RecallRadar

Home → Buell → S3 Thunderbolt → 1999

1999 Buell S3 Thunderbolt Recalls & Complaints

6

open safety recalls on record

Critical

2 owner complaints filed · Severity Index 6.00 · updated 2026-08-07

The recalls

Critical00V038000

Fuel System, Gasoline:Delivery:Hoses, Lines/Piping, And Fittings

FUEL LEAKAGE IN THE PRESENCE OF AN IGNITION SOURCE COULD RESULT IN A FIRE.

Remedy & full details

DEALERS WILL REPLACE THE FUEL FILTER.

VEHICLE DESCRIPTION: MOTORCYCLES. THE FUEL FILTER CAN LEAK.

Critical99V105000

Fuel System, Gasoline:Storage:Tank Assembly

UNDER CERTAIN CONDITIONS, THIS COULD CAUSE THE CARBURETOR TO OVERFLOW FUEL WHICH COULD RESULT IN A FIRE.

Remedy & full details

DEALERS WILL REPLACE THE FUEL TANK VENT VALVE ASSEMBLY.

VEHICLE DESCRIPTION: MOTORCYCLES. THESE MOTORCYCLES WERE BUILT WITH A FUEL TANK VENT VALVE ASSEMBLY THAT COULD BECOME PLUGGED.

Critical99V104000

Fuel System, Gasoline:Storage:Tank Assembly:Mounting

THIS COULD RESULT IN AN EXPLOSION OR FIRE.

Remedy & full details

DEALERS WILL REPLACE THE FUEL TANK MOUNT SYSTEM.

VEHICLE DESCRIPTION: MOTORCYCLES. THESE MOTORCYCLES WERE BUILT WITH A FUEL TANK MOUNT SYSTEM THAT COULD, IN THE EVENT OF A CRASH, ALLOW THE FUEL TANK TO SEPARATE FROM THE MOTORCYCLE.

Serious00V037000

Service Brakes, Hydraulic:Foundation Components:Hoses, Lines/Piping, And Fittings

LOSS OF REAR WHEEL BRAKING CAPABILITIES COULD OCCUR, raises the risk of A CRASH.

Remedy & full details

DEALERS WILL REPLACE THE REAR BRAKE LINE.

VEHICLE DESCRIPTION: MOTORCYCLES. THE LOCATION OF THE REAR BRAKE LINE CAN CAUSE IT TO BECOME DAMAGED AND LEAK FLUID.

Serious03V427000

Vehicle Speed Control:Cables

SHOULD THIS OCCUR, THE THROTTLE MAY NOT RETURN TO THE IDLE POSITION WHEN THE OPERATOR'S HAND IS REMOVED FROM THE TWIST GRIP, raises the risk of LOSS OF CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE, WHICH COULD RESULT IN A CRASH.

Remedy & full details

DEALERS WILL INSTALL A THROTTLE CABLE CLAMP, WHICH SERVES TO ENSURE RETENTION OF THE THROTTLE CONTROL CABLES IN THE CABLE GUIDE. OWNER NOTIFICATION IS EXPECTED TO BEGIN DURING NOVEMBER OR DECEMBER 2003. OWNERS SHOULD CONTACT BUELL AT 1-414-343-8400.

ON CERTAIN MOTORCYCLES EQUIPPED EXCLUSIVELY WITH A FUEL INJECTION SYSTEM, THE IDLE CONTROL CABLE CAN BECOME DISLODGED FROM THE FUEL INJECTION SYSTEM CABLE GUIDE DUE TO IMPROPER ADJUSTMENT OF THE THROTTLE CONTROL SYSTEM.

Moderate99V097000

Unknown Or Other

THIS CONDITION CAN CAUSE THE ENGINE TO STALL/QUIT WHEN RIDING.

Remedy & full details

DEALERS WILL REPLACE THE SIDESTAND SWITCH.

VEHICLE DESCRIPTION: MOTORCYCLES. THESE MOTORCYCLES WERE BUILT WITH A SIDESTAND SWITCH THAT COULD BECOME INOPERATIVE

Complaint volume

2 this model-year 7 median, same year

Volume alone is not a fault rate — popular vehicles attract more reports. Read it next to the severity mix below.

What owners reported happened

2Crashes
0Fires
2Injuries
0Deaths

Across 2 complaints. Severity Index 6.00.

Severity Index weights each complaint's reported outcome (death ×10, injury ×4, fire ×3, crash ×2) and divides by total complaints. It measures how severe reports are, not how often faults occur.

What owners report most

Vehicle Speed Control1 · 50%Engine1 · 50%
  1. Vehicle Speed Control — 1 reports
  2. Engine — 1 reports

What to do

  1. Find your 17-character VIN on the driver's door jamb or the base of the windscreen.
  2. Check it against NHTSA's official lookup at nhtsa.gov/recalls — the authoritative record for your exact car.
  3. Book the repair with any franchised dealer. Safety recall work is free, with no time limit and regardless of who owns the car now.

Other model years

1997 (7) · 1998 (7) · 1999

Numbers in brackets are open recall campaigns for that year.

Questions

Does an open recall mean the car is unsafe to drive?

Not usually. NHTSA issues a "do not drive" or "park outside" advisory when a defect is dangerous enough to keep you out of the car — those are flagged Critical above. Everything else should be repaired promptly but is not an immediate stop-driving order.

Do I pay for recall repairs?

No. Federal law requires the manufacturer to fix a safety recall free of charge, including parts and labour, whether or not you are the original owner.

Why are there complaints but no recalls?

Complaints are unverified reports filed by owners. They can prompt an investigation, but many never become recalls — either the fault isn't safety-related or it isn't widespread.

From the same data desk

Independent sites, same maintainer, same open-data standards.

TireFit
Is that tyre actually right for your car?
2,808 fitment guides
FuelFacts
What that trip really costs in fuel
Live consumption data
CostCompare
What things cost, city by city
2,123 comparisons