1998 Buell S1 Lightning

Routine

Owners filed 3 complaints about this vehicle with federal regulators, most often about the suspension › rear. It has been recalled 8 times.

What fails
ComponentReportsCrashesFiresInjuries
Suspension › Rear2
000
Unknown or Other1
000

8 safety recalls

Part 573 reports
Fuel System, Gasoline › Storage › Tank Assembly99V105000
Filed May 6, 199912,321 vehiclesBuell Motorcycle Co.

Defect. VEHICLE DESCRIPTION: MOTORCYCLES. THESE MOTORCYCLES WERE BUILT WITH A FUEL TANK VENT VALVE ASSEMBLY THAT COULD BECOME PLUGGED.

Risk. UNDER CERTAIN CONDITIONS, THIS COULD CAUSE THE CARBURETOR TO OVERFLOW FUEL WHICH COULD RESULT IN A FIRE. THIS CONDITION COULD ALSO PREVENT SUFFICIENT FUEL FLOW, WHICH COULD CAUSE THE ENGINE TO MISFIRE OR STALL.

Remedy. DEALERS WILL REPLACE THE FUEL TANK VENT VALVE ASSEMBLY.

Fuel System, Gasoline › Storage › Tank Assembly › Mounting99V104000
Filed May 6, 199910,556 vehiclesBuell Motorcycle Co.

Defect. VEHICLE DESCRIPTION: MOTORCYCLES. THESE MOTORCYCLES WERE BUILT WITH A FUEL TANK MOUNT SYSTEM THAT COULD, IN THE EVENT OF A CRASH, ALLOW THE FUEL TANK TO SEPARATE FROM THE MOTORCYCLE.

Risk. THIS COULD RESULT IN AN EXPLOSION OR FIRE.

Remedy. DEALERS WILL REPLACE THE FUEL TANK MOUNT SYSTEM.

Suspension › Rear › Shock Absorber99V107000
Filed May 6, 19998,950 vehiclesBuell Motorcycle Co.

Defect. VEHICLE DESCRIPTION: MOTORCYCLES. THESE MOTORCYCLES WERE BUILT WITH A REAR SHOCK ABSORBER FRONT EYE THAT COULD BREAK.

Risk. IF THE SHOCK EYE SHOULD BREAK, THE UNDERSIDE OF THE VEHICLE WILL DRAG ON THE GROUND POSSIBLY CAUSING LOSS OF VEHICLE CONTROL.

Remedy. DEALERS WILL REPLACE THE REAR SHOCK ABSORBER.

Suspension › Rear99V106000
Filed May 6, 19998,950 vehiclesBuell Motorcycle Co.

Defect. VEHICLE DESCRIPTION: MOTORCYCLES. THESE MOTORCYCLES WERE BUILT WITH A SWINGARM THAT COULD BREAK.

Risk. IF THE SWINGARM SHOULD BREAK, LOSS OF VEHICLE CONTROL COULD OCCUR.

Remedy. DEALERS WILL REPLACE THE SWINGARM.

Unknown or Other99V097000
Filed Apr 29, 199910,255 vehiclesBuell Motorcycle Co.

Defect. VEHICLE DESCRIPTION: MOTORCYCLES. THESE MOTORCYCLES WERE BUILT WITH A SIDESTAND SWITCH THAT COULD BECOME INOPERATIVE

Risk. THIS CONDITION CAN CAUSE THE ENGINE TO STALL/QUIT WHEN RIDING.

Remedy. DEALERS WILL REPLACE THE SIDESTAND SWITCH.

Electrical System › 12v/24v/48v Battery › Cables99V095000
Filed Apr 29, 19993,878 vehiclesBuell Motorcycle Co.

Defect. VEHICLE DESCRIPTION: MOTORCYCLES. MOTION OF THE BATTERY CABLE CAN LEAD TO BREAKAGE OF ITS TERMINAL.

Risk. THIS CONDITION CAN CAUSE THE ENGINE TO STALL/QUIT WHEN RIDING.

Remedy. DEALERS WILL INSPECT AND/OR REPLACE THE NEGATIVE BATTERY CABLE.

Suspension › Front99V086000
Filed Apr 26, 19995,208 vehiclesBuell Motorcycle Co.

Defect. VEHICLE DESCRIPTION: MOTORCYCLES. THE FRONT ISOLATOR MOUNT SYSTEM CAN LOSE CLAMP LOAD AND POSSIBLY BREAK.

Risk. THIS COULD LEAD TO AN UNINTENDED DISTRACTION TO THE DRIVER, INCREASING THE RISK OF A CRASH.

Remedy. DEALERS WILL REPLACE THE FRONT ISOLATOR MOUNT SYSTEM.

Service Brakes, Hydraulic97V153000
Filed Sep 12, 19972,820 vehiclesBuell Motorcycle Co.

Defect. VEHICLE DESCRIPTION: MOTORCYCLES. THE E-CLIP WHICH RETAINS THE DRIVE PIN ON THE FRONT BRAKE ROTOR AND CARRIER CAN SEPARATE FROM THE DRIVE PIN ALLOWING THE PIN TO MOVE OUT OF POSITION AND COME IN CONTACT WITH THE FRONT BRAKE CALIPER.

Risk. THIS CONDITION CAN PREVENT THE FRONT WHEEL FROM ROTATING INCREASING THE RISK OF A VEHICLE CRASH.

Remedy. DEALERS WILL REPAIR THESE MOTORCYCLES.

What owners reported

Newest filings
Suspension › Rear
Filed Nov 24, 1999CO

DEALER NOTIFIED OF EIGHT MANUFACTURER'S RECALL NOTICES RECEIVED. AS OF NOW NONE OF THE RECALL REPAIRS WWERE MADE. DEALER INFORMED THAT THEY ARE WAITING ON ALL THE PARTS BEFORE REPAIRS CAN BE MADE. *AK

Suspension › Rear
Filed Nov 24, 1999CO

RECEIVED EIGHT MANUFACTURER'S RECALL NOTICES. DEALER NOTIFIED AND NO REPAIRS DONE. DEALER INFORMED THAT THEY ARE WAITING ON ALL PARTS BEFORE REPAIRS CAN BE MADE. WAITING SINCE 25 OF MAY 1999. AS OF DECEMBER 30, 1999 PARTS STILL NOT AVAILABLE. *AK

Unknown or Other
Filed Jun 21, 1999MI

THE RUBBER ON THE FOOT PEG TURNS WHILE DRIVER'S FOOT IS RESTING ON THE PEG. THE RUBBER AROUND THE FOOT PEG IS ALSO COMING OFF THE PEG. THE DEALER IS AWARE OF THE PROBLEM. THE PROBLEM HAS NOT BEEN CORRECTED. *AK

3 of 3 complaints, reproduced as filed.

Across model years

Worst on record: 1997
YearComplaintsRecallsFiresDeathsAssessment
1998 — this page3800Routine
19977800Routine
19963600Routine

Compare every S1 Lightning year →

Reading this record

No unusual pattern of severe incidents in the complaint record.

Complaint counts track how many cars were sold and how long they have been on the road as much as they track quality. A common model from 2013 has had a decade to accumulate reports; a rare one from last year has not. The signal worth weighing is in the severity columns, in whether the same component keeps appearing, and in whether the manufacturer eventually opened a recall for it.

Recall repairs are free for as long as the recall stands. Check whether a specific car still has open work at NHTSA's VIN lookup.

Most recent recall on file: May 6, 1999. Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation.