1999 BMW K1200LT Power Train Problems

SAME FAILURE AS DESCRIBED IN ODI NO. 10439549, AND CURRENTLY BEING INVESTIGATED UNDER CAMPAIGN DP12001. THIS SAME PART HAS FAILED THREE TIMES DURING THE LAST SIX YEAR, OR APPROXIMATELY EVERY 10,000 MILES. *TR

Mileage: 59,000

I'VE OWNED THIS BIKE SINCE 2002 AND SILL HAVE IT. DURING THAT TIME I HAVE EXPERIENCE TWO REAR DRIVE FAILURES AS DESCRIBED IN ODI NO. 10439549, AND CURRENTLY BEING INVESTIGATED UNDER CAMPAIGN DP12001. AT THE TIME BMW WAS IN DENIAL ABOUT THE ISSUE OR CLAIMED THAT IT WAS RARE. WELL, I KNOW 6 PEOPLE WITH THIS SAME MOTORCYCLE AND WE'VE ALL HAD THE REAR DRIVE FAIL. I AM THE ONLY ONE TO HAVE IT FAIL TWICE. I BELIEVE BMW HAS SUPERSEDED THAT LARGE BEARING IN THE REAR DRIVE WITH A NEW PART NUMBER AND IT'S HOLDING UP BETTER. ANYWAY, THE FROST TIME MY REAR DRIVE FAILED THE BEARING HAD "PAULED" AND AS IT CAUSED [XXX] DRAG THE CAGE AROUND THE BALL BEARINGS CAME APART AND TOOK OUT THE SEAL. ONCE RELIEVED OF IT'S OIL IT'S NOT LONG BEFORE THE BEARING FAILS. THE REAR LOCKED AND I CAME TO A STOP MORE RAPIDLY THAN I WOULD HAVE LIKED. I DROPPED THE BIKE TO THE RIGHT AND DID A LITTLE BODY DAMAGE TO THE UNDERCARRIAGE AND SADDLE BAGS. I WAS OK BUT STRANDED WEST OF FRISCO COLORADO. I WAITED MOST OF THE NIGHT FOR A TOW TRUCK TO COME UP FROM DENVER. I SLEPT ON THE SIDEWALK OF THE BMW DEALER THAT NIGHT AND HAD TO RENT A CAR AND "CAMP" WHILE WAITING FOR REPAIRS. MISSED MOST OF A WEEK OF WORK TOO. ANYWAY, THE SECOND FAILURE I CAUGHT EARLIER AND BOUGHT THE PARTS AND ASSISTED ION THE REPAIR SO IT COST MAYBE $600 COMPARE TO THE BMW REPAIR OF $1700. IN TOTAL THAT AND $100 RENTAL AND $50 CAMPING AND WHO KNOWS WHAT A WEEK OF WORTH COST ME. *TR

Mileage: 15,750

LEAKING REAR END LUBE STARTED INVESTIGATION. ULTIMATE CAUSE OF LEAK WAS PENDING FAILURE OF CROWN GEAR BEARINGS ON BIKE WITH PARALEVER STYLE FINAL DRIVE. REPLACED BEARINGS AND SEALS AS NO DAMAGE TO GEAR(S) WAS APPARENT. DONE ON TRIP OUT WEST. *JB

Mileage: 33,000

THE FINAL DRIVE LEAKED FLUID ON THE REAR WHEEL, THE REAR DRIVE BEGAN TO GRIND AND SEIZE. END OF RIDE. *TR

Mileage: 30,000

REAR DRIVE SEAL AND BEARINGS FAILED, LEAKING OIL, LOOSING BRAKING POWER, WITH TIRE WOBBLE. *TR

Mileage: 42,000

THIS IS SAME FAILURE AS DESCRIBED IN ODI NO. 10439549, AND CURRENTLY BEING INVESTIGATED UNDER CAMPAIGN DP12001. MY 1999 K1200LT HAS HAD THE FINAL DRIVE REBUILT TWICE AND REPLACED TOTALLY ONCE AT BMW DEALERSHIPS. THE FIRST TIME WAS A REBUILD ON 9/25/2004 AT 37290 MILES AFTER THE FINAL DRIVE STARTED GRINDING. THE NEXT WAS 9/12/07 AT 54929 MILES WITH THE SAME CIRCUMSTANCES. THE MOST RECENT WAS 8/28/2012 AT 73001 MILES AFTER THE FINAL DRIVE FAILED COMPLETELY, LEAKING DRIVE LUBRICATION ALL OVER THE REAR WHEEL AND DISK BRAKE. REAR BRAKES SUBSEQUENTLY FAILED AS WELL. THIS HAPPENED AT INTERSTATE SPEEDS OF 75MPH. COSTS FOR REBUILDS RUN $400-600 AND THE LAST REPAIR/ REPLACEMENT OF FINAL DRIVE AND BRAKES WAS $2023.00. MY EXPERIENCE INDICATES THAT THE DRIVES ONLY LAST 20-30,000 MILES. I BOUGHT THE BIKE WITH 11,000 MILES ON IT AND I DO NOT KNOW IF THE FINAL DRIVE HAD BEEN REPLACED PRIOR TO MY PURCHASE. THESE FAILURES HAVE ALL BEEN ATTRIBUTED TO THE FAULTY ASSEMBLY OF THE FINAL DRIVES, WHICH REQUIRE A VERY CAREFUL MEASUREMENT OF A TAPERED WHEEL BEARING PRELOAD. MOST REBUILDS BLAME THE FAILURE ON TOO MUCH PRELOAD. NEWER DESIGNS BY BMW HAVE REPLACED THE TAPERED BEARING WITH A BETTER DESIGN THAT DOES NOT REQUIRE THE EXACTING STANDARDS FOR PRELOAD. FAILURES ON THESE UNITS HAVE BEEN DRASTICALLY REDUCED. *TR

Mileage: 37,290

FINAL DRIVE HAVE BEING REBUILT ONE YEAR EARLIER & AGAIN I LOST CONTROL REAR TIRE WHILE RIM START IT WOBBLING OUT CONTROL, BIKE WEIGHT 840 POUNDS VERY DIFFICULT AND WITH MY WIFE ON BOARD THANKS GOD WE ARE ALIVE. GOLD STAR BMW DEALER IN QUEENS DETERMINE THAT I NEED A BRAND NEW FINAL DRIVE,I WAS VERY FORTUNATE TO BE ALIVE; FINAL DRIVE IT WAS TOTAL BLOWN AWAY INTO LITTLE PIECES . REPAIR COST AROUND $1500.00 DOLLARS. [XXX] INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6). *TR

Mileage: 20,500

ON JUNE 17, 2011 THE FINAL DRIVE OF MY 1999 BMW K1200LT STARTED LEAKING GEAR OIL FROM THE CROWN BEARING SEAL. THE SUSPECTED CAUSE IS THE CROWN BEARING FAILURE PUSHED THE SEAL OUT OF PLACE AND ALLOWED THE GEAR OIL TO LEAK ON THE REAR BRAKE DISC AND REAR TIRE. THIS IN TURN CAUSED THE REAR BRAKE TO FAIL DUE TO OIL ON THE BRAKE PADS AND THE REAR TIRE TO BE UNSTABLE WITH OIL ON IT. I REPLACED THE REAR DRIVE IN JANUARY 2012. *TR

Mileage: 46,000

1999 BMW K1200LT. CONSUMER WRITES IN REGARDS POWER TRAIN FINAL DRIVE BEARING FAILURES BEING INVESTIGATED UNDER CAMPAIGN DPI 12001 *TGW THE CONSUMER STATED THE FAILURE OF THE FINAL DRIVE OCCURRED ON FOUR SEPARATE OCCASIONS, WHICH RESULTED IN GEAR LUBE OIL LEAKING ON TO THE HIGHWAY. THE SECOND TIME IT OCCURRED, THE FINAL DRIVE SEIZED WHEN THE BIKE WAS BEING UNLOADED FROM A TOW TRUCK AT THE REPAIR FACILITY. AGAIN, THE REAR SEAL, O-RING, ROLLER BEARING, GASKETS AND GEAR LUBE HAD TO BE REPLACED. THE THIRD TIME THE FINAL DRIVE FAILED, THE REPAIR FACILITY STATED THE FRAGMENTS OF THE CRUSHED BEARING HAD DAMAGED THE GEARS IN THE POWER TRAIN FINAL DRIVE ASSEMBLY. THE REPAIR INCLUDED REPLACING THE GEARS IN THE FINAL DRIVE, THE GASKETS, O-RING, BEARING AND GEAR LUBE OIL AGAIN. THE FOURTH FAILURE, THE MECHANIC STATED IT WOULD BE BEST TO REPLACE THE ENTIRE DRIVE TRAIN, FINAL DRIVE ASSEMBLY WHICH CONTAINED ALL NEW GEARS, GASKETS, SEALS, O-RING, BEARINGS AND THE HOUSING WHICH HELD ALL OF THE PARTS. WHEN THE BEARING FAILURE HAPPENED, THERE WAS A MAJOR OIL LEAK FROM THE FINAL DRIVE UNIT AND THE REAR WHEEL WOBBLED DANGEROUSLY. THE CONSUMER BELIEVED THE BEARING WAS NOT ADEQUATE TO HANDLE THE WEIGHT, TORQUE AND OTHER DEMANDS OF THE MOTORCYCLE *JB

1999 BMW K1200LT. CONSUMER STATES MOTORCYCLE SUFFERED THE BEGINNINGS OF A FINAL DRIVE FAILURE TO THE POWER TRAIN AND LEAKED GEAR OIL. *TGW THE CONSUMER HAS SINCE SOLD THE MOTORCYCLE. *JB

MY 1999 BMW K1200LT HAD A MYSTERIOUS VIBRATION COMING FROM THE REAR WHEEL. I THOUGHT I MAY HAVE A FLAT TIRE. STOPPED CHECKED PRESSURE, AND ALL WAS FINE. RODE BIKE APPROXIMATELY 300 MILES WHEN THE REAR WHEEL BEGAN SLIPPING AND REALLY FELT LIKE IT WAS GOING TO FALL OFF. I DEPRESSED THE REAR BRAKE LEVER, BUT IT COLLAPSED COMPLETELY (I LATER LEARNED WHY), NO REAR BRAKES. I MANAGED TO GET THE MOTORCYCLE STOPPED, AND I COULD IMMEDIATELY TELL WHAT THE PROBLEM WAS. THERE WAS FINAL DRIVE OIL LEAKING FROM THE FINAL DRIVE OF THE MOTORCYCLE ONTO THE REAR BRAKE CALIPER, AND ONTO THE REAR TIRE. THIS WOULD EXPLAIN WHY THE WHEEL FELT LIKE IT WAS 'COMING OFF'. ADDITIONALLY, THE DEALER EXPLAINED THAT THE REASON THE BRAKE PEDDLE HAD TO BE 'PUMPED UP' WAS THAT THE REAR WHEEL WAS VIBRATING BACK AND FORTH OPENING THE CALIPER. THIS IS THE SECOND TIME THIS ISSUE HAS HAPPENED ON THIS MOTORCYCLE. THE PREVIOUS FINAL DRIVE BEARING WAS REPLACE APPROXIMATELY 14 THOUSAND MILES EARLIER, BY A BMW MECHANIC. *TR

Mileage: 43,700

REAR DRIVE FAILURE. IT'S A PRETTY COMMON OCCURRENCE. YOU CAN SEE THE RESULTS OF THE ONLINE FORUMS NOT-SO-SCIENTIFIC RESULTS HERE: HTTP://WWW.BMWLT.COM/FORUMS/SURVEY.PHP?&DO=RESULTS&SID=28 IT SUCKS. I HAVE TO FORK OUT A BUNCH OF DOUGH TO FIX SOMETHING THAT BMW SHOULD HAVE NEVER MADE THAT WAY. *TR

Mileage: 76,178

FINAL DRIVE FAILURE ON BMW K1200LT 1999 MODEL. 37,000 MILES. *JB

TWO BEARINGS IN THE REAR END ASSEMBLY OF MY 1999 BMW K1200LTC FAILED AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED AT 37K. THE DEALERSHIP IN SEATTLE THAT REPAIRED THE BIKE WOULD NOT COVER ANY OF THE REPAIR COSTS INVOLVED. *JB

Mileage: 37,000

REAR END FINAL DRIVE FAILED ON MY '99 BMW K1200LT MOTORCYCLE. THERE WAS NO REAL WARNING OTHER THAN A SEVERE GRINDING NOISE. I WAS ABLE TO RIDE HOME (SLOWLY) AND THEN NOTED THE REAR TIRE WAS NO LONGER STRAIGHT UP BUT HAD A SEVERE WOBBLE. I THEN HAD IT TOWED TO THE DEALER WHO FIXED IT. BOB, PLS NOTE, THE INCIDENT DATE BELOW IS AN APPROXIMATION - IT'S BEEN A WHILE. (I HEARD YOU SPEAK AT THE RA RALLY IN SHELBYVILLE - VERY GOOD JOB!) *NM

Mileage: 5,000

DT: THE REAR DIFFERENTIAL UNIT WENT OUT ON THE MOTORCYCLE. GEAR OIL LEAKED OUT ALL OVER THE REAR TIRE. THE MOTORCYCLE WAS BEING DRIVEN HOME FROM THE STORE. THERE WAS A RUBBING SOUND, THEN THERE WAS A WOBBLE IN THE REAR TIRE. THE OWNER STOPPED IMMEDIATELY. THERE WAS NO PRIOR WARNING OF THE IMPENDING FAILURE. THERE WAS NO ACCIDENT. *JB

Mileage: 57,400

(1) 110 MILES BEFORE FAILURE, NOTICED A GROWLING SOUND. RODE THIS MOTORCYCLE WITH A PASSENGER TOWARD DEALER 100 MILES AT 50 MPH, THEN 10 MILES AT 40 MPH AS GROWLING INCREASED. STOPPED WHEN REAR WHEEL STARTED WOBBLING, 30 MILES AWAY FROM DEALER.*AK (2) REAR DRIVE OF MOTORCYCLE FAILED. BECAUSE I HAD HEARD PROBLEM AND WAS AWARE, REAR WHEEL DID NOT LOCK UP AND CAUSE ACCIDENT. (3) ENTIRE REAR DRIVE REPLACED, AFTER WAITING 11 DAYS 3000 MILES FROM HOME FOR BACKORDERED PART TO ARRIVE FROM GERMANY.

Mileage: 32,843

THE REAR DRIVE ASSEMBLY ON MY BMW K1200LT MOTORCYCLE STARTED VIBRATING AND MAKING GRINDING NOISES. IT THEN DUMPED DRIVE OIL ALL OVER THE REAR WHEEL AND TIRE, CAUSING THE REAR BRAKES TO BECOME INOPERATIVE AND THE REAR TIRE TO SLIP ON THE ROAD. I WAS FORTUNATELY ABLE TO BRING THE BIKE UNDER CONTROL AND TO A COMPLETE STOP THUS AVOIDING A SERIOUS CRASH.*AK

Mileage: 26,000

BMW K1200LT MOTORCYCLE REAR DRIVE FAILURE. REAR WHEEL BEARING FAILED WITHOUT WARNING.*AK

Mileage: 46,165

BEARING FAILURE IN REAR DRIVE ASSEMBLY OF 1999 BMW K1200LTC MOTORCYCLE

Mileage: 42,299

BMW K1200LT REAR DRIVE FAILURE. 32000 MILES REAR CROWN BEARING FAILED ON EXTENDED TRIP.*AK

Mileage: 32,000

REAR DRIVE FAILED ON BMW K1200LT MOTORCYCLE. BEARING IN REAR DRIVE OF SHAFT DRIVE MOTORCYCLE HAS FAILED CAUSING GRINDING NOISE, MAKING VEHICLE UNRIDABLE.*AK

Mileage: 42,500

1999 BMW K1200LTI REAR DRIVE FAILURE. *AK

Mileage: 43,700

REAR DRIVE FAILURE, K1200LT BMW MOTORCYCLE. THE REAR DRIVE ON THE MOTORCYCLE FAILED, CAUSING THE MOTORCYCLE TO BE INOPERABLE. THE BEARING COLLAPSED FROM INSIDE OUT. THE RACE HOLDING THE ROLLERS BROKE IN SEVERAL PLACES. *NLM

Mileage: 47,000

BMW K1200LT MOTORCYCLE - FINAL DRIVE WENT OUT. THE FINAL DRIVE STARTING MAKING NOISE THEN DUMPED ALL FLUID ONTO THE REAR BRAKE AND TIRE. *AK

Mileage: 85,000

SUFFERED A REAR DRIVE ASSY FAILURE ON A 1999 BMW K1200LT-C, BETWEEN 14-16K MILES. *AK

Mileage: 16,000

REAR DRIVE FAILURE ON 1999 BMWK1200LT MOTORCYCLE

Mileage: 70

SHIFT LINKAGE BROKE ON 1999 BMW K1200 LT ICON MOTORCYCLE. VIN [XXX]. *AK INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6). *TR

Mileage: 28,000

1999 BMW MOTORCYCLE, REAR DRIVE FAILURE ALLOWING OIL TO LEAK ONTO REAR TIRE AND REAR BRAKE PADS AND ROTOR. *NLM

Mileage: 35,120

REAR DRIVE BEARING FAILURE. *TT

Mileage: 39,840

IT'S A BIG PROBLEM SINCE MANY RIDERS OF THIS KIND OF BIKE HAVE HAD AND REPORTED THIS FAILURE TO BMW. IT'S A SAFETY ISSUE BECAUSE YOU LOSE CONTROL ON YOUR BIKE WHEN IT HAPPENS. MANY OTHER BIG BIKES DON'T HAVE THIS KIND OF PROBLEM. BMW DOENS'T ASSUME IT AS A WEEK CONSTRUCTIONS AND AFTER WARRANTY DOESN'T STAND BEHIND. DT

NO SUMMARY LISTED FOR ABOVE MOTORCYCLE. *AK

NO SUMMARY LISTED FOR ABOVE MOTORCYCLE. *AK

NO SUMMARY LISTED FOR ABOVE MOTORCYCLE. *AK

NO SUMMARY FOR ABOVE VEHICLE. *AK

FINAL DRIVE CROWN GEAR BEARING DEFECTIVE.*AK

THIS SHOULD BE A RECALL BEFORE SOMEONE GETS KILLED ON ALL MODELS. NO SAFETY DEFECT LISTED. *AK

REAR DRIVE FAILED AT 65-70 MPH, MILEAGE WAS 27500.*JB