NHTSA Complaint #10102385 — 2004 KAWASAKI NINJA

ISSUE: A FAILURE OF THE WATER TEMPERATURE SENSOR CAUSES A SURGE IN POWER. DESCRIPTION OF EVENTS LEADING TO FAILURE: WAS MOVING A 2004 KAWASAKI NINJA ZX-6RR IN A PARKING LOT, COLD WEATHER (35 DEGREES). AT A CONSTANT SPEED, THE BIKE SURGED IN RPM, CAUSING THE REAR TIRE TO BREAK TRACTION, CRASHING THE BIKE. NO ONE ELSE WAS INVOLVED. AS PER THE DEBUG STEPS IN THE SERVICE MANUAL, THE EFI COMPUTER HELD A SERVICE CODE FOR A WATER TEMPERATURE SENSOR FAILURE IN THE HISTORY (BIKE HAS 1200 MILES ON IT). AS PER THE KAWASAKI FACTORY SERVICE MANUAL, THE DFI SYSTEM TROUBLESHOOTING GUIDE, ONE OF THE THREE CAUSES OF A SURGE IS "WATER TEMPERATURE SENSOR TROUBLE". WHAT HAS BEEN DONE TO CORRECT THE FAILURE: THE DEALERSHIP CONTACTED KAWASAKI, AND DESPITE THE RECORDED DIAGNOSTICS INFORMATION HAS ATTRIBUTED THIS TO "OPERATOR ERROR". KAWASAKI WILL NOT ADDRESS AN ISSUE UNLESS IT IS CURRENTLY HAPPENING. INJURIES WHERE - HEAD HAD ABRASION (HEALED IN 1 WEEK) - KNEECAP NEEDED TO BE STITCHED UP AND IMMOBILIZED FOR 2 WEEKS (STILL HEALING, BUT SEEMS TO BE JUST FINE.) *JB