1996 Kawasaki Vulcan 1500 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 1996 Kawasaki Vulcan 1500, 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
- Suspension250.0%
- Fuel system125.0%
- Powertrain (other)125.0%
Percentages are of component mentions. A single complaint can name more than one component, so these do not sum to the total complaint count.
Each component in detail
What the reports in each category say, in the owners' own words
Suspension
Reports naming suspension components — springs, struts, shocks, control arms and related hardware.
From owner reports, verbatim
PURCHASED MOTORCYCLE NEW, WHEN DRIVING THE MOTORCYCLE PULLS TO THE RIGHT DUE TO MISALIGNMENT. *AK
WHEN YOU LET THE HANDLES GO THE MOTORCYCLE WENT TO THE SIDE. PLEASE DESCRIBE. TT
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Fuel system
Reports naming fuel storage or delivery — tanks, pumps, lines, injectors and fuel leaks.
From owner reports, verbatim
WHILE RIDING HOME THE FUEL LINE BROKE. METAL PART OF THE TANK IS AGAINST THE FUEL LINE. *AK DUE TO THE LOCATION OF THE FUEL LINE, CONSUMER FEELS THIS COULD HAPPEN AGAIN. *SLC
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Powertrain (other)
Powertrain reports that are not specifically the engine or transmission — driveshafts, axles, transfer cases and differentials.
From owner reports, verbatim
I WAS YIELDING INTO I-10 HIGHWAY AFTER LEAVING THE INTERSECTION LIGHT WHEN I SHIFTED TO SECOND GEAR TO SPEED UP THEN GEAR DROP TO NEUTRAL CAUSING THE MOTORCYCLE TO JERK ENOUGH TO CAUSE ME TO VEER OF THE ROAD TO THE EMERGENCY LANE. MY PROBLEM IS NOW CONSTANT I SHIFT FROM 1ST TO 2ND, I CAN CRUISE FINE FOR A FEW SECONDS AND THEN I SLIP INTO NEUTRAL (BUT THE NEUTRAL LIGHT DOESN'T COME ON). I SHIFT UP TO 3RD AND THEN BACK DOWN TO 2ND AND I HAVE NO SLIPPING.
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 .