On March 27, 2024, Kawasaki Motors Corporation USA issued a safety recall for certain 2023 and 2024 Ninja ZX-4R and ZX-4RR bikes due to the possibility that their spark plugs may have been damaged during the manufacturing process.
On units with damaged spark plugs, the bikes could experience such issues as unstable idles, hesitation, or possibly even engine stalling. If the engine stalls unexpectedly, that behavior could increase the risk of a crash.
Which Bikes Are Included In This Recall?
Approximately 1,579 bikes are believed to be affected, according to Kawasaki's records. This represents an estimated one percent of the population.
Affected bikes were produced between January 11, 2023 and November 14, 2023. The range of affected bikes includes the following model variants and years:
- 2023 Kawasaki Ninja ZX-4RR KRT Edition
- 2024 Kawasaki Ninja ZX-4R ABS
- 2024 Kawasaki Ninja ZX-4RR 40th Anniversary Edition ABS
- 2024 Kawasaki Ninja ZX-4RR ABS
- 2024 Kawasaki Ninja ZX-4RR KRT Edition ABS
Affected VINs are within the following ranges, and are not sequential:
- ML5ZXCP15RDA09931 to ML5ZXCP16RDA14989
- ML5ZXCS10RDA09911 to ML5ZXCS10RDA14669
- ML5ZXCS11PDA00082 to ML5ZXCS10PDA01482
- ML5ZXCS11RDA09951 to ML5ZXCS13RDA13869
- ML5ZXCS17RDA09971 to ML5ZXCS1XRDA14209
What Happened?
In December 2023, Kawasaki received reports from its Chinese distributor about rough idling on several bikes. Upon further investigation, the company eventually found that a spark plug tightening tool was tilted during operation, which applied excessive lateral force to the spark plugs. This, in turn, may have cracked some of the spark plugs during the manufacturing process.
After discovering the cause of the problem, Kawasaki initiated a recall.
What Does The Recall Involve?
Authorized Kawasaki dealers will replace all four spark plugs on affected machines at no cost to the customer. Total service time should take under an hour, but may take longer depending on individual dealer scheduling and parts sourcing time.
If owners of affected bikes paid to have this problem remedied before the issuance of this recall, Kawasaki says those owners may be eligible for full or partial reimbursement with appropriate documentation of the repair and its cost.
Kawasaki notified its dealer network about this issue via its dealer service bulletin network on March 28, 2024. It also mailed notices to registered owners of affected bikes on April 1, 2024.
What Should Owners Do Now?
Owners should schedule recall service with their local authorized Kawasaki dealer at their earliest convenience. Owners may also contact KMC customer service at 1-866-802-9381 regarding KMC recall number MC27-04.
Additionally, owners may contact the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration Vehicle Safety Hotline at 1-888-327-4236 (TTY 1-800-424-9153) or go to www.nhtsa.gov.
