NHTSA vehicle safety data

2016 Kawasaki Ninja ZX-10R Recalls & Complaints

The 2016 Kawasaki Ninja ZX-10R has 1 NHTSA recall campaign and 3 owner complaints on file as of November 3, 2026. Recall repairs are usually free at an authorized Kawasaki dealer.

NHTSA recall and complaint data for the 2016 Kawasaki Ninja ZX-10R. Recall data is refreshed daily from NHTSA.

2016 Kawasaki Ninja ZX-10R owner complaints

Owners have filed 3 complaints with NHTSA about the 2016 Kawasaki Ninja ZX-10R, describing incidents dated March 14, 2018 to June 21, 2023.

Most-cited components

Power Train 3 complaints

Newest complaints

ODI #11529287 · Filed June 28, 2023
2016 Kawasaki ZX-10R, broken gear in transmission. Motorcycle is available for inspection. There has already been a safety recall for this very problem. When researching my VIN through Kawasaki, it states that it has been resolved. I am the third owner of this motorcycle. This could have resulted in…
ODI #11099066 · Filed May 31, 2018
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2016 KAWASAKI NINJA ZX-10R. THE CONTACT RECEIVED NOTIFICATION OF NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 18V089000 (POWER TRAIN); HOWEVER, THE PART NEEDED FOR THE REPAIR WAS NOT AVAILABLE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE MANUFACTURER EXCEEDED A REASONABLE AMOUNT OF TIME FOR THE RECALL REPAIR. THE…
ODI #11079494 · Filed March 15, 2018
MY MOTORCYCLE DEALER WHERE I PURCHASED THE VEHICLE FROM WAS UNABLE TO PROPERLY INSTALL THE "RECALL KIT" PROVIDED BY THE MANUFACTURE. PER THE RECALL, SPECIFIC TRANSMISSION GEARS WERE TO BE REPLACED WITH GEARS FABRICATED USING A STRONGER MATERIAL. THIS RECALL REPAIR PROCESS WAS COMPLETED, AND UPON…

Read all 3 complaints

Steering Damper Bracket Separation

NHTSA #16V102000 · Steering · NHTSA notice

Reported February 23, 2016 · Kawasaki Motors Corp., U.S.A.

Potentially affected: 544 vehicles

Repair completion: 88.38% (latest rate the manufacturer reported to NHTSA; dataset updated November 3, 2026)

Kawasaki campaign MC16-03 · Owners notified February 29, 2016 · Vehicles built October 28, 2015 – January 18, 2016 (per NHTSA)

Defect description

Kawasaki Motors Corp., U.S.A. (Kawasaki) is recalling certain model year 2016 Ninja ZX-10R and Ninja ZX-10R ABS motorcycles, models ZX1000RGFAL, ZX1000RGFL, ZX1000SGFAL and ZX1000SGFL, manufactured October 28, 2015, to January 18, 2016. In the affected motorcycles, the steering damper bracket mounting bolts may break due to being over tightened.

Safety consequence

If the steering damper bracket mounting bolts break, the steering damper bracket would detach and could interfere with steering the motorcycle, increasing the risk of a crash.

Manufacturer remedy

Kawasaki will notify owners, and dealers will replace the steering damper bracket mounting bolts, free of charge. The recall began February 29, 2016. Owners may contact KMC customer service at 1-866-802-9381. Kawasaki's number for this recall is MC16-03.

Notes

Owners may also contact the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration Vehicle Safety Hotline at 1-888-327-4236 (TTY 1-800-424-9153), or go to www.safercar.gov.

try.vin has no NCAP crash-test rating on file for the 2016 Kawasaki Ninja ZX-10R. 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 2016 Kawasaki Ninja ZX-10R.

Power Train

ODI #11529287

Incident: June 21, 2023 · Filed: June 28, 2023

2016 Kawasaki ZX-10R, broken gear in transmission. Motorcycle is available for inspection. There has already been a safety recall for this very problem. When researching my VIN through Kawasaki, it states that it has been resolved. I am the third owner of this motorcycle. This could have resulted in serious injury or even death. The motorcycle has not been taken for inspection of malfunctioning part, it is not driveable and requires trailering. There was no warning of transmission failure.

Power Train

ODI #11099066

Incident: March 29, 2018 · Filed: May 31, 2018

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2016 KAWASAKI NINJA ZX-10R. THE CONTACT RECEIVED NOTIFICATION OF NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 18V089000 (POWER TRAIN); HOWEVER, THE PART NEEDED FOR THE REPAIR WAS NOT AVAILABLE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE MANUFACTURER EXCEEDED A REASONABLE AMOUNT OF TIME FOR THE RECALL REPAIR. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO XTREME MACHINES (700 NJ-33, MILLSTONE, NJ 08535, (732) 786-9696), BUT THE PART WAS UNAVAILABLE FOR THE REPAIR. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT CONTACTED. THE CONTACT HAD NOT EXPERIENCED A FAILURE. PARTS DISTRIBUTION DISCONNECT.

Power Train

ODI #11079494

Incident: March 14, 2018 · Filed: March 15, 2018

MY MOTORCYCLE DEALER WHERE I PURCHASED THE VEHICLE FROM WAS UNABLE TO PROPERLY INSTALL THE "RECALL KIT" PROVIDED BY THE MANUFACTURE. PER THE RECALL, SPECIFIC TRANSMISSION GEARS WERE TO BE REPLACED WITH GEARS FABRICATED USING A STRONGER MATERIAL. THIS RECALL REPAIR PROCESS WAS COMPLETED, AND UPON DELIVERY OF THE REPAIRED VEHICLE AND IMMEDIATE SUBSEQUENT TEST RIDE ON A STRAIGHT LINE CITY STREET BY THE OWNER IT WAS DETERMINED THAT THE REPAIR WAS FOULED. THE TRANSMISSION FAILED TO SHIFT PROPERLY LEAVING THE TRANSMISSION "IN BETWEEN" GEARS, RESULTING IN A FALSE NEUTRAL THROUGH GEARS 2, 3, 4, AND 5 (6TH GEAR WAS NOT TESTED). VIDEO OF THE TEST RIDE IS AVAILABLE UPON REQUEST.

Other Kawasaki Ninja ZX-10R model years

Check your 2016 Kawasaki Ninja ZX-10R VIN

Not every recall applies to every VIN in a given year. Enter the 17-character VIN from your Kawasaki Ninja ZX-10R at nhtsa.gov/recalls to see whether your specific vehicle has an unrepaired recall.

Check a Kawasaki VIN