RoadVitals

2012 BMW R 1200 R Owner Complaints

Reports submitted to NHTSA by owners and drivers, shown in full

Data refreshed

Complaints on fileComplaints 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.
10
Latest Aug 25, 2020
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
Filed in the last 12 monthsReports filed with NHTSA in the trailing 365 days. Recent volume reflects attention and vehicle age as much as anything else.
0
Reports on file since Mar 10, 2013

What this page shows

Our database holds 10 NHTSA owner-reported complaints for the 2012 BMW R 1200 R. Each one is a report filed by an owner or driver and published by NHTSA without most of them being verified. A complaint is not a confirmed defect, not a recall and not a manufacturer bulletin. Narratives are shown exactly as filed.

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

Complaints, most recent first

Showing 1–10 of 10

Fuel system
Filed Aug 25, 2020

THERE IS A RECALL ON FUEL PUMPS RECALL # 20V-471. MY FUEL PUMP NEEDS TO BE REPLACED AS IT IS FAILING. THE RECALL INCLUDES BIKES UP TO MODEL YEAR 2011. WHILE MY BIKE IS A 2012, IT WAS MANUFACTURED IN 2011 AND SHOULD BE INCLUDED IN THE RECALL. I HAVE ONLY 6000 MILES ON MY BIKE AND THE PART HAS FAILED WAY TO EARLY FOR IT NOT TO BE INCLUDED WITH THE RECALL. THANK YOU

NHTSA ID
11351191
Incident
Aug 17, 2020
Mileage
6,000 mi
Fuel system
Filed Jul 29, 2019

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 BMW R1200 R. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS LEAKING FUEL FROM THE FUEL PUMP. THERE WERE NO WARNING INDICATORS ILLUMINATED ON THE INSTRUMENT PANEL. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE DEALER WAS NOT CONTACTED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS CONTACTED AND ADVISED THE CONTACT TO HAVE THE VEHICLE DIAGNOSED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 40,000.

NHTSA ID
11240472
Incident
Jul 2, 2019
Mileage
40,000 mi
Visibility
Filed Aug 12, 2018

LEFT SIDE MIRROR GLASS FELL OUT. WHILE ON THE HIGHWAY, THE LEF SIDE MIRROR GLASS FELL OUT. IT WAS HELD IN BY A FEW SMALL DABS OF SILICONE FROM THE FACTORY. ANOTHER DISAPPOINTMENT COURTESY OF BMW, NOT COVERED BY THE WARRANTY. POOR DESIGN AND SHODDY WORKMANSHIP ARE THE CAUSE OF THE GLASS FALLING OUT UNDER NORMAL USE CONDITIONS. THE DATE BELOW IS A ROUGH ESTIMATE. I DO NOT HAVE THE RECEIPT WITH THE REPLACEMENT DATE HANDY AT THIS TIME. LACK OF THE LEFT MIRROR MADE LANE CHANGES LESS SAFE.

NHTSA ID
11119405
Incident
Apr 10, 2014
Mileage
6,000 mi
Powertrain (other)
Filed Aug 12, 2018

STALLING ENGINE. I BOUGHT THE MOTORCYCLE NEW AND IT HAS HAD A STALLING PROBLEM SINCE IT WAS NEW AND CONTINUES UNTIL TODAY. THE ENGINE WILL STALL AT IDLE OR ON DECELERATION. AT ITS WORST IT WILL HESITATE AND SURGE WHEN ACCELERATING FROM A STOP AS WELL. I HAVE COMPLAINED TO THE DEALER ABOUT THE ISSUE AND HAVE NOT HAD ANY RESOLUTION TO THE PROBLEM. I MADE A COMPLAINT TO BMW CORPORATE REGARDING THE UNRESOLVED ISSUE AND PRESSURE WAS PLACED ON THE DEALER TO FIX THE PROBLEM BUT THE PROBLEM PERSISTED AND THE DEALER EXPRESSED THEIR DISMAY WITH MY COMPLAINT TO CORPORATE. I PAYED FOR REPAIRS (WHILE UNDER WARRANTY) THAT DID NOT SOLVE THE STALLING PROBLEM. NOW THE MOTORCYCLE IS OUT OF WARRANTY AND I DO NOT HAVE THE FINANCIAL MEANS TO KEEP FORKING MONEY OVER TO THE DEALER SERVICE DEPARTMENT FOR NO RESULTS. I TRIED GOING THROUGH THE NORMAL CHANNELS TO REMEDY THIS PERSISTENT PROBLEM WITHOUT SUCCESS. I AM NOT SURE IF IT IS RELATED, BUT I TOOK THE MOTORCYCLE IN FOR SCHEDULED MAINTENANCE WHEN IT WAS ONLY A MONTH OR TWO OLD. WHILE IT WAS GETTING THE OIL CHANGE AND OTHER ADJUSTMENTS, IT WOULD NOT RESTART. THE DEALER HELD IT FOR ABOUT A MONTH TRYING TO GET IT STARTED AGAIN. THE MECHANIC TOLD ME THAT THEY SWAPPED ALMOST ALL OF THE MAJOR PARTS TRYING TO DIAGNOSE IT. WHEN I FINALLY GOT THE CALL TO PICK IT UP, THE DEALER DIDN'T TELL ME WHAT THE PROBLEM WAS. I WAS CURIOUS WHAT WENT WRONG ON A NEW BIKE WITH SUCH LITTLE USE. THE DEALER NEVER TOLD ME WHAT THE PROBLEM OR SOLUTION WAS AND ONLY SAID THAT ITS BACK ALIVE AND RUNNING AGAIN. AS MENTIONED EARLIER, I'M NOT SURE IF THE PROBLEMS ARE RELATED BUT I BELIEVE THEY MAY BE STEMMING FROM THE SAME GLITCH.

NHTSA ID
11119404
Incident
Feb 6, 2012
Mileage
600 mi
Fuel systemPowertrain (other)
Filed Aug 12, 2018

FUEL LEAK FROM BROKEN PLASTIC "QUICK DISCONNECT" FITTING ON THE LEFT SIDE OF THE MOTORCYCLE. I NOTICED THE ISSUE WHEN I WAS RIDING THE MOTORCYCLE ON THE HIGHWAY AND RAW FUEL WAS SPRAYING ONTO MY LEG AND ONTO THE CYLINDER & CYLINDER HEAD OF THE ENGINE. I PULLED OFF THE HIGHWAY INTO A GAS STATION TO DETERMINE THE SOURCE OF THE LEAK. AFTER REMOVING SOME PLASTIC TRIM/COVERS I FOUND THE SOURCE WAS THE PLASTIC 90 DEGREE FITTING HAD CRACKED. THE FUEL FITTING DID NOT FAIL DUE TO ANY IMPACT, TAMPERING OR ABUSE; IT IS IN A PROTECTED AREA AT THE LOWER EDGE OF THE FUEL TANK AND COVERED BY A PIECE OF PLASTIC TRIM. AFTER INSPECTING THE FAILED PART, I NOTICED HOW THIN THE PLASTIC IS AND HOW IT BROKE ON THE GROOVE (A STRESS RISER). I BELIEVE THE PART IS POORLY DESIGNED AND POSES A SERIOUS SAFETY AND FIRE HAZARD TO THE VEHICLE OPERATOR. IN MY OPINION, SUCH COMPONENTS SHOULD BE MADE OF HIGHER QUALITY MATERIAL SUCH AS STAINLESS STEEL FOR STRENGTH AND CORROSION RESISTANCE. AFTER CHECKING WITH THE BMW DEALER FOR A REPLACEMENT FITTING, I DECIDED TO REPLACE THE FUEL CONNECTOR WITH A BARBED 90 DEGREE STAINLESS STEEL FITTING TO PREVENT THE POSSIBILITY OF A RE-OCCURRENCE BECAUSE I BELIEVE THE BMW SUPPLIED PART TO BE FLAWED AND INHERENTLY DANGEROUS.

NHTSA ID
11119403
Incident
Aug 2, 2018
Mileage
35,000 mi
Fuel system
Filed Oct 3, 2016

MY FUEL GAUGE FAILED DUE TO THE FAILURE OF THE FUEL LEVEL SENDING "STRIP" - THIS IS COMMON ON MANY BMW MOTORCYCLE MODELS FROM 2004-2014. AS A RESULT OF THE FAILURE I RAN OUT OF FUEL ON A BUSY HIGHWAY. THIS CREATED A DANGEROUS SITUATION.

NHTSA ID
10911142
Incident
Aug 26, 2016
Mileage
16,000 mi
EngineFuel system
Filed Jul 28, 2014

MOTORCYCLE ENGINE STOPPED RUNNING ON HIGHWAY OFF RAMP. ENGINE WOULD CRANK, BUT NOT RESTART. FUEL GAUGE ON ELECTRONIC READOUT SHOWED 78 MILES UNTIL REFILL. NO WARNING LIGHTS WERE FLASHING. PUT FUEL IN THE TANK, STARTED RIGHT UP. IN-TANK FUEL SENSOR IS FAULTY. *JS

NHTSA ID
10616753
Incident
Jul 27, 2014
Mileage
680 mi
Fuel system
Filed May 2, 2014

I HAD BEEN ON THE ROAD FOR ABOUT 30 MINUTES AND HAD BEEN IN HEAVY STOP AND GO TRAFFIC FOR ABOUT 10 MINUTES. MY FUEL GAUGE WENT FROM HALF TANK TO EMPTY WITH THE "LOW FUEL" WARNING LIGHT FLASHING BETWEEN. THIS HAPPENED BETWEEN GLANCES AT THE INSTRUMENT CLUSTER. SINCE IT WAS A 90 DEGREE DAY AND IN STOP AND GO TRAFFIC I WAS WATCHING THE ENGINE TEMPERATURE GAUGE CLOSELY. THE ENGINE TEMPERATURE GAUGE IS PART OF THE SAME CLUSTER AS THE FUEL GAUGE SO I KNOW THE CHANGE FROM A HALF TANK OF FUEL TO NO FUEL WAS ALMOST IF NOT INSTANTANEOUS. IT IS THE RESULT OF A BAD FUEL SENSOR IN THE FUEL TANK THAT IS A KNOWN ISSUE WITH THIS TYPE OF STRIP SENSOR. WITH HUNDREDS OF THESE SENSORS GOING BAD INSIDE THE FUEL TANK HOW LONG WILL IT BE BEFORE ONE HAS A SERIOUS FAULT AND BLOWS UP THE FUEL TANK SITTING BETWEEN THE MOTORCYCLE RIDERS LEGS. NEVER SAY NEVER. *TR

NHTSA ID
10586139
Incident
May 1, 2014
Mileage
3,300 mi
Fuel system
Filed Aug 6, 2013

MOTORCYCLE RAN OUT OF GAS. FUEL GAUGE SHOWED FULL. DISPLAY SAID I HAD 226 MILES TO GO TO EMPTY. I WAS TRAVELING IN AN UNFAMILIAR HIGHWAY WITH NO SERVICES WITHIN A FIFTY MILE RANGE. THE MOTORCYCLE GAS GAUGE REMAINED AT FULL FOR THE REMAINDER 2,100 MILE OF THE TRIP TO PHOENIX FROM FLORIDA. DEALER SAID THEY HAVE ORDERED A FUEL STRIP TO REPLACE THE FAULTY ONE UNDER WARRANTY. *TR

NHTSA ID
10533906
Incident
Jul 25, 2013
Mileage
3,953 mi
Fuel system
Filed Mar 10, 2013

THE FUEL GAUGE STOPPED WORKING. THIS HAPPENED TWICE. THE SECOND TIME IT LED TO RUNNING OUT OF GAS WHILE UNDER OPERATION. THE FUEL STRIP THAT SENSES GAS IN THE TANK WAS REPLACED ON BOTH OCCASIONS. HOWEVER, THIS KIND OF FAILURE IS UNSAFE, BECAUSE RUNNING OUT OF FUEL WHILE YOU ARE MOVING ON A MOTORCYCLE CAN CAUSE LEAD TO LOSS OF CONTROL. *TR

NHTSA ID
10502264
Incident
Jun 1, 2012
Mileage
100 mi

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.

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