Recalls, owner-reported complaints, investigations and safety data
Data refreshed
Our database contains 4 NHTSA owner-reported complaints for the 2006 Buell XB12R, most frequently naming the exterior lighting category. 3 manufacturer communications are on file.
Complaints are reports submitted by owners and drivers to NHTSA. They are not verified and do not establish that a defect exists.
When owners filed reports about this model year
Not enough dated records to plot a meaningful trend — 1 month of data.
Complaints grouped by the component NHTSA recorded
Percentages are of component mentions. A single complaint can name more than one component, so these do not sum to the total complaint count.
No recalls in our database for this model year
That does not guarantee a specific vehicle is unaffected — recalls are issued against VINs, and new campaigns are announced regularly. Check a VIN on NHTSA.gov.
Reports submitted to NHTSA, shown in the owner's own words
THE LIGHTS ON MY 07 FIREBOLT ARE STARTING TO DIM. AFTER FURTHER INVESTIGATION I NOTICED THE REFLECTIVE LIGHT HOUSING MATERIAL IS DETERIORATING CAUSING BAD ILLUMINATION. *NM
REFLECTIVE SURFACE INSIDE OF HEADLIGHTS HAS DEGRADED TO THE POINT THAT THE BIKE CANNOT BE SAFELY RIDDEN AFTER DARK. *JB
THE HEADLIGHT ASSESMBLY IS AN EXTREMLY SERIOUS SAFETY HAZARD. TWO WEEKS AFTER PURCHASE, MY LOW BEAM IS SO DIM THAT I HAVE BEEN PULLED OVER TWICE. ALL XB FIREBOLT MODELS HAVE THIS SAME FLAW. SOME HAVE EVEN CAUGHT FIRE. SEE HTTP://WWW.BADWEATHERBIKERS.COM/BUELL/MESSAGES/4062/249692.HTML?1170945540 THE TECHNICAL PROBLEM IS THAT THE REFLECTORS INSIDE THE LIGHT ASSEMBLIES DEGRADE VERY RAPIDLY DUE TO THE HEAT AND CHEAP MATERIALS. BMC HAS KNOWN ABOUT THIS PROBLEM FOR YEARS AND STILL HAS NOT ADDRESSED IT. DOES SOMEONE HAVE TO DIE BEFORE THEY ACT? *NM
LOW BEAM HEADLIGHT HAS GRADUALLY BECOME DIM. WHEN THE LIGHT WAS OPENED IT WAS DISCOVERED THAT THE SILVER COATING ON THE INSIDE OF THE REFLECTOR HAS DEGRADED AND BLISTERED LEADING TO REDUCED LIGHT OUTPUT. THE REDUCED LIGHT OUTPUT PUTS THE RIDER AT RISK DUE TO REDUCED VISIBILITY. CURRENTLY WAITING FOR A REPLACEMENT REFLECTOR VIA A WARRANTY CLAIM THROUGH THE DEALER. *NM
A bulletin sent by a manufacturer to its dealers. Not a recall, and repairs are not necessarily free.
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE
BUELL MOTORCYCLE: THE ENGINE OIL DRAIN PLUG TORQUE HAS CHANGED TO 26-29 FT LBS (35.3-39.3NM) FOR ALL MODELS LISTED. *PE
EXTERIOR LIGHTING:HEADLIGHTS
BUELL MOTORCYCLES: HEADLIGHT ASSEMBLIES ON SOME MODELS HAVE A REFLECTIVE MATERIAL WHICH CAN POTENTIALLY DEGRADE AND REDUCE LIGHT OUTPUT. MODELS XB9R AND XB12R. MODEL YEARS 2003-2006. *PE
EXTERIOR LIGHTING:HEADLIGHTS
BUELL MOTORCYCLE: THE HEADLIGHT ASSEMBLIES ON SOME 2003-2006 FIREBOLT MODELS HAVE A REFLECTIVE MATERIAL WHICH CAN POTENTIALLY DEGRADE AND REDUCE LIGHT OUTPUT. *PE
Manufacturers file copies of the bulletins they send to dealers with NHTSA. These often describe diagnostic or repair procedures for a known condition. They are not recalls: repairs described in a bulletin are usually only free if the vehicle is still under warranty or the manufacturer has extended coverage.
Complaint and recall counts across every year of this model
Higher-selling and older vehicles accumulate more reports. Counts are not failure rates and are not directly comparable between vehicles that sold in very different numbers. Older model years have had longer for reports to accumulate.