NHTSA vehicle safety data

2003 Honda VFR800A Recalls & Complaints

The 2003 Honda VFR800A has 1 NHTSA recall campaign and 3 owner complaints on file as of November 3, 2026. Recall repairs are usually free at an authorized Honda dealer.

NHTSA recall and complaint data for the 2003 Honda VFR800A. Recall data is refreshed daily from NHTSA.

2003 Honda VFR800A owner complaints

Owners have filed 3 complaints with NHTSA about the 2003 Honda VFR800A, describing incidents dated April 5, 2005 to August 2, 2011.

Most-cited components

Electrical System 3 complaints
Engine 1 complaint

Newest complaints

ODI #10416737 · Filed 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
ODI #10162823 · Filed 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…
ODI #10122638 · Filed 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…

Read all 3 complaints

MOTORCYCLES/COMBINED BRAKE SYSTEM LEAK

NHTSA #05V010000 · Service Brakes, Hydraulic · NHTSA notice

Reported January 24, 2005 · HONDA (AMERICAN HONDA MOTOR CO.)

Potentially affected: 36,046 vehicles

Honda campaign P65 · Owners notified January 31, 2005 · Vehicles built July 16, 2002 – November 25, 2002 (per NHTSA)

Defect description

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.

Safety 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.

Manufacturer 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.

Notes

HONDA RECALL NO.P65.CUSTOMERS MAY ALSO CONTACT THE NATIONAL HIGHWAY TRAFFIC SAFETY ADMINISTRATION'S VEHICLE SAFETY HOTLINE AT 1-888-327-4236 (TTY 1-800-424-9153), OR GO TO HTTP://WWW.SAFERCAR.GOV.

try.vin has no NCAP crash-test rating on file for the 2003 Honda VFR800A. NHTSA rates some vehicles by body style — pickups by cab, vans by roof height — so check nhtsa.gov/ratings.

3 owner complaints have been filed with NHTSA for the 2003 Honda VFR800A.

Engine and Engine Cooling; Electrical System

ODI #10416737

Incident: August 2, 2011 · Filed: 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

Electrical System

ODI #10162823

Incident: July 19, 2006 · Filed: 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 SHIELDING HAD COMPLETELY MELTED OFF THE WIRE, EXPOSING THE BARE ELEMENTS. THE 30 AMP FUSE BLOCK GOT SO HOT AS TO DEFORM NOT ONLY THE BLOCK ITSELF, BUT TO ALSO DEFORM THE FUSE (WHICH DID NOT BLOW AND STILL CARRIES A CURRENT). HAD THIS FAILURE OCCURRED WHILE ON THE ROAD IT WOULD MOST CERTAINLY CAUSED AN ACCIDENT. ROADS IN THE UK DO NOT HAVE SHOULDERS. I AM CONFIDENT THAT MYSELF OR OTHERS WOULD HAVE BEEN SERIOUSLY INJURED IF THIS HAD HAPPENED ANYWHERE BUT IN MY SMALL VILLAGE. AFTER READING MANY POSTS AT HTTP://WWW.VFRDISCUSSION.COM/FORUM/INDEX.PHP?SHOWTOPIC=18560 IT APPEARS THIS IS A SYSTEMATIC PROBLEM. PLEASE SEE THE PICTURES IN THIS FORUM FOR A ROUGH IDEA OF THE PROBLEM. I HAVE CONTACTED THE LOCAL DEALERSHIP HERE IN THE UK, AS WELL AS HONDA MOTORS UK AND WILL UNDOUBTEDLY GET NO RECTIFICATION OF THIS PROBLEM FROM THEM. I AM A MEMBER OF THE US AIR FORCE STATIONED IN THE UNITED KINGDOM, EXACERBATING THE ISSUE OF GETTING THE FAULT REPAIRED. *NM

Electrical System

ODI #10122638

Incident: April 5, 2005 · Filed: 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

Other Honda VFR800A model years

Check your 2003 Honda VFR800A VIN

Not every recall applies to every VIN in a given year. Enter the 17-character VIN from your Honda VFR800A at nhtsa.gov/recalls to see whether your specific vehicle has an unrepaired recall.

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