RoadVitals

2007 Kawasaki ZX1400A7F 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 May 5, 2012
Components namedHow many of our component categories appear on at least one report for this model year. One report can name several.
3
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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What this page shows

Everything below is an owner-reported complaint submitted to NHTSA about the 2007 Kawasaki ZX1400A7F, 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

  • 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.

Each component in detail

What the reports in each category say, in the owners' own words

Body & structure

Reports naming the vehicle structure, frame, body panels, doors, hood and trim.

1
report

From owner reports, verbatim

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 · filed Aug 22, 2007

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.

1
report

From owner reports, verbatim

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 · filed May 5, 2012

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.

1
report

From owner reports, verbatim

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 · filed Jun 6, 2008

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 .