2005 BMW K1200 S problems

FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM

MY MOTORCYCLE IS LEAKING GASOLINE SOMEWHERE. I CAN'T LEAVE IT IN THE GARAGE DUE TO THE STRONG GAS SMELL. I'VE REMOVED THE FAIRING, BUT STILL CAN'T FIND WHERE THE LEAK IS COMING FROM.

NHTSA complaint #11222304 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

SERVICE BRAKES

ON SUNDAY NOVEMBER 7TH I WAS RIDING MY 2005 BMW K1200S ON A ROUNDTRIP FROM LITTLE ROCK, AR TO PETIT JEAN MOUNTAIN STATE PARK. APPROXIMATELY 20 MILES FROM HOME ON HWY 300 NEAR THE LITTLE ITALY TOWNSHIP I EXPERIENCED COMPLETE BRAKE/ABS FAILURE WHILE TRAIL BRAKING THROUGH A TURN. THIS IS A ROAD WITH SEVERAL STEEP AND TIGHT HAIRPIN TURNS AND VERY LIMITED/NON-EXISTENT RUNOFF ROOM. I RAN WIDE ON THE NEXT CORNER AND ENDED UP CROSSING THE DOUBLE YELLOW AND WAS NEARLY HIT BY AN ONCOMING CAR. FORTUNATELY I WAS ABLE TO USE THE GEARBOX TO DOWNSHIFT AND USED ENGINE BRAKING TO SLOW MY MOTORCYCLE DOWN TO A SAFE (ALREADY BELOW THE SPEED LIMIT) SPEED. I PULLED OVER ONCE I CAME TO A SHORT STRAIGHT SECTION OF HWY 300 THAT HAD A SHOULDER. I TURNED MY MOTORCYCLE OFF AND TURNED IT BACK ON, BUT BRAKING POWER WAS NOT RESTORED. I CALLED A CLOSE FRIEND TO BRING A TRAILER AND WE TOWED MY MOTORCYCLE BACK TO MY GARAGE. I HAVE BEEN A RIDER FOR 30 YEARS AND HAVE OWNED MANY TYPES/BRANDS OF MOTORCYCLES. THIS IS THE FIRST TIME I HAVE EVER LOST BRAKING POWER ON ANY MOTORCYCLE. THIS IS UNSAFE AND UNACCEPTABLE. IT IS ALSO A SHAME BECAUSE THIS IS A HIGH-PERFORMANCE MOTORCYCLE SADDLED WITH AN INCREDIBLY UNSAFE BRAKING/ABS SYSTEM. I COULD NOT IN GOOD CONSCIENCE SELL THIS MOTORCYCLE TO SOMEONE ELSE AT THIS POINT WITH THIS DESIGN FLAW IN THE BRAKING SYSTEM. I SHOULD NOTE THAT MY 2005 BMW K1200S WAS BOUGHT AT A BMW MOTORCYCLE DEALER IN BENTONVILLE, AR IN MARCH, 2016. THE MOTORCYCLE HAD 4,300 MILES ON IT WHEN I BOUGHT IT. IT WAS SOLD ORIGINALLY/SERVICED BY THE SAME DEALER. THE MOTORCYCLE CURRENTLY HAS A TOTAL OF 5,800 MILES ON IT. I HAVE INCLUDED BELOW A PICTURE OF THE MOTORCYCLE IN THE CONDITION I BOUGHT IT BACK IN MARCH, 2016. AS YOU CAN SEE THIS WAS/IS NOT AN ABUSED MOTORCYCLE. I FAIL TO UNDERSTAND WHY BMW MOTORRAD USA HAS NOT INSTITUTED SOME SORT OF RECALL/BUY-BACK PROGRAM FOR THESE MOTORCYCLES.

NHTSA complaint #10924990 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

SERVICE BRAKES

RIDING APPROXIMATELY 45MPH AND APPROACHING A TRAFFIC LIGHT THAT TURNED YELLOW, I ATTEMPTED TO STOP USING THE HANDBRAKE. BRAKING WAS NEARLY NONEXISTENT AND IMMEDIATELY A RED WARNING LIGHT APPEARED ACCOMPANIED BY A BRAKE FAILURE LIGHT. THE FOOT BRAKE DID NOT FUNCTION AS WELL. AT THIS POINT THE LIGHT WAS TURNING RED AND I HAD NO CHANCE OF DOWNSHIFTING TO USE ENGINE BRAKING, SO MY ONLY HOPE TO AVOID AN ACCIDENT WAS TO DOWNSHIFT AND PROCEED THROUGH THE INTERSECTION. I HAD LOST ALL BRAKING ABILITY ON A MOTORCYCLE WHILE TRAVELING OVER 40MPH IN A HEAVY TRAFFIC AREA. ONLY BY PURE LUCK WAS THERE NO ACCIDENT. AFTER TRAILERING THE MOTORCYCLE HOME, I DID SOME RESEARCH AND DISCOVERED THAT THIS IS A VERY COMMON PROBLEM AMONG 2005-2007 BMW MOTORCYCLES THAT USE THE INTEGRAL ABS PRESSURE MODULATOR PART# 34517698296. IT IS SO COMMON THAT THERE ARE COMPANIES THAT ADVERTISE REBUILDING THAT PART, AND SCRAP YARDS ACKNOWLEDGE THE HIGH DEMAND FOR THIS PART AND ADVERTISE IT ON THEIR WEBSITES. SEARCHING "K1200 BRAKE FAILURE" YIELDS AN ASTOUNDING NUMBER OF FORUM POSTS WITH OWNERS EXPERIENCE ERRATIC BRAKING PROBLEMS. UNFORTUNATELY, BMW HAS NOT RECALLED OR REDESIGNED THIS PART, SO I HAVE TO REPLACE IT WITH THE SAME DEFECTIVE PART THAT POTENTIAL MIGHT FAIL AGAIN AND CAUSE A SERIOUS ACCIDENT. THE SEVERE IMPLICATIONS OF BRAKE FAILURES ON ANY VEHICLE CANNOT BE UNDERMINED. THIS PARTICULAR ISSUE POSSIBLY HAS, AND LIKELY WILL CAUSE SEVERE AND/OR FATAL ACCIDENTS TO NOT ONLY THE MOTORCYCLE RIDER, BUT OTHERS. I HAVE ATTEMPTED TO CONTACT BMW REGARDING THIS MATTER, AND THEY HAVE YET TO COMMENT ON IT. I HAVE AN OPEN CORRESPONDENCE WITH THEM FOR ABOUT A MONTH NOW, AND THEY HAVE NOT CONTACTED ME CONCERNING THIS ISSUE. THERE NEEDS TO BE A REDESIGN AND A RECALL OF THESE MOTORCYCLES IMMEDIATELY SO THIS PROBLEM MAY BE ADDRESSED.

NHTSA complaint #10617881 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM

APPROXIMATELY 5 MINUTES AFTER STARTING THE BIKE I WAS RIDING WHEN I SMELLED GASOLINE, MY LEFT LEG FELT WET AND I RETURNED TO THE HOUSE. GASOLINE PUDDLED UNDER THE BIKE LEAKING FROM BOTH THE LEFT AND RIGHT SIDES OF THE BIKE. ONLINE RESEARCH INDICATED THIS WAS PROBABLY THE FUEL TANK QUICK DISCONNECT FAILING. IT IS WELL DOCUMENTED ON THE BMW BLOGS. I THEN CHECKED SAFECAR.GOV AND FOUND THE RECALL.

NHTSA complaint #10594013 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM

FUEL TANK STARTED LEAKING FUEL ENOUGH TO DRIP ALL OVER ENGINE AND EXHAUST. WAS ABLE TO STOP BIKE BEFORE FIRE STARTED. BROUGHT BIKE TO DEALERSHIP AND WAS ABLE TO REPLACE. DEALERSHIP SAID THAT THE FUEL PUMP CRACKED AND WAS LEAKING UNDER PRESSURE. SEEMS TO BE A COMMON ISSUES WITH ALL OF THE 2005-2008 BMW K1200S MOTORCYCLES. BMW DEALERSHIP HAS NOT FILLED FOR A RECALL TO FIX ALL THE AFFECTED MOTORCYCLES YET.

NHTSA complaint #10556753 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM

FUEL FLANGE LEAK...PLEASE SEE COMPLAINT # 10549250 FOR DETAILS. THANK YOU

NHTSA complaint #10549259 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

ENGINE

WHEN THE ENGINE IS COLD: THE BIKE STALLS WHEN I AM SLOWING DOWN FOR A STOPLIGHT WITH CLOSED THROTTLE AND THE CLUTCH IN. THIS ISN'T A PROBLEM WHEN THE ENGINE IS WARM. WHEN THE ENGINE IS WARM: 1. THE ENGINE SURGES IN THE FIRST 3 GEARS AT LOWER SPEEDS (UNDER 30MPH) WITH THE THROTTLE BARELY CRACKED OPEN, AND THE ON/OFF IDLE RESPONSE IS ROUGH. THIS REQUIRES DILIGENT CLUTCH WORK TO SMOOTH OUT. 2. IF I REV THE ENGINE FROM IDLE WITH THE CLUTCH IN, THE REVS HANG AND THEN SLOWLY DECREASE BACK TO NORMAL IDLE. 3. REVS HANG ON ACCELERATION AFTER CLOSING THE THROTTLE. 4. INCONSISTENT ENGINE BRAKING. THESE ISSUES WERE FIXED BY REPLACING THE IDLE AIR CONTROL VALVE AND AIRBOX WITH UPDATED MODELS.

NHTSA complaint #10464244 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM

WHEN THE ENGINE IS COLD: THE BIKE STALLS WHEN I AM SLOWING DOWN FOR A STOPLIGHT WITH CLOSED THROTTLE AND THE CLUTCH IN. THIS ISN'T A PROBLEM WHEN THE ENGINE IS WARM. WHEN THE ENGINE IS WARM: 1. THE ENGINE SURGES IN THE FIRST 3 GEARS AT LOWER SPEEDS (UNDER 30MPH) WITH THE THROTTLE BARELY CRACKED OPEN, AND THE ON/OFF IDLE RESPONSE IS ROUGH. THIS REQUIRES DILIGENT CLUTCH WORK TO SMOOTH OUT. 2. IF I REV THE ENGINE FROM IDLE WITH THE CLUTCH IN, THE REVS HANG AND THEN SLOWLY DECREASE BACK TO NORMAL IDLE. 3. REVS HANG ON ACCELERATION AFTER CLOSING THE THROTTLE. 4. INCONSISTENT ENGINE BRAKING. THESE ISSUES WERE FIXED BY REPLACING THE IDLE AIR CONTROL VALVE AND AIRBOX WITH UPDATED MODELS.

NHTSA complaint #10464244 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE

MY 2005 BMW K1200S HAS HAD AN ENGINE FAILURE. WHILE HEADING WEST ON I 110 IN HARRISION COUNTY I HAD NOTICED A SLIGHT JERK IN THE ENGINE, 5 SECONDS LATER I HAD A SUDDEN EXPLOSION. I HAD THOUGHT I HAD A BLOWOUT ON THE REAR TIRE BUT AS I WAS TRYING TO CONTROL THE MOTORCYCLE I NOTICED A HUGE AMOUNT OF SMOKE BEHIND ME THAT FILLED THE INTERSTATE ON BOTH SIDES THAT WAS VERY DENSE. WHEN FINALLY COMING TO A STOP JUST PAST THE PASS CHRISTIAN EXIT IN THE SERVICE LANE I NOTICED OIL POURING FROM THE BOTTOM OF THE MOTOR. HAD THE TRAFFIC BEEN HEAVY I'M SURE I WOULD HAVE BEEN RAN OVER OR CAUSED AN ACCIDENT IN EITHER LANES OF TRAFFIC.LOOKING AT THE BIKE AND REMOVING THE LEFT BODY PANEL, I FOUND A HOLE ABOUT 3 INCHES BY 2 INCHES WITH THE CONNECTOR ROD HANGING OUT OF THE HOLE. IT APPEARS THE COLLAR CONNECTING THE ROD TO THE CAM SHAFT BECAME LOSE AND CAME APART. THE SCREWS ARE STILL IN THE COLLAR AND LOSE WITH NO HEAD.THE ENGINE HAD PLENTY OF OIL AS I ALWAYS MAKE SURE THE LEVEL IS GOOD BEFORE GOING LONG DISTANCES. I CONTACTED MY DEALER AND TOLD THEM WHAT HAD HAPPENED. THEY HAD TOLD ME THEY NEVER HAD HEARD OF THAT HAPPENING BEFORE AND THOUGHT FOR SURE THAT BMW WOULD TAKE CARE OF THIS PROBLEM. BUT AFTER THEY CONTACTED BMW THEY SAID NO. I CONTACTED BMW OF NORTH AMERICA AND AFTER GOING BACK AND FORTH WITH THEM AND ALL THE RED TAPE IT CAME TO THIS. BMW TOLD ME IF IT IS A DEFECT ON THERE PART OR NOT, THEY WERE NOT GOING TO DO ANY REPAIRS WHAT SO EVER. TOLD ME A NEW MOTOR WAS ABOUT 11 THOUSAND DOLLARS. SO, I HAVE A K1200S SITTING IN MY SHED IN WHICH I AM STILL MAKING PAYMENTS ON. BEFORE THIS EPISODE I THOUGHT I DID NOTICE A SLIGHT RATTLE IN THE ENGINE WHEN TAKING OFF BUT I THOUGHT IT WAS JUST THE VALVES TAPPING BECAUSE I WAS DUE FOR A SERVICE. I HAVE DONE SOME RESEARCH ON THIS AND HAVE FOUND A FEW OTHERS WITH THE SAME PROBLEM IDENTICAL TO MINE. MY DEALER DID TAKE AN OIL SAMPLE TO HAVE IT ANALYZED BUT I NEVER HEARD ANYTHING ABOUT IT.

NHTSA complaint #10403676 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE

2005 BMW K1200S MOTORCYCLE. QUICK DISCONNECTS ON HIGH PRESSURE SIDE OF FUEL LINE, LOCATED BETWEEN THE FUEL PUMP AND FUEL INJECTORS ARE POORLY MADE OF NYLON AND WEAR OUT. MY MOTORCYCLE HAS ALWAYS BEEN GARAGED AND ONLY HAS 8,734 MILES ON IT. THE LOCAL BMW SHOP KNOWS THIS IS A PROBLEM WITH THIS MODEL AND WILL REPLACE THE QDS WITH A METAL VERSION. I NOTICED THE LEAK (SPRAY) IN MY GARAGE AND FEEL [XXX] LUCKY I WAS NOT ON THE HIGHWAY AY 70 MPH AND IN FLAMES. IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO VERIFY THE SCOPE OF THIS PROBLEM, JUST LOOK TO THE BMW TECH FORUMS ON THE INTERNET. RIDERS FROM ALL OVER THE COUNTRY ARE EXPERIENCING THE SAME ISSUE. *TR INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6).

NHTSA complaint #10340775 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

POWER TRAIN

BMW MOTORCYCLE REAR DRIVE FAILURE. I HAVE HAD TWO FAILURES OF THE REAR DRIVE UNIT ON MY 2005 BMW K1200S MOTORCYCLE OVER THE PAST 45,000 MILES. FIRST FAILURE (12,000 MILES) RESULTED IN LATERAL PLAY OF ABOUT 1/2 INCH AT THE TIRE CONTACT ZONE. UNIT WAS REPLACED UNDER WARRANTY. SECOND FAILURE (40,000) WAS OF THE INPUT BEARING RESULTING IN DAMAGE TO ALL BEARINGS. ONLINE FORUMS ARE FULL OF PEOPLE COMPLAINING OF THESE ISSUES. THIS REAR DRIVE DESIGN IS COMMON TO ALL CURRENT PRODUCTION SHAFT DRIVE MOTORCYCLES FROM BMW. THERE HAVE BEEN SOME IMPROVEMENTS IN THE PAST YEAR, BUT NOTHING HAS BEEN OFFERED TO OTHER OWNERS. I FEEL THIS IS A DANGEROUS CONDITION, AS THE REAR DRIVE NOT ONLY PROVIDES POWER TRANSMISSION, BUT ALSO SUPPORTS THE REAR WHEEL IN A SINGLE SIDED SWINGARM ARRANGEMENT. I STRONGLY FEEL THAT A RECALL SHOULD BE ISSUED.

NHTSA complaint #10303862 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

SUSPENSION:REAR

BMW MOTORCYCLE REAR DRIVE FAILURE. I HAVE HAD TWO FAILURES OF THE REAR DRIVE UNIT ON MY 2005 BMW K1200S MOTORCYCLE OVER THE PAST 45,000 MILES. FIRST FAILURE (12,000 MILES) RESULTED IN LATERAL PLAY OF ABOUT 1/2 INCH AT THE TIRE CONTACT ZONE. UNIT WAS REPLACED UNDER WARRANTY. SECOND FAILURE (40,000) WAS OF THE INPUT BEARING RESULTING IN DAMAGE TO ALL BEARINGS. ONLINE FORUMS ARE FULL OF PEOPLE COMPLAINING OF THESE ISSUES. THIS REAR DRIVE DESIGN IS COMMON TO ALL CURRENT PRODUCTION SHAFT DRIVE MOTORCYCLES FROM BMW. THERE HAVE BEEN SOME IMPROVEMENTS IN THE PAST YEAR, BUT NOTHING HAS BEEN OFFERED TO OTHER OWNERS. I FEEL THIS IS A DANGEROUS CONDITION, AS THE REAR DRIVE NOT ONLY PROVIDES POWER TRANSMISSION, BUT ALSO SUPPORTS THE REAR WHEEL IN A SINGLE SIDED SWINGARM ARRANGEMENT. I STRONGLY FEEL THAT A RECALL SHOULD BE ISSUED.

NHTSA complaint #10303862 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

POWER TRAIN:MANUAL TRANSMISSION

MY 2005 BMW K1200S MOTORCYCLE FREQUENTLY SLIPS OUT OF SECOND GEAR AND INTO NEUTRAL. OCCASIONALLY, I CANNOT SHIFT FROM 1ST GEAR TO 2ND GEAR, THE TRANSMISSION WILL STAY IN NEUTRAL. THE CLUTCH HAS BEEN REPLACED UNDER WARRANTY LESS THAN 500 MI. AGO AND THE TRANSMISSION IS STILL ACTING AS DESCRIBED ABOVE.

NHTSA complaint #10175694 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:DELIVERY

2005 BMW K1200S MOTORCYCLE STALLS UNEXPECTEDLY. THIS MOTORCYCLE HAS STALLED REPEATEDLY WHEN CLOSING THE THROTTLE TO SLOW WHILE MAKING A CORNER, OR WHEN APPROACHING A STOP SIGNAL. THE MOST RECENT WAS AT THE INTERSECTION OF BELL RD AND THE I-17 FREEWAY IN PHOENIX ARIZONA IN RUSH HOUR TRAFFIC ON NOV. 17, 2005. AS I APPROACHED THE INTERSECTION PREPARING TO MAKE A LEFT TURN, WEST BOUND ON BELL RD. THE MOTORCYCLE STALLED WHILE DOING 25 MPH. THE CAR BEHIND ME ALMOST HIT MY REAR TIRE BUT MANAGED TO SLOW DOWN TO MISS ME. AFTER FINISHING THE TURN WITH NO POWER I RESTARTED THE MOTORCYCLE BY PULLING THE CLUTCH BACK IN AND HITTING THE START BUTTON. IF THE BIKE DID NOT RESTART ON THE FIRST TRY I'M SURE THE CAR BEHIND ME WOULD HAVE FIT ME. THE FIRST COUPLE OF TIMES THIS HAS HAPPENED I THOUGHT IT MIGHT JUST BE LOW ON GAS, BUT EVERY TIME I HAVE AT LEAST 1/2 A TAKE. I HAVE TALKED TO THE BMW DEALER ABOUT THE PROBLEM A FEW TIMES, BUT SINCE THE PROBLEM IS VARY RANDOM IT IS HARD TO REPRODUCE WHEN YOU WANT IT TO. I HAVE NOTICED THE MOTORCYCLE TENDS TO BOG DOWN WHEN APPROACHING A STOP EVEN WITH THE CLUTCH FULLY PULLED IN.

NHTSA complaint #10175239 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING

2005 BMW K1200S MOTORCYCLE STALLS UNEXPECTEDLY. THIS MOTORCYCLE HAS STALLED REPEATEDLY WHEN CLOSING THE THROTTLE TO SLOW WHILE MAKING A CORNER, OR WHEN APPROACHING A STOP SIGNAL. THE MOST RECENT WAS AT THE INTERSECTION OF BELL RD AND THE I-17 FREEWAY IN PHOENIX ARIZONA IN RUSH HOUR TRAFFIC ON NOV. 17, 2005. AS I APPROACHED THE INTERSECTION PREPARING TO MAKE A LEFT TURN, WEST BOUND ON BELL RD. THE MOTORCYCLE STALLED WHILE DOING 25 MPH. THE CAR BEHIND ME ALMOST HIT MY REAR TIRE BUT MANAGED TO SLOW DOWN TO MISS ME. AFTER FINISHING THE TURN WITH NO POWER I RESTARTED THE MOTORCYCLE BY PULLING THE CLUTCH BACK IN AND HITTING THE START BUTTON. IF THE BIKE DID NOT RESTART ON THE FIRST TRY I'M SURE THE CAR BEHIND ME WOULD HAVE FIT ME. THE FIRST COUPLE OF TIMES THIS HAS HAPPENED I THOUGHT IT MIGHT JUST BE LOW ON GAS, BUT EVERY TIME I HAVE AT LEAST 1/2 A TAKE. I HAVE TALKED TO THE BMW DEALER ABOUT THE PROBLEM A FEW TIMES, BUT SINCE THE PROBLEM IS VARY RANDOM IT IS HARD TO REPRODUCE WHEN YOU WANT IT TO. I HAVE NOTICED THE MOTORCYCLE TENDS TO BOG DOWN WHEN APPROACHING A STOP EVEN WITH THE CLUTCH FULLY PULLED IN.

NHTSA complaint #10175239 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.