1998 Buell S3 Thunderbolt

Routine

Owners filed 10 complaints about this vehicle with federal regulators, most often about the suspension › rear. It has been recalled 7 times.

What fails
ComponentReportsCrashesFiresInjuries
Suspension › Rear3
000
Unknown or Other2
000
Suspension › Rear › Shock Absorber1
000
Service Brakes, Hydraulic1
000
Power Train › Driveline › Differential Unit1
000
Fuel System, Gasoline › Storage › Tank Assembly › Mounting1
000
Engine and Engine Cooling › Exhaust System › Emission Control1
000

7 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.

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
Unknown or Other
Filed Aug 27, 2000DE

NO SUMMARY

Suspension › Rear
Filed Jul 27, 2000NJ

RECALLS 99 V 107 000/REAR SHOCK ABSORBER, 99 V 106 000/SWINGARM, 99 V 105 000/FUEL TANK VENT VALVE ASSEMBLY, 99 V 104 000/FUEL TANK MOUNTING, 99 V 086 000/SIDESTAND SWITCH AND 97 V 153 000/FRONT BRAKE ROTOR: DEALER NOTIFIED THE CONSUMER THAT THE MOTORCYCLE HAVE SEVERAL MANUFACTURER'S RECALLS, AND THEY ARE UNABLE TO REPAIR THEM BECAUSE THEY HAD NO PARTS.*AK

Engine and Engine Cooling › Exhaust System › Emission Control
Filed Feb 9, 2000CA

NHTSA RECALL 99V105000 AND MANUFACTURER'S RECALL NO:0815 CONCERNING FUEL EMISSION CONTROL VENT VALVE. NO PARTS AVAILABLE.*AK

Fuel System, Gasoline › Storage › Tank Assembly › Mounting
Filed Feb 9, 2000CA

NHTSA RECALL NO99V104000 AND MANUFACTURER'S RECALL NO0814. NO PARTS AVAILABLE. *AK

Unknown or Other
Filed Feb 9, 2000CA

NHTSA RECALL990V097000 AND MANUFACTURER'S RECALL 0813 CONCERNING MOTORCYCLE'S KICKSTAND. NO PARTS AVAILABLE. *AK

Suspension › Rear
Filed Feb 9, 2000CA

NHTSA RECALL 99V086000 AND MFR RECALL 0810 CONCERNING MOTORCYCLE REAR SWING ARM PIVOT SHAFT. NO PARTS AVAILABLE. *AK

Service Brakes, Hydraulic
Filed Feb 9, 2000CA

NHTSA RECALL 97V153000 AND MANUFACTURER'S RECALL 0807. NO PARTS AVAILABLE.*AK

Suspension › Rear › Shock Absorber
Filed Feb 8, 2000CA

NHTSA RECALL NO:99V107000 AND MANUFACTURER'S RECALL NO:0817 CONCERNING REAR SHOCK ABSORBERS. NO PARTS WERE AVAILABLE. 1ST ATTEMPT 10-JUL-99, 2ND ATTEMPT 15-OCT-99, AND 3RD ATTEMPT 8-FEB2000. *AK

Suspension › Rear
Filed Feb 8, 2000CA

NHTSA RECALL 99V106000 AND MANUFACTURER'S RECALL 0816 CONCERNING MOTORCYCLY REAR SWING ARM PIVOT SHAFT. NO PARTS WERE AVAILABLE. *AK

Power Train › Driveline › Differential Unit
Filed Mar 31, 1999CT

THE FAILURE OF THE FRONT SPROCKET COULD HAVE CAUSED A REAR WHEEL LOCK UP, THIS IN TURN COULD HAVE CUASED A COLLISION, INJURY, OR FATALITY THE REAR BRAKES/ AND TAILLIGHTS BURNED OUT QUICKLY AFTER ABOUT 2500 MILES. THIS CAUSED DRIVER TO HAVE NO INDICATION OF BRAKING WICH COULD CAUSE A REAR END COLLISION. *AK

10 of 10 complaints, reproduced as filed.

Across model years

Worst on record: 1998
YearComplaintsRecallsFiresDeathsAssessment
20000200Routine
19991600Routine
1998 — this page10700Routine
19972700Routine

Compare every S3 Thunderbolt 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.