NHTSA vehicle safety data

2002 Buell X1 Recalls & Complaints

The 2002 Buell X1 has 1 NHTSA recall campaign and 1 owner complaint on file as of November 3, 2026. Recall repairs are usually free at an authorized Buell dealer.

NHTSA recall and complaint data for the 2002 Buell X1. Recall data is refreshed daily from NHTSA.

2002 Buell X1 owner complaints

Owners have filed 1 complaint with NHTSA about the 2002 Buell X1, describing incidents dated May 19, 2007.

Most-cited components

Engine 1 complaint

Newest complaints

ODI #10193434 · Filed June 15, 2007
ON MAY 19, 2007 WHILE TRAVELING SOUTH ON US-283, 15 MILES NORTH OF BRADY TX AT ROUGHLY 70 MPH, IN 5TH GEAR ON THE 2002 BUELL X1 WHITE LIGHTNING, AND HOLDING THE THROTTLE STEADY THE MOTOR STOPPED RUNNING. *AK ALL LIGHTS WORKED INDICATING ELECTRICAL POWER WAS NOT LOST. THE ?CHECK ENGINE? LIGHT DID NOT…

Read the full complaint

BUELL/FRONT SHOCK ABSORBER MOUNT

NHTSA #02V003000 · Suspension — Front — Shock Absorber · NHTSA notice

Reported January 4, 2002 · BUELL MOTORCYCLE CO.

Potentially affected: 387 vehicles

Owners notified January 9, 2002 · Vehicles built September 12, 2001 – November 14, 2001 (per NHTSA)

Defect description

CERTAIN MOTORCYCLES WERE BUILT WITH A FRONT SHOCK MOUNT THAT IS CRACKED AND COULD BREAK ALLOWING THE SUSPENSION TO DROP UNEXPECTEDLY.

Safety consequence

THIS COULD CAUSE A LOSS OF CONTROL OF THE MOTORCYCLE.

Manufacturer remedy

DEALERS WILL REPLACE THE BROKEN SHOCK MOUNT. OWNER NOTIFICATION BEGAN JANUARY 9, 2002. OWNERS WHO TAKE THEIR VEHICLES TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER ON AN AGREED UPON SERVICE DATE AND DO NOT RECEIVE THE FREE REMEDY WITHIN A REASONABLE TIME SHOULD CONTACT BUELL AT 1-414-342-4680.

Notes

ALSO CONTACT THE NATIONAL HIGHWAY TRAFFIC SAFETY ADMINISTRATION'S AUTO SAFETY HOTLINE AT 1-888-DASH-2-DOT (1-888-327-4236).

try.vin has no NCAP crash-test rating on file for the 2002 Buell X1. NHTSA rates some vehicles by body style — pickups by cab, vans by roof height — so check nhtsa.gov/ratings.

1 owner complaint has been filed with NHTSA for the 2002 Buell X1.

Engine and Engine Cooling

ODI #10193434

Incident: May 19, 2007 · Filed: June 15, 2007

ON MAY 19, 2007 WHILE TRAVELING SOUTH ON US-283, 15 MILES NORTH OF BRADY TX AT ROUGHLY 70 MPH, IN 5TH GEAR ON THE 2002 BUELL X1 WHITE LIGHTNING, AND HOLDING THE THROTTLE STEADY THE MOTOR STOPPED RUNNING. *AK ALL LIGHTS WORKED INDICATING ELECTRICAL POWER WAS NOT LOST. THE ?CHECK ENGINE? LIGHT DID NOT COME ON INDICTING THAT FAILURE WAS NOT THE RESULT OF THE ON BOARD COMPUTER OR ELECTRICAL SYSTEM. THE MOTORCYCLE ROLLED TO A STOP. THE MOTOR DID NOT SEIZE AND AFTER MULTIPLE ATTEMPTS TO RESTART, THE BATTERY RAN OUT OF ELECTRICAL POWER AND I WAS FORCED TO FIND OTHER MEANS TO RETURN TO HOUSTON ABOUT 260 MILES AWAY. UPON RETURNING TO HOUSTON, I TOOK MY BUELL 2002, X1 WHITE LIGHTNING TO THE DEALER WHERE IT WAS DISCOVERED THAT MAJOR ENGINE DAMAGE WAS CAUSED WHEN THE OIL PUMP DRIVE GEAR, WHICH IS THE WORM GEAR ON THE DRIVE SHAFT, PART NUMBER 26318-88A, DISINTEGRATED. CHIPS FROM THE GEAR WENT INTO THE OIL PUMP DESTROYING IT. CHIPS GOT CAUGHT BETWEEN THE CAM GEARS DESTROYING THEM, WHICH IN TURN, THROUGH-OFF THE CAM TIMING, CAUSING THE VALVES TO HIT THE PISTONS. A COMPLETE REBUILD WAS ADVISED BY THE DEALER AT A COST ESTIMATED AT $4,000 WHICH INCLUDED, NEW CASES, REBUILD HEADS, NEW PISTONS, NEW CAMS, NEW PINION GEAR, NEW LIFTERS AND THIS COST COULD RISE IF THERE WAS HIDDEN DAMAGE NOT DISCOVERED IN THE INITIAL INVESTIGATION. UPON FURTHER INVESTIGATION IT APPEARS THAT THE SQUARE KEY, PART #11317, FAILED CAUSING THE PINION GEAR TO ROTATE ON THE DRIVE SHAFT WHICH THEN SET UP THE CHAIN REACTION FOR ALL THE OTHER FAILED PARTS AND DAMAGE. THIS MOTORCYCLE HAS ONLY BEEN SERVICE BY THE HARLEY DAVIDSON DEALER AND HAS 6,086 MILES ON THE MOTOR. I BELIEVE THIS IS A DESIGN FAILURE AND HARLEY DAVIDSON AND BUELL SHOULD TAKE THE RESPONSIBILITY FOR THE REPAIR. THIS IS NOT AN UNCOMMON PROBLEM AS EVIDENT BY DOING A LITTLE RESEARCH ON THE INTERNET.

Other Buell X1 model years

Check your 2002 Buell X1 VIN

Not every recall applies to every VIN in a given year. Enter the 17-character VIN from your Buell X1 at nhtsa.gov/recalls to see whether your specific vehicle has an unrepaired recall.

Check a Buell VIN