Owner-reported complaints naming the powertrain system, filed with NHTSA
Data refreshed
Powertrain reports that are not specifically the engine or transmission — driveshafts, axles, transfer cases and differentials. Every record below is an owner-reported complaint about the 2009 BMW R 1200 RT submitted to NHTSA — not a confirmed defect, not a recall and not a manufacturer bulletin. 8 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
2009 BMW R1200RT MOTORCYCLE REAR BEARING FAILURE THAT LED TO A FINAL DRIVE FAILURE. At highway speed, heard clicking noise from rear of bike. While parked on center stand and spinning rear wheel, heard a terrible grinding sound. Who knows what would have happened had I not exited when I did. This left me stranded, requiring a tow; repair took two days and was over $3,000.
CATASTROPHIC FAILURE OF THE REAR DIFFERENTIAL (FINAL DRIVE). THE DRIVE BEGAN MAKING GRINDING AND SQUEALING NOISES. I THEN FELT THE REAR WHEEL LOOSING TRACTION. I PULLED TO THE SHOULDER IMMEDIATELY. I NOTICED AT THAT TIME A BRAKE FAILURE WARNING LIGHT ILLUMINATED ON THE INSTRUMENT PANEL. MY REAR BRAKE WAS INEFFECTIVE. UPON EXAMINING THE DRIVE AREA THERE WAS GEAR OIL ALL OVER THE REAR BRAKE CALIPER, DISC AND REAR WHEEL, INCLUDING THE TIRE. THE FINAL DRIVE WAS SERVICED APPROXIMATELY 1200 MILES PRIOR TO THIS FAILURE, IT HAD BEEN FILLED WITH THE CORRECT VISCOSITY OIL AT THE RECOMMENDED LEVEL OF 180CC. AT THAT TIME THERE WERE NO METALLIC SHAVING OF ANY KIND VISIBLE IN THE OIL THAT WAS DRAINED FROM THE DRIVE. THE FAILURE OCCURRED ON TEXAS STATE HIGHWAY 6 IN A RURAL AREA.
THE BMW MOTORCYCLE WAS BEING RIDDEN AT INTERSTATE SPEEDS WHEN IT BEGAN TO DEVELOP A VIBRATION. THE VEHICLE WAS SLOWED AND THE FIRST AVAILABLE EXIT WAS TAKEN. BY THIS TIME THE REAR WHEEL FELT LIKE IT WAS GOING TO LOCK UP. THE MOTORCYCLE WAS STOPPED AT THE FIRST SAFE PARKING AND A WRECKER WAS DISPATCHED. THE REPAIR FACILITY INFORMED ME THAT THE DRIVESHAFT UNIVERSAL JOINT HAD FAILED AND WAS BEATING AGAINST THE SWING ARM WHICH COULD HAVE BEEN A TOTAL FAILURE. THE DRIVESHAFT IS NOT A TEARDOWN AND INSPECT ITEM AND THEREFORE LEAVES THE RIDER WITH NO WARNING OF IMPENDING FAILURE. THIS IS VERY DANGEROUS. *TR
BMW MODEL R1200RT YEARS 2005 - 2013 MAY BE SUBJECT TO THROTTLE CABLE ASSEMBLY FAILURE. THE THROTTLE BODY SYSTEM ON THE 2009 YEAR MODEL IS ASSEMBLED BY BING POWER IN NUREMBERG, GERMANY AND UTILIZED BY BMW IN MOTORCYCLES WITH THE 1170 CC BOXER MOTOR. (BING IS A LONGSTANDING COMPANY WHICH IN GENERAL MANUFACTURES FIRST-RATE PRODUCTS.)THE PRIMARY THROTTLE CABLE EXTENDS FROM THE HANDLE BAR TO A SPLITTER FROM WHICH TWO SEPARATE THROTTLE CABLES EXTEND TO LEFT AND RIGHT HAND THROTTLE BODIES WHICH HOUSE THE FUEL INJECTION SYSTEM. THOSE TWO CABLES ARE ROUTED OVER AND ANCHORED TO A CABLE PULLEY MADE OF MOLDED PLASTIC. THIS ENTIRE ASSEMBLY IS ATTACHED TO THE THROTTLE BODY. IF OR WHEN THE PLASTIC FAILS, THERE IS NO THROTTLE AND THE ENGINE GOES TO IDLE, THUS CREATING AN EXTREME SAFETY HAZARD IF ONE IS DRIVING IN TRAFFIC AND UNABLE TO MAINTAIN SPEED OR ACCELERATE. IN THIS CIRCUMSTANCE THE RIDER COULD BE FORTHRIGHTLY IN HARM'S WAY AND ENDANGERED. THIS SHOULD BE AN URGENT RECALL ISSUE FOR REPLACEMENT OF THE PLASTIC PART WITH A SOLID CABLE PULLEY WHICH WILL NOT BREAK. PREVIOUS MODELS USED METAL CABLE PULLEYS WHICH DID NOT FAIL. (SEE THIS BLOG FOR DISCUSSION POSTED BY ANOTHER RIDER, AMONG MANY, WITH THE SAME FAILURE ISSUE: HTTP://WWW.ASVRIDER.COM/FORUMS/SHOWTHREAD.PHP?T=967780&PAGE=3 ) BMW DOES NOT MAKE THE PLASTIC PART AVAILABLE FOR REPLACEMENT. THUS, A PLASTIC PART COSTING BUT A FEW DOLLARS RESULTS IN THE RIDER HAVING TO REPLACE BOTH THE LEFT AND RIGHT COMPLETE THROTTLE BODY ASSEMBLIES AT A COST OF MORE THAN $1,000. THE UNDER-DESIGNED PLASTIC CABLE PULLEY IS NOTHING LESS THAN A HAZARD AND CREATES A RISK TO ONE'S LIFE. A POLICE MOTORCYCLE COP RIDING HIS PATROL R1200RT LOOKED AT THE FAILED PART I SHOWED HIM AND HIS FIRST WORDS WERE, "THAT COULD GET YOU KILLED." I HAVE MADE BING AND BMW OF NORTH AMERICA AWARE OF MY EXPERIENCE VIA EMAIL BUT I CONTINUE TO WAIT FOR THEIR REPLY. *TR
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2009 BMW R1200 RT MOTORCYCLE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING 45 MPH, A LOUD NOISE WAS HEARD FROM THE REAR OF THE VEHICLE. THE CONTACT PULLED OVER TO INSPECT THE VEHICLE AND NOTICED GREASE COVERING THE BRAKES AND REAR WHEEL. THE GREASE CAME FROM A BROKEN REAR DIFFERENTIAL/FINAL DRIVE. THE CONTACT TOWED THE VEHICLE TO A LOCAL DEALER, WHO STATED THAT THE FINAL DRIVE RIGHT ANGLE GEAR BOX NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE CONTACT DID NOT HAVE THE VEHICLE REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 30,580.
IN RESPONSE TO A REQUEST FROM OWNERS WITH SIMILAR PROBLEMS TO REPORT THESE TO THE NHTSA, I AM ADDING MY OWN INFORMATION: DURING A TIRE-CHANGE SERVICE, THE DEALER'S MECHANIC NOTED THAT THE BEARING IN THE REAR WHEEL FINAL DRIVE HAD BECOME "CRUNCHY" AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. UPON POINTING OUT THE PROBLEM, I WAS ABLE TO DETECT THE RESISTANCE IN THE WHEEL MYSELF. THE DEALER REPLACED THE BEARING UNDER WARRANTY AND ON COMPARISON WITH A NEW BEARING, THERE WAS DEFINITELY RESISTANCE AND A LACK OF SMOOTH FUNCTION IN THE ORIGINAL BEARING. MY UNDERSTANDING IS THAT OTHERS WITH SIMILAR PARALEVER FINAL DRIVES HAVE ENCOUNTERED SERIOUS BEARING FAILURE RENDERING THE MOTORCYCLE SUDDENLY UNABLE TO PROCEED NORMALLY, SOMETIMES WITH A MAJOR LEAKAGE OF THE FINAL DRIVE LUBRICANT. I BELIEVE MINE WAS SIMPLY CAUGHT EARLY ENOUGH TO AVOID A MORE DRAMATIC FAILURE. *KB
2009 BMW R1200RT MOTORCYCLE REAR BEARING FAILURE THAT LED TO A FINAL DRIVE FAILURE. BIKE JUST TURNED 14000 MILES WHEN A GRINDING NOISE OCCURRED AND COULDN'T FIGURE OUT WHERE IT CAME FROM. AFTER STOPPING FOR THE DAY, NOTICED REAR WHEEL HAD 3/8 INCH PLAY AND FINAL DRIVE FLUID LEAKED ALL OVER REAR WHEEL CAUSING NO REAR BRAKES. THE BIKE WAS TRAILERED HOME AND THE ENTIRE FINAL DRIVE REPLACED UNDER WARRANTY. LUCKILY NO INJURIES ALTHOUGH NO REAR BRAKES. THIS BIKE IS USED ON THE ROAD FOR COMMUTING AND TOURING AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS. *TR
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2009 BMW R1200 RT MOTORCYCLE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE REAR WHEEL LOCKED ABNORMALLY. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER WHERE IT WAS DISCOVERED THAT THE DRIVE SHAFT HAD EXPLODED. THE PARA LEVER AND BOOT WERE DESTROYED. BOTH WERE ATTACHED TO THE FRAME OF THE VEHICLE, SIMILAR TO HOW THE AXLE IS ATTACHED TO A PASSENGER VEHICLE. THE DEALER ADVISED THAT THEY HAD NEVER SEEN A DRIVE SHAFT FAILURE SUCH AS THE ONE THE CONTACT EXPERIENCED ON A MOTORCYCLE. THE VEHICLE WAS LEFT WITH THE DEALER WHERE THE CONTACT WAS AWAITING REPAIRS. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGES WERE 36,838. UPDATED 08/24/11*LJ THE CONSUMER STATED THERE WAS SEVERE VIBRATION AT 75MPH FOR 1-2 SECONDS. A FEW MILES LATER THERE WAS VIBRATION AND LOSS OF POWER. UPDATED 06/15/2012 *JS
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
Data on this page last refreshed .