IllustrationKAWASAKI 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
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
Fuel System, Gasoline complaints
3 reportsISSUE: 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
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.