RoadVitals

2013 Kawasaki EX300

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.
14
Latest Nov 26, 2013
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 Jul 11, 2013
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.
1
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.
1
1 injuries, 0 deaths reported

Overview

Our database contains 14 NHTSA owner-reported complaints for the 2013 Kawasaki EX300, most frequently naming the engine, fuel system and powertrain (other) categories. 1 safety recall has been issued covering this model year; and 1 NHTSA investigation names it.

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

  • Engine836.4%
  • Fuel system522.7%
  • Powertrain (other)418.2%
  • Body & structure29.1%
  • Electrical14.5%
  • Steering14.5%
  • Suspension14.5%

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
13V310000

SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:ANTILOCK/TRACTION CONTROL/ELECTRONIC LIMITED SLIP

Jul 11, 2013
1,083 units potentially affected
The defect: Kawasaki Motors Corp. is recalling certain model year 2013 EX300BDFAL motorcycles manufactured August 16, 2012, through April 2, 2013. Due to a manufacturing error, the Anti-Lock Brake System (ABS) may malfunction and lose anti-lock functionality.
The risk: The anti-lock function may not perform properly allowing for wheel lock up and skidding, increasing the risk of a crash.
The remedy: Kawasaki will notify owners and dealers will replace the affected ABS pumps with a new assembly. The recall began on August 5, 2013. Owners may contact Kawasaki at 1-866-802-9381.
Kawasaki Motors Corp., U.S.A.View on NHTSA.gov

Safety investigations

NHTSA inquiries naming this vehicle. An investigation is not a finding of a defect.

PE13023ClosedPreliminary Evaluation

Motorcycle stalling

Opened Jun 20, 2013
Closed Sep 20, 2013

ODI opened this PE with eighteen (18) allegations of stalling while riding a subject motorcycle.During the course of gathering information about this subject, Kawasaki decided to address the stalling issue.Kawasaki has informed ODI they intend to remedy approximately 11,097 2013 Model Year Ninja 300 and 300 ABS motorcycles by replacing the Engine Control Unit.Kawasaki's recall (13V-328) resolves the issue raised by this investigation and therefore this investigation is closed.The ODI reports cited above can be reviewed at http://www-odi.nhtsa.dot.gov/owners/SearchNHTSAID under the following 56 complaint identification numbers:10498192,10498532,10503493,10503834,10505012,10505031,10505117, 10505548,10505580,10509113,10509756,10510493,10510706,10512296, 10512579,10513051,10513978,10515717,10519423,10521588,10521827, 10521883,10521889,10521959,10521981,10522157,10522286,10522328, 10522426,10522861,10522984,10522991,10523178,10523506,10524022, 10524290,10525055,10525055,10525289,10525289,10525910,10525910, 10531686,10531686,10532034,10532034,10532226,10532226,10532373, 10532373,10532447,10532447,10532590,10532590,10534559,10536049

FUEL SYSTEM, OTHER:FUEL INJECTION SYSTEMLed to recall 13V328000

Recent owner complaints

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

View all 14
Suspension
Filed Nov 26, 2013

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2013 KAWASAKI NINJA EX300ADFL MOTORCYCLE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 55 MPH AND DECELERATING TO 35 MPH, THE HANDLE BARS WOULD SHAKE EXCESSIVELY. THE CONTACT TOOK THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALER BUT NO REPAIRS WERE PERFORMED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 800.

NHTSA ID
10553928
Incident
Oct 24, 2013
Mileage
800 mi
Engine
Filed Aug 1, 2013

PULLING IN THE CLUTCH CAUSES THE RPMS TO DROP BELOW 1000 RPM CAUSING THE ENGINE TO DIE OR STALL. THIS HAPPENS FREQUENTLY. IT CAN OCCUR SEVERAL TIMES IN A ROW OR IT CAN BE SEVERAL DAYS BEFORE IT HAPPENS AGAIN. I'VE TRIED TO INCREASE IDLE SPEED TO 2000 RPM, MANUFACTURER RECOMMENDS 1300, WHICH DID NOT HELP. I WOULD ESTIMATE IT HAS OCCURRED 50+ TIMES SINCE I PURCHASED THE MOTORCYCLE NEW ON JUNE 28, 2013. *TR

NHTSA ID
10533126
Incident
Jul 11, 2013
Mileage
235 mi
Steering
Filed Jul 15, 2013

PURCHASED MY NINJA 300 3/25/13. SIGNS OF FIRST WOBBLE DUE TO POOR HEAD BEARING WAS ON 4/10/13. THAT'S ONLY 15 CALENDAR DAYS! MY NINJA 300 WOBBLES FROM DECEL FROM 50MPH TO 35MPH. THE WOBBLE IS SO BAD, I CAN'T REALLY RIDE THE BIKE ANYMORE UNTIL I GET IT REPLACED, AND KAWASAKI WON'T HONOR A HEAD BEARING REPLACEMENT UNDER WARRANTY. THEY WOULD SIMPLY REPLACE IT WITH THE SAME STOCK POOR QUALITY PART RESULTING IN ANOTHER HEAD BEARING FAILURE AFTER 600-1000 MILES. THIS ISSUE HAS BECOME VERY FRUSTRATING TO ME BECAUSE I NOW HAVE TO PAY OUT OF POCKET FOR A PART ON A BRAND NEW BIKE STILL UNDER FACTORY WARRANTY. THIS NEEDS TO BE ADDRESSED, AND FOR THE CUSTOMERS PAYING OUT OF POCKET, NEED TO BE REFUNDED THE PRICE OF THE PART AND LABOR DUE TO A FACTORY DEFECT / CHOICE OF POOR QUALITY BEARING. *TR

NHTSA ID
10524834
Incident
Apr 10, 2013
Mileage
600 mi
ElectricalEngine
Filed Jul 11, 2013

I BOUGHT A BRAND NEW NINJA300 FOR MY WIFE, WITH NO PROBLEMS RIDING IT HOME. THE NEXT TIME OUT, WHICH WAS A COUPLE OF DAYS LATER. I WARMED UP THE BIKE AS I USUALLY DO. RODE JUST DOWN THE STREET, WHILE IN 4TH GEAR I PULLED IN THE CLUTCH TO DOWN SHIFT AND THE BIKE JUST DIED. DIDN'T THINK MUCH OF IT, BUT IT HAPPENED AGAIN THE NEXT DAY, SO I INCREASED THE ENGINE IDLE A BIT THINKING THIS WOULD HELP. THE ISSUE WAS NOT RESOLVED. SO I DID SOME READING ON FORUMS AND FOUND THIS IS COMMON. SO AGAIN DIDN'T THINK MUCH OF IT AND DEFINITELY HADN'T EVEN THOUGHT OF THIS AS A SAFETY CONCERN BUT AFTER REALIZING HOW THIS MAY BE A POTENTIAL DISASTER, I'M HESITANT TO LET MY WIFE RIDE IT KNOWING SHE MAY BE AT RISK AT ANY GIVEN TIME. I THINK THIS SHOULD BE RECOGNIZED, ACKNOWLEDGED AND CONTINUE INVESTIGATIONS UNTIL KAWASAKI CAN REALIZE THE POTENTIAL HAZARDS AND TAKE APPROPRIATE ACTIONS. *TR

NHTSA ID
10524290
Incident
May 19, 2012
Mileage
12 mi
EngineFuel system
Filed Jul 9, 2013

AFTER PARKING MY MOTORCYCLE IN THE SUN FOR ABOUT 2 HOURS I RETURNED AND STARTED IT UP. EVERYTHING APPEARED NORMAL. I ACCELERATED TO ABOUT 15 MPH AND THEN AS I PREPARED TO COME TO A STOP I STARTED BRAKING AND PULLED IN THE CLUTCH. THE ENGINE RPM'S DROPPED LOWER THAN THE IDLE SPEED AND THE ENGINE STALLED AS THE BIKE WAS STILL MOVING. I COASTED TO A STOP. I PLACED THE BIKE IN NEUTRAL AND RESTARTED THE MOTOR. IT STARTED UP FINE AND I CONTINUED ON TO AN INTERSECTION WHERE I ATTEMPTED TO MAKE A U-TURN. THERE THE BIKE STALLED ON ME AGAIN WHILE IN THE MIDDLE OF MAKING THE U-TURN AS SOON AS I PULLED THE CLUTCH IN. I BARELY ESCAPED BEING REAR ENDED BY A SUV THAT WAS ALSO MAKING THE U-TURN AND THAT DID NOT EXPECT ME TO COME TO SUDDEN STOP IN THE MIDDLE OF THE INTERSECTION. I IMMEDIATELY TRIED TO RESTART THE ENGINE MEANWHILE I HAD TWO OTHER VEHICLES STUCK BEHIND ME BLOCKING THE INTERSECTION FROM ONCOMING TRAFFIC. THE ENGINE STALLED AGAIN AT THE NEXT STOP LIGHT. AFTER ABOUT 2 OR 3 MILES OF CONSTANT MOVEMENT DID THE ISSUE GO AWAY. THIS SAME PROBLEM HAS OCCURRED SEVERAL TIMES SINCE THEN AND ALWAYS AFTER THE MOTORCYCLE HAS SAT IN THE SUN FOR SEVERAL HOURS. IT NEVER OCCURS IN THE MORNING ON A COLD START AND WHEN IT DOES OCCUR IT GOES AWAY AFTER A COUPLE MILES OF RIDING. *TR

NHTSA ID
10524022
Incident
Jun 8, 2013
Mileage
1,000 mi
Powertrain (other)
Filed Jun 29, 2013

WHEN COMING TO A STOP WITH CLUTCH DISENGAGED ENGINE STALLED AND HAD TO BE RESTARTED. LUCKILY NO TRAFFIC WAS BEHIND ME OR I MIGHT HAVE HIT FROM BEHIND. *TR

NHTSA ID
10522426
Incident
Jun 29, 2013
Mileage
600 mi
EngineFuel system
Filed Jun 28, 2013

THIS INCIDENT HAS BEEN HAPPENING SINCE THE FIRST DAY I HAVE OWNED THE KAWASAKI NINJA 300. I WOULD SLOW DOWN TO A STOP AND THE ENGINE WOULD STALL. I WOULD THEN PUT IT BACK INTO NEUTRAL AND RESTART THE MOTORCYCLE. IT WOULD HAPPEN A FEW TIMES UNTIL THE MOTOR GETS WARM, THEN IT STOPS STALLING. IT HAPPENED TO ME AT LEAST 3-7 TIMES WHEN RIDING IT TODAY. THIS HAPPENED TO ME ABOUT 4 TIMES NOW. *TR

NHTSA ID
10522328
Incident
Jun 28, 2013
Mileage
430 mi
Body & structureEngine
Filed Jun 26, 2013

WHEN BIKE IS IN THE SUN ALL DAY THE BIKE WILL STALL WHEN THE CLUTCH IS PULLED IN. ALSO LEFT FAIRING POPS OUT CALLED KAWASAKI ABOUT BOTH THINGS AND WAS TOLD WE HAVE NO RECORD OF THIS GO TO THE DEALER SO I WENT TO THE DEALER AND AGAIN GIVEN THE RUN AROUND THIS IS A BIG PROBLEM FOR THE SAFETY OF THE RIDER. *TR

NHTSA ID
10521959
Incident
Jan 31, 2013
Mileage
150 mi