2011 Zero S

Routine

Owners filed 1 complaints about this vehicle with federal regulators, most often about the engine. It has been recalled 2 times.

What fails
ComponentReportsCrashesFiresInjuries
Engine1
000

2 safety recalls

Part 573 reports
Service Brakes, Hydraulic › Foundation Components › Disc › Caliper13V329000
Filed Jul 30, 2013268 vehiclesZero Motorcycles Inc.

Defect. Zero Motorcycles is recalling certain model year 2011 and 2012 S and DS motorcycles. On the affected motorcycles, the front caliper mounting bolts are susceptible to corrosion which could lead to their cracking and possible fracture.

Risk. If a front caliper bolt fractures, the caliper may come loose and interfere with the rotation of the front wheel. This could cause the front wheel to stop suddenly, increasing the risk of a crash.

Remedy. Zero Motorcycles will notify owners, and dealers will replace the front caliper bolts. The recall BEGAN ON August 16, 2013. Owners may contact Zero Motorcycles at 1-888-841-8085.

Exterior Lighting › Brake Lights › Switch12V307000
Filed Jun 29, 2012450 vehiclesZero Motorcycles Inc.

Defect. ZERO MOTORCYCLES, INC. (ZERO) IS RECALLING CERTAIN MODEL YEAR 2011 AND 2012 S, XU, AND DS MOTORCYCLES, MODEL YEAR 2011 MXD, AND XD MOTORCYCLES AND 2012 X MOTORCYCLES. THE BRAKE LIGHT SWITCH AT THE FRONT BRAKE LEVER MAY NOT ACTIVATE UNTIL SIGNIFICANT BRAKE LEVER TRAVEL OCCURS.

Risk. THE BRAKE LIGHT MAY NOT ACTIVATE WHEN A MODERATE AMOUNT OF FRONT BRAKE IS APPLIED. AS SUCH, MOTORISTS TRAVELING BEHIND THE MOTORCYCLE MAY NOT BE ALERTED WHEN AN AFFECTED MOTORCYCLE IS SLOWING DOWN, WHICH COULD LEAD TO A POSSIBLE CRASH AND POTENTIAL INJURY OR DEATH TO THE RIDER.

Remedy. ZERO WILL NOTIFY OWNERS, AND DEALERS WILL INSPECT AND, IF NECESSARY, REPLACE THE FRONT BRAKE SYSTEM BRAKE-LIGHT SWITCH FREE OF CHARGE. THE SAFETY RECALL BEGAN ON AUGUST 3, 2012. OWNERS MAY CONTACT ZERO MOTORCYCLES AT 1-831-438-3500.

What owners reported

Newest filings
Engine
Filed Nov 21, 2014CA

THIS MOTORCYCLE SHUT OFF WHILE I WAS RIDING IT ON 1.28.14 - IT WAS TOWED TO THE SHOP AND MECHANIC & SHOP OWNER COULD NOT SOLVE THE PROBLEM. THEY WERE ABLE TO GET BIKE RUNNING AND I PICKED IT UP. BIKE DIED AGAIN - SAME THING - SHUT OFF WHILE RIDING ON 3.25.14. THIS TIME BIKE WAS TAKEN TO SHOP AND THEY AGAIN SAID THEY DIDN'T KNOW WHY THIS WAS HAPPENING OR HOW TO FIX IT. AT THIS POINT I WANTED THEM TO BUY THE BIKE BACK FROM ME AS IT WAS DANGEROUS TO RIDE IF IT WAS SHUTTING DOWN WHILE I WAS RIDING IT. THE SHOP OWNER PUT ME IN CONTACT WITH ZERO - THE MANUFACTURER TO DISCUSS THIS POSSIBILITY. ZERO REFUSED TO TAKE MOTORCYCLE OFF ROAD AND CLAIMED THEY HAD NEVER HAD A COMPLAINT OF MOTORCYCLE POWERING DOWN WHILE RIDING. IT TURNS OUT THEY WEREN'T BEING HONEST -THE SAME MODEL OF MY MOTORCYCLE, YEAR 2012 MODEL HAS BEEN RECALLED FOR THIS SAME PROBLEM WHILE MY MODEL YEAR 2011 HAS NOT BEEN RECALLED. THE MECHANIC AT MY DEALER TOLD ME THAT MANY PEOPLE HAD SAME COMPLAINT, ZERO WAS LYING AND THE ONLY GOOD PLACE FOR MY MOTO WAS THE GARBAGE. THEY TRIED TO FIX MY BIKE BUT IT STILL POWERS DOWN AFTER APPROXIMATELY 9 MILES AND LEAVES ME STRANDED (AVG ON THIS BIKE IS LISTED AT 43 MILES BEFORE NEEDING RECHARGE). THIS BIKE AND THE OTHER 2011 MODEL S NEED TO BE RECALLED COMPLETELY SINCE ZERO CAN'T FIX THE PROBLEM ALL 2011 S MODEL RIDERS ARE ALL AT RISK. PLEASE REFERENCE THE RECALL OF 2012 MOTORCYCLE HTTP://WWW-ODI.NHTSA.DOT.GOV/ACMS/CS/JAXRS/DOWNLOAD/DOC/UCM427143/RCAK-12V455-9849.PDF THANK YOU *TR

1 of 1 complaints, reproduced as filed.

Across model years

Worst on record: 2026
YearComplaintsRecallsFiresDeathsAssessment
20261000Routine
20210100Routine
20181100Routine
20170200Routine
20150100Routine
20140100Routine
20131100Routine
20121000Routine
2011 — this page1200Routine
20101100Routine
20090100Routine

Compare every S 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: Jul 30, 2013. Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation.