Engine fails to start after shutoff and after engine temperature is hot. Inability to start engine on the road after cutting ignition can increase risk of being hit on the road. The dealer has not been able to reproduce. The vehicle has been inspected by BMW repair shop and had me replace the battery but the problem still persists. Subsequent service appointments have resulted in BMW technicians not being able to reproduce problem. The occurs randomly about 7 times per year. No warning signs.
The worst 2019 BMW R 1250 GS problems
Ranked by number of owner complaints. Mileage and cost come from what owners wrote.
- Brakes12
- Engine3
- Electrical2
- Acceleration1
- Driver assistance1
Problems by type
Tap a problem to see which part fails, at what mileage and in which other years.
- Brakes12
- Engine3
- Electrical2
- Acceleration1
- Driver assistance1
- Transmission1
Recalls 3
Power train: manual transmission: internal: shaft: input
- What is wrong
- BMW of North America, LLC (BMW) is recalling certain 2019-2023 R1250GS, R1250GS Adventure, and R1250RTP motorcycles. In certain engine operating and riding conditions, the gearbox input shaft may become damaged or break, possibly resulting in a blocked rear wheel.
- Risk
- A damaged gearbox input shaft or a blocked rear wheel can increase the risk of a crash.
- Remedy
- Dealers will update the engine control unit software, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed February 22, 2023. Owners may contact BMW customer service at 1‑800‑525‑7417.
Recall number 23V011000 · Recall details
Service brakes
- What is wrong
- BMW of North America, LLC (BMW) is recalling certain 2019-2020 R 1250 GS, GS Adventure and R 1250 RT, 2020 S 1000 RR and S 1000 XR motorcycles. The front brake calipers may leak brake fluid when parked. As such, these motorcycles fail to comply with the requirements of the Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard number 122, "Motorcycle Brake Systems."
- Risk
- Overtime, a leaking front brake caliper can reduce the amount of brake fluid in the reservoir. Low volume could affect brake performance, increasing the risk of crash.
- Remedy
- BMW will notify owners, and dealers will inspect and if necessary, replace the front brake calipers with an improved version, free of charge. BMW issued owners an interim notification on October 12, 2020. As of January 19, 2021, a remedy was still not available. The recall began March 8, 2021. Owners may contact BMW customer service at 1‑800‑525‑7417.
Recall number 20V476000 · Recall details
Service brakes, hydraulic: fluid
- What is wrong
- BMW of North America, LLC (BMW) is recalling certain 2018-2020 RnineT Scrambler and RnineT, 2020 R1250R and R1250RS, 2019-2020 Rnine T Pure, R1250GS,R1250GS Adventure and R1250RT and 2018 RnineT Racer motorcycles. The brake fluid reservoir cap may not clearly state the required type of brake fluid and the process for filling the reservoir, possibly leading to an improper maintenance procedure. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) number 122, "Motorcycle Brake Systems."
- Risk
- Improper brake system maintenance could affect braking performance and increase the risk of a crash.
- Remedy
- BMW will notify owners, and dealers will replace the brake fluid reservoir cap, free of charge. The recall began December 23, 2020. Owners may contact BMW customer service at 1‑800‑525‑7417.
Recall number 20V166000 · Recall details
Technical service bulletins for the 2019 BMW R 1250 GS 13
Bulletins tell dealers how to fix known problems. A warranty extension means the manufacturer pays for that repair for longer.
- Driveshaft Maintenance Schedule Change
- The electrical system of BMW vehicles has been subject to an ongoing development process over the last few...
- Vehicle goes into emergency operation mode and a warning light illuminates on the instrument cluster.
- Multiple factors may
- LED headlights were temporarily unavailable from the Factory and some R 1250 GS and R 1250 GSAdventure...
- Frame and mounting parts
- BMW Motorrad is aware of a number of cases in which the screw connections of the Paralever link and/or the...
- Multiple factors may
- Battery empty despite charger.
- The motorcycle will not start
What 2019 BMW R 1250 GS owners say
Most recent owner complaints, unedited.
Rear brake system malfunctions. Malfunctioning rear brake increases braking distance which can lead to a collision. The BMW dealer and customer service have confirmed problem. The motorcycle has be serviced for this four times at the BMW repair shop. The problem appears about every 3000 miles.
Ever since purchased new in 2019 the rear brake goes away after riding. Dealer bleeds to fix and it goes away again after riding. By going away I mean rear brake pedal travel becomes very long with no positive stop when the brake finally works. Very soft feel thru the brake activation. Takes a stomp with my heel to lock the rear. Dealer has bled and even done a tsb procedure given by bmw to correct. Technical Service Bulletin SIB 34 01 21. Same result. No rear after riding a bit. Putting safety at risk is self explanatory. From hours of reading I've found this to be an ongoing problem with liquid cooled gs's up to the 20 or 21 model year when the abs pump was replaced with a unit not causing the issue of putting air in the system. Date listed below is arbitrary. I ride the motorcycle knowing I don't have a rear brake and bmw has yet to address the issue other than ignoring it with updated bleed procedures.
During the recent Safety Recall of this vehicle and subsequent repair, it was noted by the certified mechanic that oil was being wicked up along electrical lines in the stator. The mechanic issued an immediate "Do not ride, Do not operate" warning. 2019 BMW R1250GSA has 17,000 accident free miles. Many "false" engine management warnings.
Rear brake on motorcycle does not stop the motorcycle. After three BMW dealer visits and rear brakes having been bled, the rear brake pedal becomes soft and does not stop the motorcycle. The same problem occurred each time within 2-3 months of the repair. The only way to stop the motorcycle is to use the front brake. The BMW service department cannot explain the reason this keeps happening.
After three BMW dealer visits and rear brakes having been bled, the rear brake pedal becomes soft and does not stop the motorcycle. The same problem occurred each time within 2-3 months of the repair. The only way to stop the motorcycle is to use the front brake. The BMW service department cannot explain the reason this keeps happening.
4/2021 Prior to 4/2021, I had complained verbally with visits and calls to the dealership about an intermittent (CC ) Cruise Control issue. They could not find a problem w/the CC. I now consider this issue is related to the rear caliper ceasing. 5/30/2022 (RC) Rear caliper ceased without any indications. The (MC) motorcycle, presented w/a power loss otherwise unknowingly to me until later in the ride. Caliper appeared to cease causing heat scorched rear pads, caliper very hot. I smelled brake burn upon slowing down, noticing both power loss and my CC not working. 6/9/2022 Dealership found “no warranty concerns” and nothing wrong w/the MC they could find. I had disputed being charged $222.xx and then implied by both the service manager and BMW Customer Support that I was dragging my brake. This was all after 25 months of ownership and 9K miles of riding. I did offer them to keep the bike and ride it but they did not. August 6th 10K + miles Riding on the interstate, my CC suddenly quit. I stopped later to find that the recently replaced rear brake pads showed heat scorch once again. Still as I submit this all to you, the dealership along w/BMW CS, holds the position that nothing is wrong with the MC and I must have been riding my brake. 9/9/2022 After waiting 3 week more from an inquiry to the GM at the dealership, I received a response to repair my MC but not under warranty. I quote, “I just got the approval today from BMW. They are willing to as a one time customer goodwill cover $500 of the repair as this is not a coverable warranty due to the lack of fault found. The dealership has appeared to stand on their original diagnoses that there is no fault found. Below are similar issues resulting in what many would consider a serious safety concern. https://www.advrider.com/f/threads/overheated-rear-caliper.1524259/ https://www.advrider.com/f/threads/2019-r1250gs-rear-brake-caliper-heat.1526221/ Please see the federal safety agency Complaint Number:11397766
Lost all of the pressure when depressing rear brakes. The bike is 1 year and 5 months old. Rear brakes do not slow motorcycle when depressing the entire travel of the pedal. Service manager at BMW stated they have seen this problem on other similar model motorcycles. No warning lamps.
Tl* the contact owns a 2019 bmw r 1250 gs adventure. The contact received notification of the federal safety agency campaign number: 20v476000 (service brakes, hydraulic, service brakes) however, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The contact stated that the calipers were leaking. Eurotek oklahoma city, 417 hudiburg cir ste. C, oklahoma city, ok 73108) was contacted and confirmed that parts were not yet available for the recall repair. The contact was informed that there was no solution yet determined and the dealer and manufacturer were not offering a repair currently. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The vehicle was not repaired. The approximate failure mileage was 8,000. Vin tool confirms parts not available.
The motorcycle fails to start. This occurs randomly. It has occurred after driving approximately 30 miles. I stop and turn off the bike. When I attempt to restart, it won't turn over. The battery has been checked. Bmw says that can't determine the problem. There are forums from riders around the world who share this same experience. The only way to restart is with jumper cables. I believe this is a life-safety issue. It might not restart on the freeway, or in a remote location. The motorcycle has 12,000 miles. It has not restarted 3 times now. The motorcycle has been in the shop for 7 weeks.
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Questions about the 2019 BMW R 1250 GS
Is the 2019 BMW R 1250 GS reliable?
Owners have filed 15 complaints about the 2019 BMW R 1250 GS, 5.0 times a typical R 1250 GS model year.
What is the most common problem with the 2019 BMW R 1250 GS?
Brakes, with 12 complaints, typically around 1,508 miles. Next is engine (3).
How many recalls does the 2019 BMW R 1250 GS have?
3 recalls, covering power train, service brakes and service brakes, hydraulic.
Was there a recall on the 2019 BMW R 1250 GS brakes?
Yes, 2 recalls: 20V476000, 20V166000. Check your VIN to see if your car still needs the free repair.
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