2009 Kawasaki Vulcan 900 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 2009 Kawasaki Vulcan 900, 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
- Driver assistance133.3%
- Engine133.3%
- Powertrain (other)133.3%
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
Driver assistance
Reports naming forward-collision avoidance, lane keeping, back-over prevention, cruise control and related electronic driver-assistance systems.
From owner reports, verbatim
AFTER FILLING UP GAS TANK ON MY 2009 KAWASAKI VULCAN 500 IT QUITS RUNNING AFTER 20 TO 60 MILES. THIS HAS HAPPENED THREE TIMES. SINCE THE LAST TIME I HAVE BEEN RUNNING WITH THE FUEL VALVE ON RESERVE AND HAVE NOT HAD ANOTHER PROBLEM. ALSO MY SISTER IN LAW AND A FRIEND HAS HAD THE SAME WITH THEIR 2008 VULCAN 500'S. *TR
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Engine
Reports naming the engine itself — including stalling, misfires, oil consumption, cooling and internal engine components.
From owner reports, verbatim
WHILE RIDING THE MOTORCYCLE ON THE INTERSTATE THE MOTORCYCLE SUDDENLY SHUT DOWN AND LOCKED UP THE REAR WHEEL. I WENT DOWN ON MY LEFT SIDE AND HIT THE JERSEY BARRIERS DIVIDING HE HIGHWAY. ANOTHER RIDER JUST BEHIND ME SAW THE REAR WHEEL SUDDENLY LOCK UP TURN FOR A SECOND AND LOCK UP AGAIN. AS OF THE DATE OF THIS COMPLAINT IT HAS NOT YET BEEN DETERMINED WHAT THE CAUSE WAS. THIS IS CERTAINLY NOT COMMON FOR A MOTORCYCLE THREE YEARS OLD WITH SUCH LOW MILEAGE. I SUSPECT IT MAY BE A PROBLEM WITH THE ECU UNIT BUT THERE HAVE BEEN NO RECALLS ON MY MOTORCYCLE. THIS IS A POTENTIAL LIFE ENDANGERING ISSUE. IF NOT FOR MY HELMET I WOULDN'T BE HERE TO WRITE THIS. THIS MOTORCYCLE HAS ALWAYS BEEN MAINTAINED VERY WELL AND THERE ARE NO VISIBLE SIGNS ON THE OUTSIDE COMPONENTS THAT CAN ACCOUNT FOR THE ACCIDENT. NOTHING HAS EVER BEEN MODIFIED ON THE MOTORCYCLE NOT EVEN AN ACCESSORY ADDED. I HAVE HAD MANY CYCLES IN MY LIFE AND I HAVE BEEN RIDING FOR OVER 30 YEARS. *TR
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
WHILE RIDING THE MOTORCYCLE ON THE INTERSTATE THE MOTORCYCLE SUDDENLY SHUT DOWN AND LOCKED UP THE REAR WHEEL. I WENT DOWN ON MY LEFT SIDE AND HIT THE JERSEY BARRIERS DIVIDING HE HIGHWAY. ANOTHER RIDER JUST BEHIND ME SAW THE REAR WHEEL SUDDENLY LOCK UP TURN FOR A SECOND AND LOCK UP AGAIN. AS OF THE DATE OF THIS COMPLAINT IT HAS NOT YET BEEN DETERMINED WHAT THE CAUSE WAS. THIS IS CERTAINLY NOT COMMON FOR A MOTORCYCLE THREE YEARS OLD WITH SUCH LOW MILEAGE. I SUSPECT IT MAY BE A PROBLEM WITH THE ECU UNIT BUT THERE HAVE BEEN NO RECALLS ON MY MOTORCYCLE. THIS IS A POTENTIAL LIFE ENDANGERING ISSUE. IF NOT FOR MY HELMET I WOULDN'T BE HERE TO WRITE THIS. THIS MOTORCYCLE HAS ALWAYS BEEN MAINTAINED VERY WELL AND THERE ARE NO VISIBLE SIGNS ON THE OUTSIDE COMPONENTS THAT CAN ACCOUNT FOR THE ACCIDENT. NOTHING HAS EVER BEEN MODIFIED ON THE MOTORCYCLE NOT EVEN AN ACCESSORY ADDED. I HAVE HAD MANY CYCLES IN MY LIFE AND I HAVE BEEN RIDING FOR OVER 30 YEARS. *TR
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 .