RecallMyCar

Kawasaki VN1500 Recalls & Complaints by Model Year

NHTSA lists 3 safety recalls and 12 owner complaints across 7 model years of the Kawasaki VN1500 (1996–2002). The most-complained-about year is 2001.

3
safety recalls, all years
12
owner complaints, all years
1997
year with most recalls
2001
year with most complaints

Pick your Kawasaki VN1500 model year

Model yearRecallsComplaints
2002 Kawasaki VN150001
2001 Kawasaki VN150003
2000 Kawasaki VN150002
1999 Kawasaki VN150012
1998 Kawasaki VN150001
1997 Kawasaki VN150022
1996 Kawasaki VN150011

What Kawasaki VN1500 owners complain about

Across all model years, owners have filed 12 complaints with NHTSA. The 2001 model year has the most, with 3.

All Kawasaki VN1500 recalls (3)

Every NHTSA safety campaign that lists a Kawasaki VN1500, most recent first, with the model years each one covers.

  1. Fuel injection system (fuel system)

    NHTSA 99V067000 Reported 2,779 vehicles potentially affected KAWASAKI MOTORS CORP.

    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…

    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…

    Model years: 1999

  2. Manual transmission (power train)

    NHTSA 97V233000 Reported 544 vehicles potentially affected KAWASAKI MOTORS CORP.

    Vehicle description: motorcycles. An improperly manufactured transmission gear can cause weakening and eventual breakage of an adjacent gear.

    Remedy: Dealers will inspect these motorcycles and repair affected units.

    Model years: 1997

  3. Cables (electrical system)

    NHTSA 97V007000 Reported 5,208 vehicles potentially affected KAWASAKI MOTORS CORP.

    Pressure on the battery ground lead (the crimped and soldered termination of the battery cable) from the base of the operator's seat can cause the battery terminal to short out inside the battery.

    Remedy: Dealers will replace the existing battery cables with a newly designed cable and inspect the battery to verify that no damage has occurred.

    Model years: 1996, 1997

Other Kawasaki models

Source: NHTSA recall and complaint databases and EPA fuel economy data, October 2026. Complaint counts are owner reports to NHTSA, not verified defects. Recall counts are safety campaigns that list this model year; whether a particular car was already repaired depends on its VIN. How this data is compiled.