2011 BMW R 1200 RT Owner Complaints

This vehicle was subject to a recall under bulletin 16 0114. The issue was a fuel pump which cracked at flanges which leaked fuel onto the hot engine, which could cause safety issues with fire. My vehicle listed above, had the fuel pump replaced with 12,505 miles on it under the recall. The replacement fuel pump, which is apparently no better than the original that was replaced under recall, cracked again leaking fuel onto the hot motorcycle engine. This happened with 20,300 miles on the vehicle, which is less than 8000 miles later. BMW is refusing to replace under the recall or a warranty the fuel pump which means I am stuck with the bill. I believe that BMW should be replacing a defective part with a new design and better part not an old design faulty part. I would encourage you to issue another recall on the vehicles in question under bulletin 160114 in the interest of motorist safety.

NHTSA ID

11681917

Incident

Aug 20, 2025

The contact owns a 2011 BMW R1200 RT Motorcycle. The contact stated that while starting the motorcycle, fuel was spraying from the fuel line. There were no warning lights illuminated. The contact called the local dealer but the motorcycle was not diagnosed or repaired. The contact related the failure to NHTSA Campaign Number: 20V471000 (Fuel System, Gasoline) however, the VIN was not included. The manufacturer was contacted but no additional assistance was provided. The approximate failure mileage was 37,528.

NHTSA ID

11485901

Incident

Sep 1, 2022

Mileage

37,528 mi

Development of a major fuel leak after starting motorcycle, leak is coming from the high pressure fitting on the fuel pump. Very dangerous as the fuel is dripping on the hot exhaust and pooling on top of the fuel pump. Risk of fire and possibility of fuel getting on pant leg and burning riders leg. I talked to a couple dealers in the Phoenix area and it’s more common than not.

NHTSA ID

11483260

Incident

Sep 5, 2022

The contact owns a 2011 BMW R 1200 RT. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 20V471000 (Fuel System, Gasoline). The dealer was contacted and informed that the parts were not available. The contact called back the same dealer on two separate occasions and was informed that parts were still unavailable. The manufacturer was notified of the issue. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The contact had not experienced a failure. Parts distribution disconnect.

NHTSA ID

11430640

Incident

Dec 1, 2020

The contact owns a 2011 BMW R 1200 RT Motorcycle. The contact stated that fuel was leaking from motorcycle. There were no warning lights illuminated. The contact received notification of NHTSA campaign number: 20V471000 (Fuel System. Gasoline) however, the part to do the recall repair was unavailable. The contact called the local dealer who stated that parts were not yet available. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The manufacturer was notified however, no further assistance was provided. The failure mileage was approximately 17,000. Parts distribution disconnect.

NHTSA ID

11428477

Incident

Jun 15, 2021

Mileage

17,000 mi

The contact owns a 2011 BMW R 1200 RT. The contact received notification of NHTSA campaign number: 20V471000 (Fuel System, Gasoline) however, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. The contact took the vehicle to the local dealer and it was confirmed that the part was not yet available. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The manufacturer was made aware of the issue. The contact had not experienced a failure. Parts distribution disconnect.

NHTSA ID

11427749

Incident

May 1, 2021

THROTTLE CABLE BELL CRANKS/CAMS CRACK DUE TO POOR QUALITY PLASTIC MATERIAL. THIS CAUSES MOTORCYCLE TO SUDDENLY LOSE POWER AS THE HAND THROTTLE NO LONGER WORKS AND ENGINE RETURNS TO IDLE RPM. THIS IS A SERIOUS SAFETY HAZARD AS FAILURE CAN OCCUR WHILE ENTERING TRAFFIC, TURNING THRU TRAFFIC, OR TRAVELING ON A HIGH SPEED ROADWAY WITH NO AREA TO PULL OFF. THESE CRACKS, (AND IMPENDING FAILURE OF THE PARTS), WERE DISCOVERED BY SERVICE PERSONNEL DURING SERVICE WORK.

NHTSA ID

11408223

Incident

Apr 15, 2021

Mileage

23,494 mi

TENGO PROBLEMAS CON EL FUEL PUMP LIQUEA MUCHO Y TAMBIEN CON EL ENCENDIDO LOS CALIPERS SE ATORAN

NHTSA ID

11355042

Incident

Aug 30, 2020

Mileage

37,000 mi

SPONTANEOUS DEVELOPMENT OF A COPIOUS FUEL LEAK AFTER STARTING BIKE, SUBSEQUENTLY FOUND TO BE ORIGINATING FROM FUEL PUMP AROUND HIGH PRESSURE FITTING. VERY DANGEROUS SCENARIO, AS FUEL DRIPS CLOSE TO HOT ENGINE. I ASKED AROUND AND APPARENTLY IS NOT AN UNCOMMON ISSUE. HARD TO BELIEVE THERE HAS NOT BEEN A RECALL ON THIS. *TR

NHTSA ID

11329259

Incident

Jun 15, 2020

Mileage

37,500 mi

FUEL PUMP LEAKS AT HIGH PRESSURE FUEL LINE. THIS FUEL LEAKS OVER EXHAUST PIPE AND IS A POTENTIAL FIRE HAZARD. *TR

NHTSA ID

11328609

Incident

Jun 12, 2020

Mileage

43,957 mi

FUEL PUMP OUTPUT FLANGE CRACKED, RESULTING IN FUEL LEAKING DOWN THE SIDE OF THE BIKE AND ONTO HOT COMPONENTS WHILE RIDING. THIS ISSUE HAS ALREADY BEEN THE SUBJECT OF A BMW RECALL - BUT APPARENTLY THE "INSPECT AND REINFORCE" SOLUTION ISN'T REALLY ADEQUATE LONG-TERM. THIS PUMP HAD BEEN INSPECTED AND REINFORCED - AND THE FLANGE STILL CRACKED AND CAUSED A DANGEROUS FUEL LEAK WITH THE POTENTIAL FOR BODILY INJURY OR WORSE. ATTACHED PICTURE. TOP SHOWS BEFORE IGNITION IS SWITCHED ON. BOTTOM IS AFTER IGNITION IS ON.

NHTSA ID

11234286

Incident

Jul 23, 2019

GASOLINE LEAK FROM FUEL PUMP FLANGE. NOTICED A PUDDLE OF GASOLINE AFTER A RIDE LAST WEEK. DURING THE RIDE , THERE WAS A STRONG SMELL OF GASOLINE. THIS IS A VERY DANGEROUS SITUATION. BMW ARE YOU LISTENING ? THE PUDDLE WAS ON THE LEFT SIDE OF THE BIKE WHEN RIDING ( RIGHT SIDE IF YOU ARE FACING THE BIKE) THIS WAS FIXED DURING A RECALL CAMPAIGN IN 2014 BUT ITS BACK AGAIN. THIS INDICATES A SUBSTANDARD USED DURING RECALL FIX. ITS BMW'S RESPONSIBILITY TO HAVE THIS ADDRESSED AND FIXED ASAP.

NHTSA ID

11234146

Incident

Jul 18, 2019

MY 2011 BMW R1200RT HAD A RECALL REPAIR PERFORMED IN 2015 TO ADDRESS A FUEL LEAK ISSUE AT THE FUEL PUMP FLANGE. THE DEALER DID NOT REPLACE THE FUEL PUMP ASSEMBLY BUT DID A REPAIR WHICH INVOLVED INSTALLATION OF A REINFORCEMENT RING ON THE FUEL PUMP FLANGE WHICH WAS CRACKING AND LEAKING FUEL UNDER PRESSURE. IN MARCH OF 2019 THE AREA THAT WAS REPAIRED ON THE FUEL PUMP DEVELOPED A FUEL LEAK CAUSING GASOLINE TO LEAK UNDER PRESSURE AND LEAK DOWN ONTO THE ENGINE WHICH COULD HAVE CAUGHT FIRE. MY LEFT BOOT AND LEFT LOWER PANT LEG GOT WET WITH GASOLINE. BMW SHOULD HAVE FIXED THIS PROBLEM PROPERLY WITH A NEW FUEL PUMP INSTEAD OF TRYING TO RIG IT UP IN 2015. THEY HELD OFF FOR YEARS EVEN ISSUING THE RECALL UNTIL FORCED BY GOVERNMENT TO DO IT. THEY SHOW A BLATANT DISREGARD FOR THEIR CUSTOMER'S SAFETY BY NOT FULLY REPAIRING THE VEHICLE AFTER THE RECALL WAS ISSUED. NOW BMW CUSTOMER RELATIONS SAYS THE RECALL REPAIR IS OUT OF WARRANTY. THIS CAUSED ME TO HAVE TO REPLACE THE FAULTY PART AT A COST OF OVER 500 DOLLARS. THIS IMPROVED PART SHOULD HAVE BEEN INSTALLED DURING THE RECALL REPAIR INSTEAD OF TRYING TO BAND-AID THE PROBLEM. WE ARE TALKING ABOUT HIGH PRESSURE FUEL. THIS IS A MAJOR SAFETY CONCERN AND THE GOVERNMENT SHOULD SANCTION BMW FOR NOT PERFORMING THE RECALL PROPERLY. CUSTOMERS THAT HAD TO GO BACK LATER AND REPAIR THEIR MOTORCYCLES FOR THIS FUEL LEAK ISSUE SHOULD BE REIMBURSED.

NHTSA ID

11205457

Incident

Mar 19, 2019

Mileage

29,750 mi

WHEN STARTING THE VEHICLE GAS BEGINS TO LEAK OUT OF TANK ON LEFT SIDE OF VEHICLE. LEAK WILL CONTINUE UNTIL VEHICLE IS SHUT OFF

NHTSA ID

11185809

Incident

Mar 3, 2019

Mileage

18,400 mi

ON AUGUST 23, 2017, I STARTED MY MOTORCYCLE AND LEFT MY HOME FOR A RIDE. A SHORT TIME INTO THE RIDE I NOTICED THE SMELL OF GASOLINE. I FOUND A PLACE TO PULL OVER TO CHECK OUT THE ISSUE. WHEN I STOPPED I SAW GASOLINE FLOWING DOWN ON THE LEFT SIDE OF THE MOTORCYCLE ONTO THE GROUND, JUST PAST THE EXHAUST PIPE AND ONTO MY LEFT RIDING BOOT. I IMMEDIATELY RETURNED HOME SLOWLY TO CHECK OUT THE LEAK. WHEN I REMOVED THE UPPER LEFT SIDE OF THE MOTORCYCLE, I SAW GASOLINE PUDDLING AROUND THE TOP OF THE FUEL PUMP. A METAL RING HAD BEEN INSTALLED OVER THE PLASTIC QUICK CONNECTOR ON TOP OF THE FUEL PUMP ON A PREVIOUS TRIP TO MY SERVICING DEALER ON JANUARY 24, 2015. AT THAT TIME NO LEAK HAD BEEN DETECTED. I THEN STARTED THE ENGINE AND SAW RAW GASOLINE STREAMING FROM THE TOP OF THE FUEL PUMP ONTO MY MOTORCYCLE AND ONTO THE GROUND. THIS ISSUE HAS BEEN GOING ON WITH MANY OTHER OWNERS OF THESE BIKES FOR SEVERAL YEARS ACCORDING TO MY GOOGLE SEARCHES CONCERNING THIS ISSUE. I FEEL THAT THE BMW CORP. SHOULD REPLACE THE FUEL PUMP AT THEIR EXPENSE DUE TO THE HISTORY OF DEFECTIVE FUEL PUMPS IN THE PAST AND NOW MINE. THIS IS A VERY DANGEROUS SITUATION. I AM VERY LUCKY THAT THIS ISSUE OCCURRED AT A LOW SPEED AND CLOSE TO MY HOME.

NHTSA ID

11020121

Incident

Aug 23, 2017

Mileage

31,588 mi

I BOUGHT THE BIKE NEW. A RECALL FOR THE FUEL PUMP WAS COMPLIED WITH. TWO YEARS LATER THE FUEL PUMP STARTED SQUIRTING FUEL FROM THE INNER RADIUS AREA OF THE METAL CRIMP RING (WHICH IS THE RECALL FIX)STARTED LEAKING FUEL WAS FLOWING DOWN THE LEFT SIDE OF THE BIKE TO THE BOTTOM OF THE LEFT CYLINDER BASE. ONLY LEAKED WITH THE ENGINE RUNNING

NHTSA ID

11013071

Incident

Jun 24, 2017

Mileage

44,600 mi

FUEL PUMP OUTPUT FLANGE CRACKED, RESULTING IN FUEL LEAKING DOWN THE SIDE OF THE BIKE AND ONTO HOT COMPONENTS WHILE RIDING. THIS ISSUE HAS ALREADY BEEN THE SUBJECT OF A BMW RECALL - BUT APPARENTLY THE "INSPECT AND REINFORCE" SOLUTION ISN'T REALLY ADEQUATE LONG-TERM. THIS PUMP HAD BEEN INSPECTED AND REINFORCED - AND THE FLANGE STILL CRACKED AND CAUSED A DANGEROUS FUEL LEAK WITH THE POTENTIAL FOR BODILY INJURY OR WORSE.

NHTSA ID

11006651

Incident

Jul 14, 2017

Mileage

18,818 mi

THE COMBINATION ENGINE RUN / START SWITCH DOES NO ENGAGE IN THE RUN POSITION DURING HOT DAYS, THUS NOT ALLOWING THE ENGINE TO START. AFTER COOLING THE SWITCH DOWN WITH AN INSTANT COOLING COMPOUND (IN THIS CASE SUPERFREEZE 2000 FROM LEONARD INDUSTRIAL SUPPLY) THE SWITCH WOULD ENGAGE, BUT THEN DISCONNECT AGAIN. THE DANGER IS THAT IF IT DISCONNECTS WHILE DRIVING THE ENGINE WILL CUT-OFF WITHOUT BEING ABLE TO RESTART IT.

NHTSA ID

10715513

Incident

Jun 16, 2014

Mileage

9,000 mi

SYMPTOM. REAR OF MOTORCYCLE WEAVES WHEN RIDING IN A STRAIGHT LINE AND IN TURNS. REAR WHEEL HAD APPROXIMATELY 3MM PLAY WHEN HOLDING WHEEL AT 12 AND 6 O'CLOCK AND TWISTING WHEEL SIDE TO SIDE. ANALYSIS. BRAKE CARRIER ON FINAL DRIVE HAS LATERAL PLAY. REMOVED BRAKE CARRIER, SLID OFF FINAL DRIVE BY HAND. FINAL DRIVE NEEDS REPLACED. SAME FAILURE AS DESCRIBED IN ODI 10439549 AND BEING INVESTIGATED UNDER CAMPAIGN DP 12001. BMW PARALEVER. RESOLUTION. DEALER REPLACED FINAL DRIVE BMW PART NUMBER 33117726895, SYNTHETIC GEAR OIL 75 W90, AND ROTOR BOLTS BMW PART NUMBER 33177709205. *TR

NHTSA ID

10522464

Incident

May 25, 2013

Mileage

10,201 mi

THE LEFT COMBINATION SWITCH ON THE VEHICLE HAS FAILED 4 TIMES. THE LEFT COMBINATION SWITCH CONTROLS THE HIGH BEAM LIGHTS, TURN SIGNALS, HORN, CRUISE CONTROL, AND NUMEROUS OTHER ITEMS. THE FOUR FAILURES HAVE INCLUDED FAILURE OF THE HIGH BEAM SWITCH TWICE, THE TURN SIGNAL SWITCH TWICE, THE HORN ONCE, AND CRUISE CONTROL ONCE. *TR

NHTSA ID

10435099

Incident

May 20, 2011

Mileage

2,080 mi