Kawasaki Vulcan Nomad Problems by Model Year
NHTSA recorded 13 consumer complaints across the 1 model years of the Kawasaki Vulcan Nomad (1999–1999) that have at least 5 complaints. 1999 has the most, with 13. Across all years, the part named most often is engine cooling (9 mentions). Pick a model year below to see its parts, mileage, recalls and service bulletins.
All Vulcan Nomad model years
Years with fewer than 5 complaints are not listed. The score compares years of the same model, allowing for the era and for how long each year has collected complaints: 50 is a typical year, lower means fewer complaints. It is not adjusted for sales volume.
| Year | Complaints | Median mi | Recalls | TSBs | Score (50 = typical) | Trend |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1999 | 13 | 41,000 | 0 | 0 | — | Not enough data |
Parts named most often, all years
Counts add up complaint mentions across the listed years. A complaint can name several parts.
- Engine cooling9 64%
- Transmission and drivetrain2 14%
- Engine1 7.1%
- Electrical system1 7.1%
- Brakes1 7.1%
Example complaints
One per model year, chosen for length and detail. Personal details are removed. They are consumer reports, not findings.
1999: “I was riding my 1999 Kawasaki Vulcan Nomad at 60mph when with no warning the engine lost power and died out, good thing my hand was covering the clutch. I immediately pulled it in and coasted to the side of the road. Had it towed to my house. Took to mechanic and the gear for the oil pump went out causing damage to the motor. I do not understand why Kawasaki will not do anything about this problem, are they waiting for a huge law suit after someone loses there life. Guess they do not hold there product to the highest regards to quality or customer satisfaction. …”
NHTSA complaint #10465272, filed 2012-07, 19,529 milesOther Kawasaki models
195 complaintsKawasaki Kawasaki
69 complaintsKawasaki Ninja ZX-6R
55 complaintsKawasaki Vulcan
48 complaintsKawasaki Ninja 300
42 complaintsKawasaki Concours 14
34 complaintsKawasaki Ninja
27 complaintsKawasaki Vulcan 1500
18 complaints
About this data. Data from NHTSA (ODI) complaints, recalls, TSBs and investigations, updated Oct 30, 2026. Complaints are unverified consumer reports and may be duplicated or inaccurate. Methodology