2018 BMW R 1200 Gs 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 2018 BMW R 1200 Gs, 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
- Engine250.0%
- Electrical125.0%
- Steering125.0%
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
Engine
Reports naming the engine itself — including stalling, misfires, oil consumption, cooling and internal engine components.
From owner reports, verbatim
Vehicle reported engine fault and cut engine power while on freeway (commonly known as "limp mode"). It was extremely dangerous trying to find somewhere to pull over with very little engine power. It has happened several times now. Vehicle is now longer safe for freeway use. It also happened once mid corner which upsets the chassis and is quite dangerous on a motorcycle. Dealer performed a software update and cleared codes on 10/29/2020 which clearly did not fix anything. No warning is given. Power is just suddenly removed.
THIS IS IN REFERENCE TO TICKET # 11363230. RELATED TO THIS SAME VEHICLE. I WENT FOR A RIDE TODAY AND THE SAME THING HAPPENED, WITH THE ENGINE SUDDENLY SHUTTING ALMOST COMPLETELY DOWN. LUCKILY, IT WAS ON A DESERTED COUNTRY ROAD AND NOT IN RUSH HOUR TRAFFIC. I AM ATTACHING A PDF OF THE OBD SCAN I TOOK UPON RETURNING HOME TODAY. ALSO, PLEASE NOTE THAT THIS DEFECT IS SHOWING UP ON A NUMBER OF THESE BIKES--THERE IS A THREAD DISCUSSING THE ISSUE AT: HTTPS://FORUMS.BMWMOA.ORG/SHOWTHREAD.PHP?98612-2018-R1200RT-WITH-INTERMITTENT-CHECK-ENGINE-LIGHT&P=1223053#POST1223053
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
The contact owns a 2018 BMW R 1200 GS. The contact stated while riding the motorcycle at an undisclosed speed, the RPM's decreased and the motorcycle lost motive power. In addition, the contact stated that the failure had occurred several times. The contact pulled over to the shoulder of the road. The motorcycle was taken to the dealer where it was diagnosed with corrosion on the Dynamic Motor Engine (DME) connector pins. The contact was informed that the DME connector pins needed to be cleaned. The motorcycle was repaired. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 11,500.
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Steering
Reports naming the steering system — racks, columns, power-steering assist and steering linkage.
From owner reports, verbatim
WITHOUT WARNING THE MOTORCYCLE STEERING WENT INTO WHAT IS COMMONLY KNOW AS "DEATH WOBBLE" OR "TANK SLAPPING" WITH THE STEERING UNCONTROLLABLE RAPIDLY MOVING RIGHT TO LEFT AND IMMEDIATELY CRASHING CAUSING SEVERE INJURIES TO DRIVER.
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 .