2004 Kawasaki Ninja Problems
Owner-reported complaints filed with NHTSA, grouped by component
Data refreshed
What this page shows
Everything below is an owner-reported complaint submitted to NHTSA about the 2004 Kawasaki Ninja, grouped by the component NHTSA recorded on the report. These are not confirmed defects, and they are not recalls. NHTSA does not verify most reports before publishing them, and a category with more reports in it is not evidence that a part is defective.
Complaints are reports submitted by owners and drivers to NHTSA. They are not verified and do not establish that a defect exists.
Reports by component
Ranked by how many owner reports name each component category
- Fuel system337.5%
- Body & structure225.0%
- Brakes112.5%
- Driver assistance112.5%
- Other / unspecified112.5%
Percentages are of component mentions. A single complaint can name more than one component, so these do not sum to the total complaint count.
Each component in detail
What the reports in each category say, in the owners' own words
Fuel system
Reports naming fuel storage or delivery — tanks, pumps, lines, injectors and fuel leaks.
From owner reports, verbatim
KAWASAKI MOTORCYCLE RECALL CUSTOMER STATES THAT KAWASKI DOESN'T WANT HIM TO RIDE THE BIKE TO THE DEALERSHIP SO THEY SHOULD PAY FOR THE TOW TRUCK CHARGE **CC *TR
ISSUE: A FAILURE OF THE WATER TEMPERATURE SENSOR CAUSES A SURGE IN POWER. DESCRIPTION OF EVENTS LEADING TO FAILURE: WAS MOVING A 2004 KAWASAKI NINJA ZX-6RR IN A PARKING LOT, COLD WEATHER (35 DEGREES). AT A CONSTANT SPEED, THE BIKE SURGED IN RPM, CAUSING THE REAR TIRE TO BREAK TRACTION, CRASHING THE BIKE. NO ONE ELSE WAS INVOLVED. AS PER THE DEBUG STEPS IN THE SERVICE MANUAL, THE EFI COMPUTER HELD A SERVICE CODE FOR A WATER TEMPERATURE SENSOR FAILURE IN THE HISTORY (BIKE HAS 1200 MILES ON IT). AS PER THE KAWASAKI FACTORY SERVICE MANUAL, THE DFI SYSTEM TROUBLESHOOTING GUIDE, ONE OF THE THREE CAUSES OF A SURGE IS "WATER TEMPERATURE SENSOR TROUBLE". WHAT HAS BEEN DONE TO CORRECT THE FAILURE: THE DEALERSHIP CONTACTED KAWASAKI, AND DESPITE THE RECORDED DIAGNOSTICS INFORMATION HAS ATTRIBUTED THIS TO "OPERATOR ERROR". KAWASAKI WILL NOT ADDRESS AN ISSUE UNLESS IT IS CURRENTLY HAPPENING. INJURIES WHERE - HEAD HAD ABRASION (HEALED IN 1 WEEK) - KNEECAP NEEDED TO BE STITCHED UP AND IMMOBILIZED FOR 2 WEEKS (STILL HEALING, BUT SEEMS TO BE JUST FINE.) *JB
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Body & structure
Reports naming the vehicle structure, frame, body panels, doors, hood and trim.
From owner reports, verbatim
FRAME CRACKING IN THE EXACT SAME SPOT SEVERAL OTHER PEOPLE ARE REPORTING SAME CRACK IN FRAME RIGHT SIDE OF FRAME DIRECTLY UNDER FRONT PORTION OF THE FRAME PAD
1) NORMAL USE (VEHICLE IS A BOAT TRAILER) LOAD RITE DOUBLE PWC TRAILER 2)A) TAIL LIGHTS FAILED UNDER NORMAL USE WATER CAUSED CORROSION OF CONTACTS FROM NORMAL LAUNCHING AND RETRIEVAL. B) GALVANIZED BRACKET HOLDING STEEL FENDER IN PLACE CRACKED AT BEND, ENSUING VIBRATION BROKE SIDE SAFETY LIGHT. POTENTIAL FOR HIGHWAY LOSS AND DAMAGE TO OTHER VEHICLES FROM FLYING DEBRIS. C) GALVANIZED BRACKET HOLDING TAIL LIGHT BROKE CAUSING LOSS OF TAILLIGHT. 3) ALL DEFECTS CORRECTED UNDER WARRANTY, BUT THEIR OCCURRENCE IN THE FIRST SEASON OF OWNERSHIP, WITH LOW USAGE AND LOW MILEAGE (UNDER 1200 MILES) GIVES CONCERN TO QUALITY OF REMAINING STRUCTURAL INTEGRITY OF TRAILER. *JB
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Brakes
Reports naming service brakes, the antilock braking system, brake hoses, master cylinders or the parking brake.
From owner reports, verbatim
1) NORMAL USE (VEHICLE IS A BOAT TRAILER) LOAD RITE DOUBLE PWC TRAILER 2)A) TAIL LIGHTS FAILED UNDER NORMAL USE WATER CAUSED CORROSION OF CONTACTS FROM NORMAL LAUNCHING AND RETRIEVAL. B) GALVANIZED BRACKET HOLDING STEEL FENDER IN PLACE CRACKED AT BEND, ENSUING VIBRATION BROKE SIDE SAFETY LIGHT. POTENTIAL FOR HIGHWAY LOSS AND DAMAGE TO OTHER VEHICLES FROM FLYING DEBRIS. C) GALVANIZED BRACKET HOLDING TAIL LIGHT BROKE CAUSING LOSS OF TAILLIGHT. 3) ALL DEFECTS CORRECTED UNDER WARRANTY, BUT THEIR OCCURRENCE IN THE FIRST SEASON OF OWNERSHIP, WITH LOW USAGE AND LOW MILEAGE (UNDER 1200 MILES) GIVES CONCERN TO QUALITY OF REMAINING STRUCTURAL INTEGRITY OF TRAILER. *JB
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Driver assistance
Reports naming forward-collision avoidance, lane keeping, back-over prevention, cruise control and related electronic driver-assistance systems.
From owner reports, verbatim
ONLY ON LEFT HAND TURNS WOULD THE TROTTLE STICK. ACCELATED VERY FAST. THE DEALER HAS ONLY LOOKED AT IT, AND CAN'T GET IT TO STICK.
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Other / unspecified
Reports whose component NHTSA recorded as unknown, or that do not map to one of the categories above.
From owner reports, verbatim
THE REPLACEMENT WHEELS FOR FRONT WHEEL RECALL 04V373000 HAVE NOT BEEN AVAILABLE FOR 3 MONTHS, AND DEALERSHIP DOESN'T KNOW WHEN THEY WILL BECOME AVAILABLE.*AK
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
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.
Elsewhere on this vehicle
Data sources
- NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation — owner-reported complaints and the components recorded on them
Data on this page last refreshed .