Total Complaints
4 filings
BMW R1200C · model year
1999 BMW R1200C
4 NHTSA complaints for this specific cohort.
NHTSA overall rating
Not crash-tested
New Car Assessment Program
The 1999BMWR1200C carries 4 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, 1 injury, 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 1999 R1200C is power train:driveline with 2 filings, followed by steering: steering wheel/handle bar (1) and exterior lighting (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 1999 R1200C. 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.
4
Complaints
0
Crashes
0
Fires
1
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 | 2 |
| STEERING: STEERING WHEEL/HANDLE BAR | 1 |
| EXTERIOR LIGHTING | 1 |
Recent Complaints
20141215EXTERIOR LIGHTING
THE REAR TAIL LIGHT/ TURN LIGHT WAS DEFECTIVELY DESIGNED AND/OR MADE THE DEFECT WAS SO WIDESPREAD AND RECOGNIZED AD SUCH BY BME THAT IT PRECIPITATED BMW MAKING A " NEW AND IMPROVED " VERSION OF THE TAIL- LIGHT TURN SIGNAL ASSEMBLY. HOWEVER INSTEAD IF REPLACING THUS DEFECTIVE PRODUCT FOR FREE IN RECOGNITION OF THE DEFECT BME INSTEAD WANTS APPROXIMATELY $500 JUST FOR THE PART! THIS IS OUTRAGEOUS AND EXPLOITIVE. THE FAILURE OF A REAR TAIL-LIGHT / TURN SIGNAL ASSEMBLY POSES AN OBVIOUS SAFETY RISK WITH A CLEAR POSSIBILITY OF SEVERE INJURY/ FATALITY. *TR
Mileage: 16,000
20080622POWER TRAIN:DRIVELINE
I'VE GOT A 1999 R1200C. I RECENTLY DID SOME SERVICING ON IT WITH MY FRIEND, AND I THINK I AM EXPERIENCING THE START OF FINAL DRIVE FAILURE... WE DID VALVE ADJUSTMENTS, FUEL FILTER, BRAKE FLUIDS, AIR FILTER, OIL AND OIL FILTER, TRANSMISSION FLUID AND THE FINAL DRIVE FLUID. EACH FLUID LOOKED SURPRISINGLY GOOD TO ME , EXCEPT THE FINAL DRIVE FLUID. I EXPECTED IT TO BE DARK IN COLOR, AS IT WAS OLD, BUT IT CAME OUT A GLITTERING METALLIC OOZE. I'D NEVER SEEN FINAL DRIVE FLUID BEFORE, SO I THOUGHT IT WAS NORMAL UNTIL I OPENED UP THE BOTTLE OF NEW FLUID AND SAW IT WAS YELLOW/CLEAR. SINCE THEN, I'VE NOTICED THAT IF I OPEN THE THROTTLE UP WHILE CLIMBING AN INCLINE, I GET QUITE ALOT OF ENGINE REVS, BUT NO EXTRA TRANSFER OF POWER TO THE WHEEL. :0 IF I BABY THE THROTTLE, I GET MORE FORWARD MOTION.... I'M SCARED OF FINAL DRIVE FAILURE GETTING ME KILLED... PERHAPS I'M LESS LIKELY SINCE I GOT THE METAL CHIPS OUT, BUT NOW THE DRIVE ISN'T TRANSFERRING POWER... I DON'T KNOW, ANY HELP? T
Mileage: 20,000
20061119POWER TRAIN:DRIVELINE
WHILE TRAVELING AT 55 MPH, A HIGH FREQUENCY "BUZZ" WAS FELT IN THE MOTORCYCLE. AS WE WERE ON A CAUSE WAY COMING NORTH FROM KEY WEST, FL I WAS UNABLE TO PULL OVER TO INVESTIGATE. AT THE FIRST OPPORTUNITY, I STOPPED AND INSPECTED THE WHEELS/TIRES ETC. NOTHING WAS NOTED. AFTER A FURTHER TWENTY MILES, WITH NO CHANGE IN THE VIBRATION, I WENT TO PULL OVER AGAIN, THIS TIME WHILE STOPPING, THE REAR BRAKE WAS INEFFECTIVE. LOOKING AT THE REAR WHEEL, OIL WAS OBSERVED DRIPPING ONTO THE BRAKE DISC AND THE TIRE WAS SPLATTERED WITH OIL. THE BIKE WAS PUT IN A TRUCK AND TAKEN TO MY DESTINATION, 2500 MILES AWAY. UPON ARRIVAL AT MY HOME, THE REAR WHEEL, AND FINAL DRIVE WERE REMOVED. THE FINAL DRIVE WAS DISASSEMBLED AND THE CROWN GEAR BEARING WAS FOUND FAILED. *JB
Mileage: 69,103
20001107STEERING: STEERING WHEEL/HANDLE BAR
LEATHER HANDGRIPS ARE SLIPPERY, CONSUMER RIDES MOTORCYCLE WITH RUBBER BANDS WRAPPED AROUND THE THROTTLE, SO HIS HANDS DON'T SLIP. *SLC
Compare 1999BMWR1200C to Similar Vehicles
NHTSA Investigations
Frequently Asked Questions
How many complaints does the 1999 BMW R1200C have?▼
The 1999 BMW R1200C has 4 NHTSA complaints, 0 crashes, 0 fires, 1 injuries, and 0 deaths reported.
What are the most common problems with the 1999 BMW R1200C?▼
The most-complained component for the 1999 BMW R1200C is POWER TRAIN:DRIVELINE with 2 complaints. Other frequently reported areas include STEERING: STEERING WHEEL/HANDLE BAR and EXTERIOR LIGHTING.
Is the 1999 BMW R1200C 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.