1999 SUZUKI INTRUDER 1500 TRANSMISSION JUMPS OUT OF 4TH GEAR REGULARLY UNDER NORMAL RIDING SUZUKI SAYS THERE IS NO PROBLEMS. *AK
1999 Suzuki Intruder
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 Intruder years →Counts vary with age, sales and reporting. They are not failure rates.
What owners reported most
All reported categories
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When problems were reported
Mileage at the reported incident
Limited mileage data: 3 of 14 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.
- Service Brakes, Hydraulic. Review the 6 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Power Train. 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 →
NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.
What owners actually said
14 reports1999 SUZUKI VL-1500LC. HAS HAD SHIFTING ISSUES SINCE IT WAS PURCHASED WITH FALSE NEUTRAL BETWEEN 4TH ADN 5TH GEARS. JULY 23, 2003 THE MAIN TRANSMISSION DRIVE SHAFT FAILED/BROKE WHILE DRIVING DOWN I-90 LEAVING SEATTLE. *LA
TRANSMISSION FAILURE. THE BIKE WILL NOT STAY IN 4TH GEAR UNDER LOAD. IT POPS OUT LEAVING THE TRANSMISSION BETWEEN 3 & 4TH. THIS COULD BE A MAJOR A SAFETY ISSUE IF IT EVER DOES IT WHILE I'M PASSING VEHICLES. THIS HAS BEEN ON GOING SINCE THE BIKE WAS FIRST PURCHASED. *PH
1999 SUZUKI VL 1500LC MOTORCYCLE HAS TERRIBLE FRONT BRAKES. THEY FADE REAL BAD AFTER ONE MODERATE STOP FROM NORMAL FREEWAY SPEEDS. MANY OWNERS ARE HAVING TO DO AFTER MARKET MODIFICATIONS TO BRING FUNCTIONALITY TO AN ACCEPTABLE LEVEL. SUZUKI MUST HAVE KNOWN THIS AS THEY THOROUGHLY REDESIGNED THE SYSTEM FROM YEAR MODEL 2002 TO PRE…
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1999 SUZUKI VL 1500LC MOTORCYCLE HAS TERRIBLE FRONT BRAKES. THEY FADE REAL BAD AFTER ONE MODERATE STOP FROM NORMAL FREEWAY SPEEDS. MANY OWNERS ARE HAVING TO DO AFTER MARKET MODIFICATIONS TO BRING FUNCTIONALITY TO AN ACCEPTABLE LEVEL. SUZUKI MUST HAVE KNOWN THIS AS THEY THOROUGHLY REDESIGNED THE SYSTEM FROM YEAR MODEL 2002 TO PRESENT. I HAVE COME CLOSE TO HAVING SEVERAL ACCIDENTS DUE TO BRAKE FADE DURING A HARD PANIC STOP. *NLM
BOTH FRONT AND REAR BRAKES ARE NOT WORKING, THEY WEAR OUT PREMATURALLY, 5500 MILES OF PADS ON REAR DISK (DISK SCORED) AND ONLY 11000 OFF FRONT.
CONSUMER DIDN'T KNOW THAT THERE WAS A FLAW IN THE CASTING. THE MANUFACTURER WAS GOING TO REPLACE THE CRANKCASE WHEN AN OIL LEAK DEVELOPED FROM THIS PROBLEM. TO DO THE REPAIRS, THEY WOULD HAVE TO CRACK THE MOTOR OPEN, AND IT WOULD NEVER SEAL THE WAY IT DID FROM THE FACTORY. *AK
AT EVERY 2400 MILES REAR BRAKES WILL WEAR OUT, POSSIBLY DUE TO CALIPERS STICKING. *AK
PLEASE GO TO THE FOLLOWING WEBSITE TO READ MULTIPLE COMPLAINTS ON THIS VEHICLE, HTTP://UNDERWRITE.COM/SUZUKI/PAGE4.HTML
WHILE IDLING, REAR BRAKE LINE CAUGHT ON FIRE. MANUFACTURER WARRANTY REP CLAIMED THAT IT IS NORMAL FOR THIS BIKE TO OVERHEAT IF LEFT IDLING TOO LONG. THIS INCIDENT HAPPENED AFTER IDLING FOR 15 MINUTES IN 30 DEGREE WEATHER.
THERE ARE QUIT A FEW OF THESE MOTORCYCLES OUT THERE WITH FAILING BACK BRAKES BECAUSE THE POISTON IN THE CALIPPER HANGS UP AND CAUSES WARE AND THE BRAKE TO LOCK UP. IT IS ALL OVER THE INTERNET ON THE 1500LC FORUM AND WE CAN'T GET THE MANUFACTURE TO DO ANDTHING ABOUT THE PROBLEM. I THINK THE FIX IS OUT THERE BUT THEY WON'T RECONIS…
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THERE ARE QUIT A FEW OF THESE MOTORCYCLES OUT THERE WITH FAILING BACK BRAKES BECAUSE THE POISTON IN THE CALIPPER HANGS UP AND CAUSES WARE AND THE BRAKE TO LOCK UP. IT IS ALL OVER THE INTERNET ON THE 1500LC FORUM AND WE CAN'T GET THE MANUFACTURE TO DO ANDTHING ABOUT THE PROBLEM. I THINK THE FIX IS OUT THERE BUT THEY WON'T RECONISE THE PROBLEM.THIS COULD LEAD TO SOMEONE LOSING CONTROL AND NEEDS TO BE ADDRESSED BY SUZUKI
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.
Illustration