NHTSA Complaint #10345074 — 2005 KAWASAKI EX250F19

I OWN A 2005 KAWASAKI EX250 MOTORCYCLE THAT HAD A GAS TANK PUNCTURE RESULTING FROM THE SCREWS THAT MOUNT THE FRONT COWLING TO THE TANK. AFTER SMELLING A PERSISTENT, STRONG GAS ODOR NEAR THE PARKED BIKE I INVESTIGATED BY REMOVING THE COWLING AND GASOLINE BEGAN RUNNING OUT OF ONE OF THE SCREW HOLES. I IMMEDIATELY BOUGHT A BRAND NEW KAWASAKI GAS TANK AND INSTALLED IT MYSELF (A VERY SIMPLE PROCEDURE THAT THE KAWASAKI DEALER SAID WOULD TAKE THEM THREE WEEKS TO GET TO BECAUSE THEIR SERVICE DEPARTMENT WAS BACKED UP). SOON AFTER REPLACING THE TANK, I DISCOVERED THAT THERE WAS A RECALL IN FORCE FOR THIS EXACT ISSUE ON MY MOTORCYCLE (CONFIRMED BY CHECKING MY VIN ON THE KAWASAKI WEBSITE). THE RECALL WORK THAT WAS TO BE PERFORMED INVOLVED REPLACING THE GAS TANK. TO MY SURPRISE, KAWASAKI REFUSED TO REIMBURSE ME FOR THE NEW GAS TANK (OVER $700) BECAUSE I HAD DISCARDED THE OLD TANK. THEY DID CONFIRM THAT MY VIN WAS SUBJECT TO THE RECALL AND THAT THEY HAD NEVER PAID FOR ANY RECALL WORK ON MY BIKE. THEY ALSO CONFIRMED THAT THEY NEVER REPAIR A PUNCTURED TANK, ONLY REPLACE IT. CUSTOMER SERVICE AT KAWASAKI WAS EXTREMELY POOR AND RUDE. THEY EMPHATICALLY REFUSED TO REMEDY THE SITUATION IN ANY WAY, CLAIMING THAT SINCE I DID NOT KEEP THE OLD TANK FOR THEIR INSPECTION, I WAS "OUT OF LUCK". *TR