RoadVitals

2001 Kawasaki Vulcan Problems

Owner-reported complaints filed with NHTSA, grouped by component

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.
3
Latest Sep 13, 2004
Components namedHow many of our component categories appear on at least one report for this model year. One report can name several.
2
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.
0

What this page shows

Everything below is an owner-reported complaint submitted to NHTSA about the 2001 Kawasaki Vulcan, 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

  • Engine266.7%
  • Fuel system133.3%

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

Engine

Reports naming the engine itself — including stalling, misfires, oil consumption, cooling and internal engine components.

2
reports

From owner reports, verbatim

NOTICE A SMALL PUDDLE OF OIL ON THE GARAGE FLOOR, ALSO NOTICE BIKE HEATED UP VERY QUICKLY AND INTENSELY WHEN RIDING EVEN FOR SHORT DISTANCES, DEALER SAID OIL LEAK RESULTED FOR THE BIKE BEING NEW. BIKE STARTED STALLING, OVER HEAT LAMP STARTING COMING ON, R/R SEAL OIL, ORING, COLLAR GASKET AND FAN FUSE.

NHTSA ID 9004942 · filed Oct 3, 2001

THE WATER PUMP SHAFT SUR-CLIP WAS NOT INSTALLED AT THE FACTORY WHICH CAUSED COOLANT TO POUR ON TO THE ROADWAY MAKING IT UNSAFE TO OPERATE THE MOTORCYLE AND NEARLY CAUSING AN ACCIDENT. *AK

NHTSA ID 748636 · filed Jul 17, 2001

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.

1
report

From owner reports, verbatim

ON 2 OCCASIONS MY 2001 KAWASAKI VULCAN 800 WAS LEAKING FUEL IN MY GARAGE. HIS MOTORCYCLE USES A KEIHN CVK-36 CARBURATOR. REPLACED GASKET BETWEEN FUEL BOWL AND CARBURATOR BODY AS WELL AS NEW FLOAT, AND NEEDLE. *AK PROBLEM CONTINUED, WHEN MOTORCYCLE SEEPED FUEL ON A NEAR CONTINUOUS BASIS. IDENTIFIED THAT THE ACCELERATOR PUMP DIAGPHRAGM IN THE CARBURATOR HAS FAILED WITH CRACKS AND RUBBER TO MATERIAL SEPARATION. THE PART # KA43028-0002 ITEM 43028A IN KAWASAKI'S PART MANUAL IS $50.99. PARTIAL ROOT CAUSE BEING THAT DESIGN OF THE FUEL TAP. THIS ITEM HAS THREE POSITIONS, ON, RESERVE AND PRIME. THERE IS NOT AN OFF POSITION WHICH I FEEL INCREASES THE FIRE RISK FOR PEOPLE STORING THESE IN THEIR HOME GARAGES. ON MY 2001 VULCAN 800 , THE FUEL TAP VALVE GASKET INTERNAL TO THE FUEL COCK, FAILED DUE TO A PIECE OF OF THE RUBBER GASKET TEARING OFF UNDER NORMAL OPERATION. THIS ALLOWS FUEL TO LEAK OUT WHEN THE MOTOR IS NOT RUNNING. THE FUEL TAP IS DESIGNED TO ALLOW FUEL FLOW WHEN VACUUM IS APPLIED TO THE FUEL COCK. THIS FUEL TAP GASKET IS APPROXIMATELY $6.00 EACH. ADDITIONALLY I HAVE EXPERIENCED 3 PROBLEMS AND HEARD OF NUMEROUS PROBLEMS WITH THE NEEDLE AND SEAT STICKING ON THE VULCANS. GIVEN THE FAILURE OF THE FUEL TAP VALVE GASKET ON MY OWN MOTORCYCLE AND THE FACT THAT THE NEXT COMPONENT IN THE FUEL FLOW IS THE NEEDLE AND SEAT, I THINK THAT THAT MAY BE A ROOT CAUSE. WHEN I DISASSEMBLED MY CARBURATOR I IDENTIFIED SMALL BLACK ITEMS IN THE FUEL BOWL WHICH I BELIEVED TO BE PART OF THE FAILED FUEL TAP GASKET. IT IS UNDERSTANDABLE WHY I AM HEARING COMPLAINTS. THIS FUEL TAP FAILURE IS BETWEEN THE FUEL FILTER AND THE CARBURATOR. HAVING HEARD ABOUT THE REACLL 04V008 FOR 2003 AND 2004 MOTORCYCLES I BELIEVE THE PROBLEM WITH THEACCELERATOR DIAGPHRAGM STARTED EARLIER THAN IDENTIFIED, AND THERE IS AN ADDITIONAL PROBLEM WITH THE FUEL TAP DESIGN AND MATERIALS.

NHTSA ID 10090894 · filed Sep 13, 2004

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

Data on this page last refreshed .