1997 Kawasaki VULCAN 1500: complaints, problems and recalls
Explore the records behind recurring owner reports.
Key facts
5 owner complaints analyzed
0 distinct recall campaigns
9,965 mi median reported failure mileage
Scope: 1997 model year. Data snapshot: . 3 complaints include usable failure mileage.
This selection has limited data. It remains available for lookup but is excluded from search indexing.
Most common problems
Power Train:Manual Transmission is the most frequently named component, appearing in 2 of 5 complaints (40.0%). A complaint can name multiple components.
| Topic | Matching reports | Share of complaints |
|---|---|---|
| Transmission and shifting | 2 | 40.0% |
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 |
|---|---|
| Power Train:Manual Transmission | 2 |
| Unknown Or Other | 2 |
| Engine | 1 |
| Engine And Engine Cooling:Engine | 1 |
Power Train:Manual Transmission: 2; Unknown Or Other: 2; Engine: 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 | 3 |
| 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: 3; 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 (3). 2 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 |
|---|---|
| 2002 | 1 |
| 2004 | 1 |
| 2005 | 1 |
| 2011 | 1 |
| 2020 | 1 |
2002: 1; 2004: 1; 2005: 1; 2011: 1; 2020: 1
Pattern summary
Power Train:Manual Transmission leads the component reports. Transmission and shifting appears in 2 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 10054968 · 2004-01-27 (January 27, 2004)
PLASTIC GEARS IN OIL PUMP OF 1500 VULACN..... THE MOTORCYCLE DOESN'T WORK. KAWASAKI SAID WILL NOT REPLACE WITHOUT ESTIMATE. AT 69.00$ A PAGE... *JB
Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10054968 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10126264 · 2005-07-08 (July 8, 2005)
DT: THE CONTACT OWNS A 1997 KAWASAKI VULCAN. HE STATES THAT NHTSA RECALL CAMPAIGN 97V233000 CONCERNING MANUAL TRANSMISSION WAS ISSUED. THE CONSUMER CALLED KAWASAKI AND THEY STATED HIS MOTORCYCLE WAS NOT INCLUDED IN THE RECALL DUE TO VIN, ALTHOUGH THE VEHICLE WAS HAVING THE SAME PROBLEM AS STATED IN THE RECALL. *AK THE GEAR LOCKED UP. *JB
Owner-reported narrative. 9,965 miles reported. Look up ODI 10126264 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10400669 · 2011-05-12 (May 12, 2011)
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1997 KAWASKI VULCAN 1500 MOTORCYCLE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHENEVER HE SHIFTED INTO SECOND GEAR, THE VEHICLE WOULD SLIP OUT OF GEAR. THE DEALER WAS CONTACTED WHO STATED THERE WAS A RECALL UNDDER NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER: 97V233000 (POWER TRAIN: MANUAL TRANSMISSION) BUT THE VEHICLE WAS NOT INCLUDED IN THE RECALL. THE MANUFACTURER WAS CONTACTED WHO CONFIRMED THE VEHICLE WAS NOT INCLUDED AND OFFERED NO OTHER ASSISTANCE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 6,000.
Owner-reported narrative. 6,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10400669 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 11319784 · 2020-03-30 (March 30, 2020)
HTTPS://SEARCH.YAHOO.COM/YHS/SEARCH?P=KAWASAKI+VULCAN+PLASTIC+OIL+PUMP+GEAR&FR=YHS-ATT-ATT_001&TYPE=ATT_PC_HOMERUN_PORTAL_BUCKET_ANIM_NOGL&HSIMP=YHS-ATT_001&HSPART=ATT&EI=UTF-8 KAWASKI MOTORCYCLES HAVE A PLASTIC OIL PUMP DRIVE GEAR THAT STRIPS AND CAUSES THE MOTOR TO SEIZE WHIL DRIVING. NO RECALL. REPORTING THIS FOR SAFETY OF OTHERS
Owner-reported narrative. 17,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 11319784 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 765683 · 2002-08-15 (August 15, 2002)
OIL LIGHT CAME ON WHILE WARMING MOTORCYCKLE UP, CONTACTED DEALER BY PHONE. DEALER ASKED TYPE MOTORCYCLE YEAR AND MILAGE AFTER BEING TOLD THE INFORMATION I WAS INFORMED KAWASAKI USED A PLASTIC GEAR IN OIL PUMP AND FAILURE HAPPEN AROUND THAT MILEAGE. DEALER CHARGED ME $384 AND TOOK 9WEEKS TO REPAIR. FOUND FOR OWNERS THEY HAD PAYED NO NOTHING FOR REPAIRS. *AK
Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 765683 at NHTSA ↗
Recall history
0 distinct campaigns affect this selection. Announcement dates below are different from vehicle model years. A campaign may cover multiple years.
No recall campaigns are recorded in this snapshot.