Engine And Engine Cooling. Review the 1 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
Power Train. Review the 1 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
Structure. 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

Engine And Engine Cooling complaints

1 reports

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Mileage unknown · May 5, 2012

Engine And Engine Cooling

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THE PURPOSE OF THIS MESSAGE IS TO BRING TO YOUR ATTENTION A DEFECT IN THE KAWASAKI ZX-14 WHICH MAY PRESENT A POTENTIAL DANGER TO OWNERS OF THIS MODEL. SHORTLY AFTER PURCHASING MY BIKE I WAS INFORMED OF A RECALL CONCERNING AN ISSUE WITH THE ENGINE MOUNTING BOLTS. WHILE MECHANICS CERTIFIED MY BIKE TO BE WITHIN PROPER GUIDELINES, THEY ALSO NOTICED A KNOCKING SOUND IN THE MOTOR. AFTER AN AUDITORY INSPECTION, THE MECHANICS DEEMED MY BIKE SAFE TO RIDE. HOWEVER, THERE WAS NO EXPLANATION PROVIDED FOR THE UNUSUAL SOUND FROM INSIDE THE ENGINE. SINCE THAT TIME I HAVE PUT OVER 6,000 MILES ON THE BIKE, AND THE LOUD KNOCKING SOUND PERSISTS. EARLIER THIS WEEK I WAS SEARCHING FOR INFORMATION ON AN AFTER MARKET COOLING FAN FOR MY BIKE, AND DISCOVERED A HOST OF ZX14 FORUMS WHICH ADDRESSED THE ISSUE OF THE LOUD KNOCKING OR "CLUNKING" SOUND FROM THE ENGINE. I LEARNED THAT BOTH MECHANICS AND FACTORY REPS CLAIMED THE ENGINE NOISE WAS NORMAL, BUT IT SEEMS NONE COULD ADEQUATELY EXPLAIN WHAT IS CAUSING THIS TO OCCUR. AT LEAST ONE CUSTOMER INDICATED HIS ENGINE ULTIMATELY FAILED WHILE HE WAS RIDING. I HAVE HEARD THEORIES SUCH AS CLUTCH NOISE, THE BALANCER, AND THE CAM CHAIN. I AM CONCERNED THIS PROBLEM COULD LEAD TO MORE ENGINE FAILURES OR POSSIBLE ACCIDENTS. UNFORTUNATELY, MOST OF US HAVE EXPIRED WARRANTIES, WHILE THE SERVICE DEPARTMENTS AND KAWASAKI'S FACTORY REPS ARE AWARE OF THE KNOCKING NOISE. I AM ASKING YOU TO INVESTIGATE THIS PROBLEM IN ORDER TO DISCOVER A POSSIBLE PROBLEM AND A FAIR SOLUTION, OR DEEM THESE BIKES SAFE FOR US TO RIDE. IF THERE IS A PROBLEM, KAWASAKI SHOULD RECTIFY THIS SITUATION IMMEDIATELY. THANK YOU SO VERY MUCH FOR YOUR ATTENTION TO THIS MATTER. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10457547

Official recalls

No 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

PE08021 · Frame Fracture/suspension Collapse

Opened Mar 24, 2008 · Closed Jul 2, 2008

Status: closed (inferred from source dates) · Structure:frame And Members

THIS PE WAS OPENED BASED ON OWNER COMPLAINTS, EWR FIELD REPORTS, AND WEB FORUM DISCUSSIONS ALLEGING THAT SOME MY 2006-2007 KAWASAKI ZX14 HIGH PERFORMANCE MOTORCYCLES' REAR SUSPENSION COLLAPSED DUE TO CROSSMEMBER FAILURE.IN ITS RECALL FILING, KAWASAKI WROTE, THE LOWER REAR ENGINE MOUNT HAS A THREADED COLLAR DESIGNED TO ELIMINATE CLEARANCE BETWEEN THE FRAME AND THE ENGINE CASES BEFORE THE ENGINE MOUNTING BOLT IS TIGHTENED.ON SOME OF THE AFFECTED UNITS, THE COLLAR WAS TIGHTENED EXCESSIVELY, WHICH CREATED STRESS ACROSS THE LOWER CROSSMEMBER.KAWASAKI DEALERS ARE INSTRUCTED TO INSPECT THE AFFECTED UNITS AND INSTALL A NEW FRAME ON THOSE ZX14'S WITH SUSPECT CROSSMEMBERS.IN ITS OWNER NOTIFICATION LETTER, KAWASAKI CAUTIONS THAT A FRAME REPLACEMENT MAY REQUIRE A FEW WEEKS DUE TO THE TIME REQUIRED TO PREPARE AND SHIP THE NEW FRAME AND LABELS WITH THE CORRECT VEHICLE IDENTIFICATION NUMBER.