Total Complaints
1 filings
BMW R 1150 GS · model year
2003 BMW R 1150 GS
1 NHTSA complaints, and 1 active recall for this specific cohort.
NHTSA overall rating
Not crash-tested
New Car Assessment Program
The 2003BMWR 1150 GS 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 1150 GS is service brakes, hydraulic 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 1150 GS. 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
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
| Component | Count |
|---|---|
| SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC | 1 |
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
20090530SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC
TWO PROBLEMS; 1. ABS INTERMITTENTLY WORKS, AND INTERMITTENTLY LOCKS UP FRONT WHEEL ON GRAVEL ROADS, CAUSING UNDESIRED WHEEL LOCKUP....VERY UNSAFE. 2. ABS BRAKE ASSIST SERVOS (POWER BRAKES) INTERMITTENTLY FAIL TO OPERATE, CAUSING UNEXPECTED LOSS OF BRAKING POWER, ONCE ASSIST SERVO POWER IS LOST THE RESIDUAL BRAKING IS APPROXIMATELY 20% OF ASSISTED BRAKING, THIS CAUSES HEART STOPPAGE WHILE TRYING TO NOT CRASH AND/OR HIT OTHER TRAFFIC.....VERY UNSAFE WHEN THIS HAPPENS. BMW SAYS, SORRY BIKE IS OUT OF WARRANTY, AND THEY WON'T CORRECT DEFECTS. THIS BIKE HAS BEEN VERY WELL MAINTAINED AND TAKEN CARE OF, IT ONLY HAS 13K MILES ON IT AND SHOULD NOT HAVE SUCH FAILURES. IF IT WAS AN ISOLATED FAILURE PROBLEM I WOULDN'T EVEN BOTHER WITH THIS COMPLAINT, HOWEVER DOING SOME RESEARCH I FIND THAT IN JUST MY FEW DAYS OF SEARCHING AND READING BMW RIDERS POSTINGS THAT DOZENS AND DOZENS OF OTHER SIMILAR BMW'S HAVE HAD THE VERY SAME FAILURES WITH ZERO SUPPORT FROM BMW. *TR
Mileage: 13,000
Compare 2003BMWR 1150 GS to Similar Vehicles
NHTSA Investigations
Frequently Asked Questions
How many complaints does the 2003 BMW R 1150 GS have?▼
The 2003 BMW R 1150 GS has 1 NHTSA complaints, 0 crashes, 0 fires, 0 injuries, and 0 deaths reported.
Are there any recalls for the 2003 BMW R 1150 GS?▼
Yes, the 2003 BMW R 1150 GS 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 1150 GS?▼
The most-complained component for the 2003 BMW R 1150 GS is SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC with 1 complaints. Other frequently reported areas include various components.
Is the 2003 BMW R 1150 GS 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.
Read our methodology — how this data is sourced, computed, and verified.