The 2002 Honda VFR800 has 2 safety recalls and 6 owner complaints on file with NHTSA. The most-reported problem area is electrical system (5 complaints).
Recalls2safety recalls
Complaints6filed by owners
Crashes · fires0 · 0reported in complaints
Injuries · deaths0 · 0reported in complaints
Safety recalls
Electrical system › Wiring
NHTSA recall 07V359000 · Aug 15, 2007 · 6,952 vehicles · opened after NHTSA action (ODI)
Problem: 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.
Risk: AS A RESULT, A LOSS OF CRITICAL LIGHTING OR ENGINE POWER COULD OCCUR WITHOUT WARNING, WHICH COULD CAUSE A CRASH.
Fix: 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.
Service brakes, hydraulic
NHTSA recall 05V010000 · Jan 24, 2005 · 36,046 vehicles
Problem: 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.
Risk: 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.
Fix: 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.
Recall repairs are free at any authorised dealer. A recall listed here may already have been fixed on a particular car: enter its 17-character VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls to see open recalls.
What owners report
Problem area
Complaints
Crashes
Fires
Injuries
Typical mileage*
Electrical system Wiring › Fuses and circuit breakers; Wiring
5
0
0
0
20,054 mi
Exterior lighting Headlights; Turn signal
2
0
0
0
—
Engine and engine cooling
1
0
0
0
—
Unknown or other
1
0
0
0
—
*Median odometer reading when the problem happened, where owners gave one. One complaint can name several problem areas.
Recent owner complaints
Jun 13, 2008Unknown 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:WIRING) ON THE VEHICLE, WHICH THE DEALERS ARE REFUSING TO ACKNOWLEDGE DUE TO THEIR ERROR. THERE HAD BEEN NO FAILURE TO DATE.
Jan 10, 2007 · 17,000 milesElectrical system 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…
Aug 4, 2006 · 9,000 milesElectrical system › Wiring › Fuses and circuit breakers 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
Sep 4, 2006 · 20,054 milesElectrical system › Wiring 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
Nov 1, 2005 · 56,000 milesElectrical system › Wiring › Fuses and circuit breakers 30AMP MAIN FUSE HOLDER MELTING. ENGINE STOPPED ON FREEWAY. *NM
Aug 15, 2002 · 43,000 milesElectrical 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
Owner complaints are submitted to NHTSA by the public and are not verified. Shown as filed (NHTSA removes personal details); long reports are shortened.
NHTSA defect investigations
AQ12001 · opened May 14, 2012 · closed May 13, 2013Southern Honda Powersports 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…
PE05047 · opened Sep 2, 2005 · closed Dec 20, 2005 · led to recall 07V359000STALLING & SUDDEN HEADLIGHT OUTAGE 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…