2003 Suzuki VL800 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 2003 Suzuki VL800, 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
- 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.
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
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.
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Exterior lighting
Reports naming headlights, tail lights, turn signals and other exterior lighting.
From owner reports, verbatim
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.
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Other / unspecified
Reports whose component NHTSA recorded as unknown, or that do not map to one of the categories above.
From owner reports, verbatim
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
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 .