RoadVitals

2003 Suzuki VL800

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 Jun 9, 2011
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.
0

Overview

Our database contains 3 NHTSA owner-reported complaints for the 2003 Suzuki VL800, most frequently naming the engine, exterior lighting and other / unspecified 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

  • Engine133.3%
  • Exterior lighting133.3%
  • Other / unspecified133.3%

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.

Recent owner complaints

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

Engine
Filed Jun 9, 2011

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 SUZUKI VALUSIA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHEN THE SPEED INCREASED TO 70 MPH, THE VEHICLE BEGAN TO SPUTTER. THE CARBURETOR WAS CLEANED, ADJUSTED THE VALVES AND PLACED A NEW EMISSION SYSTEM, BUT NOT OF THE REPAIRS CORRECTED THE FAILURE. THE CONTACT SPOKE TO THE DEALER WHO STATED IT COULD BE THE GASOLINE PUMP FAILING, BUT IT WAS NOT REPLACED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS UNKNOWN, BUT THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 33,000.

NHTSA ID
10405747
Incident
May 21, 2011
Other / unspecified
Filed Oct 29, 2008

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 SUZUKI VL800. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 65 MPH, THE CONTACT HEARD A NOISE AND PARKED THE MOTORCYCLE. HE NOTICED THE SPOKES IN THE REAR WHEELS WERE BROKEN. DAYS LATER, THE VEHICLE WAS DRIVEN TO THE DEALER AND THEY STATED THAT THE SPOKES WERE BROKEN DUE TO POOR MAINTENANCE. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED, BUT WAS DRIVEN OCCASIONALLY THROUGHOUT THE COURSE OF THREE YEARS, ONLY ADDING 1,859 MILES. IN OCTOBER OF 2008, WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 70 MPH, IT FELT LIKE THE VEHICLE HAD A FLAT TIRE. THE CONTACT PULLED OVER TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD AND NOTICED THAT SEVERAL OF THE REAR WHEEL SPOKES WERE BROKEN. THE VEHICLE WAS TRANSPORTED BY A U-HAUL TO HIS RESIDENCE. THE DEALER STATED THAT THEY HAD NO RECORD OF HIS MOTORCYCLE BEING REPAIRED IN 2005 AND WERE NOT LIABLE FOR THE REPAIRS. THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 5,304 AND FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 3,445. UPDATED 11/17/08 *CN A SPOKE WAS MISSING IN THE REAR WHEEL. UPDATED 11/24/08. *JB

NHTSA ID
10247157
Incident
May 10, 2005
Mileage
3,445 mi
Exterior lighting
Filed Jun 5, 2006

DT*: THE CONTACT STATED THE LIGHT BAR ON THE MOTORCYCLE THAT HOLDS THE DRIVING AND BLINKER LIGHTS FRACTURED AND WAS REPLACED. AFTERWARDS, THE BAR FRACTURED AGAIN. THE DEALER DETERMINED THE MOTORCYCLE WAS NO LONGER UNDER WARRANTY.

NHTSA ID
10159033
Incident
May 31, 2006
Mileage
6,000 mi

Compare model years

Complaint and recall counts across every year of this model

Suzuki VL800 by model year
YearComplaintsRecallsInvestigationsIssue Index
2023000—
2010010—
2009410—
2008310—
2007200—
2006710—
2005910—
2004300—
2003Viewing300—

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.