2012 BMW K 1600 GTL Problems, Complaints & Recalls
- Compared with other K 1600 GTL years
- Far more complaints than other years 1st of 15 for complaints
- Safety recalls
- 4 recalls: check your VIN
- NHTSA crash rating
- Not rated
Owners have filed 33 complaints with NHTSA about the 2012 BMW K 1600 GTL. That is the most of any K 1600 GTL model year in the database (15 years). The most reported problem area is electrical system (8 complaints, 24%), typically at around 5,800 miles. There are 4 safety recalls covering this model year. NHTSA has opened 1 defect investigation involving it.
- 33owner complaints
- 4safety recalls
- 1NHTSA investigations
- 0complaints mentioning a crash
Complaints are unverified owner reports and are not adjusted for sales volume.
Most common 2012 BMW K 1600 GTL problems
Complaints grouped by the part of the car owners reported, with the median mileage when the problem happened.
| Problem area | Complaints | Share | Median miles | Owners mention most | Typical repair cost |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Electrical System | 8 | 24% | 5,800 | — | — |
| Steering | 7 | 21% | 115 | — | — |
| Fuel/propulsion System | 6 | 18% | 19,000 | — | — |
| Engine | 4 | 12% | 16,000 | — | — |
| Exterior Lighting | 4 | 12% | 5,300 | — | — |
| Fuel System, Gasoline | 4 | 12% | 150 | — | — |
| Power Train | 3 | 9% | 2,900 | — | — |
| Suspension | 2 | 6% | 6,035 | — | — |
| Vehicle Speed Control | 2 | 6% | 11,000 | — | — |
| Wheels | 2 | 6% | 6,027 | — | — |
| Engine and Engine Cooling | 1 | 3% | 1,400 | — | — |
| Visibility/wiper | 1 | 3% | 13,000 | — | — |
One complaint can list several problem areas, so shares can add up to more than 100%.
Complaints by year received
2012 BMW K 1600 GTL recalls (4)
Tap a recall to see the problem, the risk and the fix.
Fuel system, gasoline:delivery:fuel pump
Problem: 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.
Fix: 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.
Fuel system, gasoline:delivery:fuel pump
Problem: BMW of North America, LLC (BMW) is recalling certain 2009-2011 K1300 (S, GT), 2010-2011 S1000 RR, 2005-2011 R1200 (GS, GS Adventure, R, RT, S, ST), 2006-2010 HP2 (Enduro, Megamoto, Sport), 2005-2008 K1200 (R, R Sport, S, GT), and 2012 K1600 (GT, GTL) motorcycles that were repaired under recall 13V-617 with the support ring remedy and where the fuel pump was not replaced at a later date. This recall involves the fuel pump, and also the auxiliary fuel pump as applicable. The affected motorcycles have a fuel pump flange that may crack, possibly resulting in a fuel leak while the engine is running.
Risk: A fuel leak in the presence of an ignition source can increase the risk of a fire.
Fix: BMW will notify owners, and dealers will replace the fuel pump(s) with an improved version, free of charge. The recall began January 18, 2021. Owners may contact BMW customer service at 1-800-525-7417.
Fuel system, gasoline:delivery:fuel pump
Problem: BMW of North America, LLC (BMW) is recalling certain model year 2005-2011 model year R-model motorcycles, model year 2005-2012 K-model motorcycles, model year 2010-2011 S 1000 model motorcycles, and model year 2006-2010 HP2 motorcycles. In the affected motorcycles, the fuel pump flange (and the auxiliary fuel pump flange if equipped) could develop cracks and leak fuel.
Risk: A fuel leak in the presence of an ignition source may result in a fire.
Fix: BMW will notify owners, and dealers will either reinforce the fuel pump flange or replace the pump, as necessary, free of charge. The recall began on April 16, 2014. Owners may contact BMW customer relations at 1-800-525-7417 or email BMW at [email protected].
Engine; electrical system:software; vehicle speed control
Problem: BMW of North America, LLC (BMW) is recalling certain model year 2012 K1600 GT and K1600 GTL motorcycles. In certain riding conditions, an incorrect throttle valve control signal may be received by the engine control unit, limiting the engine speed.
Risk: As a result of the reduced engine speed, the engine could stall, increasing the risk of a crash.
Fix: BMW will notify owners, and dealers will update the throttle control software, free of charge. The safety recall is expected to begin in December 2013. Owners may contact BMW customer relations at 1-800-525-7417 or email BMW at [email protected].
To see whether a specific car still has an open recall, enter its VIN on NHTSA's official recall lookup. You can also decode a VIN here.
NHTSA defect investigations
- Fuel Leak - Motorycle (EA13006) — opened Jul 12, 2013, closed Jan 31, 2014, led to recall 13V617000.
Recent owner reports
Short excerpts of the latest complaints filed with NHTSA, with personal details removed. Full reports can be searched on NHTSA.gov.
Strong scent of fuel odor. Plastic elbow connectors is the culprit . This is the 2nd time this bike went in for Fuel leak problem. 1st time it went in the Bmw service bike was at 19,500 miles went in for fuel leak recall. They said they fixed it but 300+ miles later at 19,800 miles it started a…
Motorcycle has 45000miles and the transmission started to stutter in 4th gear, the symptoms match the recalled transmission for 2017 bmw k1600. This is very dangerous and in 4th gear the vehicle is traveling at around 50mph, when applying throttle the whole bike bucks and becomes unstable
Greetings.  I was notified earlier this year of a recall on my bike.  The recall was issued in February, 2021 for a safety issue with the fuel pump.  While my dealer has been very understanding and responsive, I am told the part is not available and they have no idea when they will be able…
Dealer has not received ANY parts to repair this and cannot provide a date when they expect to receive them.
The contact owns a 2012 BMW K-1600. The contact received notification of NHTSA campaign number: 21V060000 (Fuel System, Gasoline) 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…
Other BMW K 1600 GTL years
← 2011 K 1600 GTL · 2013 K 1600 GTL →
| Year | Complaints | Recalls |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 K 1600 GTL | 0 | 1 |
| 2024 K 1600 GTL | 0 | 2 |
| 2023 K 1600 GTL | 0 | 1 |
| 2022 K 1600 GTL | 1 | 1 |
| 2021 K 1600 GTL | 1 | 1 |
| 2020 K 1600 GTL | 0 | 3 |
| 2019 K 1600 GTL | 3 | 3 |
| 2018 K 1600 GTL | 16 | 2 |
| 2017 K 1600 GTL | 0 | 1 |
| 2016 K 1600 GTL | 3 | 0 |
| 2015 K 1600 GTL | 1 | 0 |
| 2014 K 1600 GTL | 7 | 1 |
| 2013 K 1600 GTL | 7 | 1 |
| 2012 | 33 | 4 |
| 2011 K 1600 GTL | 0 | 1 |
See all BMW K 1600 GTL problems by year, every BMW model, or the BMW VIN decoder.
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Frequently asked questions
What are the most common problems with the 2012 BMW K 1600 GTL?
Owners most often report electrical system, steering, fuel/propulsion system problems. The top one, electrical system, accounts for 8 complaints.
Was there a recall on the 2012 BMW K 1600 GTL?
Yes, 4 safety recalls. Enter your VIN at NHTSA.gov to check whether the repairs were done on your car.
Was the 2012 BMW K 1600 GTL a good year?
Complaint data can't fully answer that, because counts aren't adjusted for sales. Compared with other K 1600 GTL model years, the 2012 has far more complaints than most years. Always get a pre-purchase inspection and check the VIN for open recalls.