Investigations
Brake fluid leak at front brake caliper
NHTSA Preliminary Evaluation PE20002 — closed, opened 2020-04-01 and involving the BMW BMW.
NHTSA investigation PE20002 is a Preliminary Evaluation opened on 2020-04-01 and currently closed. The subject of record is BMW BMW, which places this file inside the Office of Defects Investigation queue for BMW. Latest activity on this investigation was logged on 2020-09-21 — NHTSA updates that field whenever an Information Request goes out, a supplement is filed, or a status change is recorded in the public docket.
A Preliminary Evaluation like PE20002 is the entry point of the federal defect-investigation process. NHTSA engineers scan complaint databases, field reports, and manufacturer data to decide whether an Engineering Analysis is warranted, whether a voluntary recall is already sufficient, or whether the pattern does not rise to a defect finding.
Investigators summarized the matter as follows: "The Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) opened this Preliminary Evaluation (PE) on April 1st, 2020 to investigate six consumer complaint allegations of brake fluid leaking from the front brake calipers on their 2019-20..." Investigations are the early-warning layer of the federal auto-safety system, sitting upstream of formal recalls and defect orders. Whether this one closes without action or escalates into an Engineering Analysis, the full history stays in the ODI archive so researchers, litigators, and buyers can pull the paper trail at any time. Related BMW files, listed below, give context on whether this is an isolated concern or part of a broader pattern across the brand.
Investigation Summary
The Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) opened this Preliminary Evaluation (PE) on April 1st, 2020 to investigate six consumer complaint allegations of brake fluid leaking from the front brake calipers on their 2019-2020 model year (MY) BMW R1250 motorcycles. At the closing date of this investigation, the number of ODI complaints has risen to fourteen. During the investigation, ODI contacted several consumers to validate and confirm their complaints. ODI learned from these conversations that the subject motorcycles were leaving brake fluid puddles on or near the front tires. One consumer forwarded pictures of a subject motorcycle leaking brake fluid on a BMW dealer showroom floor. In response to an ODI Information Request (IR) letter, BMW supplied ODI with 139 dealer field reports. Many of them also described leaking brake calipers that failed at 0 to 4 miles shown on the bike odometer. ODI was also able to gather pictures from BMW related to the field reports and they too showed calipers leaking brake fluid. BMW disclosed in the IR response that they switched to a Hayes designed and manufactured front caliper starting with MY 2019 of the subject motorcycles. The previous model years used Brembo manufactured calipers. ODI analyzed warranty claims and production data provided by BMW. ODI found that 1,169 vehicles were repaired for front brake caliper leaks. A total of 838 subject vehicles were repaired before the date of first sale. The motorcycles, found to be leaking and serviced prior to the date of first sale, appeared to be in violation of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) 122 for “Motorcycle Brake Systems”, under Section 5.2.3. The FMVSS requires that “during all tests and on their completion, there shall be no friction material detachment and no leakage of brake fluid. Discussions between the NHTSA Office of Vehicle Safety Compliance and BMW resulted in the manufacturer recalling MY 2019-2020 R1250 GS, GS Adventure and R1250 RT, 2020 S1000 RR and
About This Investigation Type
A Preliminary Evaluation (PE) is the first phase of NHTSA's investigation process. It is opened when the agency identifies a potential safety defect pattern, usually triggered by consumer complaints, manufacturer reports, or field monitoring. During a PE, NHTSA gathers information to determine whether a formal engineering analysis is warranted.
Other BMW Investigations
Steering Oscillation
Steering Oscillation
Idler Pulley Bolt Failure
BMW Safety Act Violations
Loss of power assist braking
Data from NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation. Cross-references: NHTSA recall campaign API and NHTSA FARS where fatality records overlap. PlainCars does not rate or recommend vehicles. Learn more.
Read our methodology — how this data is sourced, computed, and verified.