2008 BMW K1200 GT problems
The 2008 BMW K1200 GT has 36 complaints on file with NHTSA. The largest share (39%) concerns brakes. Next are fuel system (31%) and drivetrain & axles (22%).
At a glance
- Complaints
- 36 filed with NHTSA
- Most reported
- Brakes 39% of complaints
- Crashes and fires
- 1 and 1
- Injuries and deaths
- 1 and 0
- Typical mileage
- 17,000 miles 35 complaints with mileage
Source: NHTSA owner complaints
Where the complaints are
Share of this model year's complaints by the part of the car involved. One complaint can name more than one part, so the shares can add up to more than 100%.
When problems show up
View the numbers
| Mileage | Complaints |
|---|---|
| 0k to 20k miles | 19 |
| 20k to 40k miles | 14 |
| 40k to 60k miles | 1 |
| 60k to 80k miles | 1 |
| 80k to 100k miles | 0 |
| 100k to 120k miles | 0 |
| 120k to 140k miles | 0 |
| 140k to 160k miles | 0 |
| 160k to 180k miles | 0 |
| 180k to 200k miles | 0 |
| 200k+ miles | 0 |
What the data shows
Of the 35 complaints that include odometer readings, half describe a problem before roughly 17,000 miles. For brakes specifically, the median reported mileage is about 20,000 miles (14 complaints with mileage).
Safety-related details: 1 complaint mentions a crash; 1 complaint mentions a fire; 1 injury reported.
It is also covered by 7 safety recall campaigns.
What owners wrote
A few complaints as filed, shortened and with personal details removed. The first ones are among the most serious reports for this model year; the rest are typical.
7/19/11 single vehicle accident, 5-10 MPH, when gas cap came open and fuel dumped all over victim and motorcycle. Rider 2nd and 3rd degree burns over 40% of his body, ultimately resulted in amputation of both legs. Previous to the accident, driver took the motorcycle to dealership multiple times to report gas cap would come open while driving bike down the road. Dealership never fixed gas cap.
Motorcycle was delivered with a defective airbox. As vehicle temperature and ambient temperature got hotter, the throttle would stick. The hotter it got, the worse it stuck. This would result in loss of engine braking and unintended acceleration. On the third day I rode it the throttle stuck at 3,000 RPM in heavy traffic and I almost rear-ended the car in front of me as a result. I rode the rest of the way home with the engine stuck at 3,000 RPM.
BMW k1200gt (motorcycle) - surging idle - potential hazard - bike will be running fine and then, for no apparent reason, begin idling around 3000 RPM. Failure occurrence is very inconsistent. Air box has been replaced but did not resolve issue. After some research, this seems to be a very common failure. 1000 miles on a new bike and four trips to the dealer without the problem being resolved.
My BMW motorcycle has, according to the dealer (cross country bmwin metuchen nj) , sustained a failure requiring replacement of the final drive, an $1800 part. The bike has been maintained by an authorized BMW dealer according to the factory schedule and has not been ridden off-road or in an aggressive manner. 37,500 miles seems like a very premature mileage reading for the bike to sustain this type of failure. The bike has not leaked any fluids from the drive. This failure us of the same type described in odi no.
The ABS brake warning light came on. I took the motorcycle to my authorized BMW dealer in long beach, ca. They said that the ABS brake module had failed; however they refused to repair or replace the faulty unit. I sent it out to an independent repair facility and they repaired the unit at my cost. I then had the unit reinstalled by my BMW dealer at my cost.
Other model years of the K1200 GT
- 2008
- 2007
- 2006
- 2005