NHTSA Investigation PE04055

REAR WHEEL LOCKUP

A BUSINESS SPECIALIZING IN SERVICING DR350'S ALLEGED THAT THE COUNTER-BALANCER GEAR-INDEXING PIN IS NOT PROPERLY RETAINED AND MAY BECOME DISPLACED.THE DISPLACED PIN THEN CAUSES CATASTROPHIC ENGINE FAILURE WITH POSSIBLE REAR-WHEEL LOCKUP.AFTER OPENING THIS PE, ODI GATHERED INFORMATION FROM AMERICAN SUZUKI MOTOR CORPORATION, SUZUKI DEALERS, INDEPENDENT MOTORCYCLE REPAIR SHOPS, AND SUBJECT MOTORCYCLE OWNERS.WE FOCUSED ON THE DUAL-PURPOSE VARIANTS OF THE DR350 MODEL LINEUP AS THESE ARE THE ONLY STREET-LEGAL VERSIONS THAT, CONSEQUENTLY, ARE WITHIN OUR JURISDICTION.THE LONE CRASH, OCCURING IN 1997, INVOLVED A MY 1997 DR350SE DUAL-PURPOSE MOTORCYCLE, WITH ONE MINOR INJURY.THE CRASH ALLEGEDLY OCCURRED WHEN THE ENGINE'S COUNTER-BALANCER BECAME MIS-TIMED AND COLLIDED WITH THE ENGINE'S CONNECTING ROD, RESULTING IN REAR WHEEL LOCK-UP.HOWEVER, BASED ON THE FACT THAT THERE ARE 3 FAILURES ON VEHICLES THAT ARE 5 TO 10 YEARS OLD, NO DEFECT TREND HAS BEEN IDENTIFIED AT THIS TIME.FURTHER USE OF AGENCY RESOURCES DOES NOT APPEAR TO BE WARRANTED.THE CLOSING OF THIS INVESTIGATION DOES NOT CONSTITUTE A FINDING BY NHTSA THAT A SAFETY-RELATED DEFECT DOES NOT EXIST.THE AGENCY WILL TAKE FURTHER ACTION IF WARRANTED BY THE CIRCUMSTANCES.

An investigation is a separate record from a recall and from a manufacturer communication. A manufacturer campaign to repair a safety defect or a failure to meet a federal safety standard.