IllustrationFINAL DRIVE FAILED WITHOUT WARNING. NO OIL LEAKED BEFORE FAILURE. SAME FAILURE AS DESCRIBED IN ODI NO. 10439549, AND CURRENTLY BEING INVESTIGATED UNDER CAMPAIGN DP12001. *KB *TR
2003 BMW R1200C
Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations
Limited comparison data
There is not enough comparable history to draw a useful model-year comparison.
About this comparison →How this year compares
Owner complaints by model year
Compare all R1200C years →Counts vary with age, sales and reporting. They are not failure rates.
What owners reported most
All reported categories
Tap a category to read its complaints. One report may name several components.
When problems were reported
Mileage at the reported incident
Limited mileage data: 10 of 13 reports include usable mileage. There isn’t enough coverage to show a useful chart.
NHTSA’s mileage field refers to the reported incident, not necessarily the filing date. This shows report counts, not the likelihood of a failure.
What to inspect
Issues worth paying extra attention to based on owner reports.
- Suspension. Review the 4 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Power Train. Review the 3 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Steering. Review the 2 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.
1 crash reports0 fire reports1 injury reports
Power Train complaints
3 reportsI HAD THE SAME FAILURE AS DESCRIBED IN ODI NO. 10439549. THE LEAK OF OIL CAUSED THE SIDE OF THE TIRE TO BECOME FOULED,AND THE BRAKE WAS HEAVILY COATED AS WELL. I STOPPED AND HAD THE MOTORCYCLE TAKEN INTO THE DEALERSHIP, WHERE A NEW SET OF BRAKE PADS WERE REQUIRED, AS WELL AS THE REAR BEARING AND SEALS. *KB
AN ALL TOO COMMON PROBLEM WITH THE FINAL DRIVES IN OUR R1200C'S AND R1200CL'S IS THE DREADED FINAL DRIVE FAILURE. MOST OF US WHO HAVE EXPERIENCED THIS, FIRST NOTICED EITHER A LATERAL WOBBLE OF THE REAR WHEEL, DROPS OF FLUID ON OUR REAR WHEELS, AND/OR FLUID STAINS SPRAYED RADIALLY ON THE REAR TIRE. WELL, I TOOK A 600 MILE JAUNT …
Read full complaint
AN ALL TOO COMMON PROBLEM WITH THE FINAL DRIVES IN OUR R1200C'S AND R1200CL'S IS THE DREADED FINAL DRIVE FAILURE. MOST OF US WHO HAVE EXPERIENCED THIS, FIRST NOTICED EITHER A LATERAL WOBBLE OF THE REAR WHEEL, DROPS OF FLUID ON OUR REAR WHEELS, AND/OR FLUID STAINS SPRAYED RADIALLY ON THE REAR TIRE. WELL, I TOOK A 600 MILE JAUNT LAST WEEKEND TO MAKE SURE THE BIKE COULD HANDLE THE NEW TOURING BAGS AND THE T-BAG I BOUGHT. THE TRIP WAS GREAT - NEAR QUINCY, CA. WHEN I GOT HOME, I NOTICED SOME OIL SPOTS ON THE RIGHT REAR BAG, THE HORROR OF HORRORS, RADIAL STRIPES ON THE RIGHT SIDE OF THE REAR TIRE. I LOOKED UP UNDER THE FINAL DRIVE AND WHAT DO I SEE? - YES, A BIG OLD DROP OF OIL! GROAN, AND I'M LEAVING ON SATURDAY FOR SC. *KB
Official recalls
0No recalls in this snapshot.
Model-level recall history does not show whether a particular VIN is affected or has received a repair. Check a VIN with NHTSA ↗
NHTSA investigations
1PE03054 · Fuel Line Leakage
Opened Dec 1, 2003 · Closed Jan 23, 2004
Status: closed (inferred from source dates) · Fuel System, Gasoline:delivery:hoses, Lines/piping, And Fittings
BMW IS CONDUCTING A RECALL (04V-028).AN INFORMATION REQUEST(IR)RESPONSE WAS NOT RECEIVED. UPON BMW'S RECEIPT OF THE IR, AND AFTER DISCUSSIONS WITH ODI, BMWDETERMINED THAT A RECALL WAS NECESSARY. ON CERTAIN MOTORCYCLES, THE O-RING CONTAINED WITHIN THE FUEL LINE QUICK-DISCONNECT COUPLING COULD BECOME DAMAGED.FURTHER, THERE IS ALSO A PROBLEM INVOLVING CRIMP-TYPE HOSE CLAMPS, WHICH CAN ALSO RESULT IN A SMALL FUEL LEAK.DEALERS WILL INSPECT, AND IF NECESSARY, ADJUST ALL CRIMP-TYPE HOSE CLAMPS.ALSO ALL FUEL LINE QUICK-DISCONNECT COUPLINGS WILL BE INSPECTED.IF A LEAK IS DETECTED, THE QUICK-DISCONNECT O-RING WILL BE REPLACED.IF DAMAGED, THE COUPLING WILL BE REPLACED.OWNER NOTIFICATION IS EXPECTED TO BEGIN DURING FEBRUARY 2004.