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BMW · NHTSA safety record

2020 BMW S 1000 RR

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

Owners have filed 10 safety complaints about the 2020 BMW S 1000 RR with the US government. Of those, no death is recorded. 4 recall campaigns are open against it.

The most complained-about system is the engine, named in 4 complaints, 40% of the total. The typical failure was reported at 650 miles, the median across the 5 complaints that gave an odometer reading.

Compiled from NHTSA's complaint, recall and investigation files · Covers July 2019 to March 2025 · How this is counted

What is on file

10 complaints on file

10

Complaints

0

Describe a crash

0

Mention fire

0

People injured

0

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
ENGINE 4 · 40%
SERVICE BRAKES 3 · 30%
STRUCTURE 1 · 10%
VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL 1 · 10%
WHEELS 1 · 10%
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 10.

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 2020 at 3.

4 3 2 1
19 20 21 25

This is the year the complaint was filed, not the year the failure happened. The range runs from 2019 to 2025.

Crash test ratings

NHTSA New Car Assessment Program

NHTSA has not crash tested the 2020 BMW S 1000 RR. 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

4 on file

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:IGNITION

26V478000 · July 23, 2026

The defect
BMW of North America, LLC (BMW) is recalling certain 2024 S 1000 RR US, and 2020-2026 S 1000 RR motorcycles. The vibration of the motorcycle may cause an internal component of the ignition lock to fail, which can cause the instrument display, rear lighting, and other systems such as ABS to fail, or cause an engine stall while riding.
The risk
An engine stall or failure of electrical systems such as the instrument display or ABS, increases the risk of a crash.
The remedy
The remedy is currently under development. Letters informing owners of the safety risk are expected to be mailed September 14, 2026. Additional letters will be sent once the remedy is available. Owners may contact BMW customer service at 1-800-525-7417. Vehicle Identification Numbers (VINs) involved in this recall will become searchable on NHTSA.gov beginning September 14, 2026.

BMW of North America, LLC · up to 16,736 vehicles across all model years covered

SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FOUNDATION COMPONENTS:DISC:CALIPER

20V476000 · August 13, 2020

The defect
BMW of North America, LLC (BMW) is recalling certain 2019-2020 R 1250 GS, GS Adventure and R 1250 RT, 2020 S 1000 RR and S 1000 XR motorcycles. The front brake calipers may leak brake fluid when parked. As such, these motorcycles fail to comply with the requirements of the Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard number 122, "Motorcycle Brake Systems."
The risk
Overtime, a leaking front brake caliper can reduce the amount of brake fluid in the reservoir. Low volume could affect brake performance, increasing the risk of crash.
The remedy
BMW will notify owners, and dealers will inspect and if necessary, replace the front brake calipers with an improved version, free of charge. BMW issued owners an interim notification on October 12, 2020. As of January 19, 2021, a remedy was still not available. The recall began March 8, 2021. Owners may contact BMW customer service at 1-800-525-7417.

BMW of North America, LLC · up to 9,392 vehicles across all model years covered

EXTERIOR LIGHTING:BRAKE LIGHTS

20V146000 · March 12, 2020

The defect
BMW of North America, LLC (BMW) is recalling certain 2020 F900R, F900XR, S1000RR, F750GS, F850GS, F850GS Adventure, R1250GS, R1250GS Adventure, R1250RS, R1250R, RnineT, RnineT Pure and RnineT Scrambler and 2019-2020 S1000R motorcycles. The brake light may flash instead of remain steady during emergency braking. 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
A flashing brake light can cause confusion to other drivers on the road, increasing the risk of a crash.
The remedy
BMW will notify owner, and dealers will reprogram the emergency stop signal function, free of charge. The recall began May 11, 2020. Owners may contact BMW customer service at 1-800-525-7417.

BMW of North America, LLC · up to 4,026 vehicles across all model years covered

ENGINE

19V697000 · October 2, 2019

The defect
BMW of North America, LLC (BMW) is recalling certain 2020 S 1000 RR motorcycles. The oil cooler hoses may not be attached properly to the oil pipes, possibly resulting in an oil leak.
The risk
Leaking oil may drip in the path of the rear tire, increasing the risk of a crash.
The remedy
BMW will notify owners, and dealers will replace the oil cooler assembly, including the hoses, free of charge. Owners may contact BMW customer service at 1-800-525-7417.

BMW of North America, LLC · up to 416 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.

WHEELS
Carbon fiber rims developed bubble with minor air leakage...about ~2psi per day. First noticed this deformity around ~Nov 2024 If there is a micro crack developed along the valve stem on a carbon fiber rim, then the wheel forces can cause the crack to grow and sudden loss of pressure, resulting in severe injury. Brought the motorcycle to a BMW dealership. BMW Motorrad says it is out of warranty and not a safety issue. Warning lamps only came on when tire is low on air. Online research indicates that this is/was a problem with 2020 K67 chassis equipped with Carbon Fiber rims

NHTSA complaint 11636829. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.

SERVICE BRAKES
After the brake recall, and new brake calipers and pads were installed, I began to notice significant vibrations of the front end during medium braking. During mild to medium braking going down hill, the front end would seem to bounce.

NHTSA complaint 11435862. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.

ENGINE
Leaking coolant from weep hole after every ride, telltale sign water/oil pump is bad. Yes it’s available. Coolant and oil are very slick. I could fall and die if my rear tire decides to slip under the liquids. Yes the dealer and bmw confirmed it was leaking from the weep hole but placed blame on the aftermarket headers. No the water/oil pump has not been inspected by bmw and dealer. No warning lamps.

NHTSA complaint 11420581. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.

SERVICE BRAKES
FRONT BRAKE CALIPERS LEAKING DURING VEHICLE REST PERIODS SINCE OR BEFORE 20TH AUGUST 2020. A LARGE AMOUNT OF BRAKE RESERVOIR HAS BEEN CONSUMED BEFORE NOTICING. THIS IS A KNOWN CONDITION AS ADVISED BY THE MANUFACTURER AS YET NO FIX HAS BEEN IMPLEMENTED ON THIS VEHICLE. VEHICLE IS CURRENTLY STORED AT THE DEALER AWAITING REPAIR.

NHTSA complaint 11415766. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.

ENGINE

400 miles

OIL LEAKING FROM ENGINE AFTER ONLY 400MILES, I NOTICED THE LEAK BECAUSE IT STAINED THE FLOOR WHERE THE MOTORCYCLE WAS PARKED.

NHTSA complaint 11362481. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.

ENGINE

50 miles

OIL LEAKING FROM LOWER ENGINE TO CONNECTING OIL COOLER LINE. OIL SEEMS LIKE COMING FROM DRAIN PLUG. MORE NOTICEABLE AFTER MOTORCYCLE OPERATION, POTENTIALLY BE LEAKING WHILE RIDING. *TR

NHTSA complaint 11329374. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.

Compare

Other 2020 BMW models

X5 112 X3 109 X7 54 330I 53 M340I 53 X4 15 X1 13 530I 10

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

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
Independent developer and analyst