2003 BMW R 1150 RT Problems, Complaints & Recalls
- Compared with other R 1150 RT years
- Not enough data 2nd of 3 for complaints
- Safety recalls
- 1 recall: check your VIN
- NHTSA crash rating
- Not rated
Owners have filed 5 complaints with NHTSA about the 2003 BMW R 1150 RT. That ranks 2nd out of 3 R 1150 RT model years for complaints. The most reported problem area is electrical system (2 complaints, 40%), typically at around 13,676 miles. Complaints mention 1 crash. There is 1 safety recall covering this model year. NHTSA has opened 1 defect investigation involving it.
- 5owner complaints
- 1safety recalls
- 1NHTSA investigations
- 1complaints mentioning a crash
Complaints are unverified owner reports and are not adjusted for sales volume.
Most common 2003 BMW R 1150 RT problems
Complaints grouped by the part of the car owners reported, with the median mileage when the problem happened.
| Problem area | Complaints | Share | Median miles | Owners mention most | Typical repair cost |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Electrical System | 2 | 40% | 13,676 | — | — |
| Exterior Lighting | 1 | 20% | 17,200 | — | — |
| Fuel System, Gasoline | 1 | 20% | 11,511 | — | — |
| Suspension | 1 | 20% | 600 | — | — |
One complaint can list several problem areas, so shares can add up to more than 100%.
Complaints by year received
2003 BMW R 1150 RT recalls (1)
Tap a recall to see the problem, the risk and the fix.
Power train:manual transmission
Problem: 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.
Risk: If this happens, the gear wheels could crack resulting in a loss of transmission capability, or, a lock of transmission could occur. The rear wheel could lock which, depending upon traffic and road conditions, and the rider's reaction, could affect the stability of the motorcycle.
Fix: Dealers will inspect the motorcycles and replace the transmission gear box if necessary. Owner notification is expected to begin during december 2002. Owners who take their vehicles to an authorized dealer on an agreed upon service date and do not receive the free remedy within a reasonable time should contact bmw at 1-800-831-1117, option #4.
To see whether a specific car still has an open recall, enter its VIN on NHTSA's official recall lookup. You can also decode a VIN here.
NHTSA defect investigations
- Fuel line leakage (PE03054) — opened Dec 1, 2003, closed Jan 23, 2004, led to recall 04V028000.
Recent owner reports
Short excerpts of the latest complaints filed with NHTSA, with personal details removed. Full reports can be searched on NHTSA.gov.
During normal operation of the vehicle, the headlights went out completely, leaving only the fog lights to get me home. Dealer replaced the head lamp assembly under warranty.
Actual model is rt1150p not listed on model list. Altenator belt broke, causing altenator failure and low voltage which negated power brakes leaving me with residual braking about 40% of normal breaking at best. I was unable to stop and rolled in front of oncoming truck who was able to avoid me by…
Stalling while riding in the rain. Would restart after waiting a few moments. Happened at least 8 times. Dealer could not find problem. Then, while riding in traffic during dry weather stalled and would not restart. Towed to dealer. Ignition coil replaced.*ak
Recall remedy failure. 04v-028. Dealer re-crimped the crimp clamps per bmw's instructions. Still leaked substantially at 4.2 bar when system pressure-checked. Some concern that plastic components deform preventing full crimp clamp load. Replaced oe crimp clamps with ealier version, oe, screw…
2003 bmw r 1150 rt motorcycle pulls to the right, i feel this is a safety hazard if you do not keep pressure to the left on the handle bars it will lean itself to the right and run off the road. Also it has excessive tire wear. I spoke with bmw and they said this is a characteristic of these…
Other BMW R 1150 RT years
← 2002 R 1150 RT · 2004 R 1150 RT →
| Year | Complaints | Recalls |
|---|---|---|
| 2004 R 1150 RT | 18 | 1 |
| 2003 | 5 | 1 |
| 2002 R 1150 RT | 2 | 0 |
See all BMW R 1150 RT problems by year, every BMW model, or the BMW VIN decoder.
Similar BMW models
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Frequently asked questions
What are the most common problems with the 2003 BMW R 1150 RT?
Owners most often report electrical system, exterior lighting, fuel system, gasoline problems. The top one, electrical system, accounts for 2 complaints.
Was there a recall on the 2003 BMW R 1150 RT?
Yes, 1 safety recall. Enter your VIN at NHTSA.gov to check whether the repairs were done on your car.
Was the 2003 BMW R 1150 RT a good year?
Complaint data can't fully answer that, because counts aren't adjusted for sales. Compared with other R 1150 RT model years, the 2003 has too little data to compare. Always get a pre-purchase inspection and check the VIN for open recalls.