2002 BMW RT Series 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 RT Series, 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
- Brakes430.8%
- Powertrain (other)430.8%
- Transmission323.1%
- Engine17.7%
- Fuel system17.7%
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
Brakes
Reports naming service brakes, the antilock braking system, brake hoses, master cylinders or the parking brake.
From owner reports, verbatim
RIDING TO A STOP AND MY FRONT BRAKES LOCKED UP AT ABOUT 10 MPH. THEY FREED UP AND I GOT A BRAKE FAILURE AND ABS WARNING LIGHT ON THE INSTRUMENT PANEL. AFTER A RESTART, IT WENT AWAY. UPON RESTARTING, I TOOK OFF AND FOUND THAT THE WARNINGS CAME BACK AND I HAD NO REAR BRAKE PEDAL AND ALSO NO FRONT BRAKE PRESSURE AT THE LEVER. CHECKING THE MASTER CYLINDER, I FOUND IT DRY. THE RIGHT FRONT BRAKE HOSE HAD DEVELOPED A LEAK AT THE FITTING. HOW THIS COULD HAVE AFFECTED THE REAR BRAKES, I AM NOT AWARE. DOING RESEARCH, I FIND THAT IT IS A COMMON ISSUE WITH THIS MODEL. THIS IS WRONG. THERE SHOULD BE A RECALL ISSUED.
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 BMW R1150RT MOTORCYCLE. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 55 MPH, THE ABS WARNING LIGHT WAS ILLUMINATED AND THE ABS MALFUNCTIONED. THE MOTORCYCLE WAS TOWED TO THE DEALER AND THE ABS CONTROL UNIT WAS REPLACED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 42,101.
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
I HAVE HAVE HAD THE SAME FAILURE AS DESCRIBED IN ODI NO. 10439549, AND > CURRENTLY BEING INVESTIGATED UNDER CAMPAIGN DP12001. *TR
FINAL DRIVE BEARING IN 2002 BMW R1150RT MOTORCYCLE. *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
1. NORMAL DRIVING ALONG A ROADWAY. 2. SUDDEN LOSS OF PROPULSION WITHOUT ANY WARNING AT ALL. MOTORCYCLE STOPPED DEAD IN ITS TRACKS. PUSHED MOTORCYCLE THROUGH TRAFFIC TO BREAKDOWN LANE.RISKING INJURY AND/OR DEATH IN THE PROCESS. 3. PERSONALLY INVESTIGATED FAILURE. VERY COMMON FAILURE OF THIS PRODUCTION RUN MOTORCYCLE. 2002 BMW R1150 RT. 20%-25% OF MOTORCYCLES IN THIS PRODUCTION RUN EXPERIENCE THIS CATASTROPHIC FAILURE WITHOUT ANY WARNING. REPLACE CLUTCH FOR STRIPPED SPLINES AND REPLACED TRANSMISSION INPUT SHAFT FOR STRIPPED SPLINES. BMW IS WELL AWARE OF THIS WIDESPREAD FAILURE OCCURRING IN 2000 TO 2004 MOTORCYCLES IN THE ENTIRE 1150 MODEL LINE WITH 6 SPEED TRANSMISSION. IS DUE TO A DEFECT IN MANUFACTURING OR WORKMANSHIP. IF THIS CATASTROPHIC FAILURE HAPPENED TO ME WHILE I WAS ON A MULTILANE HIGHWAY, I WOULD'VE BEEN STRANDED IN A MIDDLE LANE WITH THE HIGH SPEED TRAFFIC TRAVELING BY ME AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS, TRYING TO PUSH A 600 LB MOTORCYCLE OVER TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD. THIS IS A VERY DANGEROUS FAILURE THAT HAPPENS WITHOUT WARNING. I HAVE NOTIFIED THE MANUFACTURER OF THIS ISSUE. THEY ARE AWARE THAT THERE IS A VERY HIGH PERCENTAGE OF THESE TYPES OF PREMATURE FAILURE OF THE PARTS ON THIS PARTICULAR MODEL RUN. THAT THE FAILURE IS NOT DUE TO NEGLECT, MISUSE, OR LACK OF MAINTENANCE. THAT IT IS STRICTLY A DEFECT IN MATERIALS OR WORKMANSHIP. *TR
TRANSMISSION FAILURE AGAIN, LOUD RATTELING NOISE TRANSMISSION WAS REPLACED JUNE 19 2003 BY BMW MOTORCYLES OF DAYTONA BEACH, BMW MOTOR COMAPANY WILL NOT FIX, BIKE IS STILL UNDER FACTORY WARRANTY OF 3 YEARS 36,000 MILES.*AK
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Engine
Reports naming the engine itself — including stalling, misfires, oil consumption, cooling and internal engine components.
From owner reports, verbatim
ON A 2002 BMW 1150RT THERE IS A GASOLINE LEAK WHICH DRIPS DIRECTLY ON TO THE CATALYTIC CONVERTER. IT ONLY LEAKS ON THE FIRST START OF THE DAY. IF RUN FOR A MINUTE OR TWO, SHUT OFF, AND RESTARTED, THE PROBLEM GOES AWAY(?). AFTER THREE CONTACTS WITH THE DEALERS (TWO OF THEM) THEY HAVE FINALLY SAID THEY ARE AWARE OF A PROBLEM WITH THIS MODEL AND IT CAN BE EASILY FIXED. CONSIDERING THE POTENTIAL FOR FIRE OR EVEN AN EXPLOSION, I WOULD THINK THEY WOULD WANT TO ADVISE CUSTOMERS OF THIS PROBLEM. ALSO, THEIR DEALERS. *JB
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Fuel system
Reports naming fuel storage or delivery — tanks, pumps, lines, injectors and fuel leaks.
From owner reports, verbatim
DROVE VEHICLE 10 MILES AND PARKED IN GARAGE. CAME BACK ONE HOUR LATER AND FUEL FUMES PERMEATED THE GARAGE. POOL OF FUEL OBSERVED UNDER THE RIGHT HAND CYLINDER OF 2002 BMW R1150RT MOTORCYCLE WITH FLOOR AREA OF GARAGE AND STOWED ITEMS SOAKED IN GASOLINE. EXTREME DANGER OF EXPLOSION IN GARAGE HAD WATER HEATER OR GAS FURNACE HAD STARTED TO OPERATE. QUICK DISCONNECT IN PRESSURIZED FUEL SUPPLY LINE HAD FAILED. ITEM HAD BEEN SERVICED UNDER A RECALL NOTICE 04V-028 BY SAN JOSE BMW IN JUNE 2006. INTERNET SEARCH REVEALS THIS IS A SYSTEMIC PROBLEM WITH BMW MOTORCYCLES DUE TO A 'LATENT DEFECT' IN PLASTIC BEING EMPLOYED IN THE QUICK DISCONNECT AND O RING PRONE TO FAILURE. O RING AND PLASTIC MATERIAL USED IN FUEL LINE QUICK DISCONNECT DOES NOT STAND UP TO GASOLINE, ESPECIALLY ETHANOL BLENDED GASOLINE AS USED IN CALIFORNIA SF BAY AREA. BMW AWARE OF THIS SYSTEMIC PROBLEM BUT HAS FAILED TO ACT RESPONSIBLE AND ISSUE A RECALL SPECIFYING METAL BASED (BRASS, STEEL, OR STAINLESS STEEL) QUICK DISCONNECT CONNECTORS ALONG WITH VITON O-RINGS THAT WILL WITHSTAND ETHANOL BLENDED GASOLINE AND THE 40 PSI LINE PRESSURE IN THE BMW MOTORCYCLES FUEL SUPPLY LINES TO THE FUEL INJECTION SYSTEM. FAILURE COULD RESULT IN FIRE AT SPEED ON A HIGHWAY OR AN EXPLOSION AND FIRE WHEN MOTORCYCLE IS PARKED IN AN ENCLOSED AREA SUCH AS A GARAGE WITH AN IGNITION SOURCE (HEATER/FURNACE) WHEN THESE CRITICAL FUEL SYSTEM COMPONENT(S) FAIL AND LEAK THE CONTENTS OF THE FUEL TANK TO THE FLOOR. BMW RECALL 04V-028 DOES NOT FULLY RESOLVE THIS SERIOUS HAZARD, RESULTING IN A HIGH PROBABILITY OF A MAIN FUEL SYSTEM LEAK AND POTENTIAL FOR SERIOUS INJURY AND/OR PROPERTY DAMAGE. *TR
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 .