2008 Bmw R1200 RT: complaints, problems and recalls

2008 BMW R1200RT AT HIGHWAY SPEED, THE MOTORCYCLE ENGINE STOPPED WITH NO WARNING. THE CAUSE WAS FOUND TO BE THE FUEL PUMP DRIVER. IT APPEARS THAT THIS IS A VERY COMMON PROBLEM WITH THE R1200RT. *TR

Owner-reported narrative. 1,800 miles reported. Look up ODI 10277690 at NHTSA ↗

2008 BMW R1200RT WITH UNDER 4,000 MILES OF SERVICE. REAR BRAKE PULSES UNPREDICTABLE UPON APPLICATION. NOT RELATED TO ABS. BMW DEALER ANALYSIS DETERMINED THAT IT IS DUE TO IMPROPER SURFACE TEMPERING OF THE BRAKE DISK. THIS CAUSES ALTERNATING PATCHES OF SOFT/HARD SURFACE ON THE DISK. BMW NA REFUSED TO ACCEPT RESPONSIBILITY AND PROVIDE COVERAGE UNDER WARRANTY. THIS IS AN UNSAFE CONDITION, SHARED BY OTHER MODEL AND YEAR BMW MOTORCYCLES, FOR WHICH BMW SHOULD PROVIDE RECALL AND RESOLUTION. *TR

Owner-reported narrative. 3,600 miles reported. Look up ODI 10308965 at NHTSA ↗

2008 BMW R1200RT (MOTORCYCLE) ENGINE STALLS WHILE IN OPERATION. THIS OCCURRED 3 OCCASIONS DURING A COMMUTE. FIRST STALL AFTER ACCELERATION. RESTARTED ENGINE. APPROXIMATELY 1/2 MILE DOWN THE ROAD TRAVELING 45 MPH SECOND ENGINE STALL OCCURS. RESTARTED ENGINE.. THIRD ENGINE STALLS OCCURS WITHIN ANOTHER MILE OF THE SECOND STALL ON A BUSINESS LOOP. RESTARTED ENGINE. EACH TIME THE ENGINE STALLED I WAS FORCED TO ENTER THE SHOULDER OF THE ROAD WHILE AVOID TRAFFIC BEHIND MY MOTORCYCLE. EACH TIME THE STALL OCCURRED THEIR WAS NO VISIBLE OR AUDIBLE CUE T…

Owner-reported narrative. 8,520 miles reported. Look up ODI 10334368 at NHTSA ↗

BIKE DIED ENTERING INTERSECTION. ONLY SPACING AVERTED ACCIDENT. BOUGHT USED LESS THAN ONE WEEK AGO. FUEL GAUGE SHOWED JUST UNDER 1/2 TANK AND 120 MILES TO EMPTY. GAS TANK WAS EMPTY WITHOUT WARNING. GAS GAUGE STRIPS IN TANK FAIL - BMW HAS KNOWN ABOUT THIS SAFETY ISSUE FOR YEARS, ARE YOU? AND, IF "GERMAN ENGINEERING" IS MORE THAN MARKETING, WHY HAVEN'T THEY FIXED IT? *TR

Owner-reported narrative. 8,350 miles reported. Look up ODI 10472467 at NHTSA ↗

DISCOVERED SEVERAL CRACKS AT FUEL PUMP OUTLET FLANGE. REPAIRED AT MY OWN COST IN ORDER TO PREVENT POSSIBLE FIRE. THIS IS A WELL-KNOWN AND WELL-DOCUMENTED PROBLEM WITH THIS FUEL PUMP. *TR

Owner-reported narrative. 14,500 miles reported. Look up ODI 10485348 at NHTSA ↗

I DISCOVERED THAT MY FUEL PUMP WAS DEVELOPING CRACKS AROUND THE FUEL LINE FITTING. I DISCOVERED THE CRACKS BEFORE COMPLETE FAILURE OCCURRED. I DID NOT SUFFER A FAILURE ONLY BECAUSE I HAD LEARNED OF THIS POTENTIAL SAFETY HAZARD FROM FRIENDS, ONE OF WHOM HAD HIS LEFT LEG SOAKED WITH GASOLINE AS A RESULT OF GASOLINE SPRAY COMING FROM BENEATH THE LEFT SIDE BODY PANELS. MY FRIEND, A MECHANICAL ENGINEER, ADVISED THAT BMW USED PIPE THREADS IN THE FITTING THAT RESULTED IN OUTWARD FORCE UPON TIGHTENING, AND FAILURE WOULD LIKELY OCCUR ON ALL MODELS. …

Owner-reported narrative. 28,500 miles reported. Look up ODI 10485376 at NHTSA ↗

A FUEL LEAK DEVELOPED IN THE PLASTIC FUEL PUMP FLANGE AT THE FUEL LINE QUICK DISCONNECT FITTING. I SMELLED A STRONG GASOLINE SMELL IN MY GARAGE WHERE MY NATURAL GAS WATER HEATER IS LOCATED. HAVING HEARD OF THIS COMMON PROBLEM ON BMW SPORT TOURING FORUM, I REPAIRED CRACKS IN THAT FLANGE WITH JB WELD AND A $30 CLAMP MADE JUST TO FIX THIS PROBLEM AVAILABLE ONLINE. I AM REPORTING THIS NOW TO ADD MY INCIDENT TO YOUR DATABASE ON THIS ISSUE. IF MY GARAGE HAD BEEN SMALLER OR THE LEAK A LITTLE WORSE, IT COULD HAVE BEEN A DISASTER. *TR ## VIN FAILED

Owner-reported narrative. 27,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10485796 at NHTSA ↗

MOTORCYCLE GAS GAUGE SHOWED HALF FULL WHEN IT STOPPED RUNNING, HAD TO CROSS TWO LANES OF TRAFFIC DURING RUSH HOUR TO GET TO THE SHOULDER OF THE ROAD. BIKE WAS OUT OF GAS....THIS HAS HAPPEN 5 TIMES NOW ( RUNNING OUT OF GAS ).. ONE DAY SOMEONE IS GOING TO BE KILLED BECAUSE BMW WILL NOT STEP UP AND RECALL THE FUEL STRIP CAUSING THE PROBLEM.. *TR

Owner-reported narrative. 17,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10499731 at NHTSA ↗

Reported: 2009-07-08 (July 8, 2009)

BMW IS RECALLING 1,535 MY 2007-2009 R1200RT MOTORCYCLES. DUE TO ROUTING AND ASSEMBLY TOLERANCES OF THE FRONT BRAKE LINES, IT IS POSSIBLE FOR THE LINES TO BE UNDER STRAIN. IN COMBINATION WITH VIBRATION DURING RIDING, THE BRAKE LINES COULD DEVELOP A LEAK. THE LEVEL OF FLUID IN THE FRONT BRAKE FLUID RESERVOIR COULD DROP RENDERING THE FRONT BRAKES INOPERATIVE.

Consequence: IN THE EVENT THAT ONLY THE REAR BRAKES WERE OPERATIONAL, SEVERE LOSS OF CONTROL DURING HARD BRAKING COULD RESULT. THIS COULD RESULT IN A SERIOUS CRASH.

Remedy: BMW WILL NOTIFY OWNERS AND REPAIR THE MOTORCYCLES WITH NEW FRONT BRAKE LINES, WITH MODIFIED ROUTING FREE OF CHARGE. THE SAFETY RECALL BEGAN ON OCTOBER 5, 2009. OWNERS MAY CONTACT BMW AT 1-800-831-1117.

Reported: 2020-08-10 (August 10, 2020)

BMW of North America, LLC (BMW) is recalling certain 2009-2011 K1300 (S, GT), 2010-2011 S1000 RR, 2005-2011 R1200 (GS, GS Adventure, R, RT, S, ST), 2006-2010 HP2 (Enduro, Megamoto, Sport), 2005-2008 K1200 (R, R Sport, S, GT), and 2012 K1600 (GT, GTL) motorcycles that were repaired under recall 13V-617 with the support ring remedy and where the fuel pump was not replaced at a later date. This recall involves the fuel pump, and also the auxiliary fuel pump as applicable. The affected motorcycles have a fuel pump flange that may crack, possibly resulting in a fuel leak while the engine is running.

Consequence: A fuel leak in the presence of an ignition source can increase the risk of a fire.

Remedy: BMW will notify owners, and dealers will replace the fuel pump(s) with an improved version, free of charge. The recall began January 18, 2021. Owners may contact BMW customer service at 1-800-525-7417.