Total Complaints
2 filings
BMW R1100 S · model year
2004 BMW R1100 S
2 NHTSA complaints for this specific cohort.
NHTSA overall rating
Not crash-tested
New Car Assessment Program
The 2004BMWR1100 S carries 2 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 2004 R1100 S is fuel/propulsion system with 1 filings, followed by power train (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 2004 R1100 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.
2
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 |
|---|---|
| FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM | 1 |
| POWER TRAIN | 1 |
Recent Complaints
20140908FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM
I WAS TRAVELING AT 47MPH AND AS I SHIFTED FROM 4TH TO 5TH GEAR, THE BIKE SUDDENLY LURCHED WITH A BANG AS IT DECELERATED AND I LOST THE ABILITY TO ACCELERATE. THE ENGINE REVVED AS IF THE BIKE WAS IN NEUTRAL WITH THE THROTTLE ENGAGED EVEN THOUGH I SHOULD HAVE BEEN IN 5TH GEAR. I TWISTED THE THROTTLE BACK TO ZERO AND TRIED TO SHIFT INTO OTHER GEARS. EVEN THOUGH THE SHIFTER WAS WORKING, THE BIKE WOULD NOT ENGAGE INTO ANY GEAR AND WAS MOVING ONLY UNDER IT'S OWN MOMENTUM. THERE WAS A GRINDING NOISE WHICH WAS PREVALENT. I COASTED TO A STOP AND TRIED SHIFTING GEARS AGAIN, BUT COULD NOT GET THE BIKE TO ENGAGE. I HEARD LOUD GRINDING NOISES WHEN TRYING TO PUT THE BIKE IN GEAR AND THEN IT WOULD STALL. AFTER BEING TOWED, THE BMW DEALER CONFIRMED CLUTCH SPINE FAILURE AS ROOT CAUSE. THERE ARE NUMEROUS INCIDENTS OF THIS FAILURE DOCUMENTED ON THE INTERNET, ESPECIALLY ON THE R1100S. IN LOOKING AT THE FAILURE ITSELF, ONE CAN SEE THAT THE INPUT SPLINE SHAFT TEETH ARE ABOUT 3/4 SHEARED AS ARE ALL
Mileage: 33,861
20140908POWER TRAIN
I WAS TRAVELING AT 47MPH AND AS I SHIFTED FROM 4TH TO 5TH GEAR, THE BIKE SUDDENLY LURCHED WITH A BANG AS IT DECELERATED AND I LOST THE ABILITY TO ACCELERATE. THE ENGINE REVVED AS IF THE BIKE WAS IN NEUTRAL WITH THE THROTTLE ENGAGED EVEN THOUGH I SHOULD HAVE BEEN IN 5TH GEAR. I TWISTED THE THROTTLE BACK TO ZERO AND TRIED TO SHIFT INTO OTHER GEARS. EVEN THOUGH THE SHIFTER WAS WORKING, THE BIKE WOULD NOT ENGAGE INTO ANY GEAR AND WAS MOVING ONLY UNDER IT'S OWN MOMENTUM. THERE WAS A GRINDING NOISE WHICH WAS PREVALENT. I COASTED TO A STOP AND TRIED SHIFTING GEARS AGAIN, BUT COULD NOT GET THE BIKE TO ENGAGE. I HEARD LOUD GRINDING NOISES WHEN TRYING TO PUT THE BIKE IN GEAR AND THEN IT WOULD STALL. AFTER BEING TOWED, THE BMW DEALER CONFIRMED CLUTCH SPINE FAILURE AS ROOT CAUSE. THERE ARE NUMEROUS INCIDENTS OF THIS FAILURE DOCUMENTED ON THE INTERNET, ESPECIALLY ON THE R1100S. IN LOOKING AT THE FAILURE ITSELF, ONE CAN SEE THAT THE INPUT SPLINE SHAFT TEETH ARE ABOUT 3/4 SHEARED AS ARE ALL
Mileage: 33,861
Compare 2004BMWR1100 S to Similar Vehicles
NHTSA Investigations
Frequently Asked Questions
How many complaints does the 2004 BMW R1100 S have?▼
The 2004 BMW R1100 S has 2 NHTSA complaints, 0 crashes, 0 fires, 0 injuries, and 0 deaths reported.
What are the most common problems with the 2004 BMW R1100 S?▼
The most-complained component for the 2004 BMW R1100 S is FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM with 1 complaints. Other frequently reported areas include POWER TRAIN.
Is the 2004 BMW R1100 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.
Read our methodology — how this data is sourced, computed, and verified.