2003 Kawasaki VN1600-A1 Problems, Complaints & Recalls
- Compared with other VN1600-A1 years
- Not enough data
- Safety recalls
- 3 recalls: check your VIN
- NHTSA crash rating
- Not rated
Owners have filed 5 complaints with NHTSA about the 2003 Kawasaki VN1600-A1. The most reported problem area is fuel system, gasoline (3 complaints, 60%), typically at around 19,700 miles. Complaints mention 2 fires. There are 3 safety recalls covering this model year. NHTSA has opened 1 defect investigation involving it.
- 5owner complaints
- 3safety recalls
- 1NHTSA investigations
- 0complaints mentioning a crash
Complaints are unverified owner reports and are not adjusted for sales volume.
Most common 2003 Kawasaki VN1600-A1 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fuel System, Gasoline | 3 | 60% | 19,700 | — | — |
| Power Train | 2 | 40% | 29,000 | — | — |
| Electrical System | 1 | 20% | 23,000 | — | — |
| Engine and Engine Cooling | 1 | 20% | 16,000 | — | — |
| Fuel/propulsion System | 1 | 20% | 68,000 | — | — |
One complaint can list several problem areas, so shares can add up to more than 100%.
Complaints by year received
2003 Kawasaki VN1600-A1 recalls (3)
Tap a recall to see the problem, the risk and the fix.
Fuel system, gasoline:storage:tank assembly
Problem: On certain motorcycles, the fuel tank is mounted to the chassis by means of tabs that are spot welded to the tank, then braised/welded around a portion of their circumference.
Risk: Under certain conditions, repeated stress can crack the tank at the location of the tabs, and allow fuel to leak.
Fix: Dealers will replace the fuel tank. The recall began on june 25, 2007. Owners may contact kawasaki at 1-866-802-9381.
Engine and engine cooling:exhaust system:manifold/header/muffler/tail pipe
Problem: On certain motorcycles, the muffler brackets could crack allowing the muffler to become loose and potentially separate from the main exhaust pipes.
Risk: This could result in a crash.
Fix: Dealers will reinforce the muffler brackets. Owner notification began on february 17, 2004. Owners should contact kawasaki at 1-866-802-9381.
Engine and engine cooling
Problem: On certain 2003 vulcan 1500 classic, 1500 drifter, 2003-2004 1500 mean streak, 2003 1600 classic, and 2003-2004 nomad fl model motorcycles, high oil pressure upon a cold start-up can deform the oil filter cartridge.
Risk: This could cause oil to leak from the oil filter, which could result in a crash.
Fix: Dealers will replace the oil filter. Owner notification began on february 2, 2004. Owners should contact kawasaki at 1-949-770-0400.
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.
NHTSA defect investigations
- Fuel tank leaks (PE07005) — opened Jan 26, 2007, closed May 23, 2007, led to recall 07V216000.
Recent owner reports
Short excerpts of the latest complaints filed with NHTSA, with personal details removed. Full reports can be searched on NHTSA.gov.
Fuel tank started to leak while sitting in garage, fuel was puddling on the floor. Further investigation revealed that the tank was leaking where the mounting plate is attached to the fuel tank. Corresponds with recall #07v216000 issued in june 2007. A vin search on kawasaki's website resulted in a…
While traveling at 65+ mph on i-64, a friend riding behind me noticed smoke coming from my motorcycle and signaled for me to pull over. When i got to the side of the shoulder i noticed that the smoke was coming from behind the cover on the left side of the engine/transmission just fwd of the drive…
I was traveling north on state road 17 from dayton bike week when my kawasaki vulcan 1600 started to make a high pitched winding noise then the cover just before the dive shaft shoot off in to the traffic behind me, then the motor cycle caught fire. I pulled of the road and a bystander had some…
Dt: the contact stated that there was a hairline crack in the fuel tank. He first noticed the problem because of the smell of leaking fuel. Also, where the exhaust pipe bracket connects to the muffler was weak from stress crack failures. There was a recall for the exhaust pipe issue, which was…
Unexpected gas sleakage from gas tank. No accident or any other incident to justify the leak. Tank will have to be removed and rewelded. Leakage amounts to 1/2 teaspoon a day. Concerend about housing vehice in garage
Other Kawasaki VN1600-A1 years
| Year | Complaints | Recalls |
|---|---|---|
| 2003 | 5 | 3 |
See all Kawasaki VN1600-A1 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 2003 Kawasaki VN1600-A1?
Owners most often report fuel system, gasoline, power train, electrical system problems. The top one, fuel system, gasoline, accounts for 3 complaints.
Was there a recall on the 2003 Kawasaki VN1600-A1?
Yes, 3 safety recalls. Enter your VIN at NHTSA.gov to check whether the repairs were done on your car.
Was the 2003 Kawasaki VN1600-A1 a good year?
Complaint data can't fully answer that, because counts aren't adjusted for sales. Compared with other VN1600-A1 model years, the 2003 has too little data to compare. Always get a pre-purchase inspection and check the VIN for open recalls.