BMW R 1100 S · model year

2003 BMW R 1100 S

1 NHTSA complaints, and 1 active recall for this specific cohort.

NHTSA overall rating

Not crash-tested

New Car Assessment Program

The 2003BMWR 1100 S carries 1 consumer safety complaint in NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation database for this specific model-year cohort. Within that volume, owners reported 0 crashes, 0 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 2003 R 1100 S is exterior lighting:turn signal with 1 filings. 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. This model year has 1 active recall campaign, which means the manufacturer is obligated to remedy the covered defect at no charge for the life of the vehicle — the full NHTSA campaign numbers are listed below.

NHTSA currently has 34 investigation files overlapping the 2003 R 1100 S. 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.

1
Complaints
0
Crashes
0
Fires
0
Injuries
0
Deaths

Total Complaints

1 filings

Crashes Reported

0 reports

Source

NHTSA ODI

Federal complaints database

Complaints vs. fleet median (215)

At or below the fleet median complaint volume.

Complaints by Component

ComponentCount
EXTERIOR LIGHTING:TURN SIGNAL1

Recalls (1)

02V31900027/11/2002

POWER TRAIN:MANUAL TRANSMISSION

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.

Recent Complaints

20030630EXTERIOR LIGHTING:TURN SIGNAL

BOTH FRONT TURN SIGNAL LENSES CAME OFF. MY MOTORCYCLE IS A 2003 BMW R1200C PHOENIX.*AK

Mileage: 700

Compare 2003BMWR 1100 S to Similar Vehicles

NHTSA Investigations

View all investigations

Frequently Asked Questions

How many complaints does the 2003 BMW R 1100 S have?
The 2003 BMW R 1100 S has 1 NHTSA complaints, 0 crashes, 0 fires, 0 injuries, and 0 deaths reported.
Are there any recalls for the 2003 BMW R 1100 S?
Yes, the 2003 BMW R 1100 S has 1 recall(s). The most common affected component is POWER TRAIN:MANUAL TRANSMISSION. Recalls are issued by NHTSA and manufacturers must provide a free remedy.
What are the most common problems with the 2003 BMW R 1100 S?
The most-complained component for the 2003 BMW R 1100 S is EXTERIOR LIGHTING:TURN SIGNAL with 1 complaints. Other frequently reported areas include various components.
Is the 2003 BMW R 1100 S safe to buy?
Review the complaint history, crash and fire reports, safety ratings, and recall status on this page to make an informed decision. No NHTSA crash test rating is available for this model year. Compare with other model years using the links above.
Where does this data come from?
All complaint, recall, and safety rating data is sourced from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). Complaints are filed by vehicle owners through NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation.

Vehicle Safety Guides

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.