NHTSA safety investigation
NHTSA Investigation PE08021
Preliminary Evaluation · Kawasaki Motors Corp., U.S.A. · STRUCTURE:FRAME AND MEMBERS
An investigation is not a finding that a defect exists.
NHTSA 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.
What NHTSA is examining
The agency's own description of the inquiry, quoted as published
FRAME FRACTURE/SUSPENSION COLLAPSE
THIS PE WAS OPENED BASED ON OWNER COMPLAINTS, EWR FIELD REPORTS, AND WEB FORUM DISCUSSIONS ALLEGING THAT SOME MY 2006-2007 KAWASAKI ZX14 HIGH PERFORMANCE MOTORCYCLES' REAR SUSPENSION COLLAPSED DUE TO CROSSMEMBER FAILURE.IN ITS RECALL FILING, KAWASAKI WROTE, THE LOWER REAR ENGINE MOUNT HAS A THREADED COLLAR DESIGNED TO ELIMINATE CLEARANCE BETWEEN THE FRAME AND THE ENGINE CASES BEFORE THE ENGINE MOUNTING BOLT IS TIGHTENED.ON SOME OF THE AFFECTED UNITS, THE COLLAR WAS TIGHTENED EXCESSIVELY, WHICH CREATED STRESS ACROSS THE LOWER CROSSMEMBER.KAWASAKI DEALERS ARE INSTRUCTED TO INSPECT THE AFFECTED UNITS AND INSTALL A NEW FRAME ON THOSE ZX14'S WITH SUSPECT CROSSMEMBERS.IN ITS OWNER NOTIFICATION LETTER, KAWASAKI CAUTIONS THAT A FRAME REPLACEMENT MAY REQUIRE A FEW WEEKS DUE TO THE TIME REQUIRED TO PREPARE AND SHIP THE NEW FRAME AND LABELS WITH THE CORRECT VEHICLE IDENTIFICATION NUMBER.
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.
Investigation details
Identifiers, dates and outcome as recorded by NHTSA
- Action number
- PE08021
- Investigation type
- Preliminary Evaluation (PE)
- Status
- Closed
- Manufacturer
- Kawasaki Motors Corp., U.S.A.
- Component
- STRUCTURE:FRAME AND MEMBERS
- Opened
- Mar 24, 2008
- Closed
- Jul 2, 2008
- Associated recall campaign
- 08V222000
Vehicles named in this investigation
3 model years across 3 models
Being named here means NHTSA included the vehicle in the scope of its inquiry. It is not a statement that these vehicles have a defect.