2016 BMW R1200 GS
Safety record from NHTSA: recalls, owner complaints, investigations and service bulletins.
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Vehicles › BMW › R1200 GS › 2016
These records cover every 2016 BMW R1200 GS. To see whether one car still needs a recall repair, decode its VIN or check it with NHTSA.
Recalls
4 recalls name the 2016 BMW R1200 GS. Newest first.
BMW of North America, LLC (BMW) is recalling certain Accessory Windscreens, sold for installation on various motorcycles. Specifically being recalled is Windscreen model number 8531917, sold for use on model year 2012-2018 F700GS motorcycles, Windscreen model number 8544629, sold for use on model year 2015-2018 R1200R motorcycles, Windscreen model number…
Risk and remedy
Risk
The darker windscreen can inhibit the driver's visibility, increasing the risk of a crash.
Remedy
BMW will notify owners, and dealers will replace the windscreen, free of charge. The recall is expected to begin May 10, 2018. Owners may contact BMW customer service at 1-800-525-7417.
BMW of North America, LLC (BMW) is recalling certain accessory turn signals manufactured for 2006-2017 R1200GS, 2007-2008 and 2010-2017 R1200GS Adventure, 2017 F700GS and F800GS, 2013-2017 F800GT, 2015-2016 F800R, 2014-2017 F800GS Adventure, 2014-2016 S1000R, 2015-2017 R1200R, 2016-2017 R1200RS, and 2010-2017 S1000RR motorcycles. As designed, these…
Risk and remedy
Risk
If other drivers cannot easily see the turn signals, there would be an increased risk of a crash.
Remedy
BMW will notify owners, and dealers will replace the turn signals, free of charge. The recall began October 25, 2017. Owners may contact BMW customer service at 1-800-525-7417.
BMW of North America, LLC (BMW) is recalling certain 2013-2017 F800R and F800GT motorcycles, 2014-2018 R1200GS and R1200GS Adventure motorcycles, 2016-2017 S1000XR motorcycles and 2015-2017 R1200R and R1200RS, 2008-2012 F650GS, 2008-2018 F800GS, and 2014-2017 F800GS Adventure motorcycles. When equipped with the optional aluminum luggage cases, the rear…
Risk and remedy
Risk
If the rear reflex reflectors are obscured from view, it can increase the risk of a crash.
Remedy
BMW will notify owners, and dealers will install reflectors on the cases or for the case mounts, an additional bracket with rear reflex reflectors, free of charge. The recall began October 16, 2017. Owners may contact BMW customer service at 1-800-525-7417.
BMW of North America, LLC (BMW) is recalling certain 2014-2017 BMW R1200GS and BMW R1200GS Adventure motorcycles. The motorcycle fixed fork tube may separate from the pressed in seal plug that secures the tube to the upper triple clamp.
Risk and remedy
Risk
If the fork tube detaches from the sealing plug, the handling and stability of the motorcycle will be affected, increasing the risk of a crash.
Remedy
BMW will notify owners, and dealers will add an additional fixed fork tube bush. A fork that is sufficiently damaged will be replaced with a modified new part. These repairs will be made free of charge. The recall began August 31, 2017. Owners may contact BMW customer service at 1-800-525-7417.
Owner complaints
12 complaints1 involved a crash
What owners report most
Latest complaints
- Service brakes
Rear brake on motorcycle does not stop the motorcycle. After three BMW dealer visits and rear brakes having been bled, the rear brake pedal becomes soft and does not stop the motorcycle. The same problem occurred each time within 2-3 months of the repair. The only way to stop the motorcycle is to use the front brake. The BMW service department cannot explain the reason this keeps happening.
- Service brakes
The rear brake becomes ineffective. Dealer says that air invades the rear brake system. Bleeding the old brake fluid and replacing it with new brake fluid solves the problem for a few months. Then it happens again and the bleeding must be done again. Front brake continues to be effective at all times.
- Engine · Fuel/propulsion system · Power train
While riding the motorcycle at highway speeds, the engine goes into a faulted state spontaneously with no warning prior, the ecu IS faulting and putting the engine into "limp mode" which IS almost equivalent of completely killing the engine the way it IS currently done, and you are left to…
While riding the motorcycle at highway speeds, the engine goes into a faulted state spontaneously with no warning prior, the ecu IS faulting and putting the engine into "limp mode" which IS almost equivalent of completely killing the engine the way it IS currently done, and you are left to navigate off the highway in a severely debilitated state of operation. The engine IS programmed with a "limp mode" fault I assume to save the engine? But my complaint IS , the way it currently operates on the motorcycle,it IS patently "unsafe" and puts the rider or operator and passenger in a very dangerous situation should the "limp mode" fault be engaged . I don't understand the need for this, without any noticeable change in the way the motor IS running initially, whatever the engine control computer IS seeing, IS an anomaly . In the case of my personal incident, I was driving home from the dealership and in traffic on a 4 lane highway . The motorcycle was running flawlessly and just suddenly it felt as if the switch was turned off. The throttle was non responsive initially, and after, only minutely. I was able to navigate off the highway to the shoulder of the roadway, as luckily the traffic was very light at this place and time. Had I been in heavy traffic under different conditions, this could have ended very differently and I don't mean that in a good way. It has subsequently been in the repair shop of BMW dealers 2X for this issue, and now IS in for the 3RD time as they have to date, been unsuccessful in finding and correcting the root cause of the issue. There are apparently malfunctions within the electrical components on the motorcycle, that are false readings, momentary "blips" , or something like that -- which fools the computer and triggers the "limp mode" fault to engage.
- Suspension
I was never notified about an important safety recall. no notification via mail, email, phone call, etc. I was only alerted to this recall when I brought my BMW motorcycle back to the BMW dealer for non-related warranty work. The dealer was very surprised I had not had the front fork recall done…
I was never notified about an important safety recall. no notification via mail, email, phone call, etc. I was only alerted to this recall when I brought my BMW motorcycle back to the BMW dealer for non-related warranty work. The dealer was very surprised I had not had the front fork recall done, and my reply was that I was never notified. This IS safety recall # 17v-438, fyi. This recall began in august, 2017. No notification IS very surprising and upsetting to me, as I purchased this BMW motorcycle brand new at this dealer, so BMW clearly has my information on file. My info has not changed since purchase of this motorcycle in august of 2016. In my opinion, this IS a very important safety recall dealing with the front forks of a motorcycle. what went wrong here with no notification??? I have received written notification of recalls on many other vehicles over the years (such as takata inflators), but nothing from BMW on this motorcycle, except being surprised by the dealer over 5 months after the recall began.
- Suspension
On may 13, 2017, while riding my 2016 BMW r1200gs with 11500 miles, one of my riding partners noticed oil leaking from the suspension fork tubes. After peeling the rubber boots that cover the stanchions, we noticed that both stanchions on the bike had separated. I wouldn't have known about it…
On may 13, 2017, while riding my 2016 BMW r1200gs with 11500 miles, one of my riding partners noticed oil leaking from the suspension fork tubes. After peeling the rubber boots that cover the stanchions, we noticed that both stanchions on the bike had separated. I wouldn't have known about it, except one of the persons with whom I was riding, had the same issue happen with his 2013 BMW r1200gs. I still had to ride 170 miles home with 15 miles of it on dirt. I rode straight to the dealership and they wouldn't let me take the bike because they consider this a very dangerous situation. And, dealership knew of the issue because it happened to other customers. this IS defective design. One person becoming permanently injured or dying IS one too many. BMW cannot plead ignorance. BMW replaced the stanchions on under warranty and I collected the repaired bike on june 6TH. The following weekend, june on 11, after less than 300 miles of riding, both stanchions separated, again. BMW roadside service towed bike to the shop for repair. This IS dangerous situation that requires a recall.
- Steering · Suspension
I was traveling in on a straight portion of pacific coast highway in huntington beach. there was no traffic around and no debris in the road. I was traveling approximately 40 mph when the handlebar on my motorcycle violently jerked to the left for a split second and corrected itself. this was…
I was traveling in on a straight portion of pacific coast highway in huntington beach. there was no traffic around and no debris in the road. I was traveling approximately 40 mph when the handlebar on my motorcycle violently jerked to the left for a split second and corrected itself. this was not normal and very dangerous. I looked at the handlebar and noticed that it wasn't straight or square to the direction I was traveling. a second after seeing the handle bar the bike jerked to the left again, this time causing me to lose control and crash. it was obvious to me that something very unusual happened. when I looked at the bike after the crash I saw the fork was separated (see attached pictures). I began researching about fork separation and BMW 1200 GS motorcycles and found that I am not the only one this has happened to.
- Suspension
Potential critical failure in upper fork tube stanchions.
- Suspension
The left stanchion has come loose from the crimped connection at the top of the upper tube. I have seen many other problems with this design on other bikes on the social media forum I track. GS giants on facebook, and also on advrider.com. I took it to the BMW shop today in tulsa ok. I had to show…
The left stanchion has come loose from the crimped connection at the top of the upper tube. I have seen many other problems with this design on other bikes on the social media forum I track. GS giants on facebook, and also on advrider.com. I took it to the BMW shop today in tulsa ok. I had to show them exactly how it was loose. I have not been in an accident with this bike. I do ride it on rough gravel roads, but the bike IS designed for this type of environment.
- Engine
Engine warning light and loss of engine power on 6 incidences. 2 incidents - in motion on I-81 highway 1 incident ' stationary on I-81 highway 1 incident - in motion TN-68 highway 1 incident ' stationary TN-68 highway 1 incident ' in motion VA-55
- Engine
Cruise control engaged at 75 mph u.s. 59N. the engine behaves as if it shuts off. I engage the clutch and coast to the shoulder of the road. I was surprised that the engine was still running, with a surging idle from 1000-2000 rpms. the instrument panel had two warnings illuminated, yellow…
Cruise control engaged at 75 mph u.s. 59N. the engine behaves as if it shuts off. I engage the clutch and coast to the shoulder of the road. I was surprised that the engine was still running, with a surging idle from 1000-2000 rpms. the instrument panel had two warnings illuminated, yellow "warning" triangle and an engine symbol which BMW describes as "engine in emergency-operating mode". I turned off the engine using the keyless ignition button. I restarted the engine and operation was normal. No warnings were illuminated on the instrument panel. the bike IS relatively new. I owned it about 6 weeks and had accumulated approximately 700 miles. since the bike was running normal and there was no nearby BMW service I continued on. I completed my 10 day trip accumulating another 4000 miles without another occurrence. on my return I took the bike to my BMW dealership where a diagnostic computer was connected. the read out confirmed the fault as: 21f982 throttle valve 1 maintenance notes: checked throttle valve, ok plug connection, ok cleared fault code, did not come back bike=ok no recommendations I know there are numerous instances similar to my experience. the BMW owners manual pages 30,31 describe this condition as an "accident hazard". I was fortunate that traffic was light and I had a paved road shoulder on which to stop.
- Electrical system › Horn
TL* the contact owns a 2016 BMW r1200 GS. While driving various speeds, the horn failed to operate intermittently. When the vehicle was restarted, the horn operated normally. The vehicle was taken to a dealer where it was diagnosed that the horn needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 500.
- Electrical system › Horn
TL* the contact owns a 2016 BMW r1200 GS. On several occasions, the horn failed to operate intermittently. The vehicle was taken to the dealer to be diagnosed, but the mechanic was unable to retrieve a fault code. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 650.
Service bulletins
Technical service bulletins and other communications the manufacturer sent dealers about this vehicle. Ask a dealer for the full document by its number.
- 11006753Driveshaft Maintenance Schedule Change
- 10249027The electrical system of BMW vehicles has been subject to an ongoing development process over the last few years. This has led to increased demands being placed on the battery. This document covers important information for the dealer on how to handle discharged battery complaints.
- 10248094Since October 2023, a new maintenance schedule is valid for all K5x models. For the first time, maintenance positions for the cardan shaft (Driveshaft) are included. NOTICE: 1. The new maintenance schedule is not limited to vehicles affected by the SI 33 02 22 (SERVICE ACTION: Swingarm Drain retrofit and Driveshaft Check), but is valid for all K5x models - including retroactively. In case of retroactive validity (model year 2023 and older), affected customers will be informed about the change. This will be in the form of a direct-to-customer letter with a description of the new maintenance schedule, specific owners manual insert, and consumer warranty book insert. 1. For vehicles affected by SI 33 02 22 (SERVICE ACTION: Swingarm Drain retrofit and Driveshaft Check), this service action must be performed first. All conditions described in this bulletin apply after the open Service Action has been completed. No additional communication is required for K5x models model year 2024 and onwards. Those models have the new maintenance schedule in their owners manual.
- 10236237Multiple factors may cause the driveshaft to become damaged; among them are corrosion in certain parts ofthe driveshaft, and wear and tear exacerbated by certain climatic conditions.
- 10228448BMW Motorrad is aware of a number of cases in which the screw connections of the Paralever link and/or the rear brake caliper have loosened in customer vehicles while driving.
- 10216793TEC26 Turbo Charger Return
- 10216792Tec25 Wishbone Return
- 10216791Tech24 Snap-in Adapter Return
- 10216758MINI engine oil part number transition and model year 2016 engine oils
- 10216757MINI "Enhanced" dealer self authorized (DSA)K goodwill program
- 10205109Stress corrosion cracks may occur on the studs of certain milled footrests from the BMW Motorrad special accessories catalog for the GS models.
- 10201169Vehicle battery not charged despite the battery charger being connected to the on-board socket (manufactured before 2009)Headlights and rear lights light up intermittently despite the ignition being switched off and the battery charger being connected to the on-board socket.
- 10200500The hill start control operation may be sporadic.
- 10200499Service distance cannot be set in miles in ISTA for TFT-type instrument clusters
- 10200496During operation of the rear wheel foot brake lever, the rider feels a soft pressure point or perceptibly longer lever travel
- 10200495BMW Motorrad has ascertained that vehicles fitted with option code 0190 "Enduro ASC + BMW Motorrad has ascertained that vehicles fitted with option code 0190 "Enduro ASC + Riding Modes" can experience functional problems in the Enduro PRO mode. Effective March 06, 2013, BMW Motorrad has a software solution available. Once the coding plug has been fitted and the software update performed, the customer can use all the riding modes
- 10200269The bike does not shut down with a short press of the keyless ride button. The keyless Ride button must be pressed for several seconds to shut the bike down
- 10194316The complaint of leaking telescopic forks is the top warranty claim in many current models,
- 10165274Ticking noises from the cylinder hood.
- 10165251Ticking noises from the cylinder hood.
- 10160232During the course of quality analysis, it was determined by BMW Motorrad that in the production period from February 2018 to end of June 2018, cross-spoked wheels with reduced spoke tension have been produced.
- 10159164Which charger should be used to charge the Li-ion HP and/or M batteries.
- 10151430Shift assist does not function after performing SIB 23 001 15 (017) DME software upgrade. This is due to a progrm fault in ISTA/p version 3.56.0.
- 10151392BMW Motorrad has determiend in th ecourse of quality observation that in a few cases clutch fluid may leak between the clutch slave cylinder and the braided stainless steel clutch line. The cause is a burr in the clutch slave cylinder which may damage the gasket of the clutch line.
- 10151297During programming ith ISTA/P software version3.58.2.001. a programming abort occurred. Afterwards the vehicle is inoperative and can no longer be started. Repeated programming is not possible with this tversion. Software bug.
- 10151295Grinding noises from rear drive - individual cover screws on rear drive are coming undone,screw chafes against the brake disk and makes noises.
- 10151238BMW Motorrad has determined in the course of quality observation that in a few cases clutch fluid may leak between the clutch slave cylinder and the braided stainless steel clutch line. The cause is a burr in the clutch slave cylinder which may damage the gasket of the clutch line. A vehicle with high mileage can show signs of gradual impairment of the clutch function. The separating action of the clutch can worsen gradually over a period of time.
- 10150153Swinging arm gaiter to gearbox is split or collapsed.
- 10149289Heated handlebar grips intermittently not working
- 10149288Navigator V maintains a Bluetooth connection to a mobile phone for a short period.
- 10149276During the course of the quality analysis carried out by BMW Motorrad, it has been determined that for the R 1200 models with the gearshift assistant (SA X222A) OE, a few faulty gearshift assistants have been installed in the production period from 09/02/2016 to 09/05/2016. Over the service life of the vehicle, there can be impairment of functions up to a loss of function of the gearshift assistants. In the case of a loss of function, a gear change (without the gearshift assistant) is possible only with the actuation of the clutch lever.
- 10149274Customer complains about an operating failure on the left or right multifunction switch.
- 10149207The cruise control system is not working in the Enduro/Pro mode
- 10149206When the throttle is closed, the engine goes into emergency mode.
- 10149205It is not possible to calibrate the ESA suspension strut.
- 10149204Incorrect road speed indicated.
- 10148016Difficulty retrofitting the gear shift Assistant Pro. Early prodction and incorrect integration level.
- 10148015Seat locking barrel - repair kit not permitted. After the seat lock cylinder has been replaced with a repair kit, the cylinder does not always stay securely installed.
- 10147996ESA spring strut cannot be calibrated / additional models added
- 10147963The rear SAF (Dynamic ESA) spring strut is able to twist by a few degrees.
Every BMW R1200 GS model year
Bars are owner complaints, dots mark years with recalls. Select a year to open its report.