IllustrationFRAME CRACKING IN THE EXACT SAME SPOT SEVERAL OTHER PEOPLE ARE REPORTING SAME CRACK IN FRAME RIGHT SIDE OF FRAME DIRECTLY UNDER FRONT PORTION OF THE FRAME PAD
2004 Kawasaki Ninja
Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations
Limited comparison data
There is not enough comparable history to draw a useful model-year comparison.
About this comparison →How this year compares
Owner complaints by model year
Compare all Ninja years →Counts vary with age, sales and reporting. They are not failure rates.
What owners reported most
All reported categories
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 7 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.
- Fuel System, Gasoline. Review the 3 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Structure. Review the 2 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.
2 crash reports0 fire reports1 injury reports
What owners actually said
7 reportsKAWASAKI MOTORCYCLE RECALL CUSTOMER STATES THAT KAWASKI DOESN'T WANT HIM TO RIDE THE BIKE TO THE DEALERSHIP SO THEY SHOULD PAY FOR THE TOW TRUCK CHARGE **CC *TR
ONLY ON LEFT HAND TURNS WOULD THE TROTTLE STICK. ACCELATED VERY FAST. THE DEALER HAS ONLY LOOKED AT IT, AND CAN'T GET IT TO STICK.
ISSUE: A FAILURE OF THE WATER TEMPERATURE SENSOR CAUSES A SURGE IN POWER. DESCRIPTION OF EVENTS LEADING TO FAILURE: WAS MOVING A 2004 KAWASAKI NINJA ZX-6RR IN A PARKING LOT, COLD WEATHER (35 DEGREES). AT A CONSTANT SPEED, THE BIKE SURGED IN RPM, CAUSING THE REAR TIRE TO BREAK TRACTION, CRASHING THE BIKE. NO ONE ELSE WAS INV…
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ISSUE: A FAILURE OF THE WATER TEMPERATURE SENSOR CAUSES A SURGE IN POWER. DESCRIPTION OF EVENTS LEADING TO FAILURE: WAS MOVING A 2004 KAWASAKI NINJA ZX-6RR IN A PARKING LOT, COLD WEATHER (35 DEGREES). AT A CONSTANT SPEED, THE BIKE SURGED IN RPM, CAUSING THE REAR TIRE TO BREAK TRACTION, CRASHING THE BIKE. NO ONE ELSE WAS INVOLVED. AS PER THE DEBUG STEPS IN THE SERVICE MANUAL, THE EFI COMPUTER HELD A SERVICE CODE FOR A WATER TEMPERATURE SENSOR FAILURE IN THE HISTORY (BIKE HAS 1200 MILES ON IT). AS PER THE KAWASAKI FACTORY SERVICE MANUAL, THE DFI SYSTEM TROUBLESHOOTING GUIDE, ONE OF THE THREE CAUSES OF A SURGE IS "WATER TEMPERATURE SENSOR TROUBLE". WHAT HAS BEEN DONE TO CORRECT THE FAILURE: THE DEALERSHIP CONTACTED KAWASAKI, AND DESPITE THE RECORDED DIAGNOSTICS INFORMATION HAS ATTRIBUTED THIS TO "OPERATOR ERROR". KAWASAKI WILL NOT ADDRESS AN ISSUE UNLESS IT IS CURRENTLY HAPPENING. INJURIES WHERE - HEAD HAD ABRASION (HEALED IN 1 WEEK) - KNEECAP NEEDED TO BE STITCHED UP AND IMMOBILIZED FOR 2 WEEKS (STILL HEALING, BUT SEEMS TO BE JUST FINE.) *JB
THE REPLACEMENT WHEELS FOR FRONT WHEEL RECALL 04V373000 HAVE NOT BEEN AVAILABLE FOR 3 MONTHS, AND DEALERSHIP DOESN'T KNOW WHEN THEY WILL BECOME AVAILABLE.*AK
1) NORMAL USE (VEHICLE IS A BOAT TRAILER) LOAD RITE DOUBLE PWC TRAILER 2)A) TAIL LIGHTS FAILED UNDER NORMAL USE WATER CAUSED CORROSION OF CONTACTS FROM NORMAL LAUNCHING AND RETRIEVAL. B) GALVANIZED BRACKET HOLDING STEEL FENDER IN PLACE CRACKED AT BEND, ENSUING VIBRATION BROKE SIDE SAFETY LIGHT. POTENTIAL FOR HIGHWAY LOSS AND D…
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1) NORMAL USE (VEHICLE IS A BOAT TRAILER) LOAD RITE DOUBLE PWC TRAILER 2)A) TAIL LIGHTS FAILED UNDER NORMAL USE WATER CAUSED CORROSION OF CONTACTS FROM NORMAL LAUNCHING AND RETRIEVAL. B) GALVANIZED BRACKET HOLDING STEEL FENDER IN PLACE CRACKED AT BEND, ENSUING VIBRATION BROKE SIDE SAFETY LIGHT. POTENTIAL FOR HIGHWAY LOSS AND DAMAGE TO OTHER VEHICLES FROM FLYING DEBRIS. C) GALVANIZED BRACKET HOLDING TAIL LIGHT BROKE CAUSING LOSS OF TAILLIGHT. 3) ALL DEFECTS CORRECTED UNDER WARRANTY, BUT THEIR OCCURRENCE IN THE FIRST SEASON OF OWNERSHIP, WITH LOW USAGE AND LOW MILEAGE (UNDER 1200 MILES) GIVES CONCERN TO QUALITY OF REMAINING STRUCTURAL INTEGRITY OF TRAILER. *JB
LETTER REGARDING A POSSIBLE DEFECT IN THE DIAPHRAGM IN THE FUEL TAP. *PH THE BIKE DID NOT RUN DUE TO TRASH GETTING INSIDE OF THE FUEL TANK. THE BIKE ALSO STALLED WHEN IT REACHED A SPEED OF 53 MPH. THE CONSUMER DISCOVERED THERE WAS NO GAS IN THE FUEL LINE, FUEL FILTER OR THE CARBURETORS. THE CONSUMER FIXED THE PROBLEM BY REMOV…
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LETTER REGARDING A POSSIBLE DEFECT IN THE DIAPHRAGM IN THE FUEL TAP. *PH THE BIKE DID NOT RUN DUE TO TRASH GETTING INSIDE OF THE FUEL TANK. THE BIKE ALSO STALLED WHEN IT REACHED A SPEED OF 53 MPH. THE CONSUMER DISCOVERED THERE WAS NO GAS IN THE FUEL LINE, FUEL FILTER OR THE CARBURETORS. THE CONSUMER FIXED THE PROBLEM BY REMOVING THE DIAPHRAGM AND REPLACING IT WITH A SOLID RUBBER SEAL AND RE-TIGHTENED THE FOUR BOLTS THAT HELD THE FUEL TAP TOGETHER. *JB
Official recalls
0No recalls in this snapshot.
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
0No exact-year investigations in this snapshot.