1997 Kawasaki VN1500 Problems, Complaints & Recalls
- Compared with other VN1500 years
- Not enough data 2nd of 7 for complaints
- Safety recalls
- 2 recalls: check your VIN
- NHTSA crash rating
- Not rated
Owners have filed 2 complaints with NHTSA about the 1997 Kawasaki VN1500. That ranks 2nd out of 7 VN1500 model years for complaints. The most reported problem area is power train (1 complaints, 50%). There are 2 safety recalls covering this model year.
- 2owner complaints
- 2safety recalls
- 0NHTSA investigations
- 0complaints mentioning a crash
Complaints are unverified owner reports and are not adjusted for sales volume.
Most common 1997 Kawasaki VN1500 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Power Train | 1 | 50% | — | — | — |
| Tires | 1 | 50% | — | — | — |
One complaint can list several problem areas, so shares can add up to more than 100%.
Complaints by year received
1997 Kawasaki VN1500 recalls (2)
Tap a recall to see the problem, the risk and the fix.
Power train:manual transmission
Problem: Vehicle description: motorcycles. An improperly manufactured transmission gear can cause weakening and eventual breakage of an adjacent gear.
Risk: Gear breakage can result in transmission lockup, causing the operator to lose control of the motorcycle.
Fix: Dealers will inspect these motorcycles and repair affected units.
Electrical system:12v/24v/48v battery:cables
Problem: Pressure on the battery ground lead (the crimped and soldered termination of the battery cable) from the base of the operator's seat can cause the battery terminal to short out inside the battery.
Risk: This condition could disable the battery and the motorcycle's electrical system increasing the risk of a vehicle crash.
Fix: Dealers will replace the existing battery cables with a newly designed cable and inspect the battery to verify that no damage has occurred.
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.
Transmission locked up after changing into 2nd gear after leaving a stop... Kawasaki had a recall for this problem for certain bikes this same year but tell me that my bike does not one of the bikes under the recall. Only 25,600 miles on the bike.
Tire should carry 28 psi. Cccconsumer called dunlop manufacturer, and dunlop stated that tire should have 35 to 40 psi. Tires make sidewall wear before center.*ak
Other Kawasaki VN1500 years
| Year | Complaints | Recalls |
|---|---|---|
| 2002 VN1500 | 1 | 0 |
| 2001 VN1500 | 3 | 0 |
| 2000 VN1500 | 2 | 0 |
| 1999 VN1500 | 2 | 1 |
| 1998 VN1500 | 1 | 0 |
| 1997 | 2 | 2 |
| 1996 VN1500 | 1 | 1 |
See all Kawasaki VN1500 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 1997 Kawasaki VN1500?
Owners most often report power train, tires problems. The top one, power train, accounts for 1 complaint.
Was there a recall on the 1997 Kawasaki VN1500?
Yes, 2 safety recalls. Enter your VIN at NHTSA.gov to check whether the repairs were done on your car.
Was the 1997 Kawasaki VN1500 a good year?
Complaint data can't fully answer that, because counts aren't adjusted for sales. Compared with other VN1500 model years, the 1997 has too little data to compare. Always get a pre-purchase inspection and check the VIN for open recalls.