Clutch plate cracked. Had to replace all parts to the final drive
The worst 2003 BMW K1200LT problems
Ranked by number of owner complaints. Mileage and cost come from what owners wrote.
- Transmission13
- Fuel system6
- Suspension2
- Brakes1
- Electrical1
Problems by type
Tap a problem to see which part fails, at what mileage and in which other years.
- Transmission13
- Fuel system6
- Suspension2
- Brakes1
- Electrical1
- Engine1
Recalls
No recalls on record for this model year.
Defect investigations
M/C final drive ball bearing failure
The Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) received a defect petition requesting that it open an investigation into model year (MY) 1998-2009 BMW KLT series motorcycles for final drive bearing failures.The petitioner asked the federal safety agency to issue an order that [BMW] be required to recall the affected models for inspection ofcomponent wear and proper assembly of the [final drive] bearing.ODI has reviewed the petition, assessed relevant consumer complaints, and gathered other data in the course of investigating this issue.Based on its review, ODI does not believe that a safety-related defect trend currently exists for final drive bearing failures in the subject motorcycles.Therefore, in view of the need to allocate and prioritize the federal safety agency's limited resources to accomplish the agency's safety mission, the petition is denied.However, the agency will continue to monitor information related to this issue and will take further action if warranted.For detailed information, see the Federal Register notice: https://federalregister.gov/a/2013-13779.
DP12001
Technical service bulletins for the 2003 BMW K1200LT 7
Bulletins tell dealers how to fix known problems. A warranty extension means the manufacturer pays for that repair for longer.
- With the introduction of the new watertight fuse box a change was made from large type fuses to mini fuses
- Map data should be stored on a 64 GB SD card
- Bmw: procedure for determining and replacing incandescent and halogen light bulbs under warranty
- Bmw vehicles: fuel level sensor repairs
- Bmw motorcycle: wheel speed dependent, clearly audible clanking noise occurs when braking to adjust speed....
- Bmw motorcycle: engine fuels containing ethanol. bmw motorrad has no objection to the use of si engine...
- Engine resisting throttle input when the engine is started from cold
What 2003 BMW K1200LT owners say
Most recent owner complaints, unedited.
Drive shaft had break, dangerous. Caused the final drive gears to break, dangerous. On the road.
2003 bmw k1200ltc touring motorcycle, went up in massive flames and a subsequent explosion, while parked and engine running / idling for approximately 3 minutes. Fire dept. Arrived 10 minutes later, and battelled the flamed for 7 more minutes to extinguish it. Luckily no personal injury, but some property damage as a result. Initial white smoke, and flames observed at the fuel-rail above the engine front, left hand side.
Brake lines leaking and replaced. $1002. In repairs. Final drive leaking and all gear damaged.
2003 bmw k1200lt burned to ashes on 12-08-2020. Caught fire while parked after running for a few minutes. Smoke from front. Flames in the lower front left of engine. Recent services- feb 2020, included replacing quick connect fuel lines with new metal upgrades, after fuel leak detected. 42k miles. Huge fire. Extreme danger warning.
While riding, fuel began pouring out over my right foot. It turned out that the fuel line quick disconnects (used for removing the fuel tank) deteriorated because they are plastic (the plastic part has been discontinued--the replacement part is now metal). My dealer replaced the disconnects with the new, metal part.
The final drive differential failed, locked up the rear tire, cause catastrophic loss of control, ejection from the motorcycle at highway speed, and total loss of the machine. The rider suffered moderate injuries, mostly abrasions and bruises, and broken bones. The tire pressures and final drive fluid level had been checked that day, and were correct. A $10,000 machine was totaled because of a cheap part that is a known defect, has occurred over and over, and bmw has not been ordered to fix this safety issue!
Felt a strange vibration. Exited the road at the next exit about a mile down the road. Upon slowing below 20 MPH, the vibration increased. Braking was diminished and used down shifting. Pulled over into a parking lot and inspected the motorcycle. Found oil running from the final drive down the brake rotor and rim/tire. Called for a tow truck to take it to the local bmw dealer. Dealer said the final drive bearings had failed and the entire final drive needed to be replaced. Since there was a known issue with the pre-2004 final drives, the dealer replaced with a final drive from a 2006.
Tl* the contact owns 2003 bmw k1200 lt motorcycle. The contact was driving 70 MPH when the rear wheel bearings caused the vehicle seize. The contact noticed oil leaking from the final drive unit onto the rear wheel. The vehicle was towed to the dealer where the bearings, o-rings, and rear wheel shaft was replaced. The contact had not experienced any further issues with the vehicle since the repair. The failure mileage was 30,876.
Bmw k1200lt 2003 motorcyle I purchased used with 8700 miles on the bike. At 18646 having all the maintenance done by the dealer, I experienced a rumbling sound traveling on an interstate at 65 MPH. I pulled over thinking it might be a bad tire and noticed oil dripping on the rear tire/rim. Oil on the rear brakes did hamper my slowing down. Bmw repaired the final drive saying the outside bearing failed causing the oil seal to fail. At 25,423 miles the final drive failed again. This is a high priced bike and I was surprised at this mechanical failure which I believe now that it wasn't assembled correctly and during the repair no change on the new bearing was done so it failed a second time. I finally purchased a used final drive to continue riding. I now have 129,025 on the bike and the used final drive is still performing ok so the issue was with the original drive on this bike. A new final drive wasn't in my budget. I wonder what would have happened had I been in a hard curve when this failure occurred. Not good, I'd say. Bmw can/should do better during assembly.
Compare the 2003 BMW K1200LT
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Questions about the 2003 BMW K1200LT
Is the 2003 BMW K1200LT reliable?
Owners have filed 21 complaints about the 2003 BMW K1200LT, close to a typical K1200LT model year.
What is the 2003 BMW K1200LT year score?
The 2003 BMW K1200LT scores 68 out of 100 (average). The score compares it with the other model years of the BMW K1200LT: 75 is a typical year, 50 means twice the usual complaints, and serious complaints and recalls lower it.
What is the most common problem with the 2003 BMW K1200LT?
Transmission and drivetrain, with 13 complaints, typically around 35,800 miles. Next is fuel system (6).
How many recalls does the 2003 BMW K1200LT have?
No recalls on record.
What year does the BMW K1200LT have bad transmission?
The BMW K1200LT model years with the most transmission complaints are 2000 (40 complaints), 1999 (37 complaints) and 2002 (23 complaints).
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