2004 BMW R 1150 RT Problems
Owner-reported complaints filed with NHTSA, grouped by component
Data refreshed
What this page shows
Everything below is an owner-reported complaint submitted to NHTSA about the 2004 BMW R 1150 RT, grouped by the component NHTSA recorded on the report. These are not confirmed defects, and they are not recalls. NHTSA does not verify most reports before publishing them, and a category with more reports in it is not evidence that a part is defective.
Complaints are reports submitted by owners and drivers to NHTSA. They are not verified and do not establish that a defect exists.
Reports by component
Ranked by how many owner reports name each component category
- Powertrain (other)1055.6%
- Fuel system422.2%
- Transmission211.1%
- Brakes15.6%
- Tires & wheels15.6%
Percentages are of component mentions. A single complaint can name more than one component, so these do not sum to the total complaint count.
Each component in detail
What the reports in each category say, in the owners' own words
Powertrain (other)
Powertrain reports that are not specifically the engine or transmission — driveshafts, axles, transfer cases and differentials.
From owner reports, verbatim
THE REAR TIRE BECAME OIL COVERED AND SLICK BECAUSE OF A FAILED OIL SEAL IN THE FINAL DRIVE. THE OIL SEAL HAD FAILED AS RESULTS OF THE FINAL DRIVE BEARING FAILURE. THESE FAILURES CAUSED AN UNSAFE CONDITION AS THERE WAS EXCESSIVE MOVEMENT IN THE REAR WHEEL AND THE REAR TIRE WAS OIL SOAKED FROM THE SEAL FAILURE. THE FAILURE GAVE LITTLE ADVANCED WARNING AS ROAD AND TIRE NOISE CHANGES AND SOUND SIMILAR. I HAVE HAD TWO FINAL DRIVE FAILURES ON THE SAME MOTORCYCLE, THE FIRST 06/04/2006 AT 33,095 MILES AT 25 MPH AND THE SECOND 07/13/2012 AT 74,341 MILES AT 65 MPH ON THE INTERSTATE SYSTEM.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 BMW R1150RT MOTORCYCLE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE FINAL DRIVE ASSEMBLY FAILED. THE FAILURE CAUSED THE REAR END TO SEVERELY KNOCK. THE CONTACT STATED THAT OIL SPILLED OUT FROM THE VEHICLE AS WELL. THE CONTACT WAS TOLD BY THE DEALER THAT THERE WAS A 3-6 MONTH BACK ORDER ON THE PART THAT WAS NEEDED TO CORRECT THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 17,000.
Fuel system
Reports naming fuel storage or delivery — tanks, pumps, lines, injectors and fuel leaks.
From owner reports, verbatim
MY MOTORCYCLE KEPT LOSING FUEL. I NEVER LEAVE IT LOW ON GAS, BUT ON NUMEROUS OCCASIONS WENT TO RIDE IT AND THE TANK WAS EMPTY. SINCE THEN I FOUND A YOUTUBE VIDEO SHOWING HOW TO REPLACE WHAT BMW NEVER SHOULD HAVE INSTALLED, SAYING THIS IS COMMON IN CA BECAUSE BMW DID NOT USE METAL QUICK DISCONNECTS ON THE FUEL LINES; OUR GAS EATS THE PLASTIC. AT LEAST 10 GALLONS OF GAS DISAPPEARED OVER 4 MONTHS LAST SUMMER. THIS IS A MAJOR FIRE HAZARD AND I AM LUCKY TO BE ALIVE, I GUESS. IT ALSO IS NOT CHEAP TO FIX. THE PARTS ARE AROUND $100. BMW SHOULD FIX THIS, OR PAY FOR PARTS SO I CAN DO IT.
FUEL LINE QUICK DISCONNECTS ON BOTH SUPPLY AND RETURN FAILED CAUSING FUEL LEAK ON TO ENGINE AND EXHAUST. EXTREME FIRE POTENTIAL. QUICK DISCONNECT SEALS AND COMPONENTS ARE INSUFFICIENT TO HANDLE EXPOSURE TO RAW FUEL, IT IS A POOR DESIGN AND BMWNA SHOULD RECALL R1150RT'S DUE TO THIS FAILURE AND FIRE RISK. *TR
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Transmission
Reports naming the automatic or manual transmission, including shifting behaviour, shudder, slipping and transmission control modules.
From owner reports, verbatim
PREMATURE FAILURE OF THE CLUTCH / TRANSMISSION INPUT SHAFT SPLINES POTENTIALLY CAUSING MOTORCYCLE TO LOOSE FORWARD DRIVE IN TRAFFIC. FAILURE OCCURRED WITH 28,210 MILES ON THE ODOMETER. RIDING SLIGHTLY UP GRADE AT 50 MPH. SUDDEN AND UNEXPECTED FAILURE CAUSED LOSE OF FORWARD DRIVE AND BEING STRANDED IN TRAFFIC. THIS REQUIRED PUSHING THE MOTORCYCLE OUT OF TRAFFIC TO A SAFE LOCATION AND BEING TOWED TO THE REPAIR LOCATION. THIS IS NOT UNPRESIDENTED IN THIS SERIES OF MOTORCYCLES AND APPEARS TO BE RELATED TO THE MISALIGNMENT OF THE ENGINE / TRANSMISSION INTERFACE AT THE TIME OF MANUFACTURE. REPAIR INCLUDES THE REMOVAL AND REPAIR OF THE TRANSMISSION; WHICH CAN TAKE AS LONG AS 10 HOURS TO COMPLETE. REPAIR PARTS COST ABOUT $900 DEPENDING ON THE EXTENT OF THE DAMAGE AND IDENTIFYING THE CAUSE. THE DEALER COST TO HAVE THIS REPAIR RUNS $2000 PLUS. *TR
CLUTCH FAILURE AS A RESULT OF MISALIGNED TRANSMISSION AND ENGINE, CAUSED BY MANUFACTURER DEFECT. COST TO REPAIR; PARTS AND LABOR = $2,000.00. *TR
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Brakes
Reports naming service brakes, the antilock braking system, brake hoses, master cylinders or the parking brake.
From owner reports, verbatim
TOTAL BRAKE FAILURE .I COULD NOT STOP THE MOTORCYCLE.I WENT RITE THROUGH AN INTERSECTION,THANK GOD THERE WAS NO VEHICLES DRIVING THROUGH THE INTERSECTION AT THE SAME TIME.
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Tires & wheels
Reports naming tires, wheels, hubs, or the tire-pressure monitoring system.
From owner reports, verbatim
SHINKO RAVEN 009 SIZE 120/70 ZR 17 DEVELOPED BLISTERS AROUND 75% OF THE CIRCUMFERANCE OF THE TREAD. THE BLISTERS RANGE FROM 1 TO 2 INCHES IN SIZE AND ARE EVENLY SPACED ALONG THE TREAD ON THE LEFT SIDE OF THE CENTER LINE OF THE TIRE. FORTUNATELY THE TIRE DID NOT FAIL BEFORE THE PROBLEM WAS DISCOVERED AND THERE WAS NO CRASH. APPROX 12,500 MILES ON THE TIRE. *TT
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
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.
Elsewhere on this vehicle
Data sources
- NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation — owner-reported complaints and the components recorded on them
Data on this page last refreshed .