2016 BMW R 1200 Gs

Rear brake on motorcycle does not stop the motorcycle. After three BMW dealer visits and rear brakes having been bled, the rear brake pedal becomes soft and does not stop the motorcycle. The same problem occurred each time within 2-3 months of the repair. The only way to stop the motorcycle is to use the front brake. The BMW service department cannot explain the reason this keeps happening.

NHTSA ID

11524564

Incident

May 18, 2023

THE REAR BRAKE BECOMES INEFFECTIVE. DEALER SAYS THAT AIR INVADES THE REAR BRAKE SYSTEM. BLEEDING THE OLD BRAKE FLUID AND REPLACING IT WITH NEW BRAKE FLUID SOLVES THE PROBLEM FOR A FEW MONTHS. THEN IT HAPPENS AGAIN AND THE BLEEDING MUST BE DONE AGAIN. FRONT BRAKE CONTINUES TO BE EFFECTIVE AT ALL TIMES.

NHTSA ID

11245377

Incident

Aug 20, 2019

Mileage

12,000 mi

WHILE RIDING THE MOTORCYCLE AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS, THE ENGINE GOES INTO A FAULTED STATE SPONTANEOUSLY WITH NO WARNING PRIOR, THE ECU IS FAULTING AND PUTTING THE ENGINE INTO "LIMP MODE" WHICH IS ALMOST EQUIVALENT OF COMPLETELY KILLING THE ENGINE THE WAY IT IS CURRENTLY DONE, AND YOU ARE LEFT TO NAVIGATE OFF THE HIGHWAY IN A SEVERELY DEBILITATED STATE OF OPERATION. THE ENGINE IS PROGRAMMED WITH A "LIMP MODE" FAULT I ASSUME TO SAVE THE ENGINE? BUT MY COMPLAINT IS , THE WAY IT CURRENTLY OPERATES ON THE MOTORCYCLE,IT IS PATENTLY "UNSAFE" AND PUTS THE RIDER OR OPERATOR AND PASSENGER IN A VERY DANGEROUS SITUATION SHOULD THE "LIMP MODE" FAULT BE ENGAGED . I DON'T UNDERSTAND THE NEED FOR THIS, WITHOUT ANY NOTICEABLE CHANGE IN THE WAY THE MOTOR IS RUNNING INITIALLY, WHATEVER THE ENGINE CONTROL COMPUTER IS SEEING, IS AN ANOMALY . IN THE CASE OF MY PERSONAL INCIDENT, I WAS DRIVING HOME FROM THE DEALERSHIP AND IN TRAFFIC ON A 4 LANE HIGHWAY . THE MOTORCYCLE WAS RUNNING FLAWLESSLY AND JUST SUDDENLY IT FELT AS IF THE SWITCH WAS TURNED OFF. THE THROTTLE WAS NON RESPONSIVE INITIALLY, AND AFTER, ONLY MINUTELY. I WAS ABLE TO NAVIGATE OFF THE HIGHWAY TO THE SHOULDER OF THE ROADWAY, AS LUCKILY THE TRAFFIC WAS VERY LIGHT AT THIS PLACE AND TIME. HAD I BEEN IN HEAVY TRAFFIC UNDER DIFFERENT CONDITIONS, THIS COULD HAVE ENDED VERY DIFFERENTLY AND I DON'T MEAN THAT IN A GOOD WAY. IT HAS SUBSEQUENTLY BEEN IN THE REPAIR SHOP OF BMW DEALERS 2X FOR THIS ISSUE, AND NOW IS IN FOR THE 3RD TIME AS THEY HAVE TO DATE, BEEN UNSUCCESSFUL IN FINDING AND CORRECTING THE ROOT CAUSE OF THE ISSUE. THERE ARE APPARENTLY MALFUNCTIONS WITHIN THE ELECTRICAL COMPONENTS ON THE MOTORCYCLE, THAT ARE FALSE READINGS, MOMENTARY "BLIPS" , OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT -- WHICH FOOLS THE COMPUTER AND TRIGGERS THE "LIMP MODE" FAULT TO ENGAGE.

NHTSA ID

11092238

Incident

Mar 31, 2018

Mileage

490 mi

I WAS NEVER NOTIFIED ABOUT AN IMPORTANT SAFETY RECALL. NO NOTIFICATION VIA MAIL, EMAIL, PHONE CALL, ETC. I WAS ONLY ALERTED TO THIS RECALL WHEN I BROUGHT MY BMW MOTORCYCLE BACK TO THE BMW DEALER FOR NON-RELATED WARRANTY WORK. THE DEALER WAS VERY SURPRISED I HAD NOT HAD THE FRONT FORK RECALL DONE, AND MY REPLY WAS THAT I WAS NEVER NOTIFIED. THIS IS SAFETY RECALL # 17V-438, FYI. THIS RECALL BEGAN IN AUGUST, 2017. NO NOTIFICATION IS VERY SURPRISING AND UPSETTING TO ME, AS I PURCHASED THIS BMW MOTORCYCLE BRAND NEW AT THIS DEALER, SO BMW CLEARLY HAS MY INFORMATION ON FILE. MY INFO HAS NOT CHANGED SINCE PURCHASE OF THIS MOTORCYCLE IN AUGUST OF 2016. IN MY OPINION, THIS IS A VERY IMPORTANT SAFETY RECALL DEALING WITH THE FRONT FORKS OF A MOTORCYCLE. WHAT WENT WRONG HERE WITH NO NOTIFICATION??? I HAVE RECEIVED WRITTEN NOTIFICATION OF RECALLS ON MANY OTHER VEHICLES OVER THE YEARS (SUCH AS TAKATA INFLATORS), BUT NOTHING FROM BMW ON THIS MOTORCYCLE, EXCEPT BEING SURPRISED BY THE DEALER OVER 5 MONTHS AFTER THE RECALL BEGAN.

NHTSA ID

11066189

Incident

Jan 25, 2018

Mileage

600 mi

ON MAY 13, 2017, WHILE RIDING MY 2016 BMW R1200GS WITH 11500 MILES, ONE OF MY RIDING PARTNERS NOTICED OIL LEAKING FROM THE SUSPENSION FORK TUBES. AFTER PEELING THE RUBBER BOOTS THAT COVER THE STANCHIONS, WE NOTICED THAT BOTH STANCHIONS ON THE BIKE HAD SEPARATED. I WOULDN'T HAVE KNOWN ABOUT IT, EXCEPT ONE OF THE PERSONS WITH WHOM I WAS RIDING, HAD THE SAME ISSUE HAPPEN WITH HIS 2013 BMW R1200GS. I STILL HAD TO RIDE 170 MILES HOME WITH 15 MILES OF IT ON DIRT. I RODE STRAIGHT TO THE DEALERSHIP AND THEY WOULDN'T LET ME TAKE THE BIKE BECAUSE THEY CONSIDER THIS A VERY DANGEROUS SITUATION. AND, DEALERSHIP KNEW OF THE ISSUE BECAUSE IT HAPPENED TO OTHER CUSTOMERS. THIS IS DEFECTIVE DESIGN. ONE PERSON BECOMING PERMANENTLY INJURED OR DYING IS ONE TOO MANY. BMW CANNOT PLEAD IGNORANCE. BMW REPLACED THE STANCHIONS ON UNDER WARRANTY AND I COLLECTED THE REPAIRED BIKE ON JUNE 6TH. THE FOLLOWING WEEKEND, JUNE ON 11, AFTER LESS THAN 300 MILES OF RIDING, BOTH STANCHIONS SEPARATED, AGAIN. BMW ROADSIDE SERVICE TOWED BIKE TO THE SHOP FOR REPAIR. THIS IS DANGEROUS SITUATION THAT REQUIRES A RECALL.

NHTSA ID

11000804

Incident

May 13, 2017

Mileage

11,500 mi

I WAS TRAVELING IN ON A STRAIGHT PORTION OF PACIFIC COAST HIGHWAY IN HUNTINGTON BEACH. THERE WAS NO TRAFFIC AROUND AND NO DEBRIS IN THE ROAD. I WAS TRAVELING APPROXIMATELY 40 MPH WHEN THE HANDLEBAR ON MY MOTORCYCLE VIOLENTLY JERKED TO THE LEFT FOR A SPLIT SECOND AND CORRECTED ITSELF. THIS WAS NOT NORMAL AND VERY DANGEROUS. I LOOKED AT THE HANDLEBAR AND NOTICED THAT IT WASN'T STRAIGHT OR SQUARE TO THE DIRECTION I WAS TRAVELING. A SECOND AFTER SEEING THE HANDLE BAR THE BIKE JERKED TO THE LEFT AGAIN, THIS TIME CAUSING ME TO LOSE CONTROL AND CRASH. IT WAS OBVIOUS TO ME THAT SOMETHING VERY UNUSUAL HAPPENED. WHEN I LOOKED AT THE BIKE AFTER THE CRASH I SAW THE FORK WAS SEPARATED (SEE ATTACHED PICTURES). I BEGAN RESEARCHING ABOUT FORK SEPARATION AND BMW 1200 GS MOTORCYCLES AND FOUND THAT I AM NOT THE ONLY ONE THIS HAS HAPPENED TO.

NHTSA ID

10990628

Incident

May 12, 2017

Mileage

5,500 mi

POTENTIAL CRITICAL FAILURE IN UPPER FORK TUBE STANCHIONS.

NHTSA ID

10985656

Incident

May 1, 2017

Mileage

4,300 mi

THE LEFT STANCHION HAS COME LOOSE FROM THE CRIMPED CONNECTION AT THE TOP OF THE UPPER TUBE. I HAVE SEEN MANY OTHER PROBLEMS WITH THIS DESIGN ON OTHER BIKES ON THE SOCIAL MEDIA FORUM I TRACK. GS GIANTS ON FACEBOOK, AND ALSO ON ADVRIDER.COM. I TOOK IT TO THE BMW SHOP TODAY IN TULSA OK. I HAD TO SHOW THEM EXACTLY HOW IT WAS LOOSE. I HAVE NOT BEEN IN AN ACCIDENT WITH THIS BIKE. I DO RIDE IT ON ROUGH GRAVEL ROADS, BUT THE BIKE IS DESIGNED FOR THIS TYPE OF ENVIRONMENT.

NHTSA ID

10983838

Incident

May 6, 2017

Mileage

11,000 mi

Driveshaft Maintenance Schedule Change

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.

Since October 2023, a new maintenance schedule is valid for all K5x models. For the first time, maintenance positions for the cardan shaft (Driveshaft) are included. NOTICE: 1. The new maintenance schedule is not limited to vehicles affected by the SI 33 02 22 (SERVICE ACTION: Swingarm Drain retrofit and Driveshaft Check), but is valid for all K5x models - including retroactively. In case of retroactive validity (model year 2023 and older), affected customers will be informed about the change. This will be in the form of a direct-to-customer letter with a description of the new maintenance schedule, specific owner’s manual insert, and consumer warranty book insert. 1. For vehicles affected by SI 33 02 22 (SERVICE ACTION: Swingarm Drain retrofit and Driveshaft Check), this service action must be performed first. All conditions described in this bulletin apply after the open Service Action has been completed. No additional communication is required for K5x models model year 2024 and onwards. Those models have the new maintenance schedule in their owner’s manual.

Multiple factors may cause the driveshaft to become damaged; among them are corrosion in certain parts ofthe driveshaft, and wear and tear exacerbated by certain climatic conditions.

BMW Motorrad is aware of a number of cases in which the screw connections of the Paralever link and/or the rear brake caliper have loosened in customer vehicles while driving.

Stress corrosion cracks may occur on the studs of certain milled footrests from the BMW Motorrad special accessories catalog for the GS models.