NHTSA recalls & complaints · 2003–2004
NHTSA lists 2 recall campaigns and 14 owner complaints for the BMW R 1150 R, covering model years 2003 to 2004. The 2004 model year drew the most complaints (9), and Fuel System, Gasoline is the component owners name most often.
Source: NHTSA recall and complaint flat files, updated September 25, 2026.
See the model year, plant and build details of one vehicle, then the recalls for its exact year.
The 2004 model year has the most complaints: 9 of 14, or 64.3%. Next come 2003 (5).
| Model year | Complaints | Reporting a crash | Reporting a fire | Reporting an injury | Reporting a death |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2003 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 2004 | 9 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| All model years | 14 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
Crash, fire, injury and death columns count complaints that report at least one of them, not people.
Fuel System, Gasoline is the component named most often, in 6 complaints (42.9% of all 14), followed by Engine and Engine Cooling (2) and Fuel System, Other (2).
| Component | Complaints | Share of complaints |
|---|---|---|
| Fuel System, Gasoline | 6 | 42.9% |
| Engine and Engine Cooling | 2 | 14.3% |
| Fuel System, Other | 2 | 14.3% |
| Fuel/Propulsion System | 2 | 14.3% |
| Power Train | 2 | 14.3% |
| Electrical System | 1 | 7.1% |
| Service Brakes, Hydraulic | 1 | 7.1% |
One complaint can name several components, so the shares add up to more than 100%. Component names are NHTSA’s top-level categories.
These figures count complaints that vehicle owners and other members of the public have submitted to NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation. NHTSA uses complaints, together with other data, to spot safety issues that may warrant an investigation and to check whether existing recalls go far enough.
Use complaint patterns as a prompt for questions: whether a recall covers the issue, whether the vehicle you are considering has had the fix, and what a mechanic finds on inspection. For confirmed safety defects, see the recall list for this model.
Every vehicle recall campaign NHTSA lists under the model name R 1150 R, newest first. The 2 campaigns cover model years 2003 to 2004. The 2003 and 2004 model years appear in the most campaigns (1 each).
| 2003: 1 campaign | 2004: 1 campaign |
NHTSA campaign 04V235000
Reported
Model year 2004
On certain motorcycles, the front spring strut upper stud bolt weld can fail. This could cause the bolt to break.
Filed by BMW of North America, LLC
NHTSA campaign 02V319000
Reported
Model year 2003
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.
Filed by BMW of North America, LLC
Recall text is shown as NHTSA publishes it; older campaigns, which NHTSA stores in capital letters, are shown in sentence case. NHTSA’s Vehicle Safety Hotline, 1-888-327-4236, also answers recall questions.
This list shows every safety recall campaign NHTSA has on file for this make, model and model year. It is not specific to one vehicle: a recall often covers only vehicles built in a certain date range or with a certain part, and many of the vehicles it covers will already have been repaired.
| Field | What it tells you |
|---|---|
| Campaign number | NHTSA's unique ID for the recall, such as 20V771000. Quote it to a dealer or when searching NHTSA's site. |
| Component | The system or part involved, for example air bags, brakes or electrical software. |
| Summary | What the defect or non-compliance is and which vehicles are covered. |
| Consequence | The safety risk if the problem isn't fixed. |
| Remedy | What the manufacturer will do, such as a repair, replacement or software update, and whether it is free. |
Does your vehicle have an open recall? Only a VIN check can tell you. Enter the VIN at NHTSA's recall lookup (opens in a new tab) or on the manufacturer's website. Our VIN recall check guide explains what each option covers.
NHTSA lists 2 vehicle recall campaigns for the BMW R 1150 R, covering model years 2003 to 2004. The most recent, 04V235000, was reported on May 19, 2004 and is filed under “Suspension”. The 2003 and 2004 model years are covered by the most campaigns (1 each).
The 2004 model year, with 9 of the 14 complaints in NHTSA’s file (64.3%). The next is 2003 (5). Complaint counts also reflect how many vehicles of each year were sold and how long they have been on the road, so they are not a reliability ranking.
Fuel System, Gasoline is the component named most often: 6 complaints, or 42.9% of all 14. Engine and Engine Cooling (2) and Fuel System, Other (2) follow. Complaints are unverified reports from owners, not confirmed defects, and one complaint can name several components.
Not necessarily. Each campaign lists specific model years, and many cover only vehicles built in a certain period or fitted with a certain part; repairs already carried out aren’t shown. To see whether a recall is open on your vehicle, enter its VIN at NHTSA’s recall lookup (opens in a new tab) or ask a BMW dealer.
Of the 14 complaints, 0 report a crash, 1 a fire, 0 at least one injury and 0 at least one death. These figures count complaints, not people, and each complaint is the submitter’s own unverified account.
The BMW models with the most NHTSA complaints, and the BMW VIN decoder with every BMW model page, WMI code and VIN note.
All BMW models and WMI codesLook up recalls by year
Data: NHTSA recalls and complaints flat files, updated September 25, 2026. Recall campaigns are vehicle (V) campaigns listed for this model name; complaints are counted once per NHTSA ODI number and model year.