RoadVitals

1999 Kawasaki Vulcan Nomad

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.
13
Latest Jul 11, 2012
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.
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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.
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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.
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Overview

Our database contains 13 NHTSA owner-reported complaints for the 1999 Kawasaki Vulcan Nomad, most frequently naming the engine, brakes and electrical categories. 1 manufacturer communication is on file.

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

  • Engine1071.4%
  • Brakes17.1%
  • Electrical17.1%
  • Powertrain (other)17.1%
  • Transmission17.1%

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

No recalls in our database for this model year

That does not guarantee a specific vehicle is unaffected — recalls are issued against VINs, and new campaigns are announced regularly. Check a VIN on NHTSA.gov.

Recent owner complaints

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

View all 13
ElectricalEngine
Filed Jul 11, 2012

I WAS RIDING MY 1999 KAWASAKI VULCAN NOMAD AT 60MPH WHEN WITH NO WARNING THE ENGINE LOST POWER AND DIED OUT, GOOD THING MY HAND WAS COVERING THE CLUTCH. I IMMEDIATELY PULLED IT IN AND COASTED TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD. HAD IT TOWED TO MY HOUSE. TOOK TO MECHANIC AND THE GEAR FOR THE OIL PUMP WENT OUT CAUSING DAMAGE TO THE MOTOR. I DO NOT UNDERSTAND WHY KAWASAKI WILL NOT DO ANYTHING ABOUT THIS PROBLEM, ARE THEY WAITING FOR A HUGE LAW SUIT AFTER SOMEONE LOSES THERE LIFE. GUESS THEY DO NOT HOLD THERE PRODUCT TO THE HIGHEST REGARDS TO QUALITY OR CUSTOMER SATISFACTION. SO NOW I AM OUT 3200 DOLLARS FOR A FAULT OF THE MANUFACTURER, VERY DIS SATISFIED AND NOW EMBARRASSED TO SAY I OWN ONE. SHAME ON YOU KAWASAKI! *TR

NHTSA ID
10465272
Incident
Jul 7, 2012
Mileage
19,529 mi
Engine
Filed Nov 3, 2011

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1999 KAWASAKI VULCAN NOMAD MOTORCYCLE. THE ONTACT WAS DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 70-75 MPH WHEN THE VEHICLE STALLED WITHOUT WARNING. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A LOCAL MECHANIC WHO PERFORMED A DIAGNOSTIC THAT LOCATED THE FAILURE AT THE PLASTIC AND METAL GEAR. THE PLASTIC AND METAL GEAR FAILED AND CAUSED THE OIL PUMP TO FAIL. THE MANUFACTURER WAS CONTACTED AND WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE, BUT DENIED ASSISTANCE WITH THE REPAIR DUE TO VEHICLE AGE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 19,256.

NHTSA ID
10434143
Incident
Nov 11, 2010
Mileage
19,256 mi
Brakes
Filed Nov 4, 2010

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2009 KAWASAKI VULCAN NOMAD.(N/A) THE CONTACT RECEIVED A RECALL NOTICE FROM THE MANUFACTURER PERTAINING TO THE ELECTRONIC CONTROL UNIT; NHTSA CAMPAIGN RECALL NUMBER 10V507000, SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:PEDALS AND LINKAGES. THE DEALER WAS NOTIFIED AND REFUSED TO REPAIR THE VEHICLE UNTIL SPRING OF 2011 DUE TO THE VEHICLE NOT BEING PURCHASED AT THAT SPECIFIC LOCATION. THE VIN WAS NOT AVAILABLE. THERE WERE NO FAILURES AT THIS TIME.

NHTSA ID
10363996
Incident
Oct 22, 2010
Engine
Filed Jul 2, 2010

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1999 KAWASAKI VULCAN NOMAD. WHILE DRIVING 60 MPH THE CONTACT NOTICED THAT THE OIL LIGHT WAS ILLUMINATED ON THE INSTRUMENT PANEL. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER WHERE THE CONTACT WAS INFORMED THAT THE OIL GEAR NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THERE WERE NO PRIOR WARNINGS AND THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGES WERE 43000.

NHTSA ID
10341275
Incident
Jun 30, 2010
Mileage
43,000 mi
Engine
Filed Apr 20, 2010

I HAVE A 1999 KAWASAKI VULCAN NOMAD. THE GEAR ON THE OIL PUMP STRIPED AND DID DAMAGE TO THE ENGINE. KAWASAKI KNOWS THAT THE GEAR FAILS. IT DID ON MY BIKE AT 57,000 MILES. IT IS IN THE KAWASAKI SHOP NOW AND WILL COST AROUND $2200 TO FIX. KAWASAKI HAS FIXED SOME BIKES BUT I WAS TOLD BY KAWASAKI THAT THEY STOPPED THIS LAST YEAR. I LIVE IN ARKANSAS AND WAS IN FLORIDA ON A TRIP WHEN I HAD THE PROBLEM. I LOADED IT IN A U-HAUL AND BROUGHT IT BACK HOME. KAWASAKI KNOWING THERE IS A PROBLEM WITH THIS AND DOING NOTHING TO FIX THE PROBLEM IS NO DIFFERENT THAT WHAT TOYOTA HAS DONE OVER THE PAST FEW YEARS. *TR

NHTSA ID
10326733
Incident
Mar 18, 2010
Mileage
57,000 mi
Engine
Filed Dec 9, 2005

DEFECTIVE OIL GEAR DESTROYED THE ENGINE ON MY 1999 VULCAN NOMAD. KAWASAKI IS WILLING TO COVER ONLY THE PUMP AND GEAR OF THE ENGINE BUT NOT THE REST OF THE DAMAGE. I AM GOING TO BE CHARGED OVER $1,700 FOR THEIR FAULTY GEAR. THERE WAS NO WARNING, NO OFFICIAL RECALL, NO INSTRUCTIONS ON WHAT TO DO IF THE GEAR FAILED. I TRIED TO WORK IT OUT WITH KAWASAKI. THE LOCAL DEALER IS EVEN ON MY SIDE AND CALLED KAWASAKI MOTOR CORP TO FAUGHT FOR ME. WHEN I TRIED TO WORK IT OUT WITH KAWASAKI MOTOR CORP TECH DEPART, THE TECHNICIAN STATED TO ME THAT THE ENGINE DAMAGE WAS MY FAULT. I SHOULD HAVE NOTICED THE OIL LIGHT WAS ON AND THEIR SHOULD HAVE BEEN A NOISE COMING FROM THE ENGINE. WHEN I ROAD THE BIKE, THERE WAS NO LIGHT NOR ANY NOISE COMING FROM THE ENGINE EXCEPT RIGHT BEFORE IT TURNED OFF. ONCE THAT HAPPENED I COASTED OFF THE ROAD AND HAD IT TOWED BACK TO MY HOUSE. THE ONLY ONES TO TOUCH THE AREA LOCATED WITH THE OIL LIGHT WAS CERTIFIED KAWASAKI MECHANICS. THE ONLY TIMES THE AREA WAS TOUCHED WAS WHEN THERE WAS AN ELECTRICAL FIRE WAS UNDER THE TANK RIGHT BELOW THE LIGHT. THE OTHER TIME WAS WHEN THE OFFICIAL KAWASAKI MECHANICS REBUILT THE IGNITION SWITCH/LIGHT. *NM

NHTSA ID
10144833
Incident
Oct 5, 2005
Engine
Filed Jun 23, 2004

LODGED ORIGINAL COMPLAINT UNDER SUBCATEGORY 'OTHER'. PLASTIC (NYLON) OIL GEAR FAILURE. MINE FAILED AT 41000 MILES. MOST HAVE FAILED AT EARLIER MILEAGE. FAILURE OCCURRS WITHOUT WARNING, RESULTS IN SUDDEN LOSS OF ALL OIL PRESSURE, CAN LEAD TO ENGINE LOCK-UP, AND LOSS OF CONTROL. NO INJURIES HAVE BEEN REPORTED AS YET. KAWASAKI IS AWARE OF THE PROBLEM, BUT ARE WAITING FOR FAILURE BEFORE REPLACEMENT. FAILURE ONLY OCCURRS WHILE RIDING, WHICH ALWAYS LEAVES THE RIDER STRANDED, REQUIRING A TOW. I HOPE DEATH AND INJURY ARE NOT PREREQUISITES TO RECALL. *AK

NHTSA ID
10078680
Incident
Jun 8, 2004
Mileage
41,000 mi
Transmission
Filed Jun 9, 2004

PLASTIC OIL GEAR FAILURE RESULTS IN TOTAL LOSS OF OIL PRESSURE, WHICH COULD LEAD TO ENGINE FAILURE, WHICH WOULD RESULT IN TOTAL LOSS OF CONTROL. MINE STARTED AND WARMED NORMALLY, BUT THE OIL PRESSURE LIGHT CAME ON LESS THAN FIVE MILES DOWN THE ROAD. I TURNED THE IGNITION OFF AND COASTED ONTO A SIDE ROAD, WHERE A CHECK OF MY OIL LEVEL SHOWED IT WAS FULL BUT NO PRESSURE. SEEMS TO ONLY INVOLVE 1999 AND EARLY 2000 MODEL VULCANS. WELL DOCUMENTED DESIGN FLAW THAT KAWASAKI IS AWARE OF. KAWASAKI IS REPAIRING THIS AFTER IT FAILS, WHICH CAN ONLY HAPPEN WHILE RIDING, RESULTING IN MANDATORY STRANDING OF THE RIDER. MINE FAILED WHILE ON VACATION IN MICHIGAN. MY CHOICE WAS TO HAVE THE BIKE TOWED TO A LOCAL GARAGE AND GET A MOTEL ROOM UNTIL REPAIRED ($225/TOW, $50-60/NIGHT IN A MOTEL, (MINIMUM 3 NIGHTS ,IF THEY CAN FIT YOU INTO THEIR SHOP SCHEDULE; OTHERWISE, WHO KNOWS) OR RENT A TRUCK, $564 (800 MILES FROM HOME), FUEL FOR 10MPG TRUCK, $150, MISSING TWO DAYS OF VACATION, PRICELESS. RATHER THAN BE A STRANGER IN A STRANGE LAND, I ELECTED TO RENT THE TRUCK. AT LEAST I WOULD BE HOME, AND THE WORK DONE BY MY LOCAL SHOP. KAWASAKI IS ELECTING TO LET THEIR CUSTOMERS SUFFER, RIDING POTENTIALLY DANGEROUS MOTORCYCLES, IN THE HOPE OF NOT HAVING TO FIX SOME OF THE BIKES. MY BIKE IS NOT YET REPAIRED, SO I CAN NOT COMMENT ON THE SUCCESS OF THE FIX (STEEL GEAR). THE REPAIR REQUIRES TH EREMOVAL AND DISASSEMBLY OF THE ENGINE (MIN 16 HRS.). I AM DISAPPOINTED IN KAWASAKI, AND CAN ONLY ASSUME THAT THE NHTSA HAS NOT RECEIVED A SUFFICIENT NUMBER OF REPORTS TO FORCE A RECALL. AND IT WOULD HAVE TO BE FORCED AS KAWASAKI HAS DEMONSTRATED THAT THEY CAN NOT BE TRUSTED TO RECALL THE BIKES ON THEIR OWN. *AK

NHTSA ID
10075114
Incident
Jun 8, 2004
Mileage
41,000 mi

Manufacturer communications

A bulletin sent by a manufacturer to its dealers. Not a recall, and repairs are not necessarily free.

MC9808

SINGLE-BOOK SERVICE MANUAL ON SERVICE SPECIFICATIONS. *YC

Manufacturers file copies of the bulletins they send to dealers with NHTSA. These often describe diagnostic or repair procedures for a known condition. They are not recalls: repairs described in a bulletin are usually only free if the vehicle is still under warranty or the manufacturer has extended coverage.