2003 BMW R1150 R

Routine

Owners filed 5 complaints about this vehicle with federal regulators, most often about the engine and engine cooling › engine › gasoline. It has been recalled 1 time.

What fails
ComponentReportsCrashesFiresInjuries
Power Train › Automatic Transmission1
000
Fuel System, Other › Delivery › Hoses, Lines/Piping, and Fittings1
000
Fuel System, Gasoline › Delivery › Hoses, Lines/Piping, and Fittings1
000
Engine and Engine Cooling › Engine › Gasoline1
000
Electrical System › Wiring1
000

1 safety recall

Part 573 reports
Power Train › Manual Transmission02V319000
Filed Nov 27, 2002515 vehiclesBayerische Motoren Werke

Defect. ON CERTAIN MOTORCYCLES, IT IS POSSIBLE THAT THE 3RD AND 4TH TRANSMISSION GEAR (SHIFT) WHEELS MAY NOT BE SECURELY SEATED ON THE INTERMEDIATE SHAFT. CONSEQUENTLY, WHEN ATTEMPTING TO SHIFT FROM 5TH TO 6TH GEAR, ENGAGEMENT OF THE TWO GEARS MAY OCCUR SIMULTANEOUSLY.

Risk. IF THIS HAPPENS, THE GEAR WHEELS COULD CRACK RESULTING IN A LOSS OF TRANSMISSION CAPABILITY, OR, A LOCK OF TRANSMISSION COULD OCCUR. THE REAR WHEEL COULD LOCK WHICH, DEPENDING UPON TRAFFIC AND ROAD CONDITIONS, AND THE RIDER'S REACTION, COULD AFFECT THE STABILITY OF THE MOTORCYCLE.

Remedy. DEALERS WILL INSPECT THE MOTORCYCLES AND REPLACE THE TRANSMISSION GEAR BOX IF NECESSARY. OWNER NOTIFICATION IS EXPECTED TO BEGIN DURING DECEMBER 2002. OWNERS WHO TAKE THEIR VEHICLES TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER ON AN AGREED UPON SERVICE DATE AND DO NOT RECEIVE THE FREE REMEDY WITHIN A REASONABLE TIME SHOULD CONTACT BMW AT 1-800-831-1117, OPTION #4.

What owners reported

Newest filings
Electrical System › Wiring
Filed Apr 13, 20079,100 milesNV

TL* - THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 BMW R1150 WITH CURRENT FAILURE OF MILEAGE OF 9,100 MILES. THE MOTORCYCLE WAS HAVING THE SAME PROBLEM AS MENTIONED IN RECALL CAMPAIGN # 03V483000 CONCERNING ENGINE HESITATION OR MISFIRING. WHILE DRIVING IN GOOD WEATHER AND ROAD CONDITIONS, THE MOTORCYCLE BACK FIRED MORE THAN ONE TIME. THE BACK FIRE OCCURRED WHILE DRIVING 4500 RPMS IN 6TH GEAR. THE BACK FIRE CAUSED ENGINE DAMAGE. THE MOTORCYCLE WAS REPAIRED BY A PRIVATE MECHANIC. THE CONTACT REPORTED THE PROBLEM TO THE MANUFACTURER, WHO STATED THAT THIS MOTORCYCLE WAS NOT INCLUDED IN RECALL. *AK THE CONSUMER STATES AFTER HAVING THE REPAIRS DONE, HE IS EXPERIENCING MODERATE ENGINE SURGING AND SOME OIL CONSUMPTION. UPDATE 5/3/07*TR

Fuel System, Gasoline › Delivery › Hoses, Lines/Piping, and Fittings
Filed Jan 16, 20047,700 milesVA

I OWN A 2004 BMW R1150R MOTORCYCLE. THIS MORNING ON MY WAY TO WORK I SMELLED A GASOLINE ODOR. I COULDN'T SEE ANYTHING OBVIOUS SINCE IT WAS DARK OUT. WHEN I ARRIVED AT WORK IT APPEARED THAT ABOUT A PINT OF RAW GASOLINE HAD LEAKED OUT OF MY FUEL LINES ONTO THE RIGHT SIDE OF THE TRANSMISSION, THEN DRIPPED DOWN ONTO THE HOT EXHAUST. *CB

Fuel System, Other › Delivery › Hoses, Lines/Piping, and Fittings
Filed Jan 7, 2004NY

WHEN STARTING THE MOTORCYCLE CONSUMER NOTICED FUEL LEAKING FROM THE FUEL HOSE. *AK

Power Train › Automatic Transmission
Filed Oct 8, 2003TX

BMW R1150R MOTORCYCLE.*MR THIS LETTER IS TO REQUEST ASSISTANCE IN RESOLVING A WARRANTY PROBLEM WHICH THE MANUFACTURER REFUSES TO ADDRESS FURTHER. THE CONSUMER HAS TAKEN THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALERSHIP ON SEVERAL OCCASSIONS FOR TRANSMISSION, DRIVELINE AND FUEL INJECTION PROBLEMS. *CB

Engine and Engine Cooling › Engine › Gasoline
Filed Jul 18, 2003100 milesGA

ENGINE SURGES AT ALL SPEEDS BELOW 4000 RPM. THIS IS A WELL DOCUMENTED PROBLEM EXPERIENCED BY THOUSANDS OF OWNERS OF THIS MOTORCYCLE. ENGINE STALLS WHEN SLOWING AND DOWN SHIFTING. *JB

5 of 5 complaints, reproduced as filed.

Across model years

Worst on record: 2004
YearComplaintsRecallsFiresDeathsAssessment
20049110Routine
2003 — this page5100Routine

Compare every R1150 R year →

Reading this record

No unusual pattern of severe incidents in the complaint record.

Complaint counts track how many cars were sold and how long they have been on the road as much as they track quality. A common model from 2013 has had a decade to accumulate reports; a rare one from last year has not. The signal worth weighing is in the severity columns, in whether the same component keeps appearing, and in whether the manufacturer eventually opened a recall for it.

Recall repairs are free for as long as the recall stands. Check whether a specific car still has open work at NHTSA's VIN lookup.

Most recent recall on file: Nov 27, 2002. Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation.