Owner-reported complaints naming the steering system, filed with NHTSA
Data refreshed
Reports naming the steering system — racks, columns, power-steering assist and steering linkage. Every record below is an owner-reported complaint about the 2018 BMW K1600B submitted to NHTSA — not a confirmed defect, not a recall and not a manufacturer bulletin. 11 reports on file name it.
Complaints are reports submitted by owners and drivers to NHTSA. They are not verified and do not establish that a defect exists.
Shown in the owner’s own words, exactly as filed
SEE ATTACHED PDF, ALTHOUGH I DID RETURN THE MOTOR CYCLE TO THE DEALER COMPLAINING ABOUT INSTABILITY WHEN TRAVELING AT HIGH SPEED ESPECIALLY IN TURBULENT AIR, SOMETHING I HAVE NEVER EXPERIENCED BEFORE IN THIRTY YEARS OF RIDING, THAT ISSUE IS STILL PENDING, BUT FOR NOW THE MANUFACTURER IS NOT COMMUNICATING ANY INTENTIONS RELATED TO THEIR RECALL, VERY FRUSTRATED !!!
I STRONGLY BELIEVE THAT IT IS ONLY A MATTER OF TIME UNTIL A RIDER IS KILLED AS A RESULT OF THIS DANGEROUSLY DEFECTIVE MOTORCYCLE. WITHIN A FEW DAYS OF OWNING THE BIKE I BEGAN TO EXPERIENCE EPISODES WHERE THE BIKE BECAME DANGEROUSLY UNSTABLE AT SPEEDS ABOVE 60 MPH. I HAVE HAD NEAR-DEATH EXPERIENCES WHEN THE BIKE BECAME DANGEROUSLY UNSTABLE. AFTER ONE OF THESE EXPERIENCES IN AUGUST 2019, I PARKED THE BIKE AND IT SITS IN MY GARAGE WHILE I CONTINUE TO INCUR COSTS ASSOCIATED WITH UNWANTED OWNERSHIP OF A VALUELESS MOTORCYCLE. I REPORTED THE DANGEROUS INSTABILITY ISSUE TO BMW AND BMW'S WASHINGTON STATE DEALERSHIPS ON NUMEROUS OCCASIONS. INITIALLY BMW HAD NO EXPLANATION FOR THE PROBLEM. HOWEVER, I LATER LEARNED THAT BMW INSTALLED A SPEED REGULATOR ON THE GRAND AMERICA THAT LIMITS THE 170 MPH MOTORCYCLE TO 101 MPH. THIS WAS NOT DISCLOSED AT THE TIME OF PURCHASE. READING ABOUT THIS ISSUE AND TALKING TO DEALERS, IT APPEARS THAT BMW SOUGHT TO HIDE THE INSTABILITY DEFECT BY INSTALLING A SPEED REGULATOR. BMW THEN ATTEMPTED TO EXPLAIN THE SPEED REGULATOR WITH A RIDICULOUS STORY THAT IT WAS INSTALLED DUE TO THE 'AMERICAN WAY OF RIDING.' IN AUGUST 2018 I SUBMITTED A WRITTEN DEMAND TO BMW TO REPURCHASE MY GRAND AMERICA DUE TO THE DANGEROUS DEFECT. BMW DID NOT EVEN BOTHER TO RESPOND TO ME. BMW HAS CONFIRMED THE DEFECT ON MY BIKE: "CONFIRMED COMPLAINT BIKE MOVES AROUND AND FEELS LIKE A FRONT FLAT TIRE OR CROSS WIND. WAS ABLE TO REPLICATE AT 65 TO 75 MPH." BMW IS UNABLE TO REPAIR THE SERIOUS SAFETY DEFECT. A SALES REP AT A WASHINGTON DEALER TOLD ME: 'I FEEL BAD SELLING ONE OF THOSE TO A CUSTOMER BECAUSE OF THE INSTABILITY ISSUE, WE'RE NOT SELLING THEM. WE HAVE 19'S THAT ARE JUST SITTING ON THE FLOOR.' BMW NEEDS TO OWN-UP TO THEIR FLAWED DESIGN WITH THE GRAND AMERICA AND BUY-BACK EVERY BIKE SOLD TO DATE, AND CEASE SALES OF THE MODEL THROUGHOUT THE U.S.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2018 BMW K1600B MOTORCYCLE. WHILE DRIVING 70 MPH, THE HANDLE BARS SHOOK VIOLENTLY WHILE PASSING OTHER VEHICLES. ADDITIONALLY, WHILE IN FIFTH OR SIXTH GEAR, THE CONTACT HEARD AN ABNORMAL HIGH PITCHED GRINDING NOISE. THE CONTACT CALLED INDIAN AND BMW MOTORCYCLES OF TULSA (1200 W SW EXPY DR, BROKEN ARROW, OK 74012, (918) 258-4774) AND INFORMED THEM OF THE FAILURES. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS CONTACTED AND DID NOT ASSIST. THE CONTACT RESEARCHED THE FAILURE AND FOUND THAT THE REAR WHEEL COULD SEIZE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE FAILURES WERE SIMILAR TO NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 19V692000 (POWER TRAIN). THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 400.
AT SPEEDS ABOVE 60MPH IN TURBULENT AIR (BEHIND LARGE TRUCKS, SUV'S) BIKE WILL ACT AS THOUGH IT WERE ON A GROOVED ROAD. IT HAS A "WOBBLE" UNTIL YOU GET OUT OF THE TURBULENT AIR. IF DRIVING IN HIGH WINDS AND NOT FOLLOWING ANOTHER VEHICLE YOU WILL ALSO EXPERIENCE THIS. THIS IS ON A GRAND AMERICA. I OWN A GTL, SAME YEAR MODEL, AND IT DOES NOT HAVE THIS ISSUE.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2018 BMW K1600B. WHILE DRIVING 65 MPH OR MORE, THE VEHICLE BECAME UNCONTROLLABLE AND THE CONTACT FELT UNSAFE. THERE WERE NO WARNING INDICATORS ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO BMW, DUCATI, AND HUSQVARNA MOTORCYCLES OF ATLANTA (1581 COBB PKWY SE, MARIETTA, GA 30060, (770) 984-9844) TO BE DIAGNOSED AND IT WAS DETERMINED THAT IT WAS WORKING AS DESIGNED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS CONTACT AND REFERRED THE CONTACT TO THE LOCAL DEALER. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 1,350.
1- THE MOTORCYCLE HAS AN EXTREME WOBBLING FROM 60 TO ABOVE MPH WHILE BEHIND ANY LARGER VEHICLE (SUV AND TRUCKS) IN THE HIGHWAY. 2- THE MOTORCYCLE HAS A VERY STRONG PUSH TO THE LEFT AT ANY SPEED, CAUSING THE RIDER TO LOSE CONTROL IF NOT 100% HOLDING THE HANDLEBAR IN STREET OR HIGHWAY.
MOTORCYCLE IS UNSTABLE ON HIGHWAY SPEEDS ABOVE 60 MPH AND HAS A WOBBLE AND CAN BE HARD TO CONTROL. WHEN CONDITIONS ARE WINDY OR YOU ARE BEHIND OR SIDE OF ANOTHER VEHICLE CONDITION IS WORST. IT FEELS LIKE THAT YOU MAY LOOSE CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE. TOOK THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALER AND DEALERSHIP MECHANIC NOTICED THE SAME CHARACTERISTICS. DEALERSHIP CONTACTED BMW AND BMW STATED THAT IT IS NORMAL FOR THE MOTORCYCLE TO EXHIBIT THIS BEHAVIOR. ISSUE STARTED HAPPENING WITH 10 MILES ON THE VEHICLE. VEHICLE CURRENTLY HAS APPROXIMATELY 180 MILES ON IT.
THE MOTORCYCLE IS NOT STABLE AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS. MOTORCYCLE WOBBLES CONSISTENTLY LIKE BEING BUFFETED BY HIGH WINDS OR DRIVING ON GROOVED PAVEMENT. THE INSTABILITY FLOWS THROUGH TO THE HANDLEBARS ALSO. CAN BE VERY DIFFICULT TO CONTROL. DEALERSHIP SAYS THEY KNOW OF NO ISSUES, AS WELL AS BMW. THE MOTORCYCLE IS NOT SAFE, BUT NO ONE WANTS TO ADMIT THERE IS A PROBLEM. THIS HAS NOW BEEN CONSISTENT FROM THE DAY I PURCHASED AND CONTINUES AT 5,000 MILES.
TURBULENT AIR FROM TRAFFIC CAUSE THE FRONT END AND HANDLEBARS TO MOVE ERRATIC AND WOBBLE IN AN UNSAFE MANNER IN THE LANE. THIS HAPPENS AT 70MPH TRAVELING IN A STRAIGHT LINE BEHIND A GROUP OF CARS AND TRUCKS ON HIGHWAYS, FREEWAYS AND TURNPIKES. THIS IS A CONSTANT SITUATION. THIS DID NOT OCCUR ON MY OTHER BMW MOTORCYCLES, ONLY THIS NEW MODEL. THIS INSTABILITY IS SOMETHING THAT BMW WAS AWARE OF PRIOR TO PRODUCTION BECAUSE THEY PLACED A SPEED LIMITER ON THIS MOTORCYCLE. HOWEVER, IT POSES A DANGER AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS WITH THIS INSTABILITY AND MOVEMENT IN THE FRONT END.
ON (FIRST EVER) RIDE HOME IMMEDIATELY AFTER PURCHASE I DROVE ALL HIGHWAY AND WAS HORRIFIED WITH A "DEATH" WOBBLE, ESPECIALLY IN "DIRTY AIR". BIKE ALSO PULLS TO LEFT, ESPECIALLY OVER 40MPH. TOOK BACK TO DEALER AND MANAGER AND TECHNICIAN BOTH RODE BIKE AND IMMEDIATELY PUT BIKE ON A SERVICE RACK AND TRIED TO FIND A PROBLEM. MANAGER DESCRIBED HIS RIDE "AS IF YOU ARE RIDING ON A GROOVED ROAD". UNFORTUNATELY THEY FOUND NO OBVIOUS PROBLEM(S). THEY ADVISED THAT I (AND THEY ALSO OPENED A CASE WITH BMW) OPEN A CLAIM WITH BMW, AND I DID. BMW'S ONLY AND FINAL RESOLVE WAS "WE'VE RESEARCHED THIS ISSUE AND THERE IS NOTHING WE CAN DO, AND ARE CLOSING YOUR CASE". I PAID OVER $30,000 CASH, MY WIFE WON'T (NOR I) RIDE ON THE BIKE BECAUSE IT IS UNSAFE AND ALTHOUGH THE DEALER IS AND HAS DONE EVERYTHING THEY CAN TO RESOLVE THE ISSUE, I OWN A 30K LEAD WEIGHT ! BMW DID ABSOLUTELY NOTHING TO EVEN TRY TO RESOLVE THIS MAJOR SAFETY ISSUE !
PURCHASED THIS NEW BIKE AND WITHIN 600 MILES IT DEVELOPED A FRONT END WOBBLE. THIS IS THE 3RD WEEK IN THE SHOP AND BMW CORPORATE STATES THE ISSUE IS INHERENT TO THE BIKE. BMW CALLED TODAY AND SAID THEY ARE REVIEWING AND MAY GET BACK IN A WEEK.
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.
Categories with enough reports to have a page of their own
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