Total Complaints
55 filings
BMW K1200LT · model year
55 NHTSA complaints, 2 crash reports for this specific cohort.
NHTSA overall rating
Not crash-tested
New Car Assessment Program
The 1999BMWK1200LT carries 55 consumer safety complaints in NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation database for this specific model-year cohort. Within that volume, owners reported 2 crashes, 2 fires, 0 injuries, and 0 fatalities. No NCAP 5-star crash-test rating is available for this model year in the federal database.
Component-level analysis is where model-year complaints become actionable: the top complaint category for the 1999 K1200LT is power train with 12 filings, followed by power train:driveline (8) and power train:axle assembly (7). Concentration in one or two component groups is the classic signature of a systemic defect; a flat distribution usually reflects normal aging, warranty complaints, or isolated build-plant variability.
NHTSA currently has 34 investigation files overlapping the 1999 K1200LT. Owners comparing this cohort against neighboring years should pair the counters above with the complaint-by-year trend on the parent model page — a spike in a single year often tracks to a platform refresh, a new transmission supplier, or an updated ECU calibration. Use the related-complaint feed below to read raw owner narratives before deciding whether any pattern here affects your specific use case.
Total Complaints
55 filings
Crashes Reported
2 reports
Source
NHTSA ODI
Federal complaints database
At or below the fleet median complaint volume.
| Component | Count |
|---|---|
| POWER TRAIN | 12 |
| POWER TRAIN:DRIVELINE | 8 |
| POWER TRAIN:AXLE ASSEMBLY | 7 |
| POWER TRAIN:DRIVELINE:DIFFERENTIAL UNIT | 4 |
| SUSPENSION:REAR | 2 |
| POWER TRAIN:AXLE HUBS | 2 |
| SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:ANTILOCK/TRACTION CONTROL/ELECTRONIC LIMITED SLIP | 2 |
| EXTERIOR LIGHTING:BACK UP LIGHTS | 1 |
| VISIBILITY:REARVIEW MIRRORS/DEVICES | 1 |
| SUSPENSION | 1 |
| VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL | 1 |
| POWER TRAIN:AXLE ASSEMBLY:AXLE SHAFT | 1 |
| POWER TRAIN:DRIVELINE:DRIVESHAFT | 1 |
| ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE | 1 |
| POWER TRAIN:MANUAL TRANSMISSION:FLOOR SHIFT ASSEMBLY | 1 |
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1999 BMW K1200LT. THE CONTACT STATED THAT UPON START UP OF HIS MOTORCYCLE, THE MOTORCYCLE CAUGHT FIRE WITHOUT WARNING. THE CONTACT ATTEMPTED TO EXTINGUISH THE MOTORCYCLE WITH WATER BUT TO NO AVAIL. THE CONTACT WAS ABLE TO MOVE HIS MOTORCYCLE OUT OF HIS BUILDING AND THE FIRE DEPARTMENT WAS ABLE TO EXTINGUISH THE FIRE. A FIRE REPORT WAS FILED AND NO INJURIES WERE REPORTED. THE VEHICLE HAD YET TO BE INSPECTED OR DIAGNOSED; THE MANUFACTURER NOR THE DEALER HAVE YET TO BE NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE REMAINED IN THE POSSESSION OF THE CONTACT. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 152,000. THE VIN WAS NOT AVAILABLE. *BF*JB
Mileage: 152,000
SPRING OF 2009, THE ABS LIGHT ON THE DASH BOARD OF MY TEN YEAR OLD BMW 1999 K1200 LT BEGAN FLASHING. TOOK IT TO A BMW DEALER, BMW DEALER DIAGNOSED IT AS ABS MODULE FAILURE, CLAIMED IT WAS DUE TO BRAKE FLUID NOT BEING CHANGED REGULARLY, AS LISTED IN OWNERS MANUAL, SAME AS HARLEY. THIS IS THE SAME DEAL HARLEY IS DEALING WITH NOW, IN 2018 THE BMW'S NEED INVESTIGATED! HOW HAS BMW GOTTEN AWAY WITHOUT DOING A RECALL AND PAYING FOR THE DEFECTIVE ABS MODULES, DUE TO THE SAME ISSUE AS HARLEY? THIS COULD KILL SOMEONE! THIS IS A KNOWN ISSUE BY BMW, IT IS ALL OVER THE BLOGS, YOU CAN NOT EVEN FIND A USED ABS MODULE TO BUY TO REBUILD, THE ISSUE IS SO BAD. THE ABS MODULE ISSUE, WITH THE BMW'S IS SO BAD, THERE IS A COMPANY, OUT THERE, THAT HAS SET UP A REMANUFACTURING PROCESS TO REBUILD THE ABS MODULES. BMW SHOULD BE REQUIRED TO DO A RECALL AND PAY FOR THIS REPAIR, IT IS A $2,500 + FIX. THE DEALER CLAIMS IT IS DUE TO NOT CHANGING BREAK FLUID REGULARLY, DID THEY PROPERLY INFORM BIKE OWNERS OF
Mileage: 7,500
SAME FAILURE AS DESCRIBED IN ODI NO. 10439549, AND CURRENTLY BEING INVESTIGATED UNDER CAMPAIGN DP12001. THIS SAME PART HAS FAILED THREE TIMES DURING THE LAST SIX YEAR, OR APPROXIMATELY EVERY 10,000 MILES. *TR
Mileage: 59,000
I'VE OWNED THIS BIKE SINCE 2002 AND SILL HAVE IT. DURING THAT TIME I HAVE EXPERIENCE TWO REAR DRIVE FAILURES AS DESCRIBED IN ODI NO. 10439549, AND CURRENTLY BEING INVESTIGATED UNDER CAMPAIGN DP12001. AT THE TIME BMW WAS IN DENIAL ABOUT THE ISSUE OR CLAIMED THAT IT WAS RARE. WELL, I KNOW 6 PEOPLE WITH THIS SAME MOTORCYCLE AND WE'VE ALL HAD THE REAR DRIVE FAIL. I AM THE ONLY ONE TO HAVE IT FAIL TWICE. I BELIEVE BMW HAS SUPERSEDED THAT LARGE BEARING IN THE REAR DRIVE WITH A NEW PART NUMBER AND IT'S HOLDING UP BETTER. ANYWAY, THE FROST TIME MY REAR DRIVE FAILED THE BEARING HAD "PAULED" AND AS IT CAUSED [XXX] DRAG THE CAGE AROUND THE BALL BEARINGS CAME APART AND TOOK OUT THE SEAL. ONCE RELIEVED OF IT'S OIL IT'S NOT LONG BEFORE THE BEARING FAILS. THE REAR LOCKED AND I CAME TO A STOP MORE RAPIDLY THAN I WOULD HAVE LIKED. I DROPPED THE BIKE TO THE RIGHT AND DID A LITTLE BODY DAMAGE TO THE UNDERCARRIAGE AND SADDLE BAGS. I WAS OK BUT STRANDED WEST OF FRISCO COLORADO. I WAITED MOST OF
Mileage: 15,750
I'VE OWNED THIS BIKE SINCE 2002 AND SILL HAVE IT. DURING THAT TIME I HAVE EXPERIENCE TWO REAR DRIVE FAILURES AS DESCRIBED IN ODI NO. 10439549, AND CURRENTLY BEING INVESTIGATED UNDER CAMPAIGN DP12001. AT THE TIME BMW WAS IN DENIAL ABOUT THE ISSUE OR CLAIMED THAT IT WAS RARE. WELL, I KNOW 6 PEOPLE WITH THIS SAME MOTORCYCLE AND WE'VE ALL HAD THE REAR DRIVE FAIL. I AM THE ONLY ONE TO HAVE IT FAIL TWICE. I BELIEVE BMW HAS SUPERSEDED THAT LARGE BEARING IN THE REAR DRIVE WITH A NEW PART NUMBER AND IT'S HOLDING UP BETTER. ANYWAY, THE FROST TIME MY REAR DRIVE FAILED THE BEARING HAD "PAULED" AND AS IT CAUSED [XXX] DRAG THE CAGE AROUND THE BALL BEARINGS CAME APART AND TOOK OUT THE SEAL. ONCE RELIEVED OF IT'S OIL IT'S NOT LONG BEFORE THE BEARING FAILS. THE REAR LOCKED AND I CAME TO A STOP MORE RAPIDLY THAN I WOULD HAVE LIKED. I DROPPED THE BIKE TO THE RIGHT AND DID A LITTLE BODY DAMAGE TO THE UNDERCARRIAGE AND SADDLE BAGS. I WAS OK BUT STRANDED WEST OF FRISCO COLORADO. I WAITED MOST OF
Mileage: 15,750
STARTED ENGINE, NOTICED SMOKE COMING FROM UNDER VEHICLE, TURNED ENGINE TO OFF, GOT OFF AND SAW FIRE ON LEFT SIDE. GRABBED FIRE EXTINGUISHER AND EXTINGUISHED FIRE. FIRE CAUSED BY PLASTIC FUEL RAIL FAILURE AND SPILLING FUEL ONTO ENGINE HEADER. PROBABLE CAUSE OF FUEL RAIL FAILURE IS ETHANOL FUEL DETERIORATING FUEL RAIL. *TR
Mileage: 35,527
LEAKING REAR END LUBE STARTED INVESTIGATION. ULTIMATE CAUSE OF LEAK WAS PENDING FAILURE OF CROWN GEAR BEARINGS ON BIKE WITH PARALEVER STYLE FINAL DRIVE. REPLACED BEARINGS AND SEALS AS NO DAMAGE TO GEAR(S) WAS APPARENT. DONE ON TRIP OUT WEST. *JB
Mileage: 33,000
THE FINAL DRIVE LEAKED FLUID ON THE REAR WHEEL, THE REAR DRIVE BEGAN TO GRIND AND SEIZE. END OF RIDE. *TR
Mileage: 30,000
REAR DRIVE SEAL AND BEARINGS FAILED, LEAKING OIL, LOOSING BRAKING POWER, WITH TIRE WOBBLE. *TR
Mileage: 42,000
THIS IS SAME FAILURE AS DESCRIBED IN ODI NO. 10439549, AND CURRENTLY BEING INVESTIGATED UNDER CAMPAIGN DP12001. MY 1999 K1200LT HAS HAD THE FINAL DRIVE REBUILT TWICE AND REPLACED TOTALLY ONCE AT BMW DEALERSHIPS. THE FIRST TIME WAS A REBUILD ON 9/25/2004 AT 37290 MILES AFTER THE FINAL DRIVE STARTED GRINDING. THE NEXT WAS 9/12/07 AT 54929 MILES WITH THE SAME CIRCUMSTANCES. THE MOST RECENT WAS 8/28/2012 AT 73001 MILES AFTER THE FINAL DRIVE FAILED COMPLETELY, LEAKING DRIVE LUBRICATION ALL OVER THE REAR WHEEL AND DISK BRAKE. REAR BRAKES SUBSEQUENTLY FAILED AS WELL. THIS HAPPENED AT INTERSTATE SPEEDS OF 75MPH. COSTS FOR REBUILDS RUN $400-600 AND THE LAST REPAIR/ REPLACEMENT OF FINAL DRIVE AND BRAKES WAS $2023.00. MY EXPERIENCE INDICATES THAT THE DRIVES ONLY LAST 20-30,000 MILES. I BOUGHT THE BIKE WITH 11,000 MILES ON IT AND I DO NOT KNOW IF THE FINAL DRIVE HAD BEEN REPLACED PRIOR TO MY PURCHASE. THESE FAILURES HAVE ALL BEEN ATTRIBUTED TO THE FAULTY ASSEMBLY OF THE FINAL DRIVE
Mileage: 37,290
FINAL DRIVE HAVE BEING REBUILT ONE YEAR EARLIER & AGAIN I LOST CONTROL REAR TIRE WHILE RIM START IT WOBBLING OUT CONTROL, BIKE WEIGHT 840 POUNDS VERY DIFFICULT AND WITH MY WIFE ON BOARD THANKS GOD WE ARE ALIVE. GOLD STAR BMW DEALER IN QUEENS DETERMINE THAT I NEED A BRAND NEW FINAL DRIVE,I WAS VERY FORTUNATE TO BE ALIVE; FINAL DRIVE IT WAS TOTAL BLOWN AWAY INTO LITTLE PIECES . REPAIR COST AROUND $1500.00 DOLLARS. [XXX] INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6). *TR
Mileage: 20,500
FINAL DRIVE HAVE BEING REBUILT ONE YEAR EARLIER & AGAIN I LOST CONTROL REAR TIRE WHILE RIM START IT WOBBLING OUT CONTROL, BIKE WEIGHT 840 POUNDS VERY DIFFICULT AND WITH MY WIFE ON BOARD THANKS GOD WE ARE ALIVE. GOLD STAR BMW DEALER IN QUEENS DETERMINE THAT I NEED A BRAND NEW FINAL DRIVE,I WAS VERY FORTUNATE TO BE ALIVE; FINAL DRIVE IT WAS TOTAL BLOWN AWAY INTO LITTLE PIECES . REPAIR COST AROUND $1500.00 DOLLARS. [XXX] INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6). *TR
Mileage: 20,500
FINAL DRIVE HAVE BEING REBUILT ONE YEAR EARLIER & AGAIN I LOST CONTROL REAR TIRE WHILE RIM START IT WOBBLING OUT CONTROL, BIKE WEIGHT 840 POUNDS VERY DIFFICULT AND WITH MY WIFE ON BOARD THANKS GOD WE ARE ALIVE. GOLD STAR BMW DEALER IN QUEENS DETERMINE THAT I NEED A BRAND NEW FINAL DRIVE,I WAS VERY FORTUNATE TO BE ALIVE; FINAL DRIVE IT WAS TOTAL BLOWN AWAY INTO LITTLE PIECES . REPAIR COST AROUND $1500.00 DOLLARS. [XXX] INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6). *TR
Mileage: 20,500
ON JUNE 17, 2011 THE FINAL DRIVE OF MY 1999 BMW K1200LT STARTED LEAKING GEAR OIL FROM THE CROWN BEARING SEAL. THE SUSPECTED CAUSE IS THE CROWN BEARING FAILURE PUSHED THE SEAL OUT OF PLACE AND ALLOWED THE GEAR OIL TO LEAK ON THE REAR BRAKE DISC AND REAR TIRE. THIS IN TURN CAUSED THE REAR BRAKE TO FAIL DUE TO OIL ON THE BRAKE PADS AND THE REAR TIRE TO BE UNSTABLE WITH OIL ON IT. I REPLACED THE REAR DRIVE IN JANUARY 2012. *TR
Mileage: 46,000
1999 BMW K1200LT. CONSUMER WRITES IN REGARDS POWER TRAIN FINAL DRIVE BEARING FAILURES BEING INVESTIGATED UNDER CAMPAIGN DPI 12001 *TGW THE CONSUMER STATED THE FAILURE OF THE FINAL DRIVE OCCURRED ON FOUR SEPARATE OCCASIONS, WHICH RESULTED IN GEAR LUBE OIL LEAKING ON TO THE HIGHWAY. THE SECOND TIME IT OCCURRED, THE FINAL DRIVE SEIZED WHEN THE BIKE WAS BEING UNLOADED FROM A TOW TRUCK AT THE REPAIR FACILITY. AGAIN, THE REAR SEAL, O-RING, ROLLER BEARING, GASKETS AND GEAR LUBE HAD TO BE REPLACED. THE THIRD TIME THE FINAL DRIVE FAILED, THE REPAIR FACILITY STATED THE FRAGMENTS OF THE CRUSHED BEARING HAD DAMAGED THE GEARS IN THE POWER TRAIN FINAL DRIVE ASSEMBLY. THE REPAIR INCLUDED REPLACING THE GEARS IN THE FINAL DRIVE, THE GASKETS, O-RING, BEARING AND GEAR LUBE OIL AGAIN. THE FOURTH FAILURE, THE MECHANIC STATED IT WOULD BE BEST TO REPLACE THE ENTIRE DRIVE TRAIN, FINAL DRIVE ASSEMBLY WHICH CONTAINED ALL NEW GEARS, GASKETS, SEALS, O-RING, BEARINGS AND THE HOUSING WHICH HELD ALL OF THE PARTS.
1999 BMW K1200LT. CONSUMER STATES MOTORCYCLE SUFFERED THE BEGINNINGS OF A FINAL DRIVE FAILURE TO THE POWER TRAIN AND LEAKED GEAR OIL. *TGW THE CONSUMER HAS SINCE SOLD THE MOTORCYCLE. *JB
MY 1999 BMW K1200LT HAD A MYSTERIOUS VIBRATION COMING FROM THE REAR WHEEL. I THOUGHT I MAY HAVE A FLAT TIRE. STOPPED CHECKED PRESSURE, AND ALL WAS FINE. RODE BIKE APPROXIMATELY 300 MILES WHEN THE REAR WHEEL BEGAN SLIPPING AND REALLY FELT LIKE IT WAS GOING TO FALL OFF. I DEPRESSED THE REAR BRAKE LEVER, BUT IT COLLAPSED COMPLETELY (I LATER LEARNED WHY), NO REAR BRAKES. I MANAGED TO GET THE MOTORCYCLE STOPPED, AND I COULD IMMEDIATELY TELL WHAT THE PROBLEM WAS. THERE WAS FINAL DRIVE OIL LEAKING FROM THE FINAL DRIVE OF THE MOTORCYCLE ONTO THE REAR BRAKE CALIPER, AND ONTO THE REAR TIRE. THIS WOULD EXPLAIN WHY THE WHEEL FELT LIKE IT WAS 'COMING OFF'. ADDITIONALLY, THE DEALER EXPLAINED THAT THE REASON THE BRAKE PEDDLE HAD TO BE 'PUMPED UP' WAS THAT THE REAR WHEEL WAS VIBRATING BACK AND FORTH OPENING THE CALIPER. THIS IS THE SECOND TIME THIS ISSUE HAS HAPPENED ON THIS MOTORCYCLE. THE PREVIOUS FINAL DRIVE BEARING WAS REPLACE APPROXIMATELY 14 THOUSAND MILES EARLIER, BY A BMW MECHA
Mileage: 43,700
REAR DRIVE FAILURE. IT'S A PRETTY COMMON OCCURRENCE. YOU CAN SEE THE RESULTS OF THE ONLINE FORUMS NOT-SO-SCIENTIFIC RESULTS HERE: HTTP://WWW.BMWLT.COM/FORUMS/SURVEY.PHP?&DO=RESULTS&SID=28 IT SUCKS. I HAVE TO FORK OUT A BUNCH OF DOUGH TO FIX SOMETHING THAT BMW SHOULD HAVE NEVER MADE THAT WAY. *TR
Mileage: 76,178
FINAL DRIVE FAILURE ON BMW K1200LT 1999 MODEL. 37,000 MILES. *JB
TWO BEARINGS IN THE REAR END ASSEMBLY OF MY 1999 BMW K1200LTC FAILED AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED AT 37K. THE DEALERSHIP IN SEATTLE THAT REPAIRED THE BIKE WOULD NOT COVER ANY OF THE REPAIR COSTS INVOLVED. *JB
Mileage: 37,000
Data as of 2025. Sources: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) complaints database, NHTSA recall campaign API, NHTSA NCAP crash-test ratings, and NHTSA FARS for fatality cross-reference.
Read our methodology — how this data is sourced, computed, and verified.