Tap a category to read its complaints. One report may name several components.
When problems were reported
Mileage at the reported incident
Limited mileage data: 5 of 6 reports include usable mileage. There isn’t enough coverage to show a useful chart.
NHTSA’s mileage field refers to the reported incident, not necessarily the filing date. This shows report counts, not the likelihood of a failure.
What to inspect
Issues worth paying extra attention to based on owner reports.
Electrical System. Review the 5 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
Engine And Engine Cooling. Review the 1 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
Exterior Lighting. Review the 1 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.
0 crash reports0 fire reports0 injury reports
What owners actually said
6 reports
Mileage unknown · Jul 17, 2008
Unknown Or Other
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 HONDA VFR800. THE CONTACT MAILED IN A WARRANTY CARD NOTIFYING THE HONDA MANUFACTURER THAT HE NOW OWNS THE MOTORCYCLE. THE WARRANTY INFORMATION WAS ENTERED INTO HONDA'S SYSTEM INCORRECTLY AND NOW IT STATES THAT THE MOTORCYCLE IS STOLEN. THERE IS A NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER 07V359000 (ELECTRICAL SYSTEM…
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TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 HONDA VFR800. THE CONTACT MAILED IN A WARRANTY CARD NOTIFYING THE HONDA MANUFACTURER THAT HE NOW OWNS THE MOTORCYCLE. THE WARRANTY INFORMATION WAS ENTERED INTO HONDA'S SYSTEM INCORRECTLY AND NOW IT STATES THAT THE MOTORCYCLE IS STOLEN. THERE IS A NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER 07V359000 (ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:WIRING) ON THE VEHICLE, WHICH THE DEALERS ARE REFUSING TO ACKNOWLEDGE DUE TO THEIR ERROR. THERE HAD BEEN NO FAILURE TO DATE.
NHTSA ODI #10234684
17,000 miles · May 23, 2007
Electrical SystemExterior Lighting
I OWN A 2002 HONDA VFR 800 MOTORCYCLE THAT HAS INCURRED ELECTRICAL PROBLEMS THAT 2 DEALERS WERE UNABLE TO REPAIR. THE ELECTRICAL PROBLEMS OCCURRED WHILE I WAS DRIVING ON THE HIGHWAY AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS, AND WHEN TRYING TO USE TURN SIGNALS. THE HEADLIGHTS WENT OUT AND THE ENGINE DIED...A VERY DANGEROUS SITUATION. NOW THE M…
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I OWN A 2002 HONDA VFR 800 MOTORCYCLE THAT HAS INCURRED ELECTRICAL PROBLEMS THAT 2 DEALERS WERE UNABLE TO REPAIR. THE ELECTRICAL PROBLEMS OCCURRED WHILE I WAS DRIVING ON THE HIGHWAY AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS, AND WHEN TRYING TO USE TURN SIGNALS. THE HEADLIGHTS WENT OUT AND THE ENGINE DIED...A VERY DANGEROUS SITUATION. NOW THE MOTORCYCLE STILL DID THE SAME THING, JUST THAT THE HEADLIGHTS WERE PRACTICALLY NON FUNCTIONING ,THEY CAME ON SOMETIMES WHEN GOING OVER A BUMP BUT THE ENGINES STILL DIED WHENEVER I USE THE TURN SIGNALS. *AK ANY HELP YOU MAY PROVIDE WOULD BE GREATLY APPRECIATED, THE MORE RESEARCH I DO ON THE INTERNET REVEALS THAT THIS PARTICULAR BIKE HAS HAD AN ABNORMAL AMOUNT OF ELECTRICAL PROBLEMS, MANY RESULTING IN DANGEROUS PERHAPS DEADLY CONSEQUENCES.
NHTSA ODI #10191600
9,000 miles · Oct 3, 2006
Electrical SystemEngine And Engine Cooling
MOTORCYCLE ENGINE DIED WHILE RUNNING. I DID TROUBLESHOOT TO FIND AN ELECTRICAL 30 AMP FUSE WIRE INSULATION SCORCHED AND BURNED THROUGH. COPPER CONDUCTOR HAD BECOME VERY HOT. *JB
NHTSA ODI #10169814
20,054 miles · Sep 11, 2006
Electrical System
HAD STARTING PROBLEMS AND WENT TO CHECK THE BATTERY. FOUND THAT THE FUSE HOLDER, A CONNECTOR AND THE SMALL WIRE BETWEEN THE TWO HAD DISCOLORED TO A BROWN. THERE WERE SIGNS OF MELTING ON THE WIRE INSULATION. THE PART HAS NOT FAILED TO DATE BUT GETS VERY HOT TO THE TOUCH WHEN THE VEHICLE ENGINE IS RUNNING. *JB
NHTSA ODI #10167823
56,000 miles · Feb 17, 2006
Electrical System
30AMP MAIN FUSE HOLDER MELTING. ENGINE STOPPED ON FREEWAY. *NM
NHTSA ODI #10150565
43,000 miles · Jul 25, 2005
Electrical System
DT: THE CONSUMER EXPERIENCED 4 SEPARATE ELECTRICAL FAILURES, IT HAS CAUSED HEADLIGHT AND ENGINE FAILURE. THE CONSUMER CONTACTED HONDA THEY HAVE REPAIRED THE ISSUE UNDER WARRANTY. THE GROUND WIRE HAS BURNED 3 TIMES AT DIFFERENT POINTS. THE 1ST TIME AUG 2002. FIRST TIME IT ONLY HAD 18,000 MILES. *JB
ON CERTAIN MOTORCYCLES, THE FRONT FAIRING SUB-HARNESS (SECTION OF THE WIRING HARNESS) TRANSFERS THE ELECTRICAL GROUNDING LOAD OF THE HEADLIGHTS, FRONT TURN SIGNALS, INSTRUMENT PANEL, AND VARIOUS RELAYS TO THE MAIN WIRING HARNESS VIA AN 18-PIN CONNECTOR. UNDER CERTAIN CONDITIONS, THE GROUND WIRE TERMINALS INSIDE THE CONNECTOR CAN OVERHEAT, RESULTING IN MELTING OF THE CONNECTOR AND A LOSS OF POWER TO VARIOUS CIRCUITS.
Consequence & remedy
Consequence: AS A RESULT, A LOSS OF CRITICAL LIGHTING OR ENGINE POWER COULD OCCUR WITHOUT WARNING, WHICH COULD CAUSE A CRASH.
Remedy: DEALERS WILL INSTALL A RE-DESIGNED SUB-HARNESS. IF DAMAGE IS FOUND, THE MAIN WIRING HARNESS WILL ALSO BE REPLACED FREE OF CHARGE. AN INTERIM LETTER WAS MAILED TO OWNERS ON SEPTEMBER 26, 2007. OWNERS WERE RE-NOTIFIED ON NOVEMBER 10, 2007, TO TAKE THEIR MOTORCYCLES TO DEALERS TO HAVE THE PARTS INSTALLED. OWNERS MAY CONTACT HONDA AT 1-866-784-1870.
CERTAIN MOTORCYCLES EQUIPPED WITH COMBINED-BRAKE SYSTEMS HAVE A PROPORTIONING CONTROL VALVE (PCV) THAT MECHANICALLY PROPORTIONS BRAKE FORCE WHEN THE REAR BRAKE IS APPLIED. A SEAL IN SOME PCVS IS IMPROPERLY SHAPED, AND BRAKE FLUID LEAKAGE MAY OCCUR.
Consequence & remedy
Consequence: IF THE MOTORCYCLE CONTINUES TO BE USED AFTER A LEAK OCCURS, THE REAR BRAKE WOULD EVENTUALLY BECOME INOPERATIVE. A LOSS OF REAR BRAKE FORCE COULD INCREASE THE RISK OF A CRASH.
Remedy: DEALERS WILL INSPECT THE REAR BRAKE FORLEAKAGE. IF LEAKAGE IS CONFIRMED, THE DEALER WILL REPLACE THE PCV FREE OF CHARGE. THE RECALL BEGAN ON JANUARY 31, 2005. OWNERS MAY CONTACT HONDA AT 866-784-1870.
Model-level recall history does not show whether a particular VIN is affected or has received a repair. Check a VIN with NHTSA ↗
NHTSA investigations
2
AQ12001 · Southern Honda Powersports
Opened May 14, 2012 · Closed May 13, 2013
Status: closed (inferred from source dates) · Unknown Or Other
NHTSA opened Audit Query (AQ) 12-001 to determine whether Southern Honda Powersports (Southern Honda) of Chattanooga, Tennessee, had complied with the requirements of the National Traffic and Motor Vehicle Safety Act, as amended, 49 U.S.C. Chapter 301 (Safety Act) and its implementing regulations. The Safety Act requires, among other things, that a motor vehicle or equipment manufacturer notify its dealers of defects related to motor vehicle safety and non-compliances with federal motor vehicle safety standards.In turn, a dealer may not sell and deliver a new vehicle subject to a recall unless the recall remedy has been performed.(see 49 U.S.C. 30120(i); 49 C.F.R. 573.11)NHTSA issued an information request to Southern Honda on May 14, 2012 to which they responded on July 6, 2012.NHTSA?s inquiry led it to believe that Southern Honda had failed to complete the requirements of five recalls that required inspections and/or repairs of motorcycles prior to their sale or delivery.NHTSA believes that 329 motorcycles affected by recalls had not been inspected and/or repaired prior to their sale and delivery between 2007 and 2012.The agency is unaware of any deaths or injuries involving these vehicles.NHTSA concluded that it had a potential civil penalty claim against Southern Honda for violations of the Safety Act.Southern Honda denied any violations of the Safety Act.In order to settle this matter, Southern Honda agreed to pay a civil penalty in the amount of $125,000, to be paid in five annual installments.This AQ is closed.
PE05047 · Stalling & Sudden Headlight Outage
Opened Sep 2, 2005 · Closed Dec 20, 2005
Status: closed (inferred from source dates) · Electrical System
ODI OPENED THIS INVESTIGATION AFTER RECEIVING THREE COMPLAINTS CONCERNING ALLEGED ENGINE STALLING AND/OR SUDDEN HEADLIGHT OUTAGES WHILE UNDERWAY.ODI ALSO FOUND NUMEROUS POSTINGS ON A WEB-BASED CHAT BOARD RELATED TO THE SUBJECT VEHICLE AND THESE ALLEGATIONS.FREQUENTLY, THE POSTING REFERENCED THE BLUE CONNECTOR JOINING THE MAIN HARNESS AND THE HEADLIGHT SUB-HARNESS.ODI HAS INSPECTED SUBJECT MOTORCYCLES AND ITS PEERS AND MET WITH THEIR OWNERS, DISCUSSED THIS MATTER WITH SUBJECT MOTORCYCLE DEALERS AND INDEPENDENT SERVICE PERSONNEL, AND REVIEWED HONDA'S RESPONSE TO OUR INFORMATION REQUEST.BASED ON THE INFORMATION GATHERED TO DATE, THE EVIDENCE SUGGESTS THAT MOST FAILURES HAVE DEVELOPED SLOWLY OVER TIME WITH THE OPERATOR NOTINGDIFFICULTY STARTING THE MOTORCYCLE,AND A SMELL OF MELTING INSULATION, (NO FIRES ARE REPORTED).IN THE MAJORITY OF REPORTS, THE PROBLEM IS NOTED WHILE STARTING THE MOTORCYCLE.MANY REPORTS STATE THE ENGINE STALLED WHEN THE STARTER BUTTON WAS INITIALLY RELEASED. FOR THE HEADLIGHT PROBLEM, MANY OF THE CIRCUIT OVERLOAD REPORTS WERE DUE TO THE INSTALLATION OF AFTERMARKET ELECTRICAL EQUIPMENT.CURRENTLY, NO DEFECT TREND HAS BEEN IDENTIFIED WARRANTING FURTHER EXPENDITURE OF AGENCY RESOURCES AT THIS TIME.THE CLOSING OF THIS INVESTIGATION DOES NOT CONSTITUTE A FINDING BY THE AGENCY THAT NO SAFETY RELATED DEFECT EXISTS.ODI WILL CONTINUE TO MONITOR THIS ISSUE CLOSELY AND SHOULD CIRCUMSTANCES CHANGE, ODI WILL TAKE APPROPRIATE ACTION.
2002 Honda VFR800 Problems, Complaints & Recalls | Skip That Year
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