1999 Kawasaki Drifter Problems, Complaints & Recalls
- Compared with other Drifter years
- Not enough data 1st of 2 for complaints
- Safety recalls
- 1 recall: check your VIN
- NHTSA crash rating
- Not rated
Owners have filed 4 complaints with NHTSA about the 1999 Kawasaki Drifter. That is the most of any Drifter model year in the database (2 years). The most reported problem area is unknown or other (3 complaints, 75%). There is 1 safety recall covering this model year.
- 4owner complaints
- 1safety recalls
- 0NHTSA investigations
- 0complaints mentioning a crash
Complaints are unverified owner reports and are not adjusted for sales volume.
Most common 1999 Kawasaki Drifter problems
Complaints grouped by the part of the car owners reported, with the median mileage when the problem happened.
| Problem area | Complaints | Share | Median miles | Owners mention most | Typical repair cost |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Unknown or Other | 3 | 75% | — | — | — |
| Exterior Lighting | 1 | 25% | 1 | — | — |
One complaint can list several problem areas, so shares can add up to more than 100%.
Complaints by year received
1999 Kawasaki Drifter recalls (1)
Tap a recall to see the problem, the risk and the fix.
Fuel system, gasoline:fuel injection system
Problem: Vehicle description: motorcycles (vn1500-j1/l) equipped with a digital fuel injection system and a vehicle-down sensor. This feature is designed to prevent the fuel injection system from continuing to pump fuel if the motorcycle falls down, by shutting off the ignition and fuel injection pump. During battery maintenance, the vehicle-down sensor can be dislodged from its normal mounted position. If the sensor is out of position, the motorcycle may not start or may stall during certain driving maneuvers.
Risk: If the sensor is not correctly installed, the engine can crank but not start or the engine could stop during certain riding situations, like leaning over in a turn. Sudden loss of engine power could cause the operator to lose their balance resulting in injury or death.
Fix: Dealers will inspect for proper mounting of the sensor and re-install if it is not in the correct position. Dealers will also affix to the motorcycle frame, a warning label that provides instructions on repositioning the vehicle-down sensor after servicing the battery.
To see whether a specific car still has an open recall, enter its VIN on NHTSA's official recall lookup. You can also decode a VIN here.
Recent owner reports
Short excerpts of the latest complaints filed with NHTSA, with personal details removed. Full reports can be searched on NHTSA.gov.
I OWN A 1999 KAWASAKI 1500 DRIFTER MOTORCYCLE THAT I BOUGHT NEW FROM G&G CYCLES, 142 LAFAYETTE ROAD, SALISBURY, MA, 01952. SINCE IT WAS NEW THE TURN SIGNAL WOULD COME ON WHEN I STARTED THE MOTORCYCLE. THE DEALER HAD NO SOLUTION TO THE PROBLEM WHEN I POINTED OUT THAT IT CREATED A SAFETY ISSUE…
With the cycle on the side stand, of the bike is on a slight down hill decline or greater, the bike will move forward on its own and tip over. This not only causes damage to the cycle, but could fall on top of an individual causing injury.*ak
Kickstand has no locking device. This causes the stand to fail to suppot the bike in certain parking situations.*ak
When motorcycle is parked idling, the bike will fall over due to no locking postion on the sidestand. This could result in an injury of the rider or others standing near the motorcycle. *ak
Other Kawasaki Drifter years
| Year | Complaints | Recalls |
|---|---|---|
| 2000 Drifter | 1 | 0 |
| 1999 | 4 | 1 |
See all Kawasaki Drifter problems by year, every Kawasaki model, or the VIN decoder.
Similar Kawasaki models
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Frequently asked questions
What are the most common problems with the 1999 Kawasaki Drifter?
Owners most often report unknown or other, exterior lighting problems. The top one, unknown or other, accounts for 3 complaints.
Was there a recall on the 1999 Kawasaki Drifter?
Yes, 1 safety recall. Enter your VIN at NHTSA.gov to check whether the repairs were done on your car.
Was the 1999 Kawasaki Drifter a good year?
Complaint data can't fully answer that, because counts aren't adjusted for sales. Compared with other Drifter model years, the 1999 has too little data to compare. Always get a pre-purchase inspection and check the VIN for open recalls.