RoadVitals

2007 Kawasaki ZX1400A7F

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.
3
Latest May 5, 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.
0
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.
1
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

Overview

Our database contains 3 NHTSA owner-reported complaints for the 2007 Kawasaki ZX1400A7F, most frequently naming the body & structure, engine and transmission categories. 1 NHTSA investigation names it.

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

  • Body & structure133.3%
  • Engine133.3%
  • Transmission133.3%

Percentages are of component mentions. A single complaint can name more than one component, so these do not sum to the total complaint count.

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.

Safety investigations

NHTSA inquiries naming this vehicle. An investigation is not a finding of a defect.

PE08021ClosedPreliminary Evaluation

FRAME FRACTURE/SUSPENSION COLLAPSE

Opened Mar 24, 2008
Closed Jul 2, 2008

THIS PE WAS OPENED BASED ON OWNER COMPLAINTS, EWR FIELD REPORTS, AND WEB FORUM DISCUSSIONS ALLEGING THAT SOME MY 2006-2007 KAWASAKI ZX14 HIGH PERFORMANCE MOTORCYCLES' REAR SUSPENSION COLLAPSED DUE TO CROSSMEMBER FAILURE.IN ITS RECALL FILING, KAWASAKI WROTE, THE LOWER REAR ENGINE MOUNT HAS A THREADED COLLAR DESIGNED TO ELIMINATE CLEARANCE BETWEEN THE FRAME AND THE ENGINE CASES BEFORE THE ENGINE MOUNTING BOLT IS TIGHTENED.ON SOME OF THE AFFECTED UNITS, THE COLLAR WAS TIGHTENED EXCESSIVELY, WHICH CREATED STRESS ACROSS THE LOWER CROSSMEMBER.KAWASAKI DEALERS ARE INSTRUCTED TO INSPECT THE AFFECTED UNITS AND INSTALL A NEW FRAME ON THOSE ZX14'S WITH SUSPECT CROSSMEMBERS.IN ITS OWNER NOTIFICATION LETTER, KAWASAKI CAUTIONS THAT A FRAME REPLACEMENT MAY REQUIRE A FEW WEEKS DUE TO THE TIME REQUIRED TO PREPARE AND SHIP THE NEW FRAME AND LABELS WITH THE CORRECT VEHICLE IDENTIFICATION NUMBER.

STRUCTURE:FRAME AND MEMBERSLed to recall 08V222000

Recent owner complaints

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

Engine
Filed May 5, 2012

THE PURPOSE OF THIS MESSAGE IS TO BRING TO YOUR ATTENTION A DEFECT IN THE KAWASAKI ZX-14 WHICH MAY PRESENT A POTENTIAL DANGER TO OWNERS OF THIS MODEL. SHORTLY AFTER PURCHASING MY BIKE I WAS INFORMED OF A RECALL CONCERNING AN ISSUE WITH THE ENGINE MOUNTING BOLTS. WHILE MECHANICS CERTIFIED MY BIKE TO BE WITHIN PROPER GUIDELINES, THEY ALSO NOTICED A KNOCKING SOUND IN THE MOTOR. AFTER AN AUDITORY INSPECTION, THE MECHANICS DEEMED MY BIKE SAFE TO RIDE. HOWEVER, THERE WAS NO EXPLANATION PROVIDED FOR THE UNUSUAL SOUND FROM INSIDE THE ENGINE. SINCE THAT TIME I HAVE PUT OVER 6,000 MILES ON THE BIKE, AND THE LOUD KNOCKING SOUND PERSISTS. EARLIER THIS WEEK I WAS SEARCHING FOR INFORMATION ON AN AFTER MARKET COOLING FAN FOR MY BIKE, AND DISCOVERED A HOST OF ZX14 FORUMS WHICH ADDRESSED THE ISSUE OF THE LOUD KNOCKING OR "CLUNKING" SOUND FROM THE ENGINE. I LEARNED THAT BOTH MECHANICS AND FACTORY REPS CLAIMED THE ENGINE NOISE WAS NORMAL, BUT IT SEEMS NONE COULD ADEQUATELY EXPLAIN WHAT IS CAUSING THIS TO OCCUR. AT LEAST ONE CUSTOMER INDICATED HIS ENGINE ULTIMATELY FAILED WHILE HE WAS RIDING. I HAVE HEARD THEORIES SUCH AS CLUTCH NOISE, THE BALANCER, AND THE CAM CHAIN. I AM CONCERNED THIS PROBLEM COULD LEAD TO MORE ENGINE FAILURES OR POSSIBLE ACCIDENTS. UNFORTUNATELY, MOST OF US HAVE EXPIRED WARRANTIES, WHILE THE SERVICE DEPARTMENTS AND KAWASAKI'S FACTORY REPS ARE AWARE OF THE KNOCKING NOISE. I AM ASKING YOU TO INVESTIGATE THIS PROBLEM IN ORDER TO DISCOVER A POSSIBLE PROBLEM AND A FAIR SOLUTION, OR DEEM THESE BIKES SAFE FOR US TO RIDE. IF THERE IS A PROBLEM, KAWASAKI SHOULD RECTIFY THIS SITUATION IMMEDIATELY. THANK YOU SO VERY MUCH FOR YOUR ATTENTION TO THIS MATTER. *TR

NHTSA ID
10457547
Incident
Jul 1, 2008
Transmission
Filed Jun 6, 2008

07 ZX-14 SAYS ITS IN NEUTRAL AND COMES UP 1ST GEAR EVEN WITH NEUTRAL LIGHT ON. WHILE AT STOP LIGHT LETTING OFF CLUTCH BIKE'S SUPPOSE TO BE IN 1ST GEAR AND IT'S ACTUALLY IN NEUTRAL. LATEST INCIDENT HAPPENED THIS MORNING, WHILE RIDING BEEN TO DEALERSHIPS BACK AND NO ONE HAS DONE ANYTHING, TO CORRECT IT, CONTACTED TECH SUPPORT AND THEY HAVEN'T DONE ANYTHING TO CORRECT IT EITHER... *TR

NHTSA ID
10230171
Incident
Jun 6, 2008
Mileage
4,216 mi
Body & structure
Filed Aug 22, 2007

I PURCHASED A NEW 2007 KAWASAKI ZX-14 MOTORCYCLE IN MAY OF THIS YEAR, 2007. I HAVE MAINTAINED THE MOTORCYCLE IN ACCORDANCE TO THE MANUFACTURE'S GUIDELINES. DURING NORMAL OPERATION OF THE MOTORCYCLE, ON SMOOTH FLAT PAVEMENT, AT NO MORE THAN 50 MPH, THE REAR END DROPPED ABOUT THREE INCHES WITHOUT WARNING. AT FIRST I THOUGHT THE REAR TIRE HAD GONE FLAT. AFTER I SAFELY BROUGHT THE BIKE TO A STOP, I LOOKED DOWN AT THE REAR TIRE, IT WAS NOT FLAT. UPON FURTHER INSPECTION I REALIZED THAT THE FRAME OF THE BIKE HAD FAILED. THE FRAME WAS INDEED BROKEN. THE BIKE HAS NEVER CRASHED INTO ANYTHING OR HIT ANY POTHOLES. THERE ISN'T A SCRATCH ON THE BIKE AND IT HAS NEVER HAD ANY STUNTS PERFORMED ON IT. THE BIKE IS AT AN AUTHORIZED KAWASAKI DEALER NOW AND THEY HAVE FOUND NO SIGNS OF ANY ABUSE. THE SERVICE DEPARTMENT TECHNICIANS HAVE CONCURRED THAT THE FRAME JUST CRACKED WITHOUT RHYME OR REASON. IF THIS HAD HAPPENED ONLY 5 SECONDS EARLIER WHILE THE BIKE WAS LEANED OVER IN A TURN THINGS COULD HAVE BEEN VERY DIFFERENT. KAWASAKI HAS OFFERED TO REPLACE THE FRAME UNDER WARRANTY BUT HAS OFFERED NO EXPLANATION AS TO WHY THIS HAPPENED. NOR HAVE THEY GUARANTEED THAT THIS WON'T HAPPEN AGAIN. SEVERAL DEALERS HAVE EXPRESSED CONCERN OVER REBUILDING THIS BIKE ON A NEW FRAME. THE INFORMATION OBTAINED FROM THESE DEALERSHIPS IN REGARDS TO THEIR RESERVATION AND DISAGREEABLE POSITION WITH KAWASAKI ON REBUILDING THEIR FLAGSHIP BIKE ON A NEW FRAME HAS NOT BEEN ENCOURAGING TO ME AS A RIDER. *TR

NHTSA ID
10200444
Incident
Aug 11, 2007
Mileage
4,550 mi