2005 Suzuki VL1500

Routine

Owners filed 13 complaints about this vehicle with federal regulators, most often about the fuel system, gasoline › storage › tank assembly. It has been recalled 1 time.

What fails
ComponentReportsCrashesFiresInjuries
Fuel System, Gasoline › Storage › Tank Assembly3
000
Structure › Motorcycle › Kickstand/Center Stand2
001
Electrical System2
000
Wheels1
000
Vehicle Speed Control1
000
Suspension › Front › Wheel Bearing1
000
Steering1
000
Service Brakes, Hydraulic1
000
Fuel System, Gasoline › Storage › Tank Assembly › Filler Pipe and Cap1
000

1 safety recall

Part 573 reports
Fuel System, Gasoline › Storage › Tank Assembly06V025000
Filed Jan 30, 200637,911 vehiclesAmerican Suzuki Motor Corp.

Defect. ON CERTAIN MOTORCYCLES, STRESS AROUND THE RIGHT FRONT FUEL TANK MOUNTING POINT CAN CAUSE HAIRLINE FATIGUE CRACKS TO FORM. THIS CAN RESULT IN A FUEL LEAK.

Risk. IN THE PRESENCE OF AN IGNITION SOURCE, A FUEL LEAK CAN RESULT IN A FIRE.

Remedy. DEALERS WILL INSPECT THE FUEL TANK AND INSTALL IMPROVED CUSHIONS THAT MOUNT AND SUPPORT THE FUEL TANK. ANY FUEL TANKS THAT ARE FOUND TO HAVE A CRACK WILL BE REPLACED. IF A TANK IS FOUND TO HAVE A CRACK AND A REPLACEMENT TANK IS NOT AVAILABLE, FUEL TANK SEALANT WILL BE APPLIED TO THE TANK AS AN INTERIM REPAIR. WHEN THE REPLACEMENT TANK BECOMES AVAILABLE, THE OWNER WILL BE CONTACTED AND A REPLACEMENT TANK WILL BE INSTALLED. THE RECALL BEGAN ON FEBRUARY 3, 2006. OWNERS MAY CONTACT SUZUKI AT 1-714-572-1490.

What owners reported

Newest filings
Electrical System
Filed Oct 20, 201117,000 milesCA

CHARGING SYSTEM STATOR RECTIFIER. *TR

Electrical System
Filed Sep 9, 201118,058 milesNC

I WAS RIDING ALONG AND ALL OF A SUDDEN, MY MOTORCYCLE LOST POWER AND THE ENGINE STOPPED. THE ENGINE WOULD NOT TURN OVER AND THE ELECTRIC FUEL PUMP WOULD BARELY RUN. SUBSEQUENT TROUBLESHOOTING REVEALED THAT THE GENERATOR STATOR HAD SHORTED AND WAS NO LONGER FUNCTIONING CAUSING THE BATTERY TO BECOME DEPLETED. REPLACEMENT OF THE STATOR, REGULATOR/RECTIFIER AND THE BATTERY WAS REQUIRED. I WOULD EXPECT THESE COMPONENTS TO LAST LONGER THAN 18,000 MILES BUT AFTER DOING MY RESEARCH ON THIS PROBLEM FOR THIS MOTORCYCLE, I FOUND THAT THIS IS A COMMON OCCURRENCE. *TR

Steering
Filed Feb 28, 20101,500 milesMS

THE MOTORCYCLE (SUZUKI C 90 BOULEVARD) WOBBLES UNCONTROLLABLY ON DECELERATION, THAT CAN CAUSE LOSS OF CONTROL, THIS STARTED WHEN IT HAD ONLY 1500 MILES ON IT. DEALER WOULD DO NOTHING. IT HAS ALSO HAD ELECTRICAL SYSTEM PROBLEMS THE RECTIFIER SHORTS OUT. SUZUKI REPLACED THE RECTIFIER AND STATOR. THESE PROBLEMS ARE INHERENT IN 2005 AND 2006 SUZUKI C90 BOULEVARD. IN 2007 SUZUKI REVAMPED THE STATOR AND RECTIFIER. *TR

Fuel System, Gasoline › Storage › Tank Assembly
Filed May 15, 2008CA

2005 SUZUKI VL 1500 WITH SAFETY RECALL FOR THE FUEL PAD. CONSUMER STATES THAT THE DEALERSHIP WILL NOT ORDER THE PART AND LET HIM REPAIR THE PROBLEM HIMSELF. THEY ARE SAYING HE HAS TO HAVE A DEALER DO IT. HE STATES HE DOESN'T TRUST THE DEALERS. *KB THE CONSUMER ALSO STATED THE BATTERY DIED.

Structure › Motorcycle › Kickstand/Center Stand1 injured
Filed Nov 2, 2007OH

2005 VL1500 BOULEVARD HAS FALLEN FROM THE KICK STAND. CONSUMER STATES THAT HE WAS INFORMED BY A MECHANIC THAT THE KICK STAND DOES NOT GO FORWARD ENOUGH TO HOLD THE BIKE ON AN INCLINE. *KB THE CONSUMER STATED THE MOTORCYCLE HAS FALLEN THREE TIMES THIS YEAR, IN WHICH HE SUFFERED A MINOR MUSCLE PULL. *JB

Fuel System, Gasoline › Storage › Tank Assembly
Filed Feb 6, 2006FL

I RECEIVED A RECALL ON MY 2005 SUZUKI C90 RELATED TO THE GAS TANK. THE RECALL STATES NOT TO OPERATE THE MOTORCYCLE. THE DEALER REFUSES TO PICK THE BIKE UP AND TELLS ME TO RIDE IT TO THE DEALERSHIP. IF IT IS TOO DANGEROUS TO RIDE, WHY AREN'T THE DEALERS RESPONSIBLE FOR TOWING THE BIKE? *JB

Service Brakes, Hydraulic
Filed Oct 4, 20054,800 milesVA

FRONT BRAKE FAILS TO STOP VEHICLE. FRONT BRAKE LEVER TRAVEL IS EXCESSIVE AND OFTEN TOUCHES THE THROTTLE GRIP WITHOUT PROVIDING ANY SIGNIFICANT DECELERATION. DEALER RECENTLY BLED BRAKES AT THE 4000 MILE SERVICE. ALMOST HAD AN ACCIDENT ON OCT 1, 2005 WHEN THE MOTORCYCLE WAS UNABLE TO STOP IN AN EMERGENCY SITUATION. HAD TO CHANGE LANES TO AVIOD A REAR END COLLISION. THIS PROBLEM HAS OCCURRED WITH OTHER VS1400 SUZUKI INTRUDERS. *NM

Fuel System, Gasoline › Storage › Tank Assembly
Filed Sep 3, 20057,456 milesNE

2005 SUZUKI BOULEVARD C90 MOTORCYCLE: GAS TANK LEAK, SOME SPOT AS PREVIOUS YEARS. TOP RIGHT CORNER. BAD WELD VERIFIED BY DEALERSHIP SERVICE MANAGER. DEALER ORDERED NEW GAS TANK. DOWN TIME FOR CUSTOMER (ME) 1 WEEK.*JB

Suspension › Front › Wheel Bearing
Filed Aug 29, 2005NC

DT: OWNER HAS A MOTORCYLCE. WHILE DRIVING ON THE HIGHWAY AT 70 MPH THE BALL BEARNINGS FELL OUT OF THE FRONT WHEEL. THIS CAUSED THE VEHICLE NOT TO HAVE ANY FRONT BRAKES. THEN, THE OWNER LEANED TO THE RIGHT AND LET THE MOTORCYCLE ROLL TO A STOP. THE FRONT WHEEL WAS WOBBLING. THERE WAS A FRONT WHEEL BEARING PROBLEM ABOUT A YEAR AND A HALF AGO. IT WAS MAKING A CLICKING NOISE AND HAD TO BE REPLACED AT 9,000 MILES. THE FRONT WHEEL BEARNINGS FELL OFF LAST WEDNESDAY. THE MOTORCYLE WAS TOWED. THE OWNER TOOK IT TO DEALERSHIP AND THEY REPAIRED IT. THE DEALERSHIP ADVISED THE OWNER THAT THE WHEEL BEARNINGS WERE DERVIED FROM THREE DIFFERENT SOURCES. THEY INDICATED THE BEARNING THAT FAILED WAS CALLED A KACHI BEARING. THE OWNER CALLED SUZUKI AND MADE A COMPLAINT WITH THEM. THE MECHANIC REPLACED THE BEARING WITH A KOYO. THE OWNER HAD TO REPLACE THE KACHI BEARNIGS TWICE WITHIN 15000 MILES. THE OWNER WAS CONCERNED THIS PRODUCT COULD CAUSE DEATH OR INJURY TO RIDER OR OTHER MOTORISTS. *AK

Vehicle Speed Control
Filed Aug 20, 20051 milesOR

NOTE: VEHICLE IS NOT A VL1500, IT IS A SUZUKI BURGMAN 650 MOTORSCOOTER WHICH WAS NOT A CHOICE ON YOUR DROPDOWN MODELS. SPEEDOMETER IS COMPLETELY INACCURATE ON MY BRAND NEW 2005 SUZUKI BURGMAN 650 MOTORSCOOTER. WHILE DRIVING MY MOTORSCOOTER, I CANNOT GET AN ACCURATE READING ON WHETHER I'M GOING TOO FAST OR TOO SLOW. SOMETIMES THIS SPEEDOMETER IS AT LEAST 20 MPH FASTER THAN WHAT I AM TRAVELING. I HAVE TAKEN THE BIKE BACK TO THE DEALERSHIP AND I AM BEING TOLD BY BOTH THE DEALER AND SUZUKI THAT A 10% MARGIN OF ERROR IS ACCEPTIBLE BY SUZUKI AS BEING ACCURATE ENOUGH TO DRIVE ON THE AMERICAN HIGHWAYS. I CHECKED WITH THE LOCAL POLICE AND HIGHWAY PATROLS AND WAS INFORMED THAT WHEN A SPEED LIMIT IS POSTED THAT IS WHAT YOU SHOULD BE DRIVING - NOT 10% PLUS OR MINUS. I AM ALSO BEING INSTRUCTED BY SUZUKI THAT I SHOULD BE ABLE TO MENTALLY CALCULATE THE MAXIMUM 10% DIFFERENCE ON THE SPEEDOMETER WHILE DRIVING IN MOUNTAIN CONDITIONS AND CROWDED HIGHWAYS CREATING A SERIOUS SAFETY FACTOR. I WOULD LIKE TO HAVE THIS FIXED. THERE ARE 2 SUZUKI BRUGMAN 650'S THAT WERE PURCHASED FROM THE SAME DEALERSHIP WITHIN THE SAME WEEK, BOTH ARE NOW IN THE SHOP FOR THE SAME REPAIRS. BOTH OWNERS HAVE BEEN INSTRUCTED THAT THEY WILL NOT BE FIXED AND THEY MUST BE RIDDEN IN THIS UNSAFE CONDITION. I WOULD APPRECIATE NHTSA HELP IN RESOLVING THIS SERIOUS SAFETY VIOLATION.

Fuel System, Gasoline › Storage › Tank Assembly › Filler Pipe and Cap
Filed Aug 17, 20051 milesWI

DT: 2005 SUZUKI VS1400. THE CONSUMER STATED HAD PROBLEMS WITH THE GAS TANK, AND/OR THE GAS CAP RATTLED. THIS WAS A DISTRACTION TO THE CONSUMER WHILE DRIVING. HE WAS CONCERNED THIS COULD CAUSE A GAS LEAK. THE DEALERSHIP AGREED THERE WAS A RATTLE AND IT VIBRATED AGAINST SOMETHING, BUT THE PART WAS NOT DEFECTIVE. THE MANUFACTURER STATED IF IT WAS NOT A DEFECTIVE PART THEY COULD NOT DO ANYTHING ABOUT IT. THIS HAS BEEN OCCURRING SINCE PURCHASE OF THE VEHICLE.*AK

Structure › Motorcycle › Kickstand/Center Stand
Filed Jul 13, 2005100 milesCA

DT: SUZUKI 2005 BLVD. C90T -TOURING MOTORCYCLE. THE PROBLEM IS WITH THE KICK STAND. WHEN THE CONSUMER PUT THE KICK STAND DOWN IT WILL NOT LOCK AND THE BIKE WILL FALL OVER. *JB

Wheels
Filed Jun 27, 2005MS

DT: A 2005 SUZUKI VL800. CONSUMER STATES THAT THE REAR WHEEL HAS SPOKES, AND WHERE THE SPOKES TIE INTO THE METAL OF THE WHEELS IT IS CRACKING. THE DEALERSHIP HAS CONFLICTING RESPONSES, ONE SAYS IT IS DANGEROUS, AND ANOTHER SAYS IT IS NOT A PROBLEM. THE MOTORCYCLE HAS ONLY 823 MILES ON IT.*AK

13 of 13 complaints, reproduced as filed.

Across model years

Worst on record: 2005
YearComplaintsRecallsFiresDeathsAssessment
20085010Routine
20079000Routine
20060100Routine
2005 — this page13100Routine
20046100Routine
20031100Routine
20021100Routine
20013100Routine
20001110Routine
19991100Routine
19982100Routine

Compare every VL1500 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: Jan 30, 2006. Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation.