Less than a year since BMW Motorrad started delivering their next-generation R 1300 GS to customers, the German manufacturer has announced a new recall related to issues with the semiconductor starter relay. It is estimated that a total of 1,582 units in the United States and around 25,000 units worldwide produced between July 14th, 2023 – March 18th, 2024 are potentially affected.
According to the safety report filed with the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) the starter relay is enclosed in a housing which was produced with an insufficient injection molding process. This manufacturing defect could make the housing susceptible to damage during motorcycle assembly or a dealer maintenance visit, making it possible for moisture to enter the unit. In certain environmental conditions, this could lead to corrosion of internal electrical contacts in the relay.
Leakage of current between corroded contacts could result in components heating up. This could lead to heat damage (scorching damage/smoke development) on the starter relay. In rare cases, this could increase the risk of a thermal event or a fire. BMW states riders should be wary of warning signs such as the starter motor turning on its own, odor of overheating electric components, and obviously, smoke.