2008 KAWASAKI VN900D8F Recalls, Complaints & Safety

FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:STORAGE:TANK ASSEMBLY:FILLER PIPE AND CAP

KAWASAKI IS RECALLING 604 MY 2008 VULCAN VN900C8F, VN900D8F, AND MY 2009 VN900B9F, AND VN900B9FL MOTORCYCLES. FUEL CAN LEAK FROM BETWEEN THE TANK FILLER NECK AND THE FUEL CAP GASKET.

Remedy: DEALERS WILL REPLACE THE FUEL TANK. THE RECALL BEGAN ON SEPTEMBER 26, 2008. OWNERS MAY CONTACT KAWASAKI AT 1-949-770-0400. NOTE: SOME SPARE PART REPLACEMENT FUEL TANKS ARE INVOLVED IN THIS CAMPAIGN. THE FOLLOWING MOTORCYCLE MODELS MAY HAVE HAD ONE OF THESE REPLACEMENT FUEL TANKS INSTALLED: MY 2006 VN900B6F, VN900D6F, MY 2007 VN900C7F, VN900D7F, MY 2008 VN900B8F, VN900C8F, VN900D8F, AND MY 2009 VN900B9F MOTORCYCLES. PLEASE CONTACT YOUR DEALER IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS OR CONCERNS ABOUT THESE REPLACEMENT FUEL TANKS.

604 vehicles affected

FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:DELIVERY:HOSES, LINES/PIPING, AND FITTINGS

KAWASAKI IS RECALLING 31,789 VULCAN 900 CLASSIC, CUSTOM AND CLASSIC LT MODELS, MY 2006 VN900B6F, VN900B6FL, VN900D6F, VN900D6FL, MY 2007 VN900B7F, VN900B7FL, VN900C7F, VN900C7FL, VN900D7F, VN900D7FL, MY 2008 VN900B8F, VN900B8FL, VN900C8F, VN900D8F AND VN900D8FL MOTORCYCLES. THE FUEL HOSE MAY NOT BE PROPERLY CONNECTED TO THE FUEL INJECTOR DELIVERY PIPE.

Remedy: DEALERS WILL INSPECT THE FUEL HOSE CONNECTION AT THE FUEL INJECTOR AND FUEL PUMP AND WILL REPLACE THE FUEL HOSE IF THE JOINT LOCK IS FOUND TO BE DAMAGED. THE RECALL BEGAN ON MARCH 17, 2008. OWNERS MAY CONTACT KAWASAKI AT 1-866-802-9381.

31,789 vehicles affected

I BOUGHT A KAWASAKI VN900D8F MARCH 08. IT WAS DELIVERED AND I STORED IT IN MY GARAGE UNTIL I GOT TRAINING IN THE MSF COURSE. ON 4-12-08, AFTER MSF TRAINING, I FELT CONFIDENT TO TRY MY BIKE. I DROVE SEVERAL BLOCKS IN MY NEIGHBORHOOD AND AFTER A FEW MINUTES, I DROVE INTO A PARKING LOT TO PRACTICE. AFTER A FEW MINUTES, I HEADED FOR HOME AND EXITED THE PARKING LOT AT ABOUT 20 MPH IN 2ND GEAR. ON THE CORNER, THE ENGINE SUDDENLY REVVED UP VERY HIGH AND THE MOTORCYCLE BEGAN TAKING OFF AT A FASTER RATE. I IMMEDIATELY BRAKED WITH THE REAR BRAKE AND SLOWLY SQUEEZED THE FRONT BRAKE, BUT THE BIKE STILL REVVED AND CONTINUED FORWARD. I COMPLETELY FORGOT ABOUT THE ENGINE SHUTOFF AND I CONTINUED TO TRY AND BRAKE. I FINALLY MANAGED TO SLOW THE BIKE, BUT DUE TO THE UNEXPECTED THROTTLE, THE BIKE'S HANDLEBARS WERE NOT SQUARE AND THE BIKE'S MOMENTUM CAUSED ME TO GO INTO THE SIDE OF THE CURB AND I FELL TO THE SIDEWALK NEXT TO THE CURB. WHEN I GOT UP, I SOUGHT HELP FROM SOME NEIGHBORS. THEY PICKED UP THE BIKE AND ONE OF THE THEM SAID, "HEY, IT LOOKS LIKE YOU ARE LEAKING FUEL". I SAID, "WHERE?" HE SAID, "RIGHT UNDER THE BIKE, FROM THAT HOSE HANGING DOWN!" WHEN I LOOKED, I SAW A HOSE HANGING DOWN FROM THE BIKE. I ALSO NOTICED THAT THE GAS TANK GAUGE THAT HAD PREVIOUSLY INDICATED 1/2 TANK NOW SHOWED A FULL TANK AND THE FUEL INJECTOR INDICATOR WAS LIT UP. THE ACCIDENT ALSO CAUSED DAMAGE TO THE RIGHT SIDE ENGINE GUARD POSSIBLY THE FOOTREST. THEY ROLLED IT BACK FOR ME TO MY GARAGE WHERE I PARKED IT FOR SEVERAL DAYS. I ENDED UP BREAKING 5 RIBS ON MY RIGHT SIDE. LATER, I CALLED THE DEALERSHIP AND TOLD THEM WHAT HAD HAPPENED. THEY CAME OVER AND PICKED IT UP AND TOOK IT TO THE SHOP. AFTER SEVERAL DAYS, I CALLED TO CHECK ON THE STATUS AND THEY SAID THAT THEY DIDN'T KNOW BUT THAT THE GM HAD RIDDEN IT AND IT DID NOT "THROTTLE UP" ON HIM. ALL I KNOW IS THAT THE BIKE DID SOMETHING THAT IT WAS NOT SUPPOSED TO DO AND DIRECTLY CONTRIBUTED TO THE ACCIDENT. *TR

Crash 1 injured