2012 BMW F650 GS Recalls, Complaints & Safety

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 equipped with the optional aluminum luggage cases, the rear reflex reflectors may be partially blocked. The aluminum case mounts for the R1200GS and R1200GS Adventure may also partially block the reflectors. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) number 108, "Lamps, Reflective Devices, and Associated Equipment."

Remedy: BMW will notify owners, and dealers will install reflectors on the cases or for the case mounts, an additional bracket with rear reflex reflectors, free of charge. The recall began October 16, 2017. Owners may contact BMW customer service at 1-800-525-7417.

47,775 vehicles affected

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 BMW MOTORCYCLE FORUMS AND FOUND A VERY LARGE NUMBER OF PEOPLE ACROSS THE U.S. AND ABROAD, HAVING THE EXACT ISSUE. MOST HAD BEEN TOLD THE SAME INFORMATION FROM THEIR RESPECTIVE BMW DEALERS. MOST OF THESE PEOPLE BOUGHT REPLACEMENT PARTS, NOT BMW FACTORY ITEMS, THEMSELVES FROM WHOLESALERS. AFTER INSTALLATION THE SHUTDOWN ISSUES CEASED. I CONTACTED SIX DEALERS ACROSS THE UNITED STATES AFTER I FOUND THIS INFORMATION AND THEY COMPLETELY DENIED ANY SIMILAR KNOWN ISSUES. THEY ALL HAVE THE SAME IDEA OF WHAT THE REPAIR WOULD BE, THE EXACT SAME I HAD BEEN TOLD BY THE FIRST 2 DEALERS I CALLED. THE NUMBER OF COMPLAINTS IDENTICAL TO MINE, IT IS INDICATIVE OF A LARGE PROBLEM WITH THE MOTORCYCLE'S CHARGING SYSTEM, SHUTDOWNS OF SAFETY LIGHTING/SIGNALING, LOSS OF INSTRUMENTATION, TOTAL SHUTDOWN OF THE ENGINE/COMPLETE LOSS OF POWER. THIS PLACES THE RIDER AND OTHER MOTORISTS IN A DANGEROUS SITUATION.

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