The defect
ON CERTAIN MOTORCYCLES, A FLANGE ON THE TRANSMISSION OUTPUT SHAFT CAN FRACTURE, RESULTING IN ENGINE DAMAGE WITH POSSIBLE ENGINE LOCK-UP.
The risk
FLANGE FAILURE COULD CAUSE THE OUTER GEAR ON THE SHAFT TO CONTACT THE TRANSMISSION HOUSING, PIECES OF THE FLANGE COULD INTERFERE WITH TRANSMISSION OPERATION, OR OPERATION IN FIRST GEAR COULD ALLOW TWO SETS OF TRANSMISSION GEARS TO MESH SIMULTANEOUSLY. THESE FAILURES COULD CAUSE SUDDEN TRANSMISSION LOCK-UP WHICH WOULD CAUSE BOTH THE ENGINE AND REAR WHEEL TO STOP SUDDENLY, INCREASING THE RISK OF A CRASH.
The remedy
DEALERS WILL DISASSEMBLE THE ENGINE AND REPLACE THE TRANSMISSION OUTPUT SHAFT. OWNER NOTIFICATION BEGAN OCTOBER 11, 2002. OWNERS WHO TAKE THEIR VEHICLES TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER ON AN AGREED UPON SERVICE DATE AND DO NOT RECEIVE THE FREE REMEDY WITHIN A REASONABLE TIME SHOULD CONTACT KAWASAKI AT 1-949-770-0400.
NHTSA's own wording · initiated by MFR
Vehicles covered
| Model | Model years |
|---|---|
| Kawasaki VN1500-E5 | 2002 |
| Kawasaki VN1500-N3 | 2002 |
| Kawasaki VN1500-P1 | 2002 |
Components: POWER TRAIN:DRIVELINE:DRIVESHAFT
Model years in this recall
NHTSA complaints and the number of recall campaigns for each model year this recall covers.
| Model | Year | Complaints | Recalls |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kawasaki VN1500-E5 | 2002 | 0 | 1 |
| Kawasaki VN1500-N3 | 2002 | 0 | 1 |
| Kawasaki VN1500-P1 | 2002 | 0 | 2 |
Other power train recalls in 2002
23 of the 434 recall campaigns reported to NHTSA in 2002 concerned the power train; KAWASAKI MOTORS CORP. filed 38 campaigns in all.
| 02V336000 13 Dec 2002 | FREIGHTLINER CORPORATION |
| 02V319000 27 Nov 2002 | BAYERISCHE MOTOREN WERKE |
| 02V313000 21 Nov 2002 | FORD MOTOR COMPANY |
| 02V282000 30 Oct 2002 | SUBARU OF AMERICA, INC. |
| 02V272000 3 Oct 2002 | HARLEY-DAVIDSON MOTOR COMPANY |
| 02V201000 25 Jul 2002 | BAYERISCHE MOTOREN WERKE |
| 02V192000 23 Jul 2002 | CHANCE COACH, INC. |
| 02V174000 12 Jul 2002 | INTERNATIONAL TRUCK AND ENGINE |
NHTSA recalls (public domain) · all recalls of 2002