AI Damage2008 BMW R1200 GS: common problems
Owners of the 2008 BMW R1200 GS filed 32 complaints with NHTSA, most often about fuel/propulsion system and fuel system. Details by component below, with sources.
Key figures
- Owner complaints
- 32
- involving a crash
- 1
What fails most often
- 1 Fuel/propulsion system 50% of all complaints
- 2 Fuel system 25% of all complaints
- 3 Powertrain 16% of all complaints
- 4 Electrical system 9% of all complaints
- 5 Engine 6% of all complaints
- 6 Service brakes 3% of all complaints
- 7 Steering 3% of all complaints
- 8 Suspension 3% of all complaints
- Fuel/propulsion system: 16 complaints (50% of all), 1 of them with a crash reported by the owner.
- Fuel system: 8 complaints (25% of all).
- Powertrain: 5 complaints (16% of all).
- Electrical system: 3 complaints (9% of all).
- Engine: 2 complaints (6% of all).
Symptoms owners describe
How many of the 32 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 | 16 | 1 | 0 |
| Fuel system | 8 | 0 | 0 |
| Powertrain | 5 | 0 | 0 |
| Electrical system | 3 | 0 | 0 |
| Engine | 2 | 0 | 0 |
| Service brakes | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Steering | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Suspension | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Vehicle speed control | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Other | 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.
Engine stopped at highway speed. Fuel gauge not working. Dropped bike.
No warning light was illuminated. The motorcycle had not been diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure and determined that the VIN was not included in NHTSA Campaign number: 20V471000 (Fuel system, Gasoline). The failure mileage was approximately 69,000.
BMW's remedy is/was to replace the faulty fuel strip with another of the same faulty design rendering a situation where the rider can never rely on the fuel gauge.
In 2014 there was a bmw recall on the fuel pump and aux pump flange and the previous owner that owned the bike replaced the pump and flange at that time. It is now only 6 years later; last year I paid my local dealer $382 to replace the auxiliary fuel pump and gasket in may of 2019, and currently (august 15, 2020) I…
While traveling down the freeway the forward drive shaft universal joint failed, locking the rear wheel. The spinning forward end of the unconstrained drive shaft damaged the swing arm.
During the 18,000 mile service on 04/06/11 (odo: 17,732) , bmw of santa cruz, ca service technician noticed rear shock strut was leaking oil and ordered a replacement. On 06/28/11 (odo: 21,500) valley cycle & motorsports, ca installed the replacement shock strut under warranty.
Further inspection revealed a missing metal retaining plug in a horizontal hole in the front of the steering lock housing, and a spring still in the hole. Bmw motorcycles of long beach replaced my defective steering lock housing (bmw part # [phone]2) and the ignition switch detent mechanism now functions properly,…
Tl* the contact owns a 2008 bmw r1200 gs motorcycle. The contact stated that the anti- lock braking system engaged and turned off independently without any warnings. The vehicle was taken to the dealer. The technician diagnosed that the anti-lock brake system control unit needed to be replaced.
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 6,635 of 36,656 model years in the NHTSA data (top 18% most complained about).
On average one model year of the R1200 GS has 16 complaints (16 years in the data). This year has 32, 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.
- Powertrain. Shift quality under load, harsh shifts, transmission codes, CV joints.
- Electrical system. Scan all modules, test the battery and alternator, inspect connectors near the impact zone.
Other years of this model
- R1200 GS 20044 sources
- R1200 GS 200551 sources
- R1200 GS 20069 sources
- R1200 GS 200742 sources
- R1200 GS 200930 sources
- R1200 GS 20108 sources
- R1200 GS 20117 sources
- R1200 GS 201210 sources
- R1200 GS 201312 sources
- R1200 GS 201414 sources
- R1200 GS 201510 sources
- R1200 GS 201630 sources
- R1200 GS 201716 sources
- R1200 GS 201817 sources
- R1200 GS 201914 sources
Questions and answers
What are the most common problems with the 2008 BMW R1200 GS?
Owner complaints to NHTSA most often mention: fuel/propulsion system, fuel system, powertrain. Total complaints: 32. The most frequent symptoms in complaint texts: fuel system, fuel smell (44%), smoke, burning smell, fire (19%), vibration (6%).
How many service bulletins (TSB) were issued for the 2008 BMW R1200 GS?
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 R1200 GS 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.