NHTSA vehicle safety data

2009 Kawasaki Vulcan Recalls & Complaints

The 2009 Kawasaki Vulcan has 1 NHTSA recall campaign and 5 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 2009 Kawasaki Vulcan. Recall data is refreshed daily from NHTSA.

2009 Kawasaki Vulcan owner complaints

Owners have filed 5 complaints with NHTSA about the 2009 Kawasaki Vulcan, describing incidents dated February 18, 2009 to September 2, 2013.

Most-cited components

Engine 2 complaints
Power Train 2 complaints
Service Brakes 1 complaint

Of the 5 complaints on file, 1 reports a crash; across all 5 complaints, owners report 1 injury (owner-reported, not verified by NHTSA).

Newest complaints

ODI #10541680 · Filed September 9, 2013
2009 KAWASAKI VULCAN. CONSUMER WRITES IN REGARDS TO ENGINE STALLING RECALL NOTICE. *SMD THE CONSUMER STATED HE TOOK THE MOTORCYCLE BACK TO THE DEALER SEVERAL TIMES, DUE TO THE STALLING ISSUE. FINALLY, WHILE RIDING THE BIKE ONE DAY, IT STALLED AGAIN. ONLY THIS TIME, THE CONSUMER HAD AN ACCIDENT, AND…
ODI #10532418 · Filed July 29, 2013
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2009 KAWASAKI VULCAN 1700 VOYAGER MOTORCYCLE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE RIDING THE BIKE, THERE WAS A LOUD WHISTLING NOISE EMITTED CONTINUOUSLY. THE BIKE WAS TAKEN TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER FOR DIAGNOSIS. THE TECHNICIAN INFORMED THE CONTACT THAT THE ENGINE UNDER DRIVE PULLEY…
ODI #10425782 · Filed September 16, 2011
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2009 KAWASAKI VULCAN. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE WOULD BECOME STUCK IN THIRD AND FIFTH GEARS, CAUSING DIFFICULTY WHEN ATTEMPTING TO BRAKE. THE CONTACT WOULD HAVE TO POP THE VEHICLE OUT OF GEAR AND RE-ENGAGE. THE DEALER ADJUSTED THE CLUTCH IN AN ATTEMPT TO CORRECT THE…

Read all 5 complaints

ELECTRONIC CONTROL UNIT REPLACEMENT

NHTSA #10V507000 · Service Brakes, Hydraulic — Pedals and Linkages · NHTSA notice

Reported October 19, 2010 · KAWASAKI MOTORS CORP., U.S.A.

Potentially affected: 6,187 vehicles

Owners notified November 1, 2010 · Vehicles built January 9, 2009 – February 26, 2010 (per NHTSA)

Defect description

KAWASAKI IS RECALLING CERTAIN MODEL YEAR 2009-2010 VULCAN MOTORCYCLES. THE ENGINE MAY STALL IF THE RIDER IS COASTING WITH THE CLUTCH PULLED IN DUE TO AN IMPROPER SETTING OF THE ENGINE CONTROL UNIT (ECU).

Safety consequence

ENGINE STALLING COULD CREATE A POTENTIAL FOR A CRASH RESULTING IN INJURY OR DEATH.

Manufacturer remedy

DEALERS WILL REPLACE THE ECU WITH ONE CONTAINING REVISED SETTINGS TO ADDRESS THE ENGINE STALLING. THE SAFETY RECALL BEGAN ON NOVEMBER 1, 2010. OWNERS MAY CONTACT KAWASAKI CONSUMER SERVICES DEPARTMENT AT 1-866-802-9381.

Notes

OWNERS 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 <A HREF=HTTP://WWW.SAFERCAR.GOV>HTTP://WWW.SAFERCAR.GOV</A> .

try.vin has no NCAP crash-test rating on file for the 2009 Kawasaki Vulcan. NHTSA rates some vehicles by body style — pickups by cab, vans by roof height — so check nhtsa.gov/ratings.

5 owner complaints have been filed with NHTSA for the 2009 Kawasaki Vulcan.

Service Brakes, Hydraulic

ODI #10541680

Crash 1 injury

Incident: September 2, 2013 · Filed: September 9, 2013

2009 KAWASAKI VULCAN. CONSUMER WRITES IN REGARDS TO ENGINE STALLING RECALL NOTICE. *SMD THE CONSUMER STATED HE TOOK THE MOTORCYCLE BACK TO THE DEALER SEVERAL TIMES, DUE TO THE STALLING ISSUE. FINALLY, WHILE RIDING THE BIKE ONE DAY, IT STALLED AGAIN. ONLY THIS TIME, THE CONSUMER HAD AN ACCIDENT, AND WAS THROWN OFF THE MOTORCYCLE. THE CONSUMER SUFFERED INJURIES. RECALL# 10V507000.

Engine

ODI #10532418

Incident: May 6, 2010 · Filed: July 29, 2013

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2009 KAWASAKI VULCAN 1700 VOYAGER MOTORCYCLE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE RIDING THE BIKE, THERE WAS A LOUD WHISTLING NOISE EMITTED CONTINUOUSLY. THE BIKE WAS TAKEN TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER FOR DIAGNOSIS. THE TECHNICIAN INFORMED THE CONTACT THAT THE ENGINE UNDER DRIVE PULLEY AND BELT WOULD NEED TO BE REPLACED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE PROBLEM. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 1,000. UPDATED 09/05/13*LJ THE CONSUMER WAS INFORMED THE DRIVE BELT, ENGINE PULLEY AND REAR TIRE PULLEY WERE BAD, WHICH WAS CAUSED BY DIRT, AND THE MANUFACTURER REFUSED TO COVER THE REPAIRS. UPDATED 09/05/13

Power Train

ODI #10425782

Incident: February 18, 2009 · Filed: September 16, 2011

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2009 KAWASAKI VULCAN. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE WOULD BECOME STUCK IN THIRD AND FIFTH GEARS, CAUSING DIFFICULTY WHEN ATTEMPTING TO BRAKE. THE CONTACT WOULD HAVE TO POP THE VEHICLE OUT OF GEAR AND RE-ENGAGE. THE DEALER ADJUSTED THE CLUTCH IN AN ATTEMPT TO CORRECT THE FAILURE BUT TO NO AVAIL. THE DEALER WAS MADE UNABLE TO DIAGNOSE THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 1 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 400.

Power Train

ODI #10367360

Incident: November 23, 2010 · Filed: November 24, 2010

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2009 KAWASAKI VULCAN. WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS BEING SERVICED, THE CONTACT WAS INFORMED THAT THE DRIVE BELT HAD A CUT IN IT LENGTH-WISE. THE REASON FOR THE CUT WAS THAT THERE WAS NO PROTECTIVE SHIELD FOR THE TOP PORTION OF THE DRIVE BELT. THE CONTACT STATED THAT A ROCK LODGED IN THE FRONT HOUSING TRAPPED THE ROCK CAUSING IT TO CUT THE BELT. THE DEALER STATED THAT THE FAILURE WAS A DESIGN FLAT. THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGES WERE APPROXIMATELY 6,100.

Engine and Engine Cooling

ODI #10367018

Incident: July 27, 2009 · Filed: November 21, 2010

THE KAWASAKI VULCAN 1700 VOYAGER - 2009 GENERATES EXCESSIVE HEAT. I RECEIVED SECOND DEGREE BURNS FROM IT. KAWASAKI ADMITTED THERE WAS A PROBLEM AND PROVIDED A HEAT SHIELD KIT THAT DID NOTHING TO REDUCE THE HEAT BUT MOVED IT TO THE PASSENGER-RIDER. KAWASAKI HAS DONE NOTHING TO THIS MODEL YEAR MOTORCYCLE TO FIX THE HEAT PROBLEM. RIDERS OF THIS BIKE STILL COMPLAIN ABOUT THE HEAT, SEE MOST ANY FORUM DISCUSSING THIS MOTORCYCLE FOR MANY COMPLAINTS AND SPECIFICALLY KAWASAKI'S UNWILLINGNESS TO ADMIT THAT THEY CAN NOT OR WILL NOT FIX THE PROBLEM. IN THE 2010 MODEL ADVERTISING CAMPAIGN THEY CLAIM TO HAVE FIXED IT, YET THE PROBLEM REMAINS BASED ON THE FORUM CONVERSATIONS. WHEN COMPLAINTS ARE MADE TO KAWASAKI, BY MYSELF OR OTHER FORUM PARTICIPANTS, KAWASAKI EITHER IGNORES THE SITUATION OR BLAMES THE RIDER FOR USING THE BIKE INCORRECTLY OR RIDING WITH BARE LEGS OR SOMETHING SIMILAR. THIS BIKE IS DANGEROUS AND THAT IT IS BEING RESOLD TO A PUBLIC THAT IS NOT FAMILIAR WITH THE DOCUMENTED AND ADMITTED EXCESSIVE HEAT PROBLEM REPRESENTS A CLEAR DANGER TO THE PUBLIC. I WAS BURNED RIDING THE BIKE ON A 750 MILE, ONE WAY RIDE DOWN I-5 AND ALONG THE CALIFORNIA COAST. THE BIKE WAS USED AS INTENDED AND MELTED PARTS OF MY PANTS WERE FOUND ON THE MOTORCYCLE BY A TECHNICAL EXPERT FROM KAWASAKI, NOT BY ME. SO KAWASAKI IS INTIMATELY AWARE OF THE PROBLEM AND THEY SUGGESTED I SELL THE MOTORCYCLE, KNOWING IT WAS DEFECTIVE, TO SOMEONE ELSE AND BUY ANOTHER BIKE. SO KAWASAKI IS OPENLY SUGGESTING THAT A DEFECTIVE PRODUCT BE RESOLD INCREASING THE DANGER OF MORE PEOPLE BEING BURNED. *TR

Other Kawasaki Vulcan model years

Check your 2009 Kawasaki Vulcan VIN

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

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