2005 Triumph Rocket III Recalls & Complaints

Incident: November 1, 2015 · Filed: May 4, 2016

THE ROCKET III HAS A KNOWN HISTORY OF IGNITION FAILURE AND TOTAL ELECTRICAL FAILURE. THE BIKE WILL SIMPLY TURN OFF, OFTEN IN THE PROCESS OF STEERING. THE TRIUMPH RAT FORUMS ARE FULL OF STORIES HIGHLIGHTING THIS PROBLEM, AND MY BIKE ALONE HAS HAD THE IGNITION SWITCH REPLACED MULTIPLE TIMES, BUT TRIUMPH REFUSES TO ADDRESS THE PROBLEM.

Incident: June 18, 2014 · Filed: June 30, 2014

UNDER ACCELERATION, ENGINE HAS A RATTLE LIKE A SPRAY PAINT CAN. I'VE DONE SOME RESEARCH, AND THIS IS A COMMON PROBLEM LEADING TO ENGINE FAILURE, DUE TO A TIMING CHAIN/SPROCKET ISSUE. I WOULD LIKE TRIUMPH TO ISSUE A RECALL TO FIX THIS, BEFORE IT FAILS. *TR

Incident: October 9, 2013 · Filed: October 12, 2013

AT APP. 8,500 MILES GOING DOWN THE INTERSTATE MOTOR JUST SHUT OFF. IN THE PAST YEAR SEVERAL TIMES THE INSTRUMENT PANEL WAS NOT WORKING. SWITCHED BIKE OFF THEN BACK ON STARTED WORKING. TOOK IT TO THE LOCAL TRIUMPH DEALER TODAY. OWNER SAID IT WAS THE IGNITION SWITCH WAS FAILING. TOLD ME $400.00 PLUS FOR PART. DIDN'T EVEN ASK WHAT COST TO PUT IT ON WAS. HE SHOWED ME ON THE COMPUTER WHERE TRIUMPH HAS A MODIFICATION OF THE NEW SWITCH. TELLS ME THERE IS PLENTY OF THEM GOING OUT. MY UNDERSTANDING WAS THERE IS TO MUCH POWER GOING TO THE SWITCH AND HE WILL INSTALL A BYPASS RELAY TO ELIMINATE THE PROBLEM. NOT HAPPY. *TR

Incident: July 20, 2011 · Filed: July 24, 2011

I WAS RIDING MY MOTORCYCLE TO WORK. THE IGNITION FAILED, CAUSING THE ENGINE TO QUIT MOMENTARILY. THIS PROBLEM HAPPENED ON THE WAY HOME, THEN AGAIN IN THE PARKING LOT ON THE WAY INTO WORK THE NEXT MORNING. THAT EVENING, THE ENGINE WOULDN'T START AT ALL. IT TURNED OUT TO BE A LOOSE SOLDER JOINT IN THE IGNITION MODULE. NUMEROUS OWNERS OF THIS MODEL MOTORCYCLE HAVE HAD SIMILAR PROBLEMS AND HAVE DISCOVERED THAT IT IS DUE TO EXCESSIVE CURRENT FLOWING THROUGH THE IGNITION SWITCH. THE DUAL HEADLIGHTS ARE POWERED THROUGH THE IGNITION SWITCH, AND WHEN A HEADLIGHT IGNITION SWITCH BYPASS RELAY IS INSTALLED, THE PROBLEM IS SOLVED. *TR

Incident: January 1, 2007 · Filed: July 19, 2011

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 TRIUMPH ROCKET III MOTORCYCLE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING 55 MPH, THE ENGINE WOULD REV VERY HIGH AND CAUSE PROBLEMS WHILE SHIFTING. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED IN 2007 UNDER NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER 07V455000 (FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:FUEL INJECTION SYSTEM); HOWEVER, FOUR YEARS LATER, THE FAILURE RECURRED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN BACK TO THE DEALER, BUT WAS NOT REPAIRED A SECOND TIME. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 29,000 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 30,000.

Incident: April 27, 2009 · Filed: May 12, 2009

TRANSMISSION LINKAGE DISCONNECTS IN SIDE TRANSSO YOU EITHER GET STUCK IN GEAR OR NEUTRAL 2ND TIME THIS HAPPNED. *TR

Incident: September 4, 2008 · Filed: September 10, 2008

BIKE JUMPS OUT OF 2ND GEAR OR WONT GO INTO 3RD, ALMOST GOT RUNOVER. THE SOUNDS FROM THE ENGINE APPEAR TO BE LIKE A PAINT CAN RATTLE. THERE WAS A RECALL FOR THE REAR DRIVE LOCKING DOWN AND THE IDLE STALLING IN TRAFFIC. *TR

Incident: April 6, 2008 · Filed: April 13, 2008

I OWN A 2005 ROCKET 3 PURCHASED NEW. I HAVE EXPERIENCED MANY PROBLEMS AS I STILL AM WITH ENGINE NOISE (RATTLING). I HAD BROUGHT THIS TO THE DEALERS ATTENTION WHEN FIRST SERVICE WAS PERFORMED AND WAS TOLD THESE SOUNDS WERE "NORMAL". ALSO THE FRONT DIRECTIONAL TIRE WAS INSTALLED FROM THE FACTORY THE WRONG DIRECTION. (DEALER REPLACED TIRE FREE OF CHARGE). BIKE STALLS OFTEN WHILE STOPPED(FELL OVER ONCE HURTING LEG AND BACK) DEALER SAID ECU UPGRADE WAS AS PER TRIUMPH GUIDELINES. MY CONCERN NOW, THAT THE WARRANTY HAS EXPIRED, I WILL SUFFER THE SAME FATE THAT HUNDREDS OF ROCKET 3 OWNERS HAVE ALREADY SUFFERED...1, COMPLETE ENGINE FAILURE. 2,NO HELP FROM TRIUMPH NOW THAT THEY HAVE STROKED US ALL ALONG UNTIL THE WARRANTY EXPIRED. I FOR 1 CAN NOT BELIEVE THAT AFTER MORE THAT 100 COMPLAINTS FROM EVERY WEBSITE/FORUM/NATIONAL COMPLAINT BOARD OR WHERE EVER ELSE YOU READ ABOUT THIS SAME PROBLEM THAT TRIUMPH IS NOT HELD RESPONSIBLE FOR THIS!!!!!! IF THERE IS ANY OTHER ROCKET 3 OWNERS OUT THERE THAT WOULD LIKE TO LOOK INTO A CLASS ACTION SUIT AGAINST TRIUMPH AMERICA PLEASE CONTACT TO PROVE THIS ACTION WE WOULD HAVE TO PROVIDE BEYOND A REASONABLE DOUBT THE FAILURE OF TRIUMPH TO RECTIFY THIS POOR STANDARD OF WORKMANSHIP OF ITS "FLAGSHIP" MOTORCYCLE !. HEY NHTSA ARE YOU GUYS/GIRLS HEARING ANY OF WHAT IS BEING SAID HERE OR ACROSS THE WEB. TRIUMPH KNEW ABOUT THE SUBSTANDARD ENGINE PARTS IT USED IN 05 ROCKETS CHANGED / UPGRADED THEM ON THERE NEWER MODELS, BLEW SMOKE UP ALL OF THE 05 OWNERS BUTTS UNTIL OUR WARRANTY'S WERE UP AND NOW ARE CHARGING US UNBELIEVABLE AMOUNTS OF MONEY TO KEEP OUR MOSTLY UN-PAID OFF BIKES ON THE ROAD. I GUESS THAT'S ONE WAY OF COVERING THE COST OF THE UPGRADES THAT THE LUCKY/ SMART ONES ARE ENJOYING NOW....P.S. THE GUYS AT TREBOUR HAVE BEEN VERY PROFESSIONAL / UNDERSTANDING AND I BELIEVE THERE HANDS ARE TIED BY TRIUMPH. *TR

Incident: May 18, 2007 · Filed: February 20, 2008

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 TRIUMPH ROCKET III. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE OUTPUT SHAFT BEARING WAS INSTALLED BACKWARDS. THIS CAUSES THE BEARING NOT TO RECEIVE OIL, THE OUTPUT SHAFT TO STOP TURNING, LOCKS THE REAR TIRE, AND THE UPPER SHAFT CREATES A HOLE IN THE ENGINE. FURTHERMORE, THE FAILURE CAUSES THE ENGINE TO LOSE OIL AND THE REAR TIRE TO BECOME SLIPPERY. THE MANUFACTURER IS AWARE OF THE FAILURE AND ARE REPAIRING THE VEHICLES THAT WERE SOLD OVERSEAS, NOT THE ONES SOLD IN THE UNITED STATES. THE MANUFACTURER WOULD NOT ASSIST BECAUSE THE CONTACT TOOK THE VEHICLE APART, WHICH WAS NOT COVERED UNDER WARRANTY. THE ENGINE SIZE AND NUMBER OF CYLINDERS WERE UNKNOWN. THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGES WERE 22,000. UPDATED 03/11/08. *LJ

Incident: September 11, 2007 · Filed: October 12, 2007

I OWN A 2005 TRIUMPH ROCKET MOTORCYCLE THAT PRODUCED EXCESSIVE ENGINE NOISE BECAUSE OF WORN KEY WAYS IN THE CAM CHAIN. I WAS TOLD WHEN I FIRST PURCHASED THE BIKE THAT THESE NOISES ARE NORMAL. HAVING RESEARCHED WEB SITES CONCERNING THIS ISSUE I HAVE FOUND THAT HIS IS PREVALENT IN 2005 ROCKET 3 MODELS DUE TO THE ABOVE LISTED PROBLEM. TRIUMPH HAS FIXED MY PROBLEM BY REPLACING ALL THE CAM CHAIN COMPONENTS VIA WARRANTY, BUT MANY OTHER CONSUMERS ARE SUFFERING FROM THE SAME ISSUE AND THEIR WARRANTY HAS EXPIRED. *JB