RoadVitals

2003 Honda VFR800A

Recalls, owner-reported complaints, investigations and safety data

Data refreshed

Owner complaintsComplaints are reports submitted to NHTSA by owners and drivers. NHTSA does not verify most reports before publishing them, and a complaint does not establish that a defect exists. Volume is influenced by how many of a vehicle were sold, how long it has been on the road, and how much attention an issue has received.
3
Latest Aug 2, 2011
Safety recallsA safety recall is issued when a manufacturer or NHTSA determines that a vehicle has a safety-related defect or does not comply with a federal motor vehicle safety standard. Recall repairs are free. Whether a specific vehicle is covered depends on its VIN — a recall listed for a model year does not necessarily apply to every vehicle of that year.
1
Latest Jan 24, 2005
InvestigationsNHTSA opens an investigation to examine whether a safety defect may exist. An open investigation is not a determination that a defect exists, and many investigations close without a recall. Investigations can, however, lead to one.
0
Crash or fire reportedComplaints whose submitter recorded that a crash or a fire occurred. These are the reporter's own answers on the NHTSA form, not verified findings.
0

Overview

Our database contains 3 NHTSA owner-reported complaints for the 2003 Honda VFR800A, most frequently naming the electrical and engine categories. 1 safety recall has been issued covering this model year; and 5 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.

What owners report

Complaints grouped by the component NHTSA recorded

  • Electrical375.0%
  • Engine125.0%

Percentages are of component mentions. A single complaint can name more than one component, so these do not sum to the total complaint count.

Safety recalls

1 campaign cover this model year

Recalls apply to specific vehicles, not to every vehicle of a model year. Check your VIN with NHTSA or your manufacturer's dealer to confirm whether a recall affects your vehicle.

Check a VIN on NHTSA.gov
05V010000

SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC

Jan 24, 2005
36,046 units potentially affected
The defect: CERTAIN MOTORCYCLES EQUIPPED WITH COMBINED-BRAKE SYSTEMS HAVE A PROPORTIONING CONTROL VALVE (PCV) THAT MECHANICALLY PROPORTIONS BRAKE FORCE WHEN THE REAR BRAKE IS APPLIED. A SEAL IN SOME PCVS IS IMPROPERLY SHAPED, AND BRAKE FLUID LEAKAGE MAY OCCUR.
The risk: IF THE MOTORCYCLE CONTINUES TO BE USED AFTER A LEAK OCCURS, THE REAR BRAKE WOULD EVENTUALLY BECOME INOPERATIVE. A LOSS OF REAR BRAKE FORCE COULD INCREASE THE RISK OF A CRASH.
The remedy: DEALERS WILL INSPECT THE REAR BRAKE FORLEAKAGE. IF LEAKAGE IS CONFIRMED, THE DEALER WILL REPLACE THE PCV FREE OF CHARGE. THE RECALL BEGAN ON JANUARY 31, 2005. OWNERS MAY CONTACT HONDA AT 866-784-1870.
HONDA (AMERICAN HONDA MOTOR CO.)Manufacturer number P65View on NHTSA.gov

Recent owner complaints

Reports submitted to NHTSA, shown in the owner's own words

ElectricalEngine
Filed Aug 2, 2011

WHILE RIDING MY 2003 VFR800 TODAY THE BIKE SHUT DOWN. AND RESTARTED DURING THE RIDE. THE DASH WENT BLANK AND STILL IS BLANK. (NO READING, NO POWER). I WONDER HOW MANY PEOPLE WERE HURT OR KILLED BY THIS SHUT DOWN WHILE MOVING? *KB

NHTSA ID
10416737
Incident
Aug 2, 2011
Mileage
7,155 mi
Electrical
Filed Jul 19, 2006

ON THE WAY TO WORK THIS MORNING, THE MOTORCYCLE DIED. MULTIPLE ATTEMPTS TO RESTART FAILED. UPON INSPECTION, DETERMINED THERE WAS FUEL, GOOD BATTERY, GOOD STARTER. FUEL INJECTION INDICATOR LIGHT WAS FLICKERING. UPON INSPECTION OF THE UNDER SEAT COMPARTMENT, LOCATED A MELTED WIRE AT THE 30 AMP ACCESSORY FUSE RELAY. ABOUT A YEAR AGO, THE BIKE CUT OUT A FEW TIMES. AT THAT TIME, TROUBLESHOOT TO THE SAME WIRE, HOWEVER, APPLICATION OF DIELECTRIC GREASE AND ISOLATION FROM CHAFFING ALLEVIATED THE PROBLEM. UPON INSPECTION THIS MORNING, THE SHIELDING HAD COMPLETELY MELTED OFF THE WIRE, EXPOSING THE BARE ELEMENTS. THE 30 AMP FUSE BLOCK GOT SO HOT AS TO DEFORM NOT ONLY THE BLOCK ITSELF, BUT TO ALSO DEFORM THE FUSE (WHICH DID NOT BLOW AND STILL CARRIES A CURRENT). HAD THIS FAILURE OCCURRED WHILE ON THE ROAD IT WOULD MOST CERTAINLY CAUSED AN ACCIDENT. ROADS IN THE UK DO NOT HAVE SHOULDERS. I AM CONFIDENT THAT MYSELF OR OTHERS WOULD HAVE BEEN SERIOUSLY INJURED IF THIS HAD HAPPENED ANYWHERE BUT IN MY SMALL VILLAGE. AFTER READING MANY POSTS AT HTTP://WWW.VFRDISCUSSION.COM/FORUM/INDEX.PHP?SHOWTOPIC=18560 IT APPEARS THIS IS A SYSTEMATIC PROBLEM. PLEASE SEE THE PICTURES IN THIS FORUM FOR A ROUGH IDEA OF THE PROBLEM. I HAVE CONTACTED THE LOCAL DEALERSHIP HERE IN THE UK, AS WELL AS HONDA MOTORS UK AND WILL UNDOUBTEDLY GET NO RECTIFICATION OF THIS PROBLEM FROM THEM. I AM A MEMBER OF THE US AIR FORCE STATIONED IN THE UNITED KINGDOM, EXACERBATING THE ISSUE OF GETTING THE FAULT REPAIRED. *NM

NHTSA ID
10162823
Incident
Jul 19, 2006
Mileage
6,000 mi
Electrical
Filed May 23, 2005

THE WIRING FOR THE OXYGEN SENSORS WERE CROSSED ON THE 2003 HONDA VFR800/A.*MR SINCE THE MOTORCYCLE WAS NEW IT WOULD STALL OCCASIONALLY. IT WOULD ALSO ACCELERATE UP AND DOWN BETWEEN 4000 AND 5000 RPM'S. THE WIRING HARNESS FOR THE OXYGEN SENSOR WAS CROSSED THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED. THE MANUFACTURER CLAIMED THAT THIS PROBLEM WAS ISOLATED TO THE EUROPEAN VFR'S BUT THE CONSUMER HAD A US BIKE. *NM

NHTSA ID
10122638
Incident
Apr 5, 2005

Manufacturer communications

A bulletin sent by a manufacturer to its dealers. Not a recall, and repairs are not necessarily free.

DLR MSG - Honda

AIR BAGS

Dealer message - On Monday, June 23, 2014, American Honda announced three recalls for various 2001-11 Honda models. As of August 4, 2014, affected VINs have been identified, and VIN status inquiry has been updated.

DLR MSG - Stop S

AIR BAGS

Dealer message - On Monday, June 23, 2014, American Honda announced three recalls for various 2001-11 Honda models. As of July 23, 2014, affected VINs have been identified, and service bulletins 14-040, Safety Recall: Accord, Civic, and Others ? Front Passenger?s Airbag Inflator Can Be Over-Pressurized, 14-045, Recall: Front Driver?s Airbag Inflator May Produce Excessive Pressure After Long-Term Exposure to High Absolute Humidity Recall, and 14-046, Recall: Front Passenger?s Airbag Inflator May Produce Excessive Pressure After Long-Term Exposure to High Absolute Humidity have been posted to ISIS. However, due to the large number of affected units, American Honda is still in the process of populating the VIN status inquiry function on iN, which is expected to take several days. When this process is complete, American Honda will notify all dealers again via iN message. Until that time, the existing acknowledgement procedure must be used for all potentially affected vehicles.

08-040

EQUIPMENT:OTHER:LABELS

LOAD CARRYING CAPACITY REDUCED LABEL FOR ALL HONDA VEHICLES. *PE

SB-06-085

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM: INSTRUMENT CLUSTER/PANEL

HONDA: WARRANTY EXTENSION-VEHICLE WARRANTY MILEAGE. CLASS ACTION LAWSUIT ALLEGING THAT THE ODOMETERS ON CERTAIN 2002-2006 HONDA MODELS WERE OVERSTATING MILEAGE. FEDERAL COURT PROVIDED FINAL APPROVAL OF SETTLEMENT ON 12/29/07. NO MODELS LISTED. *PE

10959

SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FOUNDATION COMPONENTS:DIFFERENTIAL PROPORTIONAL VALVE

LINKED BRAKING SYSTEM (LBS) PROPORTIONAL CONTROL VALVE (PCV) LEAKAGE SAFETY RECALL. *TT

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.

Compare model years

Complaint and recall counts across every year of this model

Honda VFR800A by model year
YearComplaintsRecallsInvestigationsIssue Index
2006010—
2004110—
2003Viewing310—
2002200—

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.