2014 Suzuki DL1000

On March 3rd 2017 the Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) opened this Preliminary Evaluation (PE17-001) to investigate allegations of stalling when accelerating from a stop on 2014-2015 DL1000 Suzuki motorcycles.ODI contacted 4 of the 5 consumers who had filed complaints with the office and learned they all could engage the clutch as the stalling condition presented itself and keep the bike in an upright, stable position.On May 17th 2017 Suzuki responded to ODI's Information Request letter and informed ODI of 21 consumer complaints and 28 warranty claims alleging stalling while accelerating from a stop on 2014 and 2015 subject vehicles.Additionally, Suzuki made ODI aware of three crashes where the consumer alleged they dropped the bike as a result of the stall (no injuries were reported).ODI contacted the complainants, including the consumers alleging a crash and noted the majority alleged a misfire or a loss in power at cruising speeds or going around a turn.These allegations were not consistent with the alleged defect of this investigation.Furthermore, ODI learned from 2 of the 3 complainants alleging a crash (dropped bike) that they had installed after market equipment on the motorcycle altering its performance and/or fueling strategy.On July 27th, 2017 Suzuki and ODI participated in a joint ride-evaluation of the subject motorcycles.Suzuki supplied ODI with a 2014 and 2015 D1000 motorcycle with original factory settings.ODI solicited assistance from the Virginia State Police (VSP) Division 7 Motor Squad to evaluate and ride the subject motorcycles at the Dulles Airport training grounds.VSP supplied ODI with 4 professional and experienced motorcycle riders.At the Dulles location, ODI created a repeatable test program that would best elicit the alleged defect.The test was a series of accelerating patterns through first gear into second at different distances.After a total of 5 hours of riding the VSP riders were unable to induce or duplicate the stalling condition (alleged defect).On August 9th 2017 Suzuki met with ODI to discuss the investigation, the merits of the complainants, and give a presentation concerning the chronology of design changes associated with the subject vehicles.As a result of the July 27th ride evaluation, the August 9th joint meeting, and investigative interviews, ODI has concluded the alleged defect of this investigation does not present an unreasonable risk to motor vehicle safety at this time.In addition, Suzuki has agreed to provide its customers with an updated engine control module (ECM) via a service campaign TLSVDL 066 (ODI 10119582) incorporating the latest engine software.ODI is closing this PE as further use of agency resources does not appear to be warranted.The closing of this investigation does not constitute a finding by NHTSA that a safety-related defect does not exist.The agency reserves the right to take further action if warranted by the circumstances.

2014 SUZUKI DL1000. CONSUMER WRITES IN REGARDS TO MOTORCYCLE ECU UNIT WHICH INCLUDES FUELING ISSUES THAT CAUSES LOW RPM THROTTLE CONTROLS/ RESPONSE AND STALLING VIBRATIONS AND NOISES. *M *JS

NHTSA ID

10859757

Incident

Mar 1, 2016

THE MOTORCYCLE WILL STALL AT ODD INTERVALS. IT WILL ALSO BACKFIRE THRU THE AIRBOX. AT LOW SPEED, IT IS DIFFICULT TO CONTROL THE THROTTLE. IT IS ESPECIALLY BAD WHEN THE ENGINE HASN'T WARMED UP FULLY AND ITS COLD OUTSIDE. I HAVE COME VERY CLOSE TO DROPPING THE BIKE WHEN IT STALLS UNEXPECTEDLY. IT HAS STALLED SEVERAL TIMES AFTER ACCELERATING FROM A STOP. IT HAS ALSO STALLED SEVERAL TIMES WHEN HOT AND SLOWING DOWN ON THE HIGHWAY.

NHTSA ID

10970035

Incident

Mar 25, 2017

Mileage

12,000 mi

ENGINE WOULD CUT OFF RANDOMLY, APPROXIMATELY ONCE EVERY 300 OR 400 MILES OF RIDING. ALWAYS WOULD START RIGHT BACK UP. ONLY HAPPENED TO ME WHILE NOT MOVING, BUT PROBABLY WOULDN'T NOTICE PROBLEM IF MOVING, UNLESS UNDER LOW POWER OR SLIPPING THE CLUTCH, IE, LOW SPEED MANEUVERING. SOMETIMES COLD ENGINE, SOMETIMES FULLY WARMED UP. SUZUKI REPLACED ECU (WITH PART # ENDING IN ...J12) UNDER WARRANTY TO CORRECT THE PROBLEM. HAVE NOT HAD THAT PROBLEM SINCE, BUT NOW WHEN ENGINE IS WARMING UP AND DRIVING AWAY, ENGINE WILL "PUFF" WITH A BRIEF LOSS OF POWER, USUALLY WHILE TURNING OUT ONTO THE STREET. DOES NOT HAPPEN IF FULLY WARMED UP. *TR

NHTSA ID

10948972

Incident

May 7, 2016

Mileage

500 mi

EVER SINCE THIS VEHICLE WAS PURCHASED AND THEN AFTER THE FIRST OIL CHANGE THE MOTOR DEVELOPED A KNOCK. THE FUELING IS ERRATIC AT TIMES MEANING IT HICCUPS OR SURGES AND HAS STALLED WHILE IN MOTION. I BROUGHT THIS UP TO THE DEALER AND TO SUZUKI IN NOVEMBER OF 2015. I ALSO FOUND ON A SUZUKI FORUM DEDICATED TO THIS PARTICULAR MODEL THAT OTHERS WERE EXPERIENCING THE SAME ISSUES. I TOOK THE BIKE TO THE DEALER AND NOTHING WAS REMEDIED. I SPOKE WITH SUZUKI CORPORATE AND THEY ACKNOWLEDGED THAT SOME MODELS WERE EXPERIENCING A KNOCK DUE TO AN INTOLERANCE BUT THAT IT WOULDN'T AFFECT RELIABILITY. WHEN ASKED TO PUT IT IN WRITING THEY ACTUALLY SAID YES BUT THEN NEVER FOLLOWED THROUGH AND WOULDN'T RETURN ANY FURTHER CALLS FROM ME. I FOUND OUT IN EUROPE SUZUKI WAS REPLACING THE ECU ON ALL BIKES THAT WERE EXPERIENCING THIS. THEY HAVE DONE NOTHING TO FIX THIS VEHICLE. I GOT TO A POINT WHERE I HIRED A LAWYER TO TRY TO GET THE DEALER TO REPLACE BIKE AND THEIR RESPONSE WAS SUZUKI SAYS THERE IS NOTHING WRONG. NOW BECAUSE OF THAT I HAVE BEEN BLACKLISTED FROM OTHER DEALERS AND THEY WON'T WORK ON UNIT. I HAVE LOTS OF CORRESPONDENCE OVER THE LAST 14 MONTHS TRYING TO GET THIS RIGHTED AND NOW I AM LEFT TO TRY TO FIX THIS MYSELF. THERE ARE A PLETHORA OF OTHERS EXPERIENCING THESE SAME ISSUES AND GETTING THE SAME RESPONSE FROM SUZUKI, WHICH IS TO NOT DO ANYTHING TO HELP. WWW.STROMTROOPER.COM IS FULL OF FOLKS TALKING ABOUT THIS ECU ISSUE AND THE KNOCKING ISSUE. WHEN SUZUKI DID HAVE THE BIKE AND SAID THEY DID AN UPGRADE FIX THE BIKE WAS WORSE. THEY HAVE ALSO DELETED THE ECU REPLACEMENT PART TWICE SINCE 2014. IT HAS ONLY STALLED ON ME THREE TIMES IN 15 MONTHS BUT IT ONLY TAKES ONCE AT THE WRONG TIME AND SOMEONE MIGHT BE INJURED OR WORSE. I AM GOING TO TRY TO FIX THIS ON MY OWN BUT I SHOULDN'T HAVE TO. I THINK THEY HAVE THE BIKE SET TOO LEAN TO MEET US REQUIREMENTS AND IT IS A SAFETY ISSUE.

NHTSA ID

10945402

Incident

Nov 6, 2016

Mileage

600 mi

VEHICLE IS A NOS 2014 LEFTOVER PURCHASED IN NOVEMBER 2016. VEHICLE NOW HAS 2,500 MILES ON IT AND HAS INTERMITTENTLY STALLED UPON TAKEOFF IN 1ST GEAR AT LEAST 7 TIMES. EACH TIME THE MOTORCYCLE ENGINE IS WARM. UPON ENGAGING 1ST GEAR FROM A STOP, WHEN THE CLUTCH IS RELEASED AND THROTTLE APPLIED, THE MOTORCYCLE WILL COUGH AND STALL. THIS HAPPENS AT CRITICAL TRANSITION TIMES; AT AN INTERSECTION, IN STOP-AND-GO TRAFFIC AND ONCE IN A CROWDED PARKING LOT CAUSING ME TO DROP THE BIKE ON ITS SIDE. I CALLED SUZUKI AND FILED A CASE/COMPLAINT AND THE VEHICLE IS NOW AT A DEALERSHIP. I SPOKE TO THE DEALERSHIP AFTER 1 WEEK AND THEY STATED THAT THEY WERE UNABLE TO "RE-CREATE THE PROBLEM" AND WERE UNABLE TO DO ANYTHING CORRECTIVE. THE MANUFACTURER APPEARS UNWILLING TO ACKNOWLEDGE DOCUMENTED HISTORY OF ELECTRICAL PROBLEMS FROM THIS MODEL YEAR'S ECU (2014 WAS FIRST YEAR FOR TRACTION CONTROL ON THIS MODEL) DESPITE THE FACT THAT THE ECU HAS BEEN RE-ENGINEERED SINCE THEN. SOME CUSTOMERS HAVE HAD THESE ECUS REPLACED WITH NEW VERSION UNDER WARRANTY, WHICH SOLVED THE ISSUE. THIS IS A DOCUMENTED AND DANGEROUS PROBLEM PLACING RIDERS AND BYSTANDERS AT RISK OF BEING INVOLVED IN A ACCIDENT.

NHTSA ID

10945365

Incident

Jan 2, 2017

Mileage

1,200 mi

MOTORCYCLE STALLS WHEN ENGAGING THROTTLE. THE MOTORCYCLE CAN BE IN NEUTRAL AND IT STILL STALLS ENGAGING THROTTLE. HAPPENED ~ 5 TIME WITHINT 2000 MILES. ITS A SAFETY CONCERN BECAUSE CARS BEHIND ME HAVE TO WAIT UNTIL I RESTART THE MOTORCYCLE. IT IS NOT A CLUTCH PROBLEM BECAUSE IT HAPPENS IN NEUTRAL ALSO.

NHTSA ID

10924660

Incident

Nov 6, 2016

Mileage

2,000 mi

BIKE IS 6 MONTHS OLD BIKE HAS STALL ON ME AT LEAST 5 OCCASIONS WHEN IN MOTION IN TRAFFIC THE BIKE HAS STALLED WHEN PULLING IN THE CLUTCH BIKE IS UNRIDEABLE UNDER 2000 RPMS DUE TO POOR FUELLING CANNOT RIDE IN CITY TRAFFIC WITHOUT SLIPPING THE CLUTCH THE ENTIRE TIME BELOW 2000 RPMS MY BIKE HAS BEEN IN THE SHOP TWICE FOR THIS PROBLEM AND BOTH TIMES SUZUKI SAID THE BIKE IS SOPPOSED TO DO THAT WHEN I ASK THE SERVICE MGR IF HIS BIKES WONT RIDE UNDER 2000 ROMS HE SAYS NO HIS ARE FINE AS SHOULD ALL BIKES SERVICE MGR ASYS SUZIKI SAID ITS NORMAL SUZUKI IS REPLACING COMPUTERS UNDER WARRANT FOR THESE SAME PROBLEMS ALL OVER THE GLOBE BUT SUZUKI AMERICA SAYS NO THERE IS ALSO A NEW PART# FOR THE UPDATED COMPUTER SUZUKI SAYS THERE IS STILL NO PROBLEM WHEN I ASK SUZUKI WHY UIS THERE AN UPDATED COMPUTER THEY TELL ME THERE IS NO RECALL THE BIKE IS UNSAFE SUZUKI KNOWS IT AND SUZUKI AMERICA IS DENYING IT AND WONT FIX THE BIKE THIS IS AN EARLY MODEL PROBLEM AND MINE WAS BUILT 02/14

NHTSA ID

10850467

Incident

Mar 18, 2016

Mileage

1 mi

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2014 SUZUKI DL1000. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THAT THE MOTORCYCLE WOULD STALL. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER WHERE IT WAS INFORMED THAT THE PARTS NEEDED TO ORDERED AND NO FURTHER INFORMATION WAS AVAILABLE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 1,900.

NHTSA ID

10823843

Incident

Feb 2, 2016

Mileage

1,900 mi

Customer notification of open Customer Satisfaction Campaign

Customer notification of open customer satisfaction campaign.

Customer reminder of open customer satisfaction campaign.

Customer notification of open customer satisfaction campaign.

Notification of open customer satisfaction campaign.

Customer reminder of open customer satisfaction campaign