BMW · NHTSA safety record

2016 BMW R1200 GS

Every safety complaint, recall and defect investigation the US government holds on this vehicle.

Owners have filed 12 safety complaints about the 2016 BMW R1200 GS with the US government. Of those, 1 describes a crash and no death is recorded. 2 recall campaigns are open against it, covering equipment and the suspension.

The most complained-about system is the suspension, named in 5 complaints, 42% of the total. The typical failure was reported at 4,300 miles, the median across the 11 complaints that gave an odometer reading.

Compiled from NHTSA's complaint, recall and investigation files · Covers April 2016 to May 2023 · How this is counted

What is on file

12 complaints on file

Complaints

Describe a crash

Mention fire

People injured

Deaths

A complaint is an unverified account by the person who filed it, not a finding of fault. One complaint is one ODI number, which is how NHTSA counts them.

A recall is the manufacturer conceding a defect, and the repair is free. Whether one covers your particular car is a question only its VIN can answer, because a campaign covers a production range rather than a model year.

Which system owners named

Complaints naming each system

SUSPENSION 5 · 42% 5 42%

ENGINE 3 · 25% 3 25%

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM 2 · 17% 2 17%

SERVICE BRAKES 2 · 17% 2 17%

FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM 1 · 8% 1 8%

POWER TRAIN 1 · 8% 1 8%

STEERING 1 · 8% 1 8%

0 4 8

Red marks a system with a recall campaign against it. One complaint can name several systems, so these add up to more than 12.

When the complaints arrived

By the year NHTSA received them

By the year NHTSA received them, which is not the year the failures happened. They peaked in 2016 at 4.

8 6 4 2

16 2016 17 2017 18 2018 19 2019 23 2023

This is the year the complaint was filed, not the year the failure happened. The range runs from 2016 to 2023.

Crash test ratings

NHTSA New Car Assessment Program

NHTSA has not crash tested the 2016 BMW R1200 GS. Its New Car Assessment Program tests a selection of each year's vehicles and does not reach motorcycles, heavy trucks, motorhomes or most low-volume models, so an absence here says nothing about how the vehicle would perform. It is not a low score.

What owners have reported about this vehicle is below, and it is a different question: a crash test measures what happens to the people inside in a controlled impact, while a complaint records what broke during ordinary use.

Recall campaigns

2 on file

EQUIPMENT

17V481000 · July 28, 2017

The defect: 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."
The risk: If the rear reflex reflectors are obscured from view, it can increase the risk of a crash.
The 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.

BMW of North America, LLC · up to 47,775 vehicles across all model years covered

SUSPENSION:FRONT

17V438000 · July 10, 2017

The defect: BMW of North America, LLC (BMW) is recalling certain 2014-2017 BMW R1200GS and BMW R1200GS Adventure motorcycles. The motorcycle fixed fork tube may separate from the pressed in seal plug that secures the tube to the upper triple clamp.
The risk: If the fork tube detaches from the sealing plug, the handling and stability of the motorcycle will be affected, increasing the risk of a crash.
The remedy: BMW will notify owners, and dealers will add an additional fixed fork tube bush. A fork that is sufficiently damaged will be replaced with a modified new part. These repairs will be made free of charge. The recall began August 31, 2017. Owners may contact BMW customer service at 1-800-525-7417.

BMW of North America, LLC · up to 14,626 vehicles across all model years covered

In owners’ own words

Quoted from the complaint file

Quoted from NHTSA's complaint file. These are unverified accounts by the people who filed them, not findings of fault.

STEERING Filed May 19, 2017

crash · 5,500 miles

I WAS TRAVELING IN ON A STRAIGHT PORTION OF PACIFIC COAST HIGHWAY IN HUNTINGTON BEACH. THERE WAS NO TRAFFIC AROUND AND NO DEBRIS IN THE ROAD. I WAS TRAVELING APPROXIMATELY 40 MPH WHEN THE HANDLEBAR ON MY MOTORCYCLE VIOLENTLY JERKED TO THE LEFT FOR A SPLIT SECOND AND CORRECTED ITSELF. THIS WAS NOT NORMAL AND VERY DANGEROUS. I LOOKED AT THE HANDLEBAR AND NOTICED THAT IT WASN'T STRAIGHT OR SQUARE TO THE DIRECTION I WAS TRAVELING. A SECOND AFTER SEEING THE HANDLE BAR THE BIKE JERKED TO THE LEFT AGAIN, THIS TIME CAUSING ME TO LOSE CONTROL AND CRASH. IT WAS OBVIOUS TO ME THAT SOMETHING VERY UNUSUAL HAPPENED. WHEN I LOOKED AT THE BIKE AFTER THE CRASH I SAW THE FORK WAS SEPARATED (SEE ATTACHED

NHTSA complaint 10990628, quoted in part. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.

SERVICE BRAKES Filed May 31, 2023

Rear brake on motorcycle does not stop the motorcycle. After three BMW dealer visits and rear brakes having been bled, the rear brake pedal becomes soft and does not stop the motorcycle. The same problem occurred each time within 2-3 months of the repair. The only way to stop the motorcycle is to use the front brake. The BMW service department cannot explain the reason this keeps happening.

NHTSA complaint 11524564. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.

SERVICE BRAKES Filed August 21, 2019

12,000 miles

THE REAR BRAKE BECOMES INEFFECTIVE. DEALER SAYS THAT AIR INVADES THE REAR BRAKE SYSTEM. BLEEDING THE OLD BRAKE FLUID AND REPLACING IT WITH NEW BRAKE FLUID SOLVES THE PROBLEM FOR A FEW MONTHS. THEN IT HAPPENS AGAIN AND THE BLEEDING MUST BE DONE AGAIN. FRONT BRAKE CONTINUES TO BE EFFECTIVE AT ALL TIMES.

NHTSA complaint 11245377. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.

ENGINE Filed May 7, 2018

490 miles

WHILE RIDING THE MOTORCYCLE AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS, THE ENGINE GOES INTO A FAULTED STATE SPONTANEOUSLY WITH NO WARNING PRIOR, THE ECU IS FAULTING AND PUTTING THE ENGINE INTO "LIMP MODE" WHICH IS ALMOST EQUIVALENT OF COMPLETELY KILLING THE ENGINE THE WAY IT IS CURRENTLY DONE, AND YOU ARE LEFT TO NAVIGATE OFF THE HIGHWAY IN A SEVERELY DEBILITATED STATE OF OPERATION. THE ENGINE IS PROGRAMMED WITH A "LIMP MODE" FAULT I ASSUME TO SAVE THE ENGINE? BUT MY COMPLAINT IS , THE WAY IT CURRENTLY OPERATES ON THE MOTORCYCLE,IT IS PATENTLY "UNSAFE" AND PUTS THE RIDER OR OPERATOR AND PASSENGER IN A VERY DANGEROUS SITUATION SHOULD THE "LIMP MODE" FAULT BE ENGAGED . I DON'T UNDERSTAND THE NEED FOR THIS, WITHOUT

NHTSA complaint 11092238, quoted in part. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.

SUSPENSION Filed February 1, 2018

600 miles

I WAS NEVER NOTIFIED ABOUT AN IMPORTANT SAFETY RECALL. NO NOTIFICATION VIA MAIL, EMAIL, PHONE CALL, ETC. I WAS ONLY ALERTED TO THIS RECALL WHEN I BROUGHT MY BMW MOTORCYCLE BACK TO THE BMW DEALER FOR NON-RELATED WARRANTY WORK. THE DEALER WAS VERY SURPRISED I HAD NOT HAD THE FRONT FORK RECALL DONE, AND MY REPLY WAS THAT I WAS NEVER NOTIFIED. THIS IS SAFETY RECALL # 17V-438, FYI. THIS RECALL BEGAN IN AUGUST, 2017. NO NOTIFICATION IS VERY SURPRISING AND UPSETTING TO ME, AS I PURCHASED THIS BMW MOTORCYCLE BRAND NEW AT THIS DEALER, SO BMW CLEARLY HAS MY INFORMATION ON FILE. MY INFO HAS NOT CHANGED SINCE PURCHASE OF THIS MOTORCYCLE IN AUGUST OF 2016. IN MY OPINION, THIS IS A VERY IMPORTANT SAFETY

NHTSA complaint 11066189, quoted in part. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.

SUSPENSION Filed June 23, 2017

11,500 miles

ON MAY 13, 2017, WHILE RIDING MY 2016 BMW R1200GS WITH 11500 MILES, ONE OF MY RIDING PARTNERS NOTICED OIL LEAKING FROM THE SUSPENSION FORK TUBES. AFTER PEELING THE RUBBER BOOTS THAT COVER THE STANCHIONS, WE NOTICED THAT BOTH STANCHIONS ON THE BIKE HAD SEPARATED. I WOULDN'T HAVE KNOWN ABOUT IT, EXCEPT ONE OF THE PERSONS WITH WHOM I WAS RIDING, HAD THE SAME ISSUE HAPPEN WITH HIS 2013 BMW R1200GS. I STILL HAD TO RIDE 170 MILES HOME WITH 15 MILES OF IT ON DIRT. I RODE STRAIGHT TO THE DEALERSHIP AND THEY WOULDN'T LET ME TAKE THE BIKE BECAUSE THEY CONSIDER THIS A VERY DANGEROUS SITUATION. AND, DEALERSHIP KNEW OF THE ISSUE BECAUSE IT HAPPENED TO OTHER CUSTOMERS. THIS IS DEFECTIVE DESIGN. ONE

NHTSA complaint 11000804, quoted in part. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.

Compare

Other years of the BMW R1200 GS

Model year	Complaints	Recalls	Deaths
2015	10	2	—
2014	14	3	1
2013	11	4	—
2012	10	1	—
2010	8	3	—

Other 2016 BMW models

X1 159 X3 82 X5 74 528I 59 328I 57 428I 43 I3 33 320I 25

Complaints on file, same model year.

Every BMW on this site — 257 vehicles.

If this is your car and a dealer keeps failing to fix it, your state's lemon law may require the manufacturer to replace it or buy it back. How many repair attempts it takes, and how long you have to file, is set by the state you bought in and by nothing on this page.

Where these numbers come from

Complaints: NHTSA's ODI complaint file, published October 2, 2026. One complaint is one ODI number, which is how NHTSA counts them.
Recalls: NHTSA's recall campaign API, newest campaign on this vehicle filed July 28, 2017.
Investigations: NHTSA's ODI investigation file, published October 2, 2026.

A complaint is one owner's account and has not been verified by NHTSA or by us. A vehicle with more complaints is not necessarily worse: models that sold in larger numbers collect more of them. How this is counted.

Compiled and maintained by guarledes
Independent developer and analyst