Total Complaints
12 filings
BMW R 1200 R · model year
12 NHTSA complaints, and 1 active recall for this specific cohort.
NHTSA overall rating
Not crash-tested
New Car Assessment Program
The 2012BMWR 1200 R carries 12 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 R 1200 R is fuel/propulsion system with 8 filings, followed by power train (2) and engine (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 34 investigation files overlapping the 2012 R 1200 R. 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.
Total Complaints
12 filings
Crashes Reported
0 reports
Source
NHTSA ODI
Federal complaints database
At or below the fleet median complaint volume.
| Component | Count |
|---|---|
| FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM | 8 |
| POWER TRAIN | 2 |
| ENGINE | 1 |
| VISIBILITY/WIPER | 1 |
FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:DELIVERY:FUEL PUMP
BMW of North America, LLC (BMW) is recalling certain 2011-2014 S 1000 RR/R/ HP4, R 1200 GS/GS Adventure/R/RT, K 1300 S, K 1600 GT/GTL/GTL Exclusive and 2014 R nine T motorcycles. The fuel pump, and auxiliary fuel pump in certain models, may crack and leak fuel during vehicle operation.
THERE IS A RECALL ON FUEL PUMPS RECALL # 20V-471. MY FUEL PUMP NEEDS TO BE REPLACED AS IT IS FAILING. THE RECALL INCLUDES BIKES UP TO MODEL YEAR 2011. WHILE MY BIKE IS A 2012, IT WAS MANUFACTURED IN 2011 AND SHOULD BE INCLUDED IN THE RECALL. I HAVE ONLY 6000 MILES ON MY BIKE AND THE PART HAS FAILED WAY TO EARLY FOR IT NOT TO BE INCLUDED WITH THE RECALL. THANK YOU
Mileage: 6,000
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 BMW R1200 R. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS LEAKING FUEL FROM THE FUEL PUMP. THERE WERE NO WARNING INDICATORS ILLUMINATED ON THE INSTRUMENT PANEL. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE DEALER WAS NOT CONTACTED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS CONTACTED AND ADVISED THE CONTACT TO HAVE THE VEHICLE DIAGNOSED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 40,000.
Mileage: 40,000
FUEL LEAK FROM BROKEN PLASTIC "QUICK DISCONNECT" FITTING ON THE LEFT SIDE OF THE MOTORCYCLE. I NOTICED THE ISSUE WHEN I WAS RIDING THE MOTORCYCLE ON THE HIGHWAY AND RAW FUEL WAS SPRAYING ONTO MY LEG AND ONTO THE CYLINDER & CYLINDER HEAD OF THE ENGINE. I PULLED OFF THE HIGHWAY INTO A GAS STATION TO DETERMINE THE SOURCE OF THE LEAK. AFTER REMOVING SOME PLASTIC TRIM/COVERS I FOUND THE SOURCE WAS THE PLASTIC 90 DEGREE FITTING HAD CRACKED. THE FUEL FITTING DID NOT FAIL DUE TO ANY IMPACT, TAMPERING OR ABUSE; IT IS IN A PROTECTED AREA AT THE LOWER EDGE OF THE FUEL TANK AND COVERED BY A PIECE OF PLASTIC TRIM. AFTER INSPECTING THE FAILED PART, I NOTICED HOW THIN THE PLASTIC IS AND HOW IT BROKE ON THE GROOVE (A STRESS RISER). I BELIEVE THE PART IS POORLY DESIGNED AND POSES A SERIOUS SAFETY AND FIRE HAZARD TO THE VEHICLE OPERATOR. IN MY OPINION, SUCH COMPONENTS SHOULD BE MADE OF HIGHER QUALITY MATERIAL SUCH AS STAINLESS STEEL FOR STRENGTH AND CORROSION RESISTANCE. AFTER CHECKING
Mileage: 35,000
FUEL LEAK FROM BROKEN PLASTIC "QUICK DISCONNECT" FITTING ON THE LEFT SIDE OF THE MOTORCYCLE. I NOTICED THE ISSUE WHEN I WAS RIDING THE MOTORCYCLE ON THE HIGHWAY AND RAW FUEL WAS SPRAYING ONTO MY LEG AND ONTO THE CYLINDER & CYLINDER HEAD OF THE ENGINE. I PULLED OFF THE HIGHWAY INTO A GAS STATION TO DETERMINE THE SOURCE OF THE LEAK. AFTER REMOVING SOME PLASTIC TRIM/COVERS I FOUND THE SOURCE WAS THE PLASTIC 90 DEGREE FITTING HAD CRACKED. THE FUEL FITTING DID NOT FAIL DUE TO ANY IMPACT, TAMPERING OR ABUSE; IT IS IN A PROTECTED AREA AT THE LOWER EDGE OF THE FUEL TANK AND COVERED BY A PIECE OF PLASTIC TRIM. AFTER INSPECTING THE FAILED PART, I NOTICED HOW THIN THE PLASTIC IS AND HOW IT BROKE ON THE GROOVE (A STRESS RISER). I BELIEVE THE PART IS POORLY DESIGNED AND POSES A SERIOUS SAFETY AND FIRE HAZARD TO THE VEHICLE OPERATOR. IN MY OPINION, SUCH COMPONENTS SHOULD BE MADE OF HIGHER QUALITY MATERIAL SUCH AS STAINLESS STEEL FOR STRENGTH AND CORROSION RESISTANCE. AFTER CHECKING
Mileage: 35,000
STALLING ENGINE. I BOUGHT THE MOTORCYCLE NEW AND IT HAS HAD A STALLING PROBLEM SINCE IT WAS NEW AND CONTINUES UNTIL TODAY. THE ENGINE WILL STALL AT IDLE OR ON DECELERATION. AT ITS WORST IT WILL HESITATE AND SURGE WHEN ACCELERATING FROM A STOP AS WELL. I HAVE COMPLAINED TO THE DEALER ABOUT THE ISSUE AND HAVE NOT HAD ANY RESOLUTION TO THE PROBLEM. I MADE A COMPLAINT TO BMW CORPORATE REGARDING THE UNRESOLVED ISSUE AND PRESSURE WAS PLACED ON THE DEALER TO FIX THE PROBLEM BUT THE PROBLEM PERSISTED AND THE DEALER EXPRESSED THEIR DISMAY WITH MY COMPLAINT TO CORPORATE. I PAYED FOR REPAIRS (WHILE UNDER WARRANTY) THAT DID NOT SOLVE THE STALLING PROBLEM. NOW THE MOTORCYCLE IS OUT OF WARRANTY AND I DO NOT HAVE THE FINANCIAL MEANS TO KEEP FORKING MONEY OVER TO THE DEALER SERVICE DEPARTMENT FOR NO RESULTS. I TRIED GOING THROUGH THE NORMAL CHANNELS TO REMEDY THIS PERSISTENT PROBLEM WITHOUT SUCCESS. I AM NOT SURE IF IT IS RELATED, BUT I TOOK THE MOTORCYCLE IN FOR SCHEDULED MAINTENANCE WHEN IT WA
Mileage: 600
LEFT SIDE MIRROR GLASS FELL OUT. WHILE ON THE HIGHWAY, THE LEF SIDE MIRROR GLASS FELL OUT. IT WAS HELD IN BY A FEW SMALL DABS OF SILICONE FROM THE FACTORY. ANOTHER DISAPPOINTMENT COURTESY OF BMW, NOT COVERED BY THE WARRANTY. POOR DESIGN AND SHODDY WORKMANSHIP ARE THE CAUSE OF THE GLASS FALLING OUT UNDER NORMAL USE CONDITIONS. THE DATE BELOW IS A ROUGH ESTIMATE. I DO NOT HAVE THE RECEIPT WITH THE REPLACEMENT DATE HANDY AT THIS TIME. LACK OF THE LEFT MIRROR MADE LANE CHANGES LESS SAFE.
Mileage: 6,000
MY FUEL GAUGE FAILED DUE TO THE FAILURE OF THE FUEL LEVEL SENDING "STRIP" - THIS IS COMMON ON MANY BMW MOTORCYCLE MODELS FROM 2004-2014. AS A RESULT OF THE FAILURE I RAN OUT OF FUEL ON A BUSY HIGHWAY. THIS CREATED A DANGEROUS SITUATION.
Mileage: 16,000
MOTORCYCLE ENGINE STOPPED RUNNING ON HIGHWAY OFF RAMP. ENGINE WOULD CRANK, BUT NOT RESTART. FUEL GAUGE ON ELECTRONIC READOUT SHOWED 78 MILES UNTIL REFILL. NO WARNING LIGHTS WERE FLASHING. PUT FUEL IN THE TANK, STARTED RIGHT UP. IN-TANK FUEL SENSOR IS FAULTY. *JS
Mileage: 680
MOTORCYCLE ENGINE STOPPED RUNNING ON HIGHWAY OFF RAMP. ENGINE WOULD CRANK, BUT NOT RESTART. FUEL GAUGE ON ELECTRONIC READOUT SHOWED 78 MILES UNTIL REFILL. NO WARNING LIGHTS WERE FLASHING. PUT FUEL IN THE TANK, STARTED RIGHT UP. IN-TANK FUEL SENSOR IS FAULTY. *JS
Mileage: 680
I HAD BEEN ON THE ROAD FOR ABOUT 30 MINUTES AND HAD BEEN IN HEAVY STOP AND GO TRAFFIC FOR ABOUT 10 MINUTES. MY FUEL GAUGE WENT FROM HALF TANK TO EMPTY WITH THE "LOW FUEL" WARNING LIGHT FLASHING BETWEEN. THIS HAPPENED BETWEEN GLANCES AT THE INSTRUMENT CLUSTER. SINCE IT WAS A 90 DEGREE DAY AND IN STOP AND GO TRAFFIC I WAS WATCHING THE ENGINE TEMPERATURE GAUGE CLOSELY. THE ENGINE TEMPERATURE GAUGE IS PART OF THE SAME CLUSTER AS THE FUEL GAUGE SO I KNOW THE CHANGE FROM A HALF TANK OF FUEL TO NO FUEL WAS ALMOST IF NOT INSTANTANEOUS. IT IS THE RESULT OF A BAD FUEL SENSOR IN THE FUEL TANK THAT IS A KNOWN ISSUE WITH THIS TYPE OF STRIP SENSOR. WITH HUNDREDS OF THESE SENSORS GOING BAD INSIDE THE FUEL TANK HOW LONG WILL IT BE BEFORE ONE HAS A SERIOUS FAULT AND BLOWS UP THE FUEL TANK SITTING BETWEEN THE MOTORCYCLE RIDERS LEGS. NEVER SAY NEVER. *TR
Mileage: 3,300
MOTORCYCLE RAN OUT OF GAS. FUEL GAUGE SHOWED FULL. DISPLAY SAID I HAD 226 MILES TO GO TO EMPTY. I WAS TRAVELING IN AN UNFAMILIAR HIGHWAY WITH NO SERVICES WITHIN A FIFTY MILE RANGE. THE MOTORCYCLE GAS GAUGE REMAINED AT FULL FOR THE REMAINDER 2,100 MILE OF THE TRIP TO PHOENIX FROM FLORIDA. DEALER SAID THEY HAVE ORDERED A FUEL STRIP TO REPLACE THE FAULTY ONE UNDER WARRANTY. *TR
Mileage: 3,953
THE FUEL GAUGE STOPPED WORKING. THIS HAPPENED TWICE. THE SECOND TIME IT LED TO RUNNING OUT OF GAS WHILE UNDER OPERATION. THE FUEL STRIP THAT SENSES GAS IN THE TANK WAS REPLACED ON BOTH OCCASIONS. HOWEVER, THIS KIND OF FAILURE IS UNSAFE, BECAUSE RUNNING OUT OF FUEL WHILE YOU ARE MOVING ON A MOTORCYCLE CAN CAUSE LEAD TO LOSS OF CONTROL. *TR
Mileage: 100
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.
Read our methodology — how this data is sourced, computed, and verified.