The 2003 Kawasaki Vn1500-L4 has 1 NHTSA recall campaign affecting an estimated 6,958 vehicles. Recall repairs are always free at any authorized dealer. Owners have filed 2 complaints with NHTSA, most often about the engine and engine cooling. Last updated July 5, 2026.
ON CERTAIN 2003 VULCAN 1500 CLASSIC, 1500 DRIFTER, 2003-2004 1500 MEAN STREAK, 2003 1600 CLASSIC, AND 2003-2004 NOMAD FL MODEL MOTORCYCLES, HIGH OIL PRESSURE UPON A COLD START-UP CAN DEFORM THE OIL FILTER CARTRIDGE.
THIS COULD CAUSE OIL TO LEAK FROM THE OIL FILTER, WHICH COULD RESULT IN A CRASH.
DEALERS WILL REPLACE THE OIL FILTER. OWNER NOTIFICATION BEGAN ON FEBRUARY 2, 2004. OWNERS SHOULD CONTACT KAWASAKI AT 1-949-770-0400.
Verbatim reports filed with NHTSA, lightly edited for readability and with personal information removed.
“The rubber on my rear tire (160/80 b 16 m/c 75h) broke at the tread groves and separated from the casing, causing the tire to go flat. Fortunately the bike was parked when the tire went flat. This is the second incident I have had with this brand and model. The first the sidewall had separated…”
“Kawasaki's unlimited mileage warranty is a ripoff! I own a 2003 kawasaki nomad motorcycle with 170,345 miles on the odometer and my extended "unlimited mileage" warranty expires on 8/19/2008. On 9-25-06, I noticed a major oil leak coming from a hole in the left side #1 cylinder spark plug sleeve.…”
Recall, complaint, and investigation records from official NHTSA datasets (FLAT_RCL, FLAT_CMPL, FLAT_INV), synced weekly. Counts reflect NHTSA records for the 2003 Kawasaki Vn1500-L4 as of July 5, 2026. Complaint narratives are consumer-submitted and unverified. This page contains ads and affiliate links. Full methodology.