2019 BMW R 1250 GS
Safety record from NHTSA: recalls, owner complaints, investigations and service bulletins.
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Vehicles › BMW › R 1250 GS › 2019
These records cover every 2019 BMW R 1250 GS. To see whether one car still needs a recall repair, decode its VIN or check it with NHTSA.
Recalls
4 recalls name the 2019 BMW R 1250 GS. Newest first.
BMW of North America, LLC (BMW) is recalling certain 2019-2023 R1250GS, R1250GS Adventure, and R1250RTP motorcycles. In certain engine operating and riding conditions, the gearbox input shaft may become damaged or break, possibly resulting in a blocked rear wheel.
Risk and remedy
Risk
A damaged gearbox input shaft or a blocked rear wheel can increase the risk of a crash.
Remedy
Dealers will update the engine control unit software, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed February 22, 2023. Owners may contact BMW customer service at 1-800-525-7417.
BMW of North America, LLC (BMW) is recalling certain 2019-2020 R 1250 GS, GS Adventure and R 1250 RT, 2020 S 1000 RR and S 1000 XR motorcycles. The front brake calipers may leak brake fluid when parked. As such, these motorcycles fail to comply with the requirements of the Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard number 122, "Motorcycle Brake Systems."
Risk and remedy
Risk
Overtime, a leaking front brake caliper can reduce the amount of brake fluid in the reservoir. Low volume could affect brake performance, increasing the risk of crash.
Remedy
BMW will notify owners, and dealers will inspect and if necessary, replace the front brake calipers with an improved version, free of charge. BMW issued owners an interim notification on October 12, 2020. As of January 19, 2021, a remedy was still not available. The recall began March 8, 2021. Owners may contact BMW customer service at 1-800-525-7417.
BMW of North America, LLC (BMW) is recalling certain Motorcycle Accessory Brake Fluid Reservoir Covers, part numbers 8405-752, 8405-753, 8405-754 and 9829547 designed to fit certain 2019-2020 BMW R 1250 motorcycles, and part numbers 8404-098, 8405-100, 8405-102, and 1542056 designed to fit certain 2018-2020 BMW Rnine T motorcycles. The brake fluid…
Risk and remedy
Risk
Improper brake system maintenance could affect braking performance and increase the risk of a crash.
Remedy
BMW will notify owners, and dealers will replace the brake fluid reservoir cap, free of charge. The recall began December 14, 2020. Parts will be available in mid-September 2020 for the recall repairs. Owners may contact BMW customer service at 1-800-525-7417.
BMW of North America, LLC (BMW) is recalling certain 2018-2020 RnineT Scrambler and RnineT, 2020 R1250R and R1250RS, 2019-2020 Rnine T Pure, R1250GS,R1250GS Adventure and R1250RT and 2018 RnineT Racer motorcycles. The brake fluid reservoir cap may not clearly state the required type of brake fluid and the process for filling the reservoir, possibly leading…
Risk and remedy
Risk
Improper brake system maintenance could affect braking performance and increase the risk of a crash.
Remedy
BMW will notify owners, and dealers will replace the brake fluid reservoir cap, free of charge. The recall began December 23, 2020. Owners may contact BMW customer service at 1-800-525-7417.
Owner complaints
15 complaints
What owners report most
Latest complaints
- Engine
Engine fails to start after shutoff and after engine temperature is hot. Inability to start engine on the road after cutting ignition can increase risk of being hit on the road. The dealer has not been able to reproduce. The vehicle has been inspected by BMW repair shop and had me replace the…
Engine fails to start after shutoff and after engine temperature is hot. Inability to start engine on the road after cutting ignition can increase risk of being hit on the road. The dealer has not been able to reproduce. The vehicle has been inspected by BMW repair shop and had me replace the battery but the problem still persists. Subsequent service appointments have resulted in BMW technicians not being able to reproduce problem. The occurs randomly about 7 times per year. No warning signs.
- Service brakes
Rear brake system malfunctions. Malfunctioning rear brake increases braking distance which can lead to a collision. The BMW dealer and customer service have confirmed problem. The motorcycle has be serviced for this four times at the BMW repair shop. The problem appears about every 3000 miles.
- Service brakes
Ever since purchased new in 2019 the rear brake goes away after riding. Dealer bleeds to fix and it goes away again after riding. By going away I mean rear brake pedal travel becomes very long with no positive stop when the brake finally works. Very soft feel thru the brake activation. Takes a…
Ever since purchased new in 2019 the rear brake goes away after riding. Dealer bleeds to fix and it goes away again after riding. By going away I mean rear brake pedal travel becomes very long with no positive stop when the brake finally works. Very soft feel thru the brake activation. Takes a stomp with my heel to lock the rear. Dealer has bled and even done a tsb procedure given by bmw to correct. Technical Service Bulletin SIB 34 01 21. Same result. No rear after riding a bit. Putting safety at risk is self explanatory. From hours of reading I've found this to be an ongoing problem with liquid cooled gs's up to the 20 or 21 model year when the abs pump was replaced with a unit not causing the issue of putting air in the system. Date listed below is arbitrary. I ride the motorcycle knowing I don't have a rear brake and bmw has yet to address the issue other than ignoring it with updated bleed procedures.
- Electrical system · Engine · Unknown or other
During the recent Safety Recall of this vehicle and subsequent repair, it was noted by the certified mechanic that oil was being wicked up along electrical lines in the stator. The mechanic issued an immediate "Do not ride, Do not operate" warning. 2019 BMW R1250GSA has 17,000 accident free miles. Many "false" engine management warnings.
- 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
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.
- Forward collision avoidance › Adaptive cruise control · Service brakes · Vehicle speed control
4/2021 Prior to 4/2021, I had complained verbally with visits and calls to the dealership about an intermittent (CC ) Cruise Control issue. They could not find a problem w/the CC. I now consider this issue is related to the rear caliper ceasing. 5/30/2022 (RC) Rear caliper ceased without any…
4/2021 Prior to 4/2021, I had complained verbally with visits and calls to the dealership about an intermittent (CC ) Cruise Control issue. They could not find a problem w/the CC. I now consider this issue is related to the rear caliper ceasing. 5/30/2022 (RC) Rear caliper ceased without any indications. The (MC) motorcycle, presented w/a power loss otherwise unknowingly to me until later in the ride. Caliper appeared to cease causing heat scorched rear pads, caliper very hot. I smelled brake burn upon slowing down, noticing both power loss and my CC not working. 6/9/2022 Dealership found “no warranty concerns” and nothing wrong w/the MC they could find. I had disputed being charged $222.xx and then implied by both the service manager and BMW Customer Support that I was dragging my brake. This was all after 25 months of ownership and 9K miles of riding. I did offer them to keep the bike and ride it but they did not. August 6th 10K + miles Riding on the interstate, my CC suddenly quit. I stopped later to find that the recently replaced rear brake pads showed heat scorch once again. Still as I submit this all to you, the dealership along w/BMW CS, holds the position that nothing is wrong with the MC and I must have been riding my brake. 9/9/2022 After waiting 3 week more from an inquiry to the GM at the dealership, I received a response to repair my MC but not under warranty. I quote, “I just got the approval today from BMW. They are willing to as a one time customer goodwill cover $500 of the repair as this is not a coverable warranty due to the lack of fault found. The dealership has appeared to stand on their original diagnoses that there is no fault found. Below are similar issues resulting in what many would consider a serious safety concern. https://www.advrider.com/f/threads/overheated-rear-caliper.1524259/ https://www.advrider.com/f/threads/2019-r1250gs-rear-brake-caliper-heat.1526221/ Please see NHTSA Complaint Number:11397766
- Service brakes
Lost all of the pressure when depressing rear brakes. The bike is 1 year and 5 months old. Rear brakes do not slow motorcycle when depressing the entire travel of the pedal. Service manager at BMW stated they have seen this problem on other similar model motorcycles. No warning lamps.
- Service brakes · Service brakes, hydraulic
TL* the contact owns a 2019 BMW r 1250 GS adventure. The contact received notification of nhtsa campaign number: 20v476000 (service brakes, hydraulic, service brakes) however, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable…
TL* the contact owns a 2019 BMW r 1250 GS adventure. The contact received notification of nhtsa campaign number: 20v476000 (service brakes, hydraulic, service brakes) however, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The contact stated that the calipers were leaking. Eurotek oklahoma city, 417 hudiburg cir ste. C, oklahoma city, ok 73108) was contacted and confirmed that parts were not yet available for the recall repair. The contact was informed that there was no solution yet determined and the dealer and manufacturer were not offering a repair currently. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The vehicle was not repaired. The approximate failure mileage was 8,000. Vin tool confirms parts not available.
- Electrical system · Engine · Power train
The motorcycle fails to start. This occurs randomly. It has occurred after driving approximately 30 miles. I stop and turn off the bike. When I attempt to restart, it won't turn over. The battery has been checked. BMW says that can't determine the problem. There are forums from riders around the…
The motorcycle fails to start. This occurs randomly. It has occurred after driving approximately 30 miles. I stop and turn off the bike. When I attempt to restart, it won't turn over. The battery has been checked. BMW says that can't determine the problem. There are forums from riders around the world who share this same experience. The only way to restart IS with jumper cables. I believe this IS a life-safety issue. It might not restart on the freeway, or in a remote location. The motorcycle has 12,000 miles. It has not restarted 3 times now. The motorcycle has been in the shop for 7 weeks.
- Service brakes
Rear brake do not engage when pressing the rear brake pedal
- Service brakes
Checking recalls for my vehicle. found incident reports regarding leaking front brake calipers. I checked mine. there IS an oily film all over on the right side front caliper. there IS an oily film on the inside of the left side front caliper. it appears that the casting for the calipers IS…
Checking recalls for my vehicle. found incident reports regarding leaking front brake calipers. I checked mine. there IS an oily film all over on the right side front caliper. there IS an oily film on the inside of the left side front caliper. it appears that the casting for the calipers IS pourous and allows the brake fluid to slowly seep out. the rear brake caliper (which I use less) felt dry, but has sticky brake dust on the underside of the outer part of the caliper. if this leakage/seepage IS serious enough, brake fluid could make its way to the pads and discs, leading to dangerous loss of braking function. there IS also the problem of slow loss of brake fluid. I have just a little more than 1500 miles on the vehicle, purchased new last august, 2019. I have not used the brakes hard. ABS has not been activated, to my knowledge, yet. *tr
- Service brakes
- driving brand new 2019 BMW r 1250 GS motorcycle on well-maintained, rural, two-lane roads in western pennsylvania - upon braking while approaching a slow-speed right-hand turn, the brakes lost all pressure (approximately 25 mph in 2ND gear) - the front tire then locked/ released erratically…
- driving brand new 2019 BMW r 1250 GS motorcycle on well-maintained, rural, two-lane roads in western pennsylvania - upon braking while approaching a slow-speed right-hand turn, the brakes lost all pressure (approximately 25 mph in 2ND gear) - the front tire then locked/ released erratically throughout the duration of the turn - the motorcycle 'plowed'/ slid ahead into oncoming lane of travel - I fought through the slide, keeping the bike upright - I immediately proceeded to safe location to check bike and call roadside assistance - roadside assistance refused to tow to the dealer because of a computer glitch that showed another dealer being closer, though that dealer has been permanently closed (out of business) for 6 months - the front brakes lost fluid/ pressure - attached photos show 'dark-colored slime' on bike - this IS brake fluid from the front brakes - this IS a highly publicized, "known issue" for 2019 model year bikes for BMW/ owners/ dealers for the past year, but BMW refuses to properly address this issue - I expect BMW to replace the defective brake calipers with the safer brembo system from prior model years
- Service brakes
Front brake calipers leaking. BMW are not able to supply parts. Dealer unable to finalize sale and delivery of motorcycle. Dealer unable to advise when replacement parts will be available. Motorcycle IS unsafe in this condition.
- Service brakes
Just got a new 2019 r1250 GS demo with 140 miles on it, drove an additional 200 miles and after the bike was parked for a few days, I noticed brake fluid dripping off the left front caliper / fork and wetness from the seam on the right front caliper. I called the dealer and alerted them to the…
Just got a new 2019 r1250 GS demo with 140 miles on it, drove an additional 200 miles and after the bike was parked for a few days, I noticed brake fluid dripping off the left front caliper / fork and wetness from the seam on the right front caliper. I called the dealer and alerted them to the problem , service man says they have other BMW r1250gs with the same leaking calipers. these new hayes 2 piece calipers are not as good compared to the original brembo monoblock calipers from the previous year. I am parking the bike till I can get new brembo calipers installed on my dime
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.
- 10242536Vehicle goes into emergency operation mode and a warning light illuminates on the instrument cluster.
- 10236239LED headlights were temporarily unavailable from the Factory and some R 1250 GS and R 1250 GSAdventure units were built with the halogen headlight in order to ensure safe use.
- 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.
- 10235207Frame and mounting parts
- 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.
- 10218351Multiple factors may cause the driveshaft to become damaged; among them are corrosion in certain parts of the driveshaft, and wear and tear exacerbated by certain climatic conditions.
- 10214997Battery empty despite charger.
- 10211897The motorcycle will not start. The vehicle battery is empty even though the battery charger was permanently connected to the 12V power socket.
- 10205109Stress corrosion cracks may occur on the studs of certain milled footrests from the BMW Motorrad special accessories catalog for the GS models.
- 10201170When diagnosing fault codes (0x3A13D7, 0x3A13D9), technicians erroneously condemn the electronic throttle grip, which analyses show is rarely the culprit.
- 10200496During operation of the rear wheel foot brake lever, the rider feels a soft pressure point or perceptibly longer lever travel
Every BMW R 1250 GS model year
Bars are owner complaints, dots mark years with recalls. Select a year to open its report.