RoadVitals

2008 Suzuki VL1500

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.
5
Latest Sep 12, 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.
0
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.
1

Overview

Our database contains 5 NHTSA owner-reported complaints for the 2008 Suzuki VL1500, most frequently naming the electrical, steering and engine categories.

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

  • Electrical337.5%
  • Steering337.5%
  • Engine112.5%
  • Suspension112.5%

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.

Recent owner complaints

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

Engine
Filed Sep 12, 2012

ENGINE FAILURE IN TRAFFIC DUE TO FAULTY STATOR/REGULATOR/RECTIFIER - BASED ON INTERNET FORUMS, THIS APPEARS TO BE SYSTEMIC FOR THIS MODEL OF MOTORCYCLE. POSES DANGER AS ENGINE FAILURE IN TRAFFIC COULD LEAD TO AN ACCIDENT. PLEASE NOTE THAT THERE ARE RECALLS FOR SEVERAL SUZUKI MOTORCYCLES THAT USE THE SAME STATOR/REGULATOR/RECTIFIER. THIS MODEL SHOULD ALSO BE RECALLED TO PREVENT ANY FUTURE ACCIDENTS. *TR

NHTSA ID
10475248
Incident
Jul 2, 2012
Mileage
4,000 mi
Steering
Filed Aug 22, 2012

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 SUZUKI C90T. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING 50 MPH THE VEHICLE STARTED TO VIBRATE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHO DECIDED TO REPLACE THE WHEEL BEARINGS. THE FAILURE RECURRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE WHO DID NOT OFFER ANY ASSISTANCE AND ADVISED THE CONTACT NOT TO TAKE HIS HANDS OFF THE HANDLE BARS SINCE IT WOULD PREVENT HIM FROM NOTICING THE VIBRATION. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 14,000 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 15,500.

NHTSA ID
10471899
Incident
Jul 22, 2012
Mileage
14,000 mi
Electrical
Filed Sep 16, 2011
Fire reported

THE STATOR HAS FAILED THREE TIMES IN THE LAST 5000 MILES LEAVING MY STRANDED TWO TIMES AND THE REGULATOR/RECTIFIER HAS FAILED TWICE THE THE CURRENT FAILURE RESULTED IN A FIRE UNDER THE SEAT!!!! I WAS ABLE TO PULL OVER AND EXTINGUISH THE FLAMES...I HAVE SPENT $1500 IN REPLACEMENT PARTS FOR THIS MOTORCYCLE AND AM VERY LUCKY TO HAVE ESCAPED MAJOR DISASTER OR INJURY. THIS PROBLEM MUST BE ADDRESSED! WHAT WOULD HAVE HAPPENED IF THE FIRE BURNED INTO THE GAS TANK??? NOT SOMETHING I WANT TO THING ABOUT. SUZUKI MUST BE MADE TO FIX THE CHARGING SYSTEM OF THE C90 PRODUCT LINE!!

NHTSA ID
10425809
Incident
Sep 3, 2011
Mileage
31,500 mi
ElectricalSteering
Filed Aug 20, 2011

I BOUGHT A '08 C90 BOULEVARD FROM A SUZUKI DEALER BRAND NEW IN 2009 AND FROM THE FIRST RIDE THERE WAS A HORRIBLE WOBBLE UPON DECELERATION STARTING AT APPROXIMATELY AT 30 MPH. I TOOK THE BIKE BACK TO THE DEALER TO HAVE THIS PROBLEM LOOKED AT AND THE DEALER TEST DROVE THE BIKE AND HE INSISTED THIS PROBLEM WAS DUE TO MY WEIGHT (350LBS) AND HE STATE HE FELT NO WOBBLE. THIS WENT ON FOR TWO YEARS. AFTER JOINING THE DELFI C90 FORUM I WAS ALERTED TO THE FACT THAT MY SHB'S WERE BAD AND THIS WAS HAPPENING TO HUNDREDS OF OTHERS WITH THE C90 FROM YEARS '04 TO PRESENT AND ON BRAND NEW BIKES AS WELL. THIS WILL COST ME $500 TO REPAIR. I WAS ALSO ALERTED TO ANOTHER PROBLEM CURRENTLY OCCURRING, WHICH IS A RR PROBLEM STEMMING FROM A BAD DESIGN IN THE ELECTRICAL SYSTEM (SHUNT DESIGN). THIS PROBLEM IS ALSO OCCURRING TO HUNDREDS IF NOT THOUSANDS OF VL1500'S AND C90'S. THIS PROBLEM WILL COST ABOUT ANOTHER $400 TO REPAIR. BOTH OF THESE PROBLEMS ARE EXTREME SAFETY HAZARDS!!!!.

NHTSA ID
10421908
Incident
Aug 20, 2011
Mileage
1 mi
ElectricalSteeringSuspension
Filed Aug 19, 2011

NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER: 11V108000 COMPONENT: ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:ALTERNATOR/GENERATOR/REGULATOR THE REGULATOR / RECTIFIER ASSEMBLIES WITH THE FOLLOWING SUZUKI PART NUMBERS ARE BEING RECALLED ON THE MOTORCYCLES MENTIONED: 32800-41F11, 32800-15H10, 32800-05H11, 32800-41G10, 32800-15H00, 32800-18H00, 32800-05G10, 32800-10G10, 32800-05H20, OR 32800-06G01. I RECENTLY HAD THIS PROBLEM WITH MY 2008 C90T SUZUKI MOTORCYCLE. MY BIKE HAS THE SAME COMPONANTS THAT RECENTLY FAILED. HOW COME THE C90 IS NOT ON THE LIST OF MOTORCYCLES. I WOULD ALSO LIKE TO COMPLAIN ABOUT THE STEERING HEAD BEARINGS. ANY OF THE COMPLAINTS THAT YOU HAVE HAD FROM C90 OWNERS, THEY WILL ALSO TELL YOU ABOUT "STEERING WOBBLE" IT HAS HAPPENED TO NEW AND USED BIKES WITH VERY LOW MILEAGE. THE BEARINGS ARE NOT APPROPRIATE FOR THIS BIKE. A PERSON ON THE C90 FORUM OF WHICH I SUBSCRIBE HAS MADE TMK BEARINGS AVAILABLE FOR PURCHASE. THEY ARE THE ROLLER TYPE AND NOT THE NORMAL ROUND TYPE AND CORRECT THE PROBLEM. SO, I WOULD ALSO LIKE TO REPORT THIS SAFETY ISSUE AS YOU CAN WELL IMAGINE THE "LOW AND HIGH SPEED WOBBLE ISSUE BEING A SAFETY ISSUE. [XXX] INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6). *TR

NHTSA ID
10420122
Incident
Jul 23, 2010
Mileage
12,300 mi

Compare model years

Complaint and recall counts across every year of this model

Suzuki VL1500 by model year
YearComplaintsRecallsInvestigationsIssue Index
2008Viewing500
2007900
2006011
2005131141.4
2004611
2003111
2002111
2001311
2000111
1999111
1998211

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. Older model years have had longer for reports to accumulate.