Total Complaints
5 filings
BMW R SERIES · model year
2005 BMW R SERIES
5 NHTSA complaints for this specific cohort.
NHTSA overall rating
Not crash-tested
New Car Assessment Program
The 2005BMWR SERIES carries 5 consumer safety complaints 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 2005 R SERIES is power train:driveline with 1 filings, followed by power train:manual transmission (1) and engine and engine cooling:engine (1). 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 2005 R SERIES. 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.
5
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 |
|---|---|
| POWER TRAIN:DRIVELINE | 1 |
| POWER TRAIN:MANUAL TRANSMISSION | 1 |
| ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE | 1 |
| SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC | 1 |
| FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM | 1 |
Recent Complaints
20121121FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM
CRACK IN THE FUEL PUMP CONTROLLER HOUSING RESULTING IN MINOR FUEL LEAK. *TR
Mileage: 31,000
20101220SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 BMW R-1200. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING AT VARIOUS SPEEDS AND TRYING TO DOWNSHIFT THE REAR OF THE VEHICLE WOULD LIFT UPWARD. THE FAILURE CAUSED THE FRONT BRAKES TO UNLOCK AND THE FRONT WHEEL MAKING IT DIFFICULT TO STOP. THE VEHICLE WAS INSPECTED BY A DEALER WHO INFORMED THE CONTACT THAT HE NEEDED TO REPLACE THE ANTI-HOP CLUTCH FOR THE FRONT BRAKES. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED FOR THE FATCAT ANTI-HOP CLUTCH. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 20,000. THE VIN WAS UNAVAILABLE.
Mileage: 20,000
20100903POWER TRAIN:DRIVELINE
WHILE WAITING AT A RED LIGHT IN TRAFFIC ON A HIGHWAY, I PULLED IN THE CLUTCH, PUT THE BIKE INTO GEAR AND THE BIKE MADE A LOUD, METALLIC GRINDING SOUND. THIS FAILURE ONLY HAPPENED ONCE IN THE TIME I HAVE OWNED THIS MOTORCYCLE (2 1/2 MONTHS); HOWEVER, IT WAS A CATASTROPHIC FAILURE OF THE DRIVETRAIN THAT LEFT MY BIKE UNABLE TO TRAVEL UNDER ITS OWN POWER AND STRANDED ME IN THE MIDDLE OF HEAVY, FAST MOVING TRAFFIC. (THIS HAPPENED ON THE WEST SIDE HIGHWAY IN MANHATTAN.) FOR MY PERSONAL SAFETY AND TO PREVENT MY DISABLED MOTORCYCLE FROM CAUSING AN ACCIDENT, I HAD TO PUSH THE BIKE TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD THROUGH GAPS IN TRAFFIC. THE REPAIR REQUIRED A FULL CLUTCH REPLACEMENT AND REPLACEMENT OF THE INPUT SHAFT TO THE TRANSMISSION (WITHRELATED SEALS AND SHIMS.) *TR
Mileage: 20,300
20100903POWER TRAIN:MANUAL TRANSMISSION
WHILE WAITING AT A RED LIGHT IN TRAFFIC ON A HIGHWAY, I PULLED IN THE CLUTCH, PUT THE BIKE INTO GEAR AND THE BIKE MADE A LOUD, METALLIC GRINDING SOUND. THIS FAILURE ONLY HAPPENED ONCE IN THE TIME I HAVE OWNED THIS MOTORCYCLE (2 1/2 MONTHS); HOWEVER, IT WAS A CATASTROPHIC FAILURE OF THE DRIVETRAIN THAT LEFT MY BIKE UNABLE TO TRAVEL UNDER ITS OWN POWER AND STRANDED ME IN THE MIDDLE OF HEAVY, FAST MOVING TRAFFIC. (THIS HAPPENED ON THE WEST SIDE HIGHWAY IN MANHATTAN.) FOR MY PERSONAL SAFETY AND TO PREVENT MY DISABLED MOTORCYCLE FROM CAUSING AN ACCIDENT, I HAD TO PUSH THE BIKE TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD THROUGH GAPS IN TRAFFIC. THE REPAIR REQUIRED A FULL CLUTCH REPLACEMENT AND REPLACEMENT OF THE INPUT SHAFT TO THE TRANSMISSION (WITHRELATED SEALS AND SHIMS.) *TR
Mileage: 20,300
20100903ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE
WHILE WAITING AT A RED LIGHT IN TRAFFIC ON A HIGHWAY, I PULLED IN THE CLUTCH, PUT THE BIKE INTO GEAR AND THE BIKE MADE A LOUD, METALLIC GRINDING SOUND. THIS FAILURE ONLY HAPPENED ONCE IN THE TIME I HAVE OWNED THIS MOTORCYCLE (2 1/2 MONTHS); HOWEVER, IT WAS A CATASTROPHIC FAILURE OF THE DRIVETRAIN THAT LEFT MY BIKE UNABLE TO TRAVEL UNDER ITS OWN POWER AND STRANDED ME IN THE MIDDLE OF HEAVY, FAST MOVING TRAFFIC. (THIS HAPPENED ON THE WEST SIDE HIGHWAY IN MANHATTAN.) FOR MY PERSONAL SAFETY AND TO PREVENT MY DISABLED MOTORCYCLE FROM CAUSING AN ACCIDENT, I HAD TO PUSH THE BIKE TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD THROUGH GAPS IN TRAFFIC. THE REPAIR REQUIRED A FULL CLUTCH REPLACEMENT AND REPLACEMENT OF THE INPUT SHAFT TO THE TRANSMISSION (WITHRELATED SEALS AND SHIMS.) *TR
Mileage: 20,300
Compare 2005BMWR SERIES to Similar Vehicles
NHTSA Investigations
Frequently Asked Questions
How many complaints does the 2005 BMW R SERIES have?▼
The 2005 BMW R SERIES has 5 NHTSA complaints, 0 crashes, 0 fires, 0 injuries, and 0 deaths reported.
What are the most common problems with the 2005 BMW R SERIES?▼
The most-complained component for the 2005 BMW R SERIES is POWER TRAIN:DRIVELINE with 1 complaints. Other frequently reported areas include POWER TRAIN:MANUAL TRANSMISSION and ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE.
Is the 2005 BMW R SERIES 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.