NHTSA vehicle safety data

2018 Kawasaki Ninja Recalls & Complaints

The 2018 Kawasaki Ninja has 2 NHTSA recall campaigns and 2 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 2018 Kawasaki Ninja. Recall data is refreshed daily from NHTSA.

2018 Kawasaki Ninja owner complaints

Owners have filed 2 complaints with NHTSA about the 2018 Kawasaki Ninja, describing incidents dated April 25, 2018 to April 27, 2018.

Most-cited components

Power Train 2 complaints
Engine 1 complaint

Newest complaints

ODI #11099460 · Filed June 4, 2018
ISSUES SHIFTING... IM SUSPECTING ITS THE BRAKE IN OIL CAUSING THIS BECAUSE AT LEAST 15 TIMES UP UNTIL MY FIRST OIL CHANGE YOU WOULD BE SHIFTING GEARS AND THE GEAR WOULDN'T FULLY ENGAGE UNEXPECTEDLY CAUSING THE BIKE TO RAPIDLY SLOW DOWN WITH CARS BEHIND ME HAVING TO SLAM ON BRAKES. AND ALSO AT LEAST…
ODI #11096435 · Filed May 16, 2018
ON MY WAY HOME FROM THE DEALER IT POPPED OUT OF GEAR AND ACTED LIKE IT MISSED A GEAR TWICE. HAVE HAD IT ABOUT 20 DAYS NOW AND ITS MISSED OUT POPPED OUT OF GEAR AT LEAST 20 OR 25 TIMES NOW. THIS SHOULDN'T BE HAPPENING ON A NEW BIKE

Read all 2 complaints

Gear Misengagement may cause Transmission Damage

NHTSA #20V676000 · Power Train — Manual Transmission · NHTSA notice

Reported November 2, 2020 · Kawasaki Motors Corp., U.S.A.

Potentially affected: 799 vehicles

Repair completion: 69.84% (latest rate the manufacturer reported to NHTSA; dataset updated November 3, 2026)

Kawasaki campaign MC20-10 · Owners notified November 16, 2020

DO NOT DRIVE — this recall carries a "do not drive" advisory. Contact a Kawasaki dealer immediately.

Defect description

Kawasaki Motors Corp., U.S.A. (KMC) is recalling certain 2018-2020 Ninja H2 SX, Ninja H2 SXSE, and 2019-2020 Ninja H2 SXSE+ motorcycles. In the event of a gear misengagement the engine electronic control unit (ECU) programming doesn't have the capability to suppress high RPM during transmission. If the transmission gears are not properly engaged while shifting into 4th or 5th gear, high engine RPM can cause the output gears of 4th or 5th to fracture when the gears re-engage.

Safety consequence

Damaged gears and the inability to shift can cause the engine to lock up, increasing the risk of a crash.

Manufacturer remedy

KMC will notify owners, and dealers will reprogram the FI-ECU software, free of charge. Owners are advised to not ride their motorcycle until the repair has been completed. The recall began November 16, 2020. Owners may contact KMC customer service at 1-866-802-9381. KMC's number for this recall is MC20-10.

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.

Center Stand may Drop Unexpectedly

NHTSA #18V580000 · Structure — Motorcycle — Kickstand/Center Stand · NHTSA notice

Reported August 30, 2018 · Kawasaki Motors Corp., U.S.A.

Potentially affected: 390 vehicles

Repair completion: 85.49% (latest rate the manufacturer reported to NHTSA; dataset updated November 3, 2026)

Kawasaki campaign MC18-05 · Owners notified September 19, 2018 · Vehicles built December 11, 2017 – April 16, 2018 (per NHTSA)

Defect description

Kawasaki Motors Corp., U.S.A. (Kawasaki) is recalling certain 2018 Kawasaki Ninja H2 SX SE (ZXT02BJ) motorcycles. The pin for the center stand spring may have been improperly welded, and, as a result, the pin may shift or fall off resulting in the spring detaching and the center stand dropping to the ground unexpectedly and dragging while riding.

Safety consequence

The dragging center stand can cause a loss of control, increasing the risk of a crash.

Manufacturer remedy

Kawasaki will notify owners, and dealers will replace the left center stand bracket, free of charge. Owners may contact Kawasaki customer service at 1-866-802-9381. Kawasaki's number for this recall is MC18-05.

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 2018 Kawasaki Ninja. NHTSA rates some vehicles by body style — pickups by cab, vans by roof height — so check nhtsa.gov/ratings.

2 owner complaints have been filed with NHTSA for the 2018 Kawasaki Ninja.

Power Train; Engine

ODI #11099460

Incident: April 27, 2018 · Filed: June 4, 2018

ISSUES SHIFTING... IM SUSPECTING ITS THE BRAKE IN OIL CAUSING THIS BECAUSE AT LEAST 15 TIMES UP UNTIL MY FIRST OIL CHANGE YOU WOULD BE SHIFTING GEARS AND THE GEAR WOULDN'T FULLY ENGAGE UNEXPECTEDLY CAUSING THE BIKE TO RAPIDLY SLOW DOWN WITH CARS BEHIND ME HAVING TO SLAM ON BRAKES. AND ALSO AT LEAST ONCE A DAY WHEN ATTEMPTING TO DOWN SHIFT THE SHIFTIER WILL FEEL SOLID AS A ROCK LIKE ITS IN FIRST GEAR AND THEN YOU'LL TRY AGAIN AND THEN IS GOES INTO GEAR FINE. ALSO ON SEVERAL OCCASIONS WHEN TRYING TO START BIKE ILL TURN IGNITION ON, THEN HALF CLICK SHIFTIER UP TO GET IT IN NEUTRAL AND WITH THE SHIFT INDICATOR SAYING ITS IN NEUTRAL I'LL HIT THE START BUTTON AND THE BIKE WILL RIDE THE STARTER CAUSING THE BIKE TO LEAP FORWARD LIKE ITS STILL IN GEAR. IVE CONTACTED KAWASAKI AND WAS TIOLD TO TAKE IT TO THE DEALER, I TOLD THEM THAT IVE ALREADY DONE THAT AND WAS TOLD THEY DIDN'T FIND AN ISSUE AND AHVENT HEARD A RESPONSE FROM KAWASAKI SINCE

Power Train

ODI #11096435

Incident: April 25, 2018 · Filed: May 16, 2018

ON MY WAY HOME FROM THE DEALER IT POPPED OUT OF GEAR AND ACTED LIKE IT MISSED A GEAR TWICE. HAVE HAD IT ABOUT 20 DAYS NOW AND ITS MISSED OUT POPPED OUT OF GEAR AT LEAST 20 OR 25 TIMES NOW. THIS SHOULDN'T BE HAPPENING ON A NEW BIKE

Other Kawasaki Ninja model years

Check your 2018 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.

Check a Kawasaki VIN