BMW R 1150 RS · model year

2003 BMW R 1150 RS

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

NHTSA overall rating

Not crash-tested

New Car Assessment Program

The 2003BMWR 1150 RS 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 RS is fuel system, gasoline 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 RS. 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
FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE1

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

20080519FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE

MY MOTORCYLE HAD A GUSHING FUEL LEAK OVER THE ENGINE FROM A BROKEN "FUEL LINE QUICK RELEASE COUPLING" MADE FROM A PLASTIC MATERIAL. THIS IS NOT A WEAR AND TEAR PROBLEM...THIS IS A MAJOR FAILURE/DEFECT IN THE COUPLING. BMW HAS RECENTLY IDENTIFIED THE PROBLEM AND IS CHANGING TO A METAL COUPLING. I CORRECTED THE FAILURE BY REPLACING THE BROKEN-PLASTIC COUPLING TO A METAL COUPLING. BMW RESPONDED TO MY COMPLAINT BY SAYING THE NEW MODELS HAVE THE METAL COUPLING AND MY MODEL IS OUT OF WARRANTY. I DO NOT THINK THIS IS A WARRANTY ISSUE - I THINK THIS IS A "RECALL" ISSUE. THERE COULD HAVE BEEN SERIOUS CONSEQUENCES WITH A FUEL LEAK OVER THE ENGINE DURING OPERATION.

Mileage: 16,389

Compare 2003BMWR 1150 RS to Similar Vehicles

NHTSA Investigations

View all investigations

Frequently Asked Questions

How many complaints does the 2003 BMW R 1150 RS have?
The 2003 BMW R 1150 RS has 1 NHTSA complaints, 0 crashes, 0 fires, 0 injuries, and 0 deaths reported.
Are there any recalls for the 2003 BMW R 1150 RS?
Yes, the 2003 BMW R 1150 RS 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 RS?
The most-complained component for the 2003 BMW R 1150 RS is FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE with 1 complaints. Other frequently reported areas include various components.
Is the 2003 BMW R 1150 RS 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.