RoadVitals

2013 Zero S

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.
1
Latest Apr 25, 2016
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.
1
Latest Dec 18, 2013
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 1 NHTSA owner-reported complaint for the 2013 Zero S, most frequently naming the brakes and exterior lighting categories. 1 safety recall has been issued covering this model year; and 1 manufacturer communication is on file.

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

  • Brakes150.0%
  • Exterior lighting150.0%

Percentages are of component mentions. A single complaint can name more than one component, so these do not sum to the total complaint count.

Safety recalls

1 campaign cover this model year

Recalls apply to specific vehicles, not to every vehicle of a model year. Check your VIN with NHTSA or your manufacturer's dealer to confirm whether a recall affects your vehicle.

Check a VIN on NHTSA.gov
13V635000

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:SOFTWARE

Dec 18, 2013
667 units potentially affected
The defect: Zero Motorcycles Inc. (Zero) is recalling certain model year 2012-2013 XU, S, DS, and model year 2013 FX motorcycles. The affected motorcycles have controller firmware that, as a result of certain system faults, may shut off power to the motor.
The risk: A sudden loss of power to the motor may increase the risk of a crash.
The remedy: Zero will notify owners, and dealers will update the controller firmware, free of charge. The recall is expected to begin in mid-January 2014. Owners may contact Zero at 1-888-786-9376.
Zero Motorcycles Inc.View on NHTSA.gov

Recent owner complaints

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

BrakesExterior lighting
Filed Apr 25, 2016

I WAS BREAKING SIGNIFICANTLY (USING THE MAXIMUM SETTING FOR THE REGENERATIVE BREAKING FEATURE) AND THE BRAKE LIGHT DID NOT COME ON. THIS IS NOT A FAULT, MERELY A DESIGN FLAW OR OVERSIGHT. TO MY KNOWLEDGE IT AFFECTS ALL OF ZERO'S MODELS FOR EVERY YEAR. I WAS IN MOTION ON CITY STREETS AND HIGHWAYS.

NHTSA ID
10861302
Incident
Mar 27, 2016
Mileage
190 mi

Manufacturer communications

A bulletin sent by a manufacturer to its dealers. Not a recall, and repairs are not necessarily free.

ZMDN 83022

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

Cypher II Firmware Update Notice

Manufacturers file copies of the bulletins they send to dealers with NHTSA. These often describe diagnostic or repair procedures for a known condition. They are not recalls: repairs described in a bulletin are usually only free if the vehicle is still under warranty or the manufacturer has extended coverage.

Compare model years

Complaint and recall counts across every year of this model

Zero S by model year
YearComplaintsRecallsInvestigationsIssue Index
2026100—
2025000—
2024000—
2023000—
2021010—
2020000—
2019000—
2018110—
2017020—
2016000—
2015010—
2014010—
2013Viewing110—
2012100—
2011120—
2010110—
2009010—

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.