1999 Kawasaki Vulcan Nomad 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 1999 Kawasaki Vulcan Nomad, 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
- 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.
Each component in detail
What the reports in each category say, in the owners' own words
Engine
Reports naming the engine itself — including stalling, misfires, oil consumption, cooling and internal engine components.
From owner reports, verbatim
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
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.
Brakes
Reports naming service brakes, the antilock braking system, brake hoses, master cylinders or the parking brake.
From owner reports, verbatim
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.
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Electrical
Reports naming the electrical system — wiring, battery, charging, control modules, infotainment and electrical accessories.
From owner reports, verbatim
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
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
DEALER MADE REPAIRS ON THREE SEPARATE OCCASIONS WITHIN A MONTH, BUT SPEEDOMETER IS STILL INOPERATIVE. CONSUMER UNABLE TO DETERMINE PROPER SPEED. MANUFACTURER WAS CONTACTED, AND INFORMED CONSUMER THAT NO SOLUTION CAN BE FOUND AT THIS TIME. FEEL FREE TO PROVIDE ANY FURTHER INFORMATION. *AK
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Transmission
Reports naming the automatic or manual transmission, including shifting behaviour, shudder, slipping and transmission control modules.
From owner reports, verbatim
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
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 .