NHTSA vehicle safety data

2002 Kawasaki Ninja Recalls & Complaints

The 2002 Kawasaki Ninja 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 2002 Kawasaki Ninja. Recall data is refreshed daily from NHTSA.

2002 Kawasaki Ninja owner complaints

Owners have filed 3 complaints with NHTSA about the 2002 Kawasaki Ninja, describing incidents dated February 11, 2003 to September 27, 2003.

Most-cited components

Electrical System 1 complaint
Engine 1 complaint
Structure 1 complaint

Of the 3 complaints on file, 1 reports a crash; across all 3 complaints, owners report 1 injury (owner-reported, not verified by NHTSA).

Newest complaints

ODI #10074109 · Filed May 17, 2004
CONSUMER WAS RIDING THE MOTORCYCLE WHEN THE FRONT FORKS DISENGAGED. *LA THIS CAUSED THE CONSUMER TO BE SEPARATED FROM THE VEHICLE AND DESTROYED THE VEHICLE. THE PROBLEM WAS DUE TO A DESIGN DEFECT OF THE MECHANISM WHICH SECURED THE FRONT FORKS TO THE VEHICLE. (MODEL ZX900) *SC *JB
ODI #10068576 · Filed April 20, 2004
AFTER RECALL WAS PERFORMED, MOTORCYCLE CONTINUED TO LEAK OIL. *PH THE CONSUMER WAS TOLD THAT THE RECALL HAD BEEN PERFORMED, HOWEVER LESS THAN A MONTH LATER, HE CHECKED THE CONNECTOR AND FOUND OIL IN IT. THE CONSUMER TOOK THE MOTORCYCLE BACK TO THE DEALER TO HAVE IT FIXED, HOWEVER TO THIS DAY, THE…
ODI #10049387 · Filed December 8, 2003
FOR 4600 MILES OT THE 5500 MILES MY KAWASAKI ZX12R HAS SUCKED SAND THROUGH THE ENGINE. I FIRST LEARNED ABOUT IT WHEN I WENT TO DO SOME UPGRADES TO MY BIKE AT 3475 MILES. I WENT AHEAD AND FINSHED MY UPGRADES AND DID NOT RIDE THE BIKE UNTIL I TOOK IT TO THE DEALER. THEY DID A COMPRESSION TEST AND A…

Read all 3 complaints

KAWASAKI/OIL LEAKAGE

NHTSA #02V324000 · Electrical System — Alternator/Generator/Regulator · NHTSA notice

Reported December 6, 2002 · KAWASAKI MOTORS CORP.

Potentially affected: 9,787 vehicles

Kawasaki campaign MC02-011 · Owners notified December 16, 2002 · Vehicles built December 10, 1999 – November 8, 2002 (per NHTSA)

Defect description

ON CERTAIN 2000 ZX1200-A1/A1-L, 2001 ZX1200-A2/A2-L, AND 2002-2003 ZX1200-B1/B1-L MOTORCYCLES, OIL LEAKING FROM THE ALTERNATOR LEAD ELECTRICAL CONNECTOR CAN BE DEPOSITED ONTO THE REAR TIRE.

Safety consequence

THIS CAN CREATE THE POTENTIAL FOR A LOSS OF TRACTION FOR BRAKING OR CORNERING, AND CAN LEAD TO A CRASH.

Manufacturer remedy

DEALERS WILL SEAL THE ALTERNATOR LEAD WIRES. OWNER NOTIFICATION BEGAN BEGIN DECEMBER 16, 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 KAWASAKI AT 1-949-770-0400.

Notes

CUSTOMERS CAN 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 Kawasaki Ninja. 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 2002 Kawasaki Ninja.

Structure

ODI #10074109

Crash 1 injury

Incident: September 27, 2003 · Filed: May 17, 2004

CONSUMER WAS RIDING THE MOTORCYCLE WHEN THE FRONT FORKS DISENGAGED. *LA THIS CAUSED THE CONSUMER TO BE SEPARATED FROM THE VEHICLE AND DESTROYED THE VEHICLE. THE PROBLEM WAS DUE TO A DESIGN DEFECT OF THE MECHANISM WHICH SECURED THE FRONT FORKS TO THE VEHICLE. (MODEL ZX900) *SC *JB

Electrical System

ODI #10068576

Incident: February 11, 2003 · Filed: April 20, 2004

AFTER RECALL WAS PERFORMED, MOTORCYCLE CONTINUED TO LEAK OIL. *PH THE CONSUMER WAS TOLD THAT THE RECALL HAD BEEN PERFORMED, HOWEVER LESS THAN A MONTH LATER, HE CHECKED THE CONNECTOR AND FOUND OIL IN IT. THE CONSUMER TOOK THE MOTORCYCLE BACK TO THE DEALER TO HAVE IT FIXED, HOWEVER TO THIS DAY, THE CONNECTOR IS STILL LEAKING OIL. THE CONSUMER EVEN TRIED TO USE SILICON SEALANT WHICH WAS ADVISED BY ANOTHER DEALER. *JB

Engine and Engine Cooling

ODI #10049387

Incident: June 6, 2003 · Filed: December 8, 2003

FOR 4600 MILES OT THE 5500 MILES MY KAWASAKI ZX12R HAS SUCKED SAND THROUGH THE ENGINE. I FIRST LEARNED ABOUT IT WHEN I WENT TO DO SOME UPGRADES TO MY BIKE AT 3475 MILES. I WENT AHEAD AND FINSHED MY UPGRADES AND DID NOT RIDE THE BIKE UNTIL I TOOK IT TO THE DEALER. THEY DID A COMPRESSION TEST AND A LEAK DOWN TEST AND DETERMINED FROM THAT THAT THERE WAS NOT A PROBLEM AND NO DAMAGE TO THE ENGINE. IN ALL MY YEARS OF WORKING ON ENGINES, THE ONLY WAY I COULD TELL IF SAND HAD DONE DAMAGE WAS TO LOOK IN SIDE THE ENGINE. THEY ALSO TOLD ME PER THE KAWASAKI FACTORY REP. THAT MY UPGRADES CAN VOID MY WARRANTY. I ROAD THE BIKE FOR ABOUT 800 MILES TO SEE IF THE UPGRADES HELPED AND NO SAND GOT IN. SO I PUT THE BIKE BACK TO STOCK AS I DID NOT WANT TO LOSE MY WARRANTY AND IT STARTED TO SUCK SAND THROUGHT THE ENGINE AGAIN. ON 11/9/03, I CALLED THE DEALER WHO FIRST LOOKED AT IT AND TOLD THEM IT HAD SUCKED SAND THROUGH THE ENGINE AGAIN, THEY TOLD ME THAT THEY ARE REFUSEING TO WORK ON MY BIKE. SO I CALLED KAWASAKI AND THEY TOLD ME TO TAKE IT TO ANOTHER DEALER. I TOLD THEM THE ONLY ONE I TRUSTED, WAS A KAWASAKI DEALER IN RIVERSIDE. BUT EVEN THOUGH I GAVE THEM A LETTER TELLING THEM THE ONLY WORK I WILL ALLOW WAS A NEW TOP END, THEY WENT AHEAD AND ONLY DID ANOTHER COMPRESSION TEST AND LEAK DOWN TEST. THE NEW TOP END WAS DENIED. ALSO THE FIRST TIME I TOOK THE BIKE IN TO BE FIXED, I WAS TOLD SAND GOING THROUGH THE ENGINES WOULD NOT AFFECT THEM. IF THIS IS SO, WHY DO THEY TELL YOU IN THE OWNER MANUAL TO NEVER RUN THEM WITH OUT AND AIR FILTER? I DON'T WANT TO HAVE TO TRY AND CONTROL A 550+ LB BIKE AT ABOUT 70 TO 75MPH BECAUSE IT LOCKED DUE TO A DEFECT IN THE FILTERS ALLOWING IT TO SUCK SAND INTO THE ENGINE. I HAVE MORE DOCUMENTATION AND PICTURES BUT WILL NEED EMAIL ADDRESS TO SEND THEM TOO. I ALSO KNOW OF SEVERAL OTHERS WHO ALSO HAVE OR HAD THIS PROBLEM. I HAVE ALSO LEARNED THAT KAWASAKI KNEW OF THIS PROBLEM WHEN THE FIRST ZX12R'S CAME OUT IN THE YEAR 2000. THANKS FOR YOU HELP. *AK

Other Kawasaki Ninja model years

Check your 2002 Kawasaki Ninja VIN

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

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