The 1998 BMW K1200rs has 4 NHTSA recall campaigns affecting an estimated 4,529 vehicles. Recall repairs are always free at any authorized dealer. Owners have filed 6 complaints with NHTSA, most often about the fuel system, gasoline. Last updated July 5, 2026.
Recall campaigns
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING00V2660002000-09-12188 affected
Defect
VEHICLE DESCRIPTION: MOTORCYCLES. THE CYLINDER HEAD CONTAINS TWO SEALING PLUGS COVERING HOLES IN THE AREA NEAR THE SPARK PLUGS. ONE OR BOTH PLUGS MAY NOT HAVE BEEN FULLY SEATED DURING VEHICLE ASSEMBLY. EITHER OR BOTH OF THE SEALING PLUGS COULD LOOSEN OR COMPLETELY DETACH FROM THEIR MOUNTING POINT DURING VEHICLE…
Consequence
THIS CONDITION COULD ALLOW COOLANT TO ESCAPE, TRAVEL ALONG THE ENGINE COVER, AND CONTACT THE REAR TIRE, REDUCING ITS TRACTION AND AFFECTING THE STABILITY OF THE MOTORCYCLE. IN ADDITION, THE LOSS OF COOLANT COULD LEAD TO INCREASED ENGINE OPERATING TEMPERATURE AND POSSIBLE OVERHEATING.
Remedy
DEALERS WILL REPLACE THE SEALING PLUGS WITH A STAINLESS STEEL PLUG DESIGN.
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING00V2640002000-09-122,368 affected
Defect
VEHICLE DESCRIPTION: MOTORCYCLES. A SPRING-LOADED THERMOSTATIC ELEMENT IN THE OIL THERMOSTAT HOUSING IS HELD IN PLACE BY A COVER THAT IS RETAINED BY A SNAP RING. THE SNAP RING MAY NOT HAVE BEEN PROPERLY INSTALLED DURING PRODUCTION. DURING VEHICLE OPERATION, THE SNAP RING COULD UNSEAT, ALLOWING THE COVER TO…
Consequence
ENGINE DAMAGE COULD OCCUR IF THE ENGINE IS NOT IMMEDIATELY SWITCHED OFF. IN ADDITION, OIL COULD TRAVEL ALONG THE ENGINE COVER AND ULTIMATELY CONTACT THE REAR TIRE, REDUCING ITS TRACTION AND AFFECTING THE STABILITY OF THE MOTORCYCLE, POSSIBLY RESULTING IN A CRASH AND PERSONAL INJURY.
Remedy
DEALERS WILL INSPECT THE SNAP RING INSTALLATION AND IF THE SNAP RING IS NOT FULLY SEATED, THE COMPLETE OIL PUMP INTERMEDIATE FLANGE WILL BE REPLACED.
VEHICLE DESCRIPTION: MOTORCYCLES. DURING EXTENDED OPERATION IN HIGH AMBIENT TEMPERATURE CONDITIONS, THE AREA OF THE PUMP MOUNTING SURFACE OF THE FUEL TANK CAN DEFORM, FORMING A GAP BETWEEN THE TANK MOUNTING SURFACE AND THE GASKET, ALLOWING FUEL TO ESCAPE FROM THE TANK AT THAT AREA.
Consequence
IF AN IGNITION SOURCE WAS PRESENT, A FIRE COULD OCCUR RESULTING IN PERSONAL INJURY.
Remedy
DEALERS WILL REPLACE THE FUEL PUMP-TO-TANK GASKET.
SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC97V1340001997-08-08973 affected
Defect
VEHICLE DESCRIPTION: MOTORCYCLES. THE ADJUSTING SCREW FOR THE PRESSURE POINT OF EITHER THE BRAKE OR CLUTCH LEVERS MAY NOT BE SUFFICIENTLY TIGHT, DUE TO GREASE CONTAMINATION OF THE THREADS.
Consequence
THE SCREW(S) CAN BACK OUT OVER TIME WHILE THE VEHICLE IS BEING OPERATED CAUSING A CHANGE IN THE PRESSURE POINT OF THE MASTER CYLINDER FOR THE CLUTCH AND/OR FRONT BRAKE INCREASING THE RISK OF A VEHICLE CRASH.
Remedy
DEALERS WILL CHECK THE ADJUSTMENT SCREWS OF THE FRONT BRAKE AND CLUTCH LEVERS FOR MOVEMENT. IF THE SCREWS ARE TIGHT, NO FURTHER ACTION WILL BE TAKEN. IF A SCREW IS FOUND TO BE LOOSE, IT WILL BE REMOVED, CLEANED AND REINSTALLED WITH NEW LOCTITE.
Complaints by component
FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:STORAGE:TANK ASSEMBLY
3
FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE
1
POWER TRAIN:MANUAL TRANSMISSION
1
SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC
1
Total complaints6
What owners report
Verbatim reports filed with NHTSA, lightly edited for readability and with personal
information removed.
“Recall 14401 from oct. 14, 1988. This vehicle was fixed under warranty in 2001 under this recall. It failed again recently and fuel started leaking. The parts to do the remedy are no longer available per my dealer. The only alternative is to replace the fuel tank and related components with a…”
“(note that the incident date and failure mileage reported are approximate.) when the failure occurred, the two abs warning lights on the dash panel flashed alternately as they normally do upon engine start-up, but did not stop flashing once the motorcycle was underway as they normally should do,…”
“Vehicle was delivered with a transmission that refused, at times to shift upwards to higher gears. Usually this occured in colder weather and after being ridden for some distance before a brief period of cooling occurred triggering the problem. Warrantee replacement was denied because dealership…”
“Motorcycle had the original and replaced gas tanks develop leaks. About one gallon per hour. No accident, but close. Almost caught fire.”
“Motorcycle parked in 90 degree garare after ride. One half hour later gas puddle 3' in diameter under bike dripping from tank onto hot engine then hot exhaust and garage filled with vapors. No smell of fuel when parking, sudden failure.”
“Massive leaking of gasoline from tank appears to be related to hot weather and expansion of gasket interface between tank bladder and fuel pump, repair work on tank”
Defect investigations
InvestigationPE98047 Opened 1998-08-27 · closed 1998-10-15
FUEL TANK LEAK
ALLEGED THAT THE FUEL LEAKS AT THE INTERFACE BETWEEN THE FUEL TANK AND FUEL PUMP ASSEMBLY
InvestigationSQ97023 Opened 1997-11-14 · closed 1997-12-22
REDUCED CLUTCH AND BRAKE EFFECTIVENESS
IN AUGUST 1997, BMW CONDUCTED A SAFETY RECALL TO CORRECT A CONDITION OF THREAD CONTAMINATION ON THE BRAKE AND CLUTCH LEVERS ADJUSTING SCREWS.THIS GREASE CONTAMINATION NEGATES THE EFFECTIVENESS OF LOCTITE AND THIS CAN SEGNIFICANTLY REDUCE BRAKE EFFECTIVENESS.DUE TO THIS INVESTIGATION, BMW HAS INCREASED THE POPULATION…
Recall, complaint, and investigation records from official NHTSA datasets (FLAT_RCL,
FLAT_CMPL, FLAT_INV), synced weekly. Counts reflect NHTSA records for the 1998 BMW K1200rs as of
July 5, 2026. Complaint narratives are consumer-submitted and unverified. This page
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