1998 BMW K1200RS Recalls, Complaints & Specs
4 safety recalls list the 1998 BMW K1200RS, and owners have filed 6 complaints with NHTSA. Check your own VIN below.
4 safety recalls for the 1998 BMW K1200RS
Most recent first. Recall repairs are free at any authorised dealer. Click a recall for the full defect, consequence and remedy text.
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Engine (engine and engine cooling)
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 loosen or detach, resulting in…
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.
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Engine (engine and engine cooling)
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 operation.
Remedy: Dealers will replace the sealing plugs with a stainless steel plug design.
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Tank assembly (fuel system)
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.
Remedy: Dealers will replace the fuel pump-to-tank gasket.
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Service brakes, hydraulic
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.
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…
6 owner complaints filed with NHTSA
Owners of the 1998 BMW K1200RS have filed 6 complaints with NHTSA. The average mileage at failure in those reports is 55,500 miles. Complaints peaked in 1998 with 3 filed that year.
Most-reported components
What owners are reporting
“(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”
Owner complaint to NHTSA, April 23, 2012 · Service brakes, hydraulic
“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”
Owner complaint to NHTSA, April 13, 2012 · Fuel system, gasoline
Compare BMW K1200RS model years
Recall and complaint counts for every BMW K1200RS model year in NHTSA's database.
| Model year | Recalls | Complaints |
|---|---|---|
| 1997 BMW K1200RS | 0 | 1 |
| 1998 BMW K1200RS | 4 | 6 |
| 1999 BMW K1200RS | 1 | 2 |
| 2000 BMW K1200RS | 1 | 4 |
| 2001 BMW K1200RS | 0 | 7 |
| 2002 BMW K1200RS | 0 | 18 |
Checking a specific 1998 BMW K1200RS
How do I know if my 1998 BMW K1200RS has an open recall?
Enter your 17-character VIN above. The VIN is on the driver's side dashboard (visible through the windshield), the driver's door jamb sticker, and your registration or insurance card. The check runs against NHTSA's live database and tells you which campaigns list your vehicle. 4 campaigns currently list the 1998 BMW K1200RS; your car may already have been repaired under some of them.
Is the recall repair free?
Yes. Under federal law, manufacturers must fix safety recalls at no charge for vehicles up to 15 years old from the date of sale to the first owner. Contact any authorised BMW dealer with your VIN and the NHTSA campaign number (for example 00V264000).
What is the difference between a recall and a complaint?
A recall is a safety campaign filed by the manufacturer or ordered by NHTSA, with a defined defect and remedy. A complaint is a report an owner sent to NHTSA; it is not verified, but patterns of complaints are what trigger NHTSA investigations and, eventually, recalls.
Other BMW models
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Source: NHTSA recall and complaint databases and EPA fuel economy data, October 2026. Complaint counts are owner reports to NHTSA, not verified defects. Recall counts are safety campaigns that list this model year; whether a particular car was already repaired depends on its VIN. How this data is compiled.