NHTSA Complaint #10229075 — 2004 SUZUKI SV650S

THE VEHICLE IN QUESTION IS A 2004 SUZUKI SV650S MOTORCYCLE, WITH APPROXIMATELY 21,000 MILES ON THE ODOMETER. THE PROBLEM IS A WIRING CONNECTION FROM THE IGNITION SWITCH TO THE MAIN WIRING HARNESS. THE PLUG-IN STYLE CONNECTOR HAD ONE OF ITS PINS SHORT OUT AND MELT THE SURROUNDING PLASTIC, CAUSING A VERY UNRELIABLE CONNECTION. I HAVE NOT SO MUCH AS TOUCHED THIS CONNECTOR BEFORE THIS INCIDENT. ONCE THIS HAS SHORTED, THE ELECTRICAL CONNECTION IS PRONE TO DROPPING OUT INTERMITTENTLY AND UNPREDICTABLY. SINCE THIS IS CONNECTED WITH THE MAIN IGNITION SWITCH, WHEN THIS CONNECTION IS LOST ALL ELECTRICAL POWER TO THE MOTORCYCLE SHUTS OFF. A MOTORCYCLE IN A CORNER, OR IN TRAFFIC WITH A DEAD ELECTRICAL SYSTEM (AND THEREFORE NO MOTOR) IS AN EXTREMELY DANGEROUS SITUATION! THIS PROBLEM IS WELL KNOWN AMONGST ONLINE COMMUNITIES FOR THIS MOTORCYCLE (SUZUKI SV650 AND SV1000), AND HAS CAUSED SEVERAL RIDERS TO CRASH. THE PROBLEMS IS DUE TO A DESIGN FLAW WITH THE CONNECTOR- THE CONNECTING PINS ARE UNABLE TO HANDLE THE CURRENT FROM THE MAIN IGNITION LOOP AND ARE PRONE TO OVERHEATING. I USED AN AFTERMARKET CONNECTOR WITH THE ORIGINAL WIRES, CAPABLE OF HANDLING MORE CURRENT RELIABLY, AND HAVE NOT SEEN THE PROBLEM REPEAT ITSELF. *TR