2006 KAWASAKI VN1600D6F — Problems, Recalls & Safety Data

I TOOK MY 2006 KAWASAKI IN TO GET SERVICED AND THEY TOLD ME MY GAS TANK WAS LEAKING FROM THE BOTTOM LEFT SIDE (SITTING ON THE BIKE) OF THE TANK. AFTER FURTHER INVESTIGATION I FOUND OTHERS OUT THERE WITH THE SAME ISSUE. VULCAN FORUMS AND VULCAN RIDERS ASSOCIATION BOTH HAVE PEOPLE REPORTING THE SAME ISSUE. IN 2003 KAWASAKI ISSUED A RECALL FOR THE TANKS BUT DIDN'T GO UP TO MY YEAR.

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 KAWASAKI NOMAD VN1660D6F. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE ENGINE STALLED WHEN THE CLUTCH WAS ENGAGED DUE TO AN IMPROPER SETTING OF THE ENGINE CONTROL UNIT (ECU). THIS IS THE SAME CONSEQUENCE STATED IN RECALL #10V507000 FOR THE SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:PEDALS AND LINKAGES. THE CONTACT CALLED THE MANUFACTURER REGARDING THIS ISSUE AND THE MANUFACTURER STATED SINCE THE WARRANTY EXPIRED THAT THERE WAS NOTHING THEY COULD DO. THE CONTACT STATED THIS WAS A MANUFACTURER'S DEFECT THAT SHOULD BE ADDRESSED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 17,000.

THIS FAILURE IS ON THE GAS TANK OF A 2006 KAWASAKI NOMAD 1600. RAW FUEL IS LEAKING OUT OF THE GAS TANK AT THE BOTTOM MOST PORTION OF THE TANK BY THE BRACKETS THAT ARE WELDED TO THE TANK TO SECURE IT TO THE FRAME OF THE MOTORCYCLE. THIS IS THE SAME PROBLEM THAT THE 2003 KAWASAKI 1600 LINE OF MOTORCYCLES WAS RECALL FOR IN 2007. THIS BIKE WAS MANUFACTURED IN 10/2005, TWO YEARS BEFORE THE RECALL OF THE 2003 MODEL YEAR KAWASAKIS. THE DEFECT THAT WAS RECALLED ON THE 2003 KAWASAKIS IS EXACTLY THE SAME DEFECT THAT I AM KNOW HAVING ON MY MOTORCYCLE AND BELIEVE THE TANK WAS CONSTRUCTED IN EXACTLY THE SAME WAY, THUS LEADING TO THE SAME FAILURE SINCE THE RECALL WAS NOT ISSUED UNTIL TWO YEARS AFTER THE MANUFACTURE OF MY MOTORCYCLE. THIS DEFECT LEADS TO FUEL LEAKING OUT OF THE GAS TANK AND INTO THE BATTERY COMPARTMENT OF THE MOTORCYCLE, THEN DOWN THE SIDE OF THE COVERPLATES BENEATH THE SEAT IN CLOSE PROXIMITY TO THE REAR EXHAUST HEADER. THIS DEFECT POSES A SERIOUS FIRE HAZARD DURING OPERATION OR STARTING OF THE VEHICLE, ALSO AS THIS VEHICLE IS STORED INSIDE IT COULD PRODUCE A SERIOUS FIRE HAZARD WITHIN THE GARAGE THAT COULD SPREAD TO THE REST OF THE HOUSE. THE ONLY DAMAGE SO FAR IS TO THE GAS TANK AND PAINT ON THE BIKE, HOWEVER IF THIS PROBLEM EXISTS BEYOND JUST THE MODEL YEAR 2003 KAWASAKI 1600 GAS TANKS THE RECALL SHOULD BE EXTENDED TO ALL YEAR MODELS THAT SHARE THIS SAME TYPE OF TANK CONSTRUCTION AND THUS POSSIBILITY TO LEAK FUEL AT ANY TIME. *TR

GAS LEAK AT TOP OF TANK AROUND FILLER NECK. LEAK REMAINS UNTIL TANK IS ONLY 1/4-1/3 FULL. SEEMS TO COME FROM VENT HOLE ON RIGHT SIDE OF FILLER, UNDER CAP. THIS LEAK MAY HAVE RUINED THE PAINT FINISH AS WELL. *JB