RecallRadar

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1997 Kawasaki Vulcan Recalls & Complaints

1

open safety recall on record

Moderate

8 owner complaints filed · Severity Index 0.38 · updated 2026-08-07

The recalls

Moderate97V233000

Power Train:Manual Transmission

GEAR BREAKAGE CAN RESULT IN TRANSMISSION LOCKUP, CAUSING THE OPERATOR TO LOSE CONTROL OF THE MOTORCYCLE.

Remedy & full details

DEALERS WILL INSPECT THESE MOTORCYCLES AND REPAIR AFFECTED UNITS.

VEHICLE DESCRIPTION: MOTORCYCLES. AN IMPROPERLY MANUFACTURED TRANSMISSION GEAR CAN CAUSE WEAKENING AND EVENTUAL BREAKAGE OF AN ADJACENT GEAR.

Complaint volume

8 this model-year 8 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

0Crashes
1Fires
0Injuries
0Deaths

Across 8 complaints. Severity Index 0.38.

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

Engine And Engine Cooling…3 · 38%Engine And Engine Cooling…1 · 13%Service Brakes, Hydraulic…1 · 13%Service Brakes, Hydraulic1 · 13%Power Train · Clutch Asse…1 · 13%Electrical System · Start…1 · 13%
  1. Engine And Engine Cooling:Engine — 3 reports
  2. Engine And Engine Cooling:Engine:Gasoline — 1 reports
  3. Service Brakes, Hydraulic:Foundation Components:Disc — 1 reports
  4. Service Brakes, Hydraulic — 1 reports
  5. Power Train:Clutch Assembly — 1 reports
  6. Electrical System:Starter Assembly:Solenoid — 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

1995 (1) · 1996 · 1997 · 1999 · 2000 · 2001 · 2002 · 2003 (1) · 2004 (1) · 2005 · 2006 · 2009 (1)

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.

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