Kawasaki Motors Corp.: Fuel System, Gasoline › Fuel Injection System
Kawasaki Motors Corp. reported this defect to federal regulators on Apr 6, 1999 and put the number of vehicles at risk at 2,779. The repair is free for as long as the recall stands.
The defect
VEHICLE DESCRIPTION: MOTORCYCLES (VN1500-J1/L) EQUIPPED WITH A DIGITAL FUEL INJECTION SYSTEM AND A VEHICLE-DOWN SENSOR. THIS FEATURE IS DESIGNED TO PREVENT THE FUEL INJECTION SYSTEM FROM CONTINUING TO PUMP FUEL IF THE MOTORCYCLE FALLS DOWN, BY SHUTTING OFF THE IGNITION AND FUEL INJECTION PUMP. DURING BATTERY MAINTENANCE, THE VEHICLE-DOWN SENSOR CAN BE DISLODGED FROM ITS NORMAL MOUNTED POSITION. IF THE SENSOR IS OUT OF POSITION, THE MOTORCYCLE MAY NOT START OR MAY STALL DURING CERTAIN DRIVING MANEUVERS.
The risk
IF THE SENSOR IS NOT CORRECTLY INSTALLED, THE ENGINE CAN CRANK BUT NOT START OR THE ENGINE COULD STOP DURING CERTAIN RIDING SITUATIONS, LIKE LEANING OVER IN A TURN. SUDDEN LOSS OF ENGINE POWER COULD CAUSE THE OPERATOR TO LOSE THEIR BALANCE RESULTING IN INJURY OR DEATH.
The remedy
DEALERS WILL INSPECT FOR PROPER MOUNTING OF THE SENSOR AND RE-INSTALL IF IT IS NOT IN THE CORRECT POSITION. DEALERS WILL ALSO AFFIX TO THE MOTORCYCLE FRAME, A WARNING LABEL THAT PROVIDES INSTRUCTIONS ON REPOSITIONING THE VEHICLE-DOWN SENSOR AFTER SERVICING THE BATTERY.
2 model years covered
Newest first| Vehicle | Complaints | Recalls | Fires | Crashes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1999 Kawasaki Drifter | 4 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| 1999 Kawasaki VN1500 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 1 |
What this page is, and what to do next
A recall is not an opinion. It is a Part 573 report a manufacturer is required by federal law to file once it decides a defect poses an unreasonable risk to safety, and it commits them to repairing the vehicle at no cost to the owner. The three passages above are the manufacturer’s own wording as published by NHTSA.
This page describes the campaign. It cannot tell you whether one particular car has already been through the shop — that is tracked by VIN, and only the manufacturer knows it. Check yours at nhtsa.gov/recalls or with a franchised dealer, quoting campaign number 99V067000.
Full record for the 1999 Kawasaki Drifter → · Recalls carrying a do-not-drive advisory → · Where this data comes from →