2003 Bmw R1150GS: complaints, problems and recalls
Explore the records behind recurring owner reports.
Key facts
2 owner complaints analyzed
0 distinct recall campaigns
44,346 mi median reported failure mileage
Scope: 2003 model year. Data updated: . 2 complaints include usable failure mileage. View data status.
This selection has limited data. It remains available for lookup but is excluded from search indexing.
Most common problems
Power Train is the most frequently named component, appearing in 2 of 2 complaints (100.0%). A complaint can name multiple components.
Component breakdown
Number of unique complaints naming each component. Top eight shown.
| Category | Count |
|---|---|
| Power Train | 2 |
Power Train: 2
Reported problems by failure mileage
Complaint counts in mileage bands. These are not failure rates per vehicle or mile.
| Category | Count |
|---|---|
| Under 25,000 | 0 |
| 25,000 to 49,999 | 2 |
| 50,000 to 74,999 | 0 |
| 75,000 to 99,999 | 0 |
| 100,000 to 149,999 | 0 |
| 150,000 and above | 0 |
Under 25,000: 0; 25,000 to 49,999: 2; 50,000 to 74,999: 0; 75,000 to 99,999: 0; 100,000 to 149,999: 0; 150,000 and above: 0
25,000 to 49,999 miles has the most reports with usable mileage (2). 0 complaints have missing, zero or invalid mileage.
Complaints over time
Year the complaint was filed, not the vehicle model year or incident year. The snapshot year is partial.
| Category | Count |
|---|---|
| 2012 | 2 |
2012: 2
Pattern summary
Power Train leads the component reports. Use these patterns to inspect individual reports and prepare questions for a mechanic.
Calculated from recorded counts. An AI narrative has not been published for this selection.
Examples from the source records
Examples provide context, not a representative sample or a verified diagnosis.
Owner report 10447361 · 2012-02-10 (February 10, 2012)
CROWN GEAR BEARING FAILURE, NO OIL LEAK. PROGRESSIVE VIBRATION FELT IN FOOTPEGS AND SEAT, SEVERAL VERY BRIEF REAR WHEEL LOCK-UPS. METAL FUZZ ON MAGNETIC PLUG, PULLED THE DRIVE, SENT TO AN INDEPENDENT EXPERT (NOT A BMW DEALER) WHO CONFIRMED THE FAILURE AND REBUILT THE DRIVE. *TR
Owner-reported narrative. 44,692 miles reported. Look up ODI 10447361 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10470206 · 2012-08-11 (August 11, 2012)
FINAL DRIVE FAILURE CAUSING OIL TO SPILL ONTO REAR TIRE WHILE RIDING. THIS IS THE SAME FAILURE AS DESCRIBED IN ODI NO. 10439549, AND CURRENTLY BEING INVESTIGATED UNDER CAMPAIGN DP12001. *TR
Owner-reported narrative. 44,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10470206 at NHTSA ↗
Recall history
0 distinct campaigns affect this selection. Announcement dates below are different from vehicle model years. A campaign may cover multiple years.
No recall campaigns are recorded in this snapshot.
Vehicle analysis explorer
Inspect model-year patterns, reported mileage, monthly activity and the evidence behind each signal.
Data completeness
2 unique complaints in this selection. Analysis snapshot: 2026-10-01.
Missing, zero and invalid mileage is excluded. Dates after the snapshot are excluded. Examples are limited selections, not a representative sample.
Problems by model year
Model-wide comparison of the eight most reported components across the model. Cells show counts and shares within each model year. Open a cell for source examples.
| Component | 2000 | 2001 | 2002 | 2003 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Service Brakes, Hydraulic:Antilock/Traction Control/Electronic Limited Slip | 00.0%No examples available for this selection. | 00.0%No examples available for this selection. | 628.6%ODI 10025621 · 28,200 miFINAL DRIVE FAILURE ON BMW R1150GS MOTORCYCLE AT 28,200 MILES RESULTING IN LOSS OF OIL AND REQUIRING COMPLETE FINAL DRIVE AND ABS SENSOR REPLACEMENT.*AK | 00.0%No examples available for this selection. |
| Power Train | 00.0%No examples available for this selection. | 133.3%ODI 10446389 · 32,000 miWHILE ON A CROSS COUNTRY MOTORCYCLE TRIP. I WAS TRAVELING AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS WHEN THE MOTORCYCLE BEGAN TO HAVE A GRINDING NOISE AND VIBRATION FROM THE REAR. I STOPPED TO FIND OIL LEAKING FROM THE FINAL DRIVE ALL OVER THE REAR TIRE AND WHEEL ASSEMBLY. WHILE ATTEMPTING TO STOP, THE REAR ABS SYSTEM ACTIVATED BECAUSE THE GEAR OIL SATURATED THE BRAKE ROTOR AND PADS. I ALMOST CRASHED THE MOTORCYCLE BECAUSE OF THE OIL ON THE TIRE. THE FINAL DRIVE WAS SERVICED PER BMW SPECIFICATIONS OF GEAR OILTYPE AND WEIGHT DAYS PRIOR TO THE TRIP. THERE WERE NO INDICA… | 14.8%ODI 10456593 · 41,034 miMY 2002 BMW 1150GS MOTORCYCLE HAS ONLY JUST OVER 41K MILES ON THE ODOMETER. THESE MOTORCYCLES ARE ADVERTISED TO THE PUBLIC AS ABLE TO DRIVE FOREVER ACROSS CONTINENTS, BUT THAT IS NOT THE CASE. I WAS VERY SURPRISED WHEN IT LOST SOME INTERNAL GEARS LAST WEEKEND AND SOMETHING LET GO IN THE GEARBOX WHEN SHIFTING BETWEEN 5TH AND 6TH UNDER NORMAL OPERATING CONDITIONS. AFTER REGULAR MAINTENANCE, THE TRANSMISSION IS NO LONGER OPERATIONAL. METAL FRAGMENTS CAME OUT OF THE TRANSMISSION WHEN DRAINED OF FLUID. THIS IS A TOTAL TRANSMISSION FAILURE AND WI… | 2100.0%ODI 10447361 · 44,692 miCROWN GEAR BEARING FAILURE, NO OIL LEAK. PROGRESSIVE VIBRATION FELT IN FOOTPEGS AND SEAT, SEVERAL VERY BRIEF REAR WHEEL LOCK-UPS. METAL FUZZ ON MAGNETIC PLUG, PULLED THE DRIVE, SENT TO AN INDEPENDENT EXPERT (NOT A BMW DEALER) WHO CONFIRMED THE FAILURE AND REBUILT THE DRIVE. *TR |
| Power Train:Driveline | 266.7%ODI 10043215 · 35,000 miI HAD A FINAL DRIVE BEARING FAILURE IN MY BMW 2000 R1150GS MOTORCYCLE AT 35,000 MILES. IT WAS REPAIRED UNDER WARRANTY, NEXT TIME IT WILL NOT BE. THIS PROBLEM IS HAPPENING FAR TO FREQUENTLY ON LOW MILEAGE BIKES OF SEVERAL MODELS. *LA | 133.3%ODI 10091356 · 43,000 miBMW MOTORCYCLE REAR DRIVE FAILURE, COULD LEAD TO CATASTROPHIC CRASH IF REAR WHEEL LOCKS UP. DRIVE FAILED WITH NO ADVANCE SYMPTOMS. DRIVE REBUILT.*AK | 14.8%ODI 10168484 · 35,900 miIN APRIL 2005, I EXPERIENCED A FINAL DRIVE FAILURE ON MY 2002 BMW R1150GS. DURING A 36,000 MILE SERVICE, I REPORTED A SLIGHT OIL LEAK AROUND THE RUBBER BOOT ON THE FINAL DRIVE SHAFT. BMW REPLACED THE FINAL DRIVE BEARING THAT WAS STILL UNDER WARRANTY. THE ENTIRE FINAL DRIVE WAS REPLACED DURING THE SERVICE AT NO CHARGE. THE FINAL DRIVE FAILURE PROBLEM IS A MAJOR ISSUE AND I AM AWARE OF SIX LOCAL BMW MOTORCYCLES, BOTH R AND K SERIES THAT HAVE EXPERIENCED FINAL DRIVE FAILURES IN THE PAST THREE YEARS. *NM | 00.0%No examples available for this selection. |
| Fuel System, Gasoline:Delivery | 00.0%No examples available for this selection. | 00.0%No examples available for this selection. | 29.5%ODI 766922FUEL LINE ON RIGHT SIDE OF MOTORCYCLE LEAKED APPROXIMATELY 1 TABLESPOON OF FUEL WITHIN A FEW SECONDS OF ENGINE STARTUP. ENGINE WAS STOPPED BEFORE ANY DAMAGE COULD TAKE PLACE. FUEL LEAKED FROM FUEL LINE ABOVE RIGHT CYLINDER, RAN DOWN THE SIDE OF THE ENGINE AND STARTED TO DRIP ONTO CATALYTIC CONVERTER. HAD THE CATALYTIC CONVERTER BEEN AT FULL OPERATING TEMPERATURE, THIS WOULD ALMOST CERTAINLY HAVE RESULTED IN A FIRE. I ONLY NOTICED THE LEAK BECAUSE I WAS DOING A PRE-RIDE CHECK OF THE BIKE, BUT HAD I NOT PAID ATTENTION, THE FUEL WOULD HAVE BEE… | 00.0%No examples available for this selection. |
| Power Train:Driveline:Driveshaft | 00.0%No examples available for this selection. | 00.0%No examples available for this selection. | 29.5%ODI 10025621 · 28,200 miFINAL DRIVE FAILURE ON BMW R1150GS MOTORCYCLE AT 28,200 MILES RESULTING IN LOSS OF OIL AND REQUIRING COMPLETE FINAL DRIVE AND ABS SENSOR REPLACEMENT.*AK | 00.0%No examples available for this selection. |
| Service Brakes, Hydraulic | 00.0%No examples available for this selection. | 00.0%No examples available for this selection. | 29.5% | 00.0%No examples available for this selection. |
| Electrical System | 00.0%No examples available for this selection. | 00.0%No examples available for this selection. | 14.8%ODI 11327171 · 22,419 miSUSPECTED ELECTRICAL FIRE LED TO THE MOTORCYCLE BEING ENGULFED IN FLAMES SHORTLY AFTER STARTUP. *TR | 00.0%No examples available for this selection. |
| Fuel System, Gasoline | 00.0%No examples available for this selection. | 00.0%No examples available for this selection. | 14.8% | 00.0%No examples available for this selection. |
Darker cells indicate a larger share of submitted complaints. Components overlap. This measures complaint composition, not failure probability.
Failure mileage by component
Median and middle 50% of usable owner-reported mileages. Ranges require at least five records.
| Component | Mileage range (25th–75th percentile) | Median | Usable records | Examples |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Power Train | Too few reports for a range | 44,346 mi | 2 (sparse) | ODI 10447361 · 44,692 miCROWN GEAR BEARING FAILURE, NO OIL LEAK. PROGRESSIVE VIBRATION FELT IN FOOTPEGS AND SEAT, SEVERAL VERY BRIEF REAR WHEEL LOCK-UPS. METAL FUZZ ON MAGNETIC PLUG, PULLED THE DRIVE, SENT TO AN INDEPENDENT EXPERT (NOT A BMW DEALER) WHO CONFIRMED THE FAILURE AND REBUILT THE DRIVE. *TR ODI 10470206 · 44,000 miFINAL DRIVE FAILURE CAUSING OIL TO SPILL ONTO REAR TIRE WHILE RIDING. THIS IS THE SAME FAILURE AS DESCRIBED IN ODI NO. 10439549, AND CURRENTLY BEING INVESTIGATED UNDER CAMPAIGN DP12001. *TR |
Complaint and recall timeline
Explore monthly filing activity alongside recall announcements. Up to ten years of monthly history is available.
Solid line: filed complaints. Dashed amber lines: recall announcement dates for this vehicle selection; markers include all recall components. The latest month is partial. Temporal proximity does not establish causation.
Monthly counts, recall campaigns and complaint examples
| Month | Complaints | Campaigns announced | Examples |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2024-11 | 0 | None | No examples available for this selection. |
| 2024-12 | 0 | None | No examples available for this selection. |
| 2025-01 | 0 | None | No examples available for this selection. |
| 2025-02 | 0 | None | No examples available for this selection. |
| 2025-03 | 0 | None | No examples available for this selection. |
| 2025-04 | 0 | None | No examples available for this selection. |
| 2025-05 | 0 | None | No examples available for this selection. |
| 2025-06 | 0 | None | No examples available for this selection. |
| 2025-07 | 0 | None | No examples available for this selection. |
| 2025-08 | 0 | None | No examples available for this selection. |
| 2025-09 | 0 | None | No examples available for this selection. |
| 2025-10 | 0 | None | No examples available for this selection. |
| 2025-11 | 0 | None | No examples available for this selection. |
| 2025-12 | 0 | None | No examples available for this selection. |
| 2026-01 | 0 | None | No examples available for this selection. |
| 2026-02 | 0 | None | No examples available for this selection. |
| 2026-03 | 0 | None | No examples available for this selection. |
| 2026-04 | 0 | None | No examples available for this selection. |
| 2026-05 | 0 | None | No examples available for this selection. |
| 2026-06 | 0 | None | No examples available for this selection. |
| 2026-07 | 0 | None | No examples available for this selection. |
| 2026-08 | 0 | None | No examples available for this selection. |
| 2026-09 | 0 | None | No examples available for this selection. |
| 2026-10 (partial) | 0 | None | No examples available for this selection. |
Emerging complaint spikes
Complete months in the latest six months with at least 10 complaints, at least twice the preceding 12-month average, and at least three square-root deviations above that average.
This is a descriptive screening rule, not a statistical defect finding. Publicity and reporting changes can increase submissions.
No complete months meet the spike thresholds for this selection.
Equal-age model-year comparison
Model-wide cumulative reports during the first three or five calendar years, starting with the model year (age 0). Only fully elapsed windows are compared.
2002: 16 complaints · 2003: 0 complaints
| Model year | Through age 0 | Through age 1 | Through age 2 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2002 | 11 | 14 | 16 |
| 2003 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Date coverage across each selected cohort
| Year | Incident dates used | Filing date fallbacks | Excluded dates |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2002 | 15 | 5 | 1 |
| 2003 | 2 | 0 | 0 |
Incident date is preferred when valid and no later than filing; otherwise filing date is used. Model year approximates age. Equal observation time does not adjust for sales, distance driven or reporting delays. One complaint linked to multiple model years can appear in each cohort.
Components reported together
Each cell counts unique complaints naming both components. Open a nonzero cell for examples.
| Component | Power Train |
|---|---|
| Power Train | — |
Co-reporting does not establish that one component caused another concern.
Recurring narrative patterns
Specific keyword mentions beyond broad component labels. Matching includes negations and comparisons and does not confirm a diagnosis.
0 patterns with matching reports.
No narratives match the published patterns.