2002 BMW R1200C 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 2002 BMW R1200C, 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
- Interior & seats350.0%
- Brakes116.7%
- Powertrain (other)116.7%
- Transmission116.7%
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
Interior & seats
Reports naming seats, latches, locks, linkages and interior fittings.
From owner reports, verbatim
WHILE RIDING BACK REST FELL OFF.*AK OUTSIDE SCOPE OF RECALL_ID 11776 (00V-289)
WHILE RIDING, BACK REST FELL OFF.*AK *YH
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
I OWN A 2002 BMW R1200C THAT HAD ABOUT 5500 MILES ON IT BEFORE THE FOLLOWING FAILURE; THE BEARING ON THE END OF THE CLUTCH SLAVE CYLINDER PISTON FAILED, SPINNING THE SLAVE CYLINDER PISTON IN IT'S BORE, BURNED THE BRAKE FLUID AND BLED ALUMINUM PARTICLES THROUGHOUT THE HYDRAULIC CLUTCH CIRCUIT. THIS RENDERED THE CLUTCH LEVER INOPERABLE AND I COULD NO LONGER PUT THE MOTORCYCLE IN NEUTRAL. I HAD TO PULL OVER ON THE SHOULDER OF THE HIGHWAY AND LET THE BIKE STALL IN GEAR, WHICH HAD A TENDENCY TO LOCK UP THE REAR TIRE. BMW FIXED THE PROBLEM UNDER WARRANTY, BUT I'VE FOUND OUT THROUGH CONVERSATION WITH SEVERAL MECHANICS, THIS PARTICULAR PROBLEM HAPPENS FAIRLY FREQUENTLY. IF THIS IS A DESIGN FLAW, HOW LONG WILL IT BE BEFORE THE NEW COMPONENTS FAIL.
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Powertrain (other)
Powertrain reports that are not specifically the engine or transmission — driveshafts, axles, transfer cases and differentials.
From owner reports, verbatim
MY FINAL DRIVE HAD A CATASTROPHIC FAILURE AT 29,963 MILES ON 12/18/08. IT WAS DETERMINED THAT THE CROWN GEAR OR BEARINGS DETERIORATED, CHEWED UP THE SEALS, AND CAUSED GEAR OIL TO LEAK ONTO MY REAR WHEEL. A BMW DEALER REBUILT THE DRIVE USING OEM PARTS, AND IT FAILED AGAIN AT 32,164 MILES ON 6/25/09. IT WAS REBUILT A 2ND TIME AND RECENTLY FAILED A 3RD TIME ON 9/29/11 AT 47,647. THIS TIME I PURCHASED A BRAND NEW FINAL DRIVE FROM BMW IN GERMANY FOR ALMOST $1400 RATHER THAN REBUILDING AGAIN, HOWEVER, I'M AFRAID ITS ONLY A MATTER OF TIME. LAST TIME I NEEDED TO GET TOWED HOME AND BROKE DOWN IN THE MIDDLE OF THE NORTHERN STATE PARKWAY IN LONG ISLAND. EACH TIME THE REPAIR WAS PAID FOR OUT OF MY POCKET AS THE BIKE IS OUT OF WARRANTY. EACH TIME THE DEALER AND BMW DENIED ANY KNOWLEDGE OF FINAL DRIVE INTEGRITY ISSUES WITHOUT EH BMW R1200C MODELS. *KB
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
I OWN A 2002 BMW R1200C THAT HAD ABOUT 5500 MILES ON IT BEFORE THE FOLLOWING FAILURE; THE BEARING ON THE END OF THE CLUTCH SLAVE CYLINDER PISTON FAILED, SPINNING THE SLAVE CYLINDER PISTON IN IT'S BORE, BURNED THE BRAKE FLUID AND BLED ALUMINUM PARTICLES THROUGHOUT THE HYDRAULIC CLUTCH CIRCUIT. THIS RENDERED THE CLUTCH LEVER INOPERABLE AND I COULD NO LONGER PUT THE MOTORCYCLE IN NEUTRAL. I HAD TO PULL OVER ON THE SHOULDER OF THE HIGHWAY AND LET THE BIKE STALL IN GEAR, WHICH HAD A TENDENCY TO LOCK UP THE REAR TIRE. BMW FIXED THE PROBLEM UNDER WARRANTY, BUT I'VE FOUND OUT THROUGH CONVERSATION WITH SEVERAL MECHANICS, THIS PARTICULAR PROBLEM HAPPENS FAIRLY FREQUENTLY. IF THIS IS A DESIGN FLAW, HOW LONG WILL IT BE BEFORE THE NEW COMPONENTS FAIL.
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 .