BMW F650 GS · model year

2012 BMW F650 GS

2 NHTSA complaints, and 1 active recall for this specific cohort.

NHTSA overall rating

Not crash-tested

New Car Assessment Program

The 2012BMWF650 GS carries 2 consumer safety complaints in NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation database for this specific model-year cohort. Within that volume, owners reported 0 crashes, 0 fires, 0 injuries, and 0 fatalities. No NCAP 5-star crash-test rating is available for this model year in the federal database.

Component-level analysis is where model-year complaints become actionable: the top complaint category for the 2012 F650 GS is fuel/propulsion system with 1 filings, followed by electrical system (1). Concentration in one or two component groups is the classic signature of a systemic defect; a flat distribution usually reflects normal aging, warranty complaints, or isolated build-plant variability. This model year has 1 active recall campaign, which means the manufacturer is obligated to remedy the covered defect at no charge for the life of the vehicle — the full NHTSA campaign numbers are listed below.

NHTSA currently has 1 investigation file overlapping the 2012 F650 GS. Owners comparing this cohort against neighboring years should pair the counters above with the complaint-by-year trend on the parent model page — a spike in a single year often tracks to a platform refresh, a new transmission supplier, or an updated ECU calibration. Use the related-complaint feed below to read raw owner narratives before deciding whether any pattern here affects your specific use case.

2
Complaints
0
Crashes
0
Fires
0
Injuries
0
Deaths

Total Complaints

2 filings

Crashes Reported

0 reports

Source

NHTSA ODI

Federal complaints database

Complaints vs. fleet median (215)

At or below the fleet median complaint volume.

Complaints by Component

ComponentCount
FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM1
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM1

Recalls (1)

17V48100028/07/2017

EQUIPMENT

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 equi

Recent Complaints

20170825ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

THE STATOR AND RECTIFIER ASSEMBLIES WERE FAILING AND WOULD CAUSE THE ELECTRICAL SYSTEM TO MALFUNCTION. HEADLIGHTS, BRAKES, TURN SIGNALS WOULD NOT ILLUMINATE...INSTRUMENTS WOULD NOT FUNCTION...THEN THE ENGINE WOULD QUIT RUNNING, LEAVING THE MOTORCYCLE AND MYSELF STRANDED. THE MOTORCYCLE WOULD NOT RESTART UNTIL THE BATTERY HAD BEEN CHARGED FOR AN EXTENDED AMOUNT OF TIME. THIS OCCURRED SEVERAL TIMES UNTIL I COULD NO LONGER TRUST THE MOTORCYCLE AS IT WAS VERY UNSAFE TO RIDE, NEVER KNOWING WHEN IT WOULD HAVE ANOTHER CATASTROPHIC SHUTDOWN OF LIGHTING, INSTRUMENTATION AND THE ENGINE. I CONTACTED TWO BMW DEALERSHIPS AND WAS TOLD TO BRING THE MOTORCYCLE IN, BUT THE REPAIR WAS NOT UNDER WARRANTY AND NO RECALL WAS ISSUED. THE REPAIR, I WAS TOLD, WOULD BE OVER $1,200.00 USD IF IT WAS WHAT THEY PERCEIVED IT TO BE. BOTH DEALERS CLAIMED TO HAVE HAD NO ISSUES AS I HAD DESCRIBED, BUT BOTH WERE VERY QUICK TO CLAIM KNOWLEDGE OF THE EXACT ISSUE I HAD EXPERIENCED. I STARTED DOING ONLINE RESEARCH ON

Mileage: 17,800

20141104FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM

AFTER WASHING AND DRYING THE MOTORCYCLE, I NOTICED A HULL BREACH ON THE FUEL TANK RUNNING APPROXIMATELY 14 INCHES FROM FRONT TO REAR OF PLASTIC FUEL TANK. TANK HAS INNER LINER AND IS NOT OPENLY LEAKING GASOLINE, BUT CRACKING IS PROMINENT INDICATING A POSSIBILITY OF RUPTURE AND FUEL SPILLAGE. MACHINE IS CURRENTLY NOT BEING OPERATED DUE TO SAFETY CONCERNS OVER THIS ISSUE. BMW NA HAS BEEN CONTACTED AND HAS BEEN SOMEWHAT UNRESPONSIVE. *TR

Mileage: 8,000

Compare 2012BMWF650 GS to Similar Vehicles

NHTSA Investigations

Frequently Asked Questions

How many complaints does the 2012 BMW F650 GS have?
The 2012 BMW F650 GS has 2 NHTSA complaints, 0 crashes, 0 fires, 0 injuries, and 0 deaths reported.
Are there any recalls for the 2012 BMW F650 GS?
Yes, the 2012 BMW F650 GS has 1 recall(s). The most common affected component is EQUIPMENT. Recalls are issued by NHTSA and manufacturers must provide a free remedy.
What are the most common problems with the 2012 BMW F650 GS?
The most-complained component for the 2012 BMW F650 GS is FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM with 1 complaints. Other frequently reported areas include ELECTRICAL SYSTEM.
Is the 2012 BMW F650 GS safe to buy?
Review the complaint history, crash and fire reports, safety ratings, and recall status on this page to make an informed decision. No NHTSA crash test rating is available for this model year. Compare with other model years using the links above.
Where does this data come from?
All complaint, recall, and safety rating data is sourced from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). Complaints are filed by vehicle owners through NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation.

Vehicle Safety Guides

Data as of 2025. Sources: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) complaints database, NHTSA recall campaign API, NHTSA NCAP crash-test ratings, and NHTSA FARS for fatality cross-reference.