Kawasaki Drifter problems & recalls
NHTSA records for 1999–2000: 1 recall campaign and 5 owner complaints. Pick a model year.
By year
What owners complain about (all years)
Recent recalls
Fuel System, Gasoline #99V067000 · 1999 · 2,779 units
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.
Want the full repair deets? Get the service manual.
Recall and complaint data tells you what goes wrong. A service manual tells you how to fix it: torque specs, wiring diagrams, fluid capacities and step-by-step procedures for the Drifter.
Motorcycle-specific service manuals with step-by-step procedures (Clymer is part of Haynes).
Step-by-step photos written from a real teardown. Great for first-timers.
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