AI Damage2008 BMW K1200 S: common problems
Owners of the 2008 BMW K1200 S filed 13 complaints with NHTSA, most often about fuel/propulsion system and fuel system. Details by component below, with sources.
Key figures
- Owner complaints
- 13
- involving a crash
- 1
What fails most often
- 1 Fuel/propulsion system 38% of all complaints
- 2 Fuel system 31% of all complaints
- 3 Engine and cooling 23% of all complaints
- 4 Electrical system 15% of all complaints
- 5 Engine 15% of all complaints
- 6 Service brakes 15% of all complaints
- 7 Electronic stability control 8% of all complaints
- Fuel/propulsion system: 5 complaints (38% of all).
- Fuel system: 4 complaints (31% of all), 1 of them with a crash reported by the owner.
- Engine and cooling: 3 complaints (23% of all), 1 of them with a crash reported by the owner.
- Electrical system: 2 complaints (15% of all).
- Engine: 2 complaints (15% of all).
Symptoms owners describe
How many of the 13 NHTSA complaints mention each symptom (automatic count from complaint text; one complaint can mention several).
Components owners complain about
| Component | Owner complaints | involving a crash | Technical service bulletins (TSB) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Fuel/propulsion system | 5 | 0 | 0 |
| Fuel system | 4 | 1 | 0 |
| Engine and cooling | 3 | 1 | 0 |
| Electrical system | 2 | 0 | 0 |
| Engine | 2 | 0 | 0 |
| Service brakes | 2 | 0 | 0 |
| Electronic stability control | 1 | 0 | 0 |
What owners report
Short excerpts of NHTSA complaints in the original wording. These are owner statements not verified by NHTSA; personal data removed.
While slowing for stoplights or traffic, pulling in the vehicle's clutch and rolling off the throttle (either while downshifting from 2nd to 1st gear, or simply pulling in the clutch while in first gear and rolling off of the throttle), the vehicle's motor stalls and the engine shuts off.
Abs brake failure light came on after rain fall, braking is impacted, was told that many owners have problems with abs brake motor failure due to bad motor and /or motor brushes sticking to armiture in motor. I-bmw.com users have noted the same thing with bmw motorcycles. This does effect the use of the brakes.
The contact stated that the fuel was empty and the vehicle stalled. The contact stated that after refueling, the fuel gauge indicator became inoperable. The dealer stated that the fuel level sensor strip needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure.
The bike repeatedly stalled during deceleration with a closed throttle before coming to a stop. Clutch was engaged. This has happened many times before and I've had enough of it. I've read threads online about this issue and bmw doesn't seem to have an answer (seems to deny the problem).
The contact also mentioned that the brake warning light illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the dealer who stated that the brakes needed to be replaced due to a computer failure. The vehicle was not repaired. The failure mileage was approximately 7,000. The vin was not available.
Failure of the fuel level sending unit inside the gasoline tank caused the fuel gauge to report inaccurate fuel level. Gauge said tank was half full, but tank was empty, causing engine to sputter and stall. Check of tank fuel level with a flash light confirmed tank was empty.
The bmw k-series motorcycles have the same problem with cracks in the fuel pump housing that nhtsa is investigating for the r-series bikes (investigation: pe 12-036 / investigator: [xxx]).
Since I bought it has had a stalling problem that my dealer cannot fix and bmw usa refuses to address. I have ask for the motorcycle to either be fixed, replaced, or reimburse me my $19,000 cash that I paid for the bike. The motorcycle is unfit for road use due to the fact that it stalls excessively and I feel unsafe.
When owners complained
NHTSA complaints by filing year. The peak shows at what age the problems show up most.
Comparison
By complaint count this model year ranks 9,843 of 36,656 model years in the NHTSA data (top 27% most complained about).
On average one model year of the K1200 S has 8 complaints (7 years in the data). This year has 13, above average.
What to check before buying
- Fuel/propulsion system. Fuel smell, leaks, rough running, fuel-system codes.
- Fuel system. Fuel smell, leaks, rough running, fuel-system codes.
- Engine and cooling. Radiator and fan after a frontal hit, coolant level and condition, overheating.
- Electrical system. Scan all modules, test the battery and alternator, inspect connectors near the impact zone.
Other years of this model
Questions and answers
What are the most common problems with the 2008 BMW K1200 S?
Owner complaints to NHTSA most often mention: fuel/propulsion system, fuel system, engine and cooling. Total complaints: 13. The most frequent symptoms in complaint texts: stalls while driving (54%), fuel system, fuel smell (38%), smoke, burning smell, fire (15%).
How many service bulletins (TSB) were issued for the 2008 BMW K1200 S?
NHTSA lists 0 manufacturer service bulletins for this year. A bulletin tells dealers how to diagnose or fix a known issue; it is not a recall.
Should I buy a 2008 BMW K1200 S from a US auction?
Owner complaints describe defects, not crash damage. Before bidding, check the components listed above and review the lot photos: VinWind builds a report of visible and hidden damage by VIN.
Other 2008 models
Read also
Sources: public NHTSA data (USA): service bulletins and owner complaints; YouTube: links to videos credited to their authors. Complaints are owner statements not verified by NHTSA, and describe defects rather than crash damage. Data updated 2026-11-05.