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BMW motorcycles: front brake calipers can leak brake fluid

NHTSA campaign 20V476000 · Reported 2020-08-13 · BMW of North America, LLC

high How serious is it? About this label

Serious — weakened front brakes on a motorcycle raise the risk of a crash, so check your brake fluid level and get the free inspection done right away.

What's wrong, in plain English

The front brake calipers on these motorcycles — the parts that squeeze the brake pads against the wheel — can leak brake fluid while the bike is parked. Over time that leak lowers the fluid level in the reservoir, and low fluid can weaken your front braking. Because these bikes don't meet the federal motorcycle brake standard, dealers will inspect the front calipers and replace them with an improved version at no cost.

What you should do

1. Enter your VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls to confirm your motorcycle is included. 2. Contact your BMW Motorrad dealer, or BMW customer service at 1-800-525-7417, to schedule the inspection now that the remedy is available. 3. Have the front brake calipers replaced with the improved version — free of charge.

Affected vehicles (7)

Who to contact

BMW — official BMW recall lookup

Customer service: 1-800-525-7417

Any franchised dealer for the brand can do the repair. Phone numbers are taken from manufacturer sites and recent NHTSA notices; if one has changed, the number in your own recall letter is the one to use.

The bigger picture

Official notice

Component
SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FOUNDATION COMPONENTS:DISC:CALIPER
Summary
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."
Safety 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.

Verify your specific vehicle by VIN at nhtsa.gov. Recall repairs are free of charge by law.