1999 Suzuki DR350SE 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 Suzuki DR350SE, 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
- Engine2100.0%
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
DT: THE OWNER'S MOTORCYCLE WHEEL LOCKED THREE YEARS AGO. THE INCIDENT OCCURRED WHILE DRIVING AT A LOW SPEED. IT SOUNDED LIKE IT BACKFIRED, AND THEN THE WHEEL LOCKED. THERE WAS A SKID, AND ENTIRE ENGINE LOCKED . THE OWNER WAS GOING SLOW ENOUGH TO CATCH HIMSELF. THE MOTORCYCLE STILL HAD NOT BEEN TAKEN TODEALER FOR REPAIRS. THE SIDE COVER WAS REMOVED FROM THE MOTOR. THE MOTORCYCLE HAS AN ELECTRICAL START, THE REDUCTION GEARS TURNED SIDEWAYS INSIDE THE MOTOR WHEN THE SKID OCCURRED. THIS CAUSED THE ENGINE TO LOCK AND SKID OUT OF CONTROL. ALTHOUGH THE MOTORCYCLE DID NOT HIT THE GROUND THE OWNER CONSIDERED THIS A CRASH. SUZUKI MODEL DR650SE. *AK
I'M HOPING YOU COVER MOTORCYCLE RECALLS. THIS IS A PROBLEM I DISCOVERED ON MY '99 SUZUKI DR-350SE (STREET LEGAL DIRTBIKE). THE WEBSITE WHICH DISCUSSES THE DEFECT IN DETAIL IS LOCATED AT : HTTP://WWW.KIENTECH.COM/TOPPAGE1.HTM KIEN TECH ENGINEERING IS A PERFORMANCE SHOP SPECIALIZING IN SUZUKI 350/400 DIRTBIKES. APPARENTLY, THEY HAVE CONTACTED SUZUKI ABOUT HIS ISSUE. I HAVE NOT HAD A FAILURE OF THIS KIND. BUT I WOULD CERTAINLY THINK A RECALL IS IN ORDER IF THIS CLAIM IS TRUE. THE RESULTS OF THIS FAILURE IS ENGINE SEIZURE AND POSSIBLY DEATH. I WILL COPY KEIN TECH'S DESCRIPTION OF THE PROBLEM: DR350 CRANK SHAFT FAILURE ALERT EXPLAINED THE SUBJECT THAT I WANT TO COVER IS THE DR350 CONCERNING FAILURES OF THE ENGINE DUE TO A HOLE IN THE CRANKSHAFT THAT IS SUPPOSE TO LOCK THE DRIVE GEAR FOR THE COUNTER BALANCER TO THE CRANKSHAFT. THIS INDEXING HOLE IS SUPPOSED TO BE DRILLED JUST DEEP ENOUGH TO KEEP THE LOCKING PIN THAT IS PRESSED INTO THE COUNTER BALANCING DRIVE GEAR FROM ESCAPING. WELL SOME WHERE SOME ONE AT THE CRANK FACTORY IS DRILLING THIS HOLE CLEAR THROUGH THE RIGHT CRANK HALF. THIS ALLOWS THE LOCKING PIN TO MOVE INTO THE CRANK IF ITS PRESS FIT HAPPENS TO BE MARGINAL. WHEN THIS HAPPENS TO A POINT OF ESCAPING THE DRIVE GEAR THE CRANKSHAFT AND COUNTER BALANCER ARE NO LONGER TIMED THE ROD HITS THE HEAVY COUNTER BALANCER WEIGHT AND BLOWS IT RIGHT OUT THE FRONT OF THE ENGINE. THIS DESTROYS THE CASES, COUNTERBALANCER, CYLINDER SLEEVE AND CRANKSHAFT. I HAVE ALSO DISCOVERED THAT CRANK REPAIR NEW PART ( RIGHT CRANK HALF) ARE ALSO AFFECTED WITH THE THROUGH HOLE.
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 .