BMW R1100 problems & recalls
NHTSA records for 1994–2000: 3 recall campaigns and 12 owner complaints. Pick a model year.
By year
What owners complain about (all years)
Recent recalls
Electrical System #97V237000 · 1997 · 2,000 units
Problem: Vehicle description: motorcycles. a sheet metal plate mounted to the front of the frame below the instrument cluster can cause the wiring harness to be stretched too tight as the handlebars are turned fully to one side. in addition, the wiring harness is attached to another harness with a cable tie that is placed too far forward limiting the handlebar movement.
Risk: The harness wires can be damaged or could break or pull out of the ignition switch. if the harness wires were damaged but not broken or disconnected, the electrical system could be affected while the motorcycle is being driven. hesitation, misfiring, or "cutting out" could occur increasing the risk of a vehicle crash.
Fix: Dealers will relocate the wire tie connecting the two wiring harnesses to a point further back from the original location so that the ignition switch wiring harness has sufficient freedom of movement. also if the wiring harness is found to be damaged, the ignition switch (with harness) will be replaced.
Suspension #94V119000 · 1994 · 716 units
Problem: Certain suspension components can loosen when the motorcycle is ridden hard in rough off-road conditions. the right-hand bearing pin in the rear swinging arm and also the lower flange nut on the front strut can both loosen.
Risk: This can result in reduction of the motorcycle's dynamic stability resulting in loss of control of the motorcycle.
Fix: Dealers will remove the bearing pin, apply a stronger adhesive and reassemble with an increased torque specification. the flange nut on the front strut will be replaced with a self-tightening nut.
Electrical System #93V134000 · 1993 · 772 units
Problem: The positive battery cable connector may be attached to the positive terminal extension at an angle which may cause contact between the connector and the battery support causing an electrical short.
Risk: If an electrical short exists, electrical current can beconducted from the battery support, through the front brake lines to the frame.on motorcycles with anti-lock brakes (abs) this may 1) cause the brake fluid toincrease in temperature which could impair front brake performance; and 2)melt a hole in the fuel tank causing a leak which could result in a fire. onmotorcycles without abs, damage to t
Fix: Remove the positive terminal extension and attach the positive battery cable connector directly to the battery terminal with a bolt.
Want the full repair deets? Get the service manual.
Recall and complaint data tells you what goes wrong. A service manual tells you how to fix it: torque specs, wiring diagrams, fluid capacities and step-by-step procedures for the R1100.
Motorcycle-specific service manuals with step-by-step procedures (Clymer is part of Haynes).
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