My fuel gauge failed due to the failure of the fuel level sending "strip" - this is common on many bmw motorcycle models from 2004-2014. As a result of the failure I ran out of fuel on a busy highway. This created a dangerous situation.
2012 BMW R 1200 R: wrong fuel gauge reading
5 of the 10 complaints about the 2012 BMW R 1200 R describe wrong fuel gauge reading.
- owner complaints
- 5
- of this car's complaints
- 50%
- typical mileage
- 3,300
- recalls
- 1
Is there a fix? There is 1 recall for this area of the car. See below
Wrong fuel gauge reading by model year
What owners say
Motorcycle engine stopped running on highway off ramp. Engine would crank, but not restart. Fuel gauge on electronic readout showed 78 miles until refill. No warning lights were flashing. Put fuel in the tank, started right up. In-tank fuel sensor is faulty.
I had been on the road for about 30 minutes and had been in heavy stop and go traffic for about 10 minutes. My fuel gauge went from half tank to empty with the "low fuel" warning light flashing between. This happened between glances at the instrument cluster. Since it was a 90 degree day and in stop and go traffic I was watching the engine temperature gauge closely. The engine temperature gauge is part of the same cluster as the fuel gauge so I know the change from a half tank of fuel to no fuel was almost if not instantaneous. It is the result of a bad fuel sensor in the fuel tank that is a known issue with this type of strip sensor. With hundreds of these sensors going bad inside the fuel tank how long will it be before one has a serious fault and blows up the fuel tank sitting between the motorcycle riders legs. Never say never.
Motorcycle ran out of gas. Fuel gauge showed full. Display said I had 226 miles to go to empty. I was traveling in an unfamiliar highway with no services within a fifty mile range. The motorcycle gas gauge remained at full for the remainder 2,100 mile of the trip to phoenix from florida. Dealer said they have ordered a fuel strip to replace the faulty one under warranty.
The fuel gauge stopped working. This happened twice. The second time it LED to running out of gas while under operation. The fuel strip that senses gas in the tank was replaced on both occasions. However, this kind of failure is unsafe, because running out of fuel while you are moving on a motorcycle can cause lead to loss of control.
Related recalls
Fuel system, gasoline: delivery: fuel pump
- What is wrong
- BMW of North America, LLC (BMW) is recalling certain 2011-2014 S 1000 RR/R/ HP4, R 1200 GS/GS Adventure/R/RT, K 1300 S, K 1600 GT/GTL/GTL Exclusive and 2014 R nine T motorcycles. The fuel pump, and auxiliary fuel pump in certain models, may crack and leak fuel during vehicle operation.
- Risk
- A fuel leak, in the presence of an ignition source, may result in a fire.
- Remedy
- BMW will notify owners, and dealers will replace the fuel pump, free of charge. The recall began March 17, 2021. Owners may contact BMW customer service at 1‑800‑525‑7417.
Recall number 21V060000 · Recall details
Questions about the 2012 BMW R 1200 R fuel gauge
Is wrong fuel gauge reading a common problem on the 2012 BMW R 1200 R?
5 of 10 owner complaints about the 2012 BMW R 1200 R (50%) mention wrong fuel gauge reading. The model year with the most reports is 2013.
Is there a recall or service bulletin for this on the 2012 BMW R 1200 R?
There is 1 recall and 0 service bulletins for the same area of the car. Check them below with your VIN.
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