Recalls, owner-reported complaints, investigations and safety data
Data refreshed
Owner complaintsComplaints are reports submitted to NHTSA by owners and drivers. NHTSA does not verify most reports before publishing them, and a complaint does not establish that a defect exists. Volume is influenced by how many of a vehicle were sold, how long it has been on the road, and how much attention an issue has received.
21
Latest Apr 8, 2021
Safety recallsA safety recall is issued when a manufacturer or NHTSA determines that a vehicle has a safety-related defect or does not comply with a federal motor vehicle safety standard. Recall repairs are free. Whether a specific vehicle is covered depends on its VIN — a recall listed for a model year does not necessarily apply to every vehicle of that year.
Crash or fire reportedComplaints whose submitter recorded that a crash or a fire occurred. These are the reporter's own answers on the NHTSA form, not verified findings.
4
2 injuries, 0 deaths reported
Overview
Our database contains 21 NHTSA owner-reported complaints for the 2003 BMW K1200LT, most frequently naming the powertrain (other), fuel system and transmission categories. 1 NHTSA investigation names it; and 7 manufacturer communications are on file.
Complaints are reports submitted by owners and drivers to NHTSA. They are not verified and do not establish that a defect exists.
Complaint activity over time
When owners filed reports about this model year
Monthly complaints peaked at 4 in Apr 2021. Most recent month: 4.View as table
Monthly owner complaints for the 2003 BMW K1200LT
Month
Complaints filed
Cumulative
Jul 2003
1
1
Aug 2003
1
2
Oct 2004
1
3
Feb 2006
1
4
Jun 2006
1
5
Aug 2006
1
6
Sep 2006
1
7
Feb 2008
1
8
Apr 2009
1
9
Sep 2010
1
10
Feb 2012
3
13
Jul 2012
1
14
Jun 2013
1
15
Jun 2014
1
16
Dec 2020
1
17
Apr 2021
4
21
What owners report
Complaints grouped by the component NHTSA recorded
Percentages are of component mentions. A single complaint can name more than one component, so these do not sum to the total complaint count.
Safety recalls
No recalls in our database for this model year
That does not guarantee a specific vehicle is unaffected — recalls are issued against VINs, and new campaigns are announced regularly. Check a VIN on NHTSA.gov.
Safety investigations
NHTSA inquiries naming this vehicle. An investigation is not a finding of a defect.
The Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) received a defect petition requesting that it open an investigation into model year (MY) 1998-2009 BMW KLT series motorcycles for final drive bearing failures.The petitioner asked NHTSA to issue an order that [BMW] be required to recall the affected models for inspection ofcomponent wear and proper assembly of the [final drive] bearing.ODI has reviewed the petition, assessed relevant consumer complaints, and gathered other data in the course of investigating this issue.Based on its review, ODI does not believe that a safety-related defect trend currently exists for final drive bearing failures in the subject motorcycles.Therefore, in view of the need to allocate and prioritize NHTSA's limited resources to accomplish the agency's safety mission, the petition is denied.However, the agency will continue to monitor information related to this issue and will take further action if warranted.For detailed information, see the Federal Register notice: https://federalregister.gov/a/2013-13779.
POWER TRAIN:DRIVELINE:DIFFERENTIAL UNIT
Recent owner complaints
Reports submitted to NHTSA, shown in the owner's own words
CLUTCH PLATE CRACKED. HAD TO REPLACE ALL PARTS TO THE FINAL DRIVE
NHTSA ID
11407107
Incident
Aug 14, 2013
Mileage
87,770 mi
Powertrain (other)
Filed Apr 8, 2021
DRIVE SHAFT HAD BREAK, DANGEROUS. CAUSED THE FINAL DRIVE GEARS TO BREAK, DANGEROUS. ON THE ROAD.
NHTSA ID
11407105
Incident
Mar 24, 2021
Mileage
107,000 mi
Fuel system
Filed Apr 6, 2021
Fire reported
2003 BMW K1200LTC TOURING MOTORCYCLE, WENT UP IN MASSIVE FLAMES AND A SUBSEQUENT EXPLOSION, WHILE PARKED AND ENGINE RUNNING / IDLING FOR APPROXIMATELY 3 MINUTES. FIRE DEPT. ARRIVED 10 MINUTES LATER, AND BATTELLED THE FLAMED FOR 7 MORE MINUTES TO EXTINGUISH IT. LUCKILY NO PERSONAL INJURY, BUT SOME PROPERTY DAMAGE AS A RESULT. INITIAL WHITE SMOKE, AND FLAMES OBSERVED AT THE FUEL-RAIL ABOVE THE ENGINE FRONT, LEFT HAND SIDE.
NHTSA ID
11406760
Incident
Dec 8, 2020
Mileage
42,600 mi
BrakesPowertrain (other)Suspension
Filed Apr 6, 2021
BRAKE LINES LEAKING AND REPLACED. $1002. IN REPAIRS. FINAL DRIVE LEAKING AND ALL GEAR DAMAGED.
NHTSA ID
11406630
Incident
Jul 7, 2020
Mileage
103,684 mi
ElectricalEngineFuel system
Filed Dec 9, 2020
Fire reported
2003 BMW K1200LT BURNED TO ASHES ON 12-08-2020. CAUGHT FIRE WHILE PARKED AFTER RUNNING FOR A FEW MINUTES. SMOKE FROM FRONT. FLAMES IN THE LOWER FRONT LEFT OF ENGINE. RECENT SERVICES- FEB 2020, INCLUDED REPLACING QUICK CONNECT FUEL LINES WITH NEW METAL UPGRADES, AFTER FUEL LEAK DETECTED. 42K MILES. HUGE FIRE. EXTREME DANGER WARNING.
NHTSA ID
11382726
Incident
Dec 8, 2020
Mileage
42,600 mi
Fuel system
Filed Jun 20, 2014
WHILE RIDING, FUEL BEGAN POURING OUT OVER MY RIGHT FOOT. IT TURNED OUT THAT THE FUEL LINE QUICK DISCONNECTS (USED FOR REMOVING THE FUEL TANK) DETERIORATED BECAUSE THEY ARE PLASTIC (THE PLASTIC PART HAS BEEN DISCONTINUED--THE REPLACEMENT PART IS NOW METAL). MY DEALER REPLACED THE DISCONNECTS WITH THE NEW, METAL PART. *TR
NHTSA ID
10604805
Incident
Jun 8, 2014
Mileage
50,737 mi
Powertrain (other)
Filed Jun 23, 2013
Crash reported1 injury reported
THE FINAL DRIVE DIFFERENTIAL FAILED, LOCKED UP THE REAR TIRE, CAUSE CATASTROPHIC LOSS OF CONTROL, EJECTION FROM THE MOTORCYCLE AT HIGHWAY SPEED, AND TOTAL LOSS OF THE MACHINE. THE RIDER SUFFERED MODERATE INJURIES, MOSTLY ABRASIONS AND BRUISES, AND BROKEN BONES. THE TIRE PRESSURES AND FINAL DRIVE FLUID LEVEL HAD BEEN CHECKED THAT DAY, AND WERE CORRECT. A $10,000 MACHINE WAS TOTALED BECAUSE OF A CHEAP PART THAT IS A KNOWN DEFECT, HAS OCCURRED OVER AND OVER, AND BMW HAS NOT BEEN ORDERED TO FIX THIS SAFETY ISSUE! *TR
NHTSA ID
10521267
Incident
Jun 17, 2013
Mileage
33,245 mi
Powertrain (other)
Filed Jul 5, 2012
FELT A STRANGE VIBRATION. EXITED THE ROAD AT THE NEXT EXIT ABOUT A MILE DOWN THE ROAD. UPON SLOWING BELOW 20 MPH, THE VIBRATION INCREASED. BRAKING WAS DIMINISHED AND USED DOWN SHIFTING. PULLED OVER INTO A PARKING LOT AND INSPECTED THE MOTORCYCLE. FOUND OIL RUNNING FROM THE FINAL DRIVE DOWN THE BRAKE ROTOR AND RIM/TIRE. CALLED FOR A TOW TRUCK TO TAKE IT TO THE LOCAL BMW DEALER. DEALER SAID THE FINAL DRIVE BEARINGS HAD FAILED AND THE ENTIRE FINAL DRIVE NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. SINCE THERE WAS A KNOWN ISSUE WITH THE PRE-2004 FINAL DRIVES, THE DEALER REPLACED WITH A FINAL DRIVE FROM A 2006. *TR
NHTSA ID
10464362
Incident
May 1, 2009
Mileage
31,555 mi
Manufacturer communications
A bulletin sent by a manufacturer to its dealers. Not a recall, and repairs are not necessarily free.
With the introduction of the new watertight fuse box a change was made from large type fuses to mini fuses. While the correct fuses are installed in the fuse box, the older, large type fuses were supplied in the on-board tool kit.
Map data should be stored on a 64 GB SD card. In GARMIN Express the note appears that a maximum of 32 GB is possible.
SIB-63-02-01
EXTERIOR LIGHTING
BMW: PROCEDURE FOR DETERMINING AND REPLACING INCANDESCENT AND HALOGEN LIGHT BULBS UNDER WARRANTY. *RM
SIB-16-02-09
FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:DELIVERY:FUEL PUMP
BMW VEHICLES: FUEL LEVEL SENSOR REPAIRS. WHERE IT IS NECESSARY TO REPLACE THE RIGHT OR THE LEFT SIDE FUEL LEVEL SENSOR DUE TO A FAILURE, THE ENTIRE PUMP AND HOUSING OR DELIVERY UNIT (SUCTION JET ASSEMBLY) DO NOT NEED TO BE REPLACED AS WELL. IN SOME CASES, EPC DOES NOT SHOW THAT THE REPAIR KIT IS AVAILABLE SEPARATELY IN THE ILLUSTRATION, BUT IT IS AVAILABLE IN THE PARTS DESCRIPTION. ALL MODELS. NO MODEL YEARS LISTED. *PE
SB-17927831-02
SERVICE BRAKES, AIR:DISC
BMW MOTORCYCLE: WHEEL SPEED DEPENDENT, CLEARLY AUDIBLE CLANKING NOISE OCCURS WHEN BRAKING TO ADJUST SPEED. E SERIES (K25; K25/02; K25/03; K25/11; K25/12; K25/HP; K26; K27; K28; K29; K29/HP; K40; K41; K43; K43/HV; K44; K589/03; K71). NO MODEL YEARS LISTED. *PE
SB-00-021-07
FUEL SYSTEM, OTHER
BMW MOTORCYCLE: ENGINE FUELS CONTAINING ETHANOL. BMW MOTORRAD HAS NO OBJECTION TO THE USE OF SI ENGINE FUELS CONTAINING UP TO A MAXIMUM OF 10% ETHANOL AND IMPOSES NO WARRANTY RESTRICTIONS. ETHANOL MIXTURES IN PROPORTIONS HIGHER THAN 10% CAN HAVE AN ADVERSE EFFECT ON PERFORMANCE AND CAN RESULT IN DAMAGE TO COMPONENTS THAT COME INTO CONTRACT WITH FUEL. NO WARRANTY CLAIMS WHATSOEVER FOR DAMAGE CAUSED IN THIS WAY WILL BE ACCEPTED. NO MODEL YEARS LISTED. *PE
Manufacturers file copies of the bulletins they send to dealers with NHTSA. These often describe diagnostic or repair procedures for a known condition. They are not recalls: repairs described in a bulletin are usually only free if the vehicle is still under warranty or the manufacturer has extended coverage.
Compare model years
Complaint and recall counts across every year of this model
Higher-selling and older vehicles accumulate more reports. Counts are not failure rates and are not directly comparable between vehicles that sold in very different numbers. Older model years have had longer for reports to accumulate.