURVE OR THE FREEWAY...IT COULD BE A DISASTROUS TIME. I HOPE SOMEONE CAN READ THIS AND DO SOMETHING TO HELP FIX THE ISSUE.
THE BIKE REPEATEDLY STALLED DURING DECELERATION WITH A CLOSED THROTTLE BEFORE COMING TO A STOP. CLUTCH WAS ENGAGED. THIS HAS HAPPENED MANY TIMES BEFORE AND I'VE HAD ENOUGH OF IT. I'VE READ THREADS ONLINE ABOUT THIS ISSUE AND BMW DOESN'T SEEM TO HAVE AN ANSWER (SEEMS TO DENY THE PROBLEM). THIS IS A VERY UNSAFE ISSUE WHEN ON A MOTORCYCLE. *JS
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Brakes
Reports naming service brakes, the antilock braking system, brake hoses, master cylinders or the parking brake.
From owner reports, verbatim
ABS BRAKE FAILURE LIGHT CAME ON AFTER RAIN FALL, BRAKING IS IMPACTED, WAS TOLD THAT MANY OWNERS HAVE PROBLEMS WITH ABS BRAKE MOTOR FAILURE DUE TO BAD MOTOR AND /OR MOTOR BRUSHES STICKING TO ARMITURE IN MOTOR. I-BMW.COM USERS HAVE NOTED THE SAME THING WITH BMW MOTORCYCLES. THIS DOES EFFECT THE USE OF THE BRAKES. *TR
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 BMW K1200 S MOTORCYCLE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DECELERATING, THE FRONT BRAKES PULSATED. THE CONTACT ALSO MENTIONED THAT THE BRAKE WARNING LIGHT ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER WHO STATED THAT THE BRAKES NEEDED TO BE REPLACED DUE TO A COMPUTER FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 7,000. THE VIN WAS NOT AVAILABLE.
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Electrical
Reports naming the electrical system — wiring, battery, charging, control modules, infotainment and electrical accessories.
From owner reports, verbatim
BMW K1200S 2008, ENGINE SHOTS OFF WHEN COMING TO STOP ON LOW SPEEDS. THE BIKE THEN NEEDS TO BE IN A COMPLETE STOP, SWITCH GEAR TO NEUTRAL TO RESTART. IT HAPPENS RANDOM AND COULD HAPPENED ANYWHERE. IN ONE RIDE IT HAPPENED 3 TIMES AND IT HAS HAPPENED EVERY TIME I RIDE IT SO FAR. I NEED HELP TO FIX THE ISSUE! IT FEELS REALLY UNSAFE AS THE ENGINE AND DRIVE TRAIN ARE CRUCIAL ELEMENTS OF THE TRACTION IN A MOTORCYCLE, IF THIS WERE TO HAPPENED IN A CURVE OR THE FREEWAY...IT COULD BE A DISASTROUS TIME. I HOPE SOMEONE CAN READ THIS AND DO SOMETHING TO HELP FIX THE ISSUE.
I BOUGHT A BRAND NEW BMW K1200S IN OCT 2008. SINCE I BOUGHT IT HAS HAD A STALLING PROBLEM THAT MY DEALER CANNOT FIX AND BMW USA REFUSES TO ADDRESS. I HAVE ASK FOR THE MOTORCYCLE TO EITHER BE FIXED, REPLACED, OR REIMBURSE ME MY $19,000 CASH THAT I PAID FOR THE BIKE. THE MOTORCYCLE IS UNFIT FOR ROAD USE DUE TO THE FACT THAT IT STALLS EXCESSIVELY AND I FEEL UNSAFE. IF YOU GOTO THE INTERNET AND PUNCH IN KEY WORDS BMW K1200S STALLING YOU'LL FIND 30 TO 40 PAGES OF PEOPLE HAVING THE SAME PROBLEM WITH CASES EVEN BEING REPORTED OF PEOPLE GETTING HIT FROM BEHIND. I HAVE A BEAUTIFUL $19,000 MOTORCYCLE THAT I CANNOT RIDE. *TR
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Driver assistance
Reports naming forward-collision avoidance, lane keeping, back-over prevention, cruise control and related electronic driver-assistance systems.
From owner reports, verbatim
ABS BRAKE FAILURE LIGHT CAME ON AFTER RAIN FALL, BRAKING IS IMPACTED, WAS TOLD THAT MANY OWNERS HAVE PROBLEMS WITH ABS BRAKE MOTOR FAILURE DUE TO BAD MOTOR AND /OR MOTOR BRUSHES STICKING TO ARMITURE IN MOTOR. I-BMW.COM USERS HAVE NOTED THE SAME THING WITH BMW MOTORCYCLES. THIS DOES EFFECT THE USE OF THE BRAKES. *TR
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
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.
Elsewhere on this vehicle
Data sources
- NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation — owner-reported complaints and the components recorded on them
Data on this page last refreshed .