2003 Honda VFR800A: complaints, problems and recalls
Explore the records behind recurring owner reports.
Key facts
3 owner complaints analyzed
1 distinct recall campaigns
6,578 mi median reported failure mileage
Scope: 2003 model year. Data snapshot: . 2 complaints include usable failure mileage.
This selection has limited data. It remains available for lookup but is excluded from search indexing.
Most common problems
Electrical System:Wiring is the most frequently named component, appearing in 2 of 3 complaints (66.7%). A complaint can name multiple components.
| Topic | Matching reports | Share of complaints |
|---|---|---|
| Electrical and battery issues | 2 | 66.7% |
| Engine operation | 1 | 33.3% |
Topic matches use published keyword rules. They describe mentions, including negations or comparisons, and do not confirm a diagnosis. Read the matching rules.
Component breakdown
Number of unique complaints naming each component. Top eight shown.
| Category | Count |
|---|---|
| Electrical System:Wiring | 2 |
| Electrical System | 1 |
| Engine And Engine Cooling:Engine | 1 |
Electrical System:Wiring: 2; Electrical System: 1; Engine And Engine Cooling:Engine: 1
Reported problems by failure mileage
Complaint counts in mileage bands. These are not failure rates per vehicle or mile.
| Category | Count |
|---|---|
| Under 25,000 | 2 |
| 25,000 to 49,999 | 0 |
| 50,000 to 74,999 | 0 |
| 75,000 to 99,999 | 0 |
| 100,000 to 149,999 | 0 |
| 150,000 and above | 0 |
Under 25,000: 2; 25,000 to 49,999: 0; 50,000 to 74,999: 0; 75,000 to 99,999: 0; 100,000 to 149,999: 0; 150,000 and above: 0
Under 25,000 miles has the most reports with usable mileage (2). 1 complaints have missing, zero or invalid mileage.
Complaints over time
Year the complaint was filed, not the vehicle model year or incident year. The snapshot year is partial.
| Category | Count |
|---|---|
| 2005 | 1 |
| 2006 | 1 |
| 2011 | 1 |
2005: 1; 2006: 1; 2011: 1
Pattern summary
Electrical System:Wiring leads the component reports. Electrical and battery issues appears in 2 complaint narratives. Engine operation appears in 1 complaint narratives. Use these patterns to inspect individual reports and prepare questions for a mechanic.
Calculated from recorded counts. An AI narrative has not been published for this selection.
Examples from the source records
Examples provide context, not a representative sample or a verified diagnosis.
Owner report 10122638 · 2005-05-23 (May 23, 2005)
THE WIRING FOR THE OXYGEN SENSORS WERE CROSSED ON THE 2003 HONDA VFR800/A.*MR SINCE THE MOTORCYCLE WAS NEW IT WOULD STALL OCCASIONALLY. IT WOULD ALSO ACCELERATE UP AND DOWN BETWEEN 4000 AND 5000 RPM'S. THE WIRING HARNESS FOR THE OXYGEN SENSOR WAS CROSSED THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED. THE MANUFACTURER CLAIMED THAT THIS PROBLEM WAS ISOLATED TO THE EUROPEAN VFR'S BUT THE CONSUMER HAD A US BIKE. *NM
Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10122638 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10162823 · 2006-07-19 (July 19, 2006)
ON THE WAY TO WORK THIS MORNING, THE MOTORCYCLE DIED. MULTIPLE ATTEMPTS TO RESTART FAILED. UPON INSPECTION, DETERMINED THERE WAS FUEL, GOOD BATTERY, GOOD STARTER. FUEL INJECTION INDICATOR LIGHT WAS FLICKERING. UPON INSPECTION OF THE UNDER SEAT COMPARTMENT, LOCATED A MELTED WIRE AT THE 30 AMP ACCESSORY FUSE RELAY. ABOUT A YEAR AGO, THE BIKE CUT OUT A FEW TIMES. AT THAT TIME, TROUBLESHOOT TO THE SAME WIRE, HOWEVER, APPLICATION OF DIELECTRIC GREASE AND ISOLATION FROM CHAFFING ALLEVIATED THE PROBLEM. UPON INSPECTION THIS MORNING, THE SHIELDI…
Owner-reported narrative. 6,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10162823 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10416737 · 2011-08-02 (August 2, 2011)
WHILE RIDING MY 2003 VFR800 TODAY THE BIKE SHUT DOWN. AND RESTARTED DURING THE RIDE. THE DASH WENT BLANK AND STILL IS BLANK. (NO READING, NO POWER). I WONDER HOW MANY PEOPLE WERE HURT OR KILLED BY THIS SHUT DOWN WHILE MOVING? *KB
Owner-reported narrative. 7,155 miles reported. Look up ODI 10416737 at NHTSA ↗
Recall history
1 distinct campaigns affect this selection. Announcement dates below are different from vehicle model years. A campaign may cover multiple years.
05V010000 · Service Brakes, Hydraulic
Reported: 2005-01-24 (January 24, 2005)
CERTAIN MOTORCYCLES EQUIPPED WITH COMBINED-BRAKE SYSTEMS HAVE A PROPORTIONING CONTROL VALVE (PCV) THAT MECHANICALLY PROPORTIONS BRAKE FORCE WHEN THE REAR BRAKE IS APPLIED. A SEAL IN SOME PCVS IS IMPROPERLY SHAPED, AND BRAKE FLUID LEAKAGE MAY OCCUR.
Consequence: IF THE MOTORCYCLE CONTINUES TO BE USED AFTER A LEAK OCCURS, THE REAR BRAKE WOULD EVENTUALLY BECOME INOPERATIVE. A LOSS OF REAR BRAKE FORCE COULD INCREASE THE RISK OF A CRASH.
Remedy: DEALERS WILL INSPECT THE REAR BRAKE FORLEAKAGE. IF LEAKAGE IS CONFIRMED, THE DEALER WILL REPLACE THE PCV FREE OF CHARGE. THE RECALL BEGAN ON JANUARY 31, 2005. OWNERS MAY CONTACT HONDA AT 866-784-1870.
NHTSA campaign record ↗