Total Complaints
3 filings
BMW R1200 CL · model year
2003 BMW R1200 CL
3 NHTSA complaints for this specific cohort.
NHTSA overall rating
Not crash-tested
New Car Assessment Program
The 2003BMWR1200 CL carries 3 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 2003 R1200 CL is structure:body with 2 filings, followed by service brakes (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 2003 R1200 CL. 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.
3
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 |
|---|---|
| STRUCTURE:BODY | 2 |
| SERVICE BRAKES | 1 |
Recent Complaints
20211029SERVICE BRAKES
Control Modulator that operates the servo brake system failed. The ABS is no longer operational. The system is now only hydraulicly operated when before it was servo assisted. Once the servo system failed the brake system almost would not stop the motorcyle.
20150426STRUCTURE:BODY
ON OR AROUND OCTOBER 13, 2014 WHILE RIDING THE 2003 BMW R1200CL TO WORK,MY RIGHT SADDLEBAG OPENED AT 45MPH. AT FIRST, I THOUGHT I HAD NOT LATCHED IT PROPERLY. WHEN I PULLED OVER, I FOUND THE LOCKING MECHANISM HAD FAILED AND THERE WAS NO WAY OF LATCHING IT. I "BUNGIE CORDED" IT CLOSED AND RETURNED HOME TO GET MY CAR. I'VE DONE SOME RESEARCH ON THIS FAILURE AND HAVE FOUND IT'S VERY COMMON IN THIS MODEL RANGE. IT SEEMS TO ALWAYS BE THE RIGHT SADDLEBAG. HTTP://WWW.CHROMEHEADS.ORG/DISCUS/MESSAGES/9/279354.HTML?1142712328. *TR
Mileage: 54,000
20131017STRUCTURE:BODY
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 BMW R1200 CL MOTORCYCLE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 55 MPH, THE LATCHING MECHANISM OF THE SADDLE BAG FAILED, CAUSING IT TO OPEN AND RELEASE ALL OF HIS BELONGINGS FROM THE BAG. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE VIN WAS NOT AVAILABLE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 20,000.
Mileage: 20,000
Compare 2003BMWR1200 CL to Similar Vehicles
NHTSA Investigations
Frequently Asked Questions
How many complaints does the 2003 BMW R1200 CL have?▼
The 2003 BMW R1200 CL has 3 NHTSA complaints, 0 crashes, 0 fires, 0 injuries, and 0 deaths reported.
What are the most common problems with the 2003 BMW R1200 CL?▼
The most-complained component for the 2003 BMW R1200 CL is STRUCTURE:BODY with 2 complaints. Other frequently reported areas include SERVICE BRAKES.
Is the 2003 BMW R1200 CL 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.