AI Damage1999 BMW R1100 S: common problems
Owners of the 1999 BMW R1100 S filed 4 complaints with NHTSA, most often about wheels and engine and cooling. Details by component below, with sources.
Key figures
- Owner complaints
- 4
What fails most often
- 1 Wheels 50% of all complaints
- 2 Engine and cooling 25% of all complaints
- 3 Powertrain 25% of all complaints
- 4 Steering 25% of all complaints
- 5 Structure 25% of all complaints
- Wheels: 2 complaints (50% of all).
- Engine and cooling: 1 complaints (25% of all).
- Powertrain: 1 complaints (25% of all).
- Steering: 1 complaints (25% of all).
- Structure: 1 complaints (25% of all).
Components owners complain about
| Component | Owner complaints | involving a crash | Technical service bulletins (TSB) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Wheels | 2 | 0 | 0 |
| Engine and cooling | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Powertrain | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Steering | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Structure | 1 | 0 | 0 |
What owners report
Short excerpts of NHTSA complaints in the original wording. These are owner statements not verified by NHTSA; personal data removed.
Transmission input shaft seal failed. Dealer could not find the root cause. Pelican parts r1100s bulletin board suggests this failure is common, and recommended submitting this form.
Due to flooding w/oil because of failed rear engine seal the bmw approved dealer ignored; excessive oil consumption still; both throttle body components have failed and been replaced; the engine temp sensor failed and was replaced.
Front wheel rim is made of aluminum which is too soft and not properly designed for road stress and was bent by mild impact with road debris causing tire to deflate and vehicle to become uncontrollable. Nlm
When owners complained
NHTSA complaints by filing year. The peak shows at what age the problems show up most.
Comparison
By complaint count this model year ranks 15,524 of 36,659 model years in the NHTSA data (top 42% most complained about).
On average one model year of the R1100 S has 2 complaints (4 years in the data). This year has 4, above average.
What to check before buying
- Wheels. Wheel runout, cracks, signs of a wheel strike.
- Engine and cooling. Radiator and fan after a frontal hit, coolant level and condition, overheating.
- Powertrain. Shift quality under load, harsh shifts, transmission codes, CV joints.
- Steering. Steering play, power assist, rack and tie rods after a wheel impact.
Other years of this model
Questions and answers
What are the most common problems with the 1999 BMW R1100 S?
Owner complaints to NHTSA most often mention: wheels, engine and cooling, powertrain. Total complaints: 4. The most frequent symptoms in complaint texts: oil leak or consumption (25%).
How many service bulletins (TSB) were issued for the 1999 BMW R1100 S?
NHTSA lists 0 manufacturer service bulletins for this year. A bulletin tells dealers how to diagnose or fix a known issue; it is not a recall.
Should I buy a 1999 BMW R1100 S from a US auction?
Owner complaints describe defects, not crash damage. Before bidding, check the components listed above and review the lot photos: VinWind builds a report of visible and hidden damage by VIN.
Other 1999 models
Read also
Sources: public NHTSA data (USA): service bulletins and owner complaints; YouTube: links to videos credited to their authors. Complaints are owner statements not verified by NHTSA, and describe defects rather than crash damage. Data updated 2026-11-06.