2013 Zero DS

Routine

Owners filed 1 complaints about this vehicle with federal regulators, most often about the suspension. It has been recalled 1 time.

What fails

Component	Reports		Crashes	Fires	Injuries
Suspension	1		0	0	0

1 safety recall

Part 573 reports

Electrical System › Software13V635000

Filed Dec 18, 2013667 vehiclesZero Motorcycles Inc.

Defect. Zero Motorcycles Inc. (Zero) is recalling certain model year 2012-2013 XU, S, DS, and model year 2013 FX motorcycles. The affected motorcycles have controller firmware that, as a result of certain system faults, may shut off power to the motor.

Risk. A sudden loss of power to the motor may increase the risk of a crash.

Remedy. Zero will notify owners, and dealers will update the controller firmware, free of charge. The recall is expected to begin in mid-January 2014. Owners may contact Zero at 1-888-786-9376.

What owners reported

Newest filings

Suspension

Filed Jun 9, 20184,000 milesWA

BOUGHT USED 2013 ZERO DS. BIKE WOULD EMIT NOISE WHILE COMING TO A STOP THAT SOUNDED LIKE RUBBING METAL BUT COULD NOT DETERMINE SOURCE. NOW I'M PRETTY SURE IT WAS THE FORKS. WAS ADJUSTING SUSPENSION AND DISCOVERED FORK OIL LEAKING OUT OF LEFT FORK AT THE BOTTOM AFTER SHORT RIDE. FORTUNATELY, ABLE TO CLEAN UP OIL BEFORE IT GOT ON FRONT ROTOR. LEAKED A TEASPOON AMOUNT IN A SHORT TIME. DISCOVERED THAT THIS WAS A COMMON PROBLEM WITH WEB SEARCH, THAT COULD LEAD TO FORK BECOMING LOOSE (SEE YOUTUBE VIDEO IN FIRST LINK). HTTP://ELECTRICMOTORCYCLEFORUM.COM/BOARDS/INDEX.PHP?TOPIC=3790.0 HTTP://ELECTRICMOTORCYCLEFORUM.COM/BOARDS/INDEX.PHP?TOPIC=6487.0 HTTP://ELECTRICMOTORCYCLEFORUM.COM/BOARDS/INDEX.PHP?TOPIC=3784.0 BIKE ONLY HAS 4K MILES ON IT. OIL ON ROTOR IS A SAFETY ISSUE, BIKE BRAKING PERFORMANCE WILL DIMINISH. FORK OIL LEAKING OUT OF FORK CAN AFFECT HANDLING, WHICH MAY RESULT IN A CRASH. FORK BECOME LOOSE COULD RESULT IN A CRASH.

1 of 1 complaints, reproduced as filed.

Across model years

Worst on record: 2012

Year	Complaints	Recalls	Assessment
2025	0	1	Routine
2024	0	3	Routine
2023	1	0	Routine
2021	0	1	Routine
2018	0	1	Routine
2017	0	1	Routine
2015	1	1	Routine
2014	0	1	Routine
2013 — this page	1	1	Routine
2012	2	0	Routine
2011	0	2	Routine
2010	0	1	Routine
2009	0	1	Routine

Compare every DS year →

Other Zero models

All Zero models →

S 6 FX 4 SR 3

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: Dec 18, 2013. Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation.