3 distinct campaigns affect this selection. Announcement dates below are different from vehicle model years. A campaign may cover multiple years.
08V052000 · Exterior Lighting:Tail Lights
Reported: 2008-02-05 (February 5, 2008) · Model years: 2008
KAWASAKI IS RECALLING 532 MY 2008 NINJA EX250J8F AND EX250J8FL MOTORCYCLES. THE TAIL LIGHT BULB MAY PREMATURELY FAIL.
Consequence: INAPPROPRIATE LIGHTING COULD REDUCE VISIBILITY CREATING THE POSSIBILITY OF A CRASH RESULTING IN INJURY OR DEATH.
Remedy: DEALERS WILL REPLACE THE TAIL LIGHT BULB FREE OF CHARGE. THE RECALL BEGAN ON FEBRUARY 4, 2008. OWNERS MAY CONTACT KAWASAKI AT 866-802-9381.
NHTSA campaign record ↗08V115000 · Service Brakes, Hydraulic:Foundation Components:Hoses, Lines/Piping, And Fittings
Reported: 2008-03-11 (March 11, 2008) · Model years: 2008
KAWASAKI IS RECALLING CERTAIN MY 2008 EX250J8F AND EX250J8FL MOTORCYCLES. THE FRONT BRAKE HOSE MAY BE DAMAGED OVER A LONG PERIOD OF USE. THE BRAKE HOSE TENDS TO DEFLECT FORWARD DURING SUSPENSION TRAVEL. THIS ALLOWS THE BRAKE HOSE TO CONTACT THE EDGE OF THE FRONT FORK OUTER TUBE.
Consequence: OVER TIME, THIS CONTACT COULD DAMAGE THE BRAKE HOSE CAUSING THE BRAKE FLUID TO LEAK AND RESULTING IN A LACK OF FRONT BRAKE PERFORMANCE. THIS CAN CREATE THE RISK OF A CRASH.
Remedy: DEALERS WILL REPLACE THE FRONT BRAKE HOSE BRACKET. THE RECALL BEGAN ON MARCH 17, 2008. OWNERS MAY CONTACT KAWASAKI AT 1-866-802-9381.
Reported: 2008-04-08 (April 8, 2008) · Model years: 2008
KAWASAKI IS RECALLING 487 MY 2008 EX250J8F AND EX250J8FL MOTORCYCLES. AN ENGINE CRANKCASE VENT HOLE IN THE AIR FILTER BOX MAY BE BLOCKED. IF SO, AIR PRESSURE CAN BUILD UP INSIDE THE ENGINE, CAUSING THE CYLINDER HEAD COVER GASKET TO FAIL AND LEAK OIL.
Consequence: IF ENOUGH OIL LEAKS FROM THE ENGINE, IT COULD DRIP OR SPRAY ONTO THE REAR TIRE. THIS CAN CREATE THE RISK OF A CRASH, POSSIBLY RESULTING IN INJURY OR DEATH.
Remedy: DEALERS WILL INSPECT AND REPAIR THE AIR FILTER BOX AND REPLACE THE NECESSARY COMPONENTS FREE OF CHARGE. THE RECALL BEGAN ON MARCH 17, 2008. OWNERS MAY CONTACT KAWASAKI AT 1-866-802-9381.
Inspect model-year patterns, reported mileage, monthly activity and the evidence behind each signal.
Data completeness
1 unique complaints in this selection. Analysis snapshot: 2026-10-01.
100.0%Usable mileage1 / 1 records
100.0%Valid incident date1 / 1 records
100.0%Valid filing date1 / 1 records
100.0%Ordered incident and filing dates1 / 1 records
Missing, zero and invalid mileage is excluded. Dates after the snapshot are excluded. Examples are limited selections, not a representative sample.
Problems by model year
Model-wide comparison of the eight most reported components across the model. Cells show counts and shares within each model year. Open a cell for source examples.
Component complaint heatmap
Component
2008
Electrical System
1100.0%ODI 10454028 · 29,300 mi
MAIN WIRING HARNESS HOLDER HOOKS HAS WORN THROUGH THE INSULATION OF WIRES, CAUSING BARE SPOTS ON HOT WIRES. IT BEGAN AS NO HEADLAMP BEING LIT, THEN PROGRESSED TO A NO START SITUATION (HAD TO BUMP START IT), THEN PROGRESSED TO BLOWING FUSE. *TR WHEN I WAS TOLD WHAT WAS WRONG, I WAS TOLD BECAUSE OF VIBRATION.
Darker cells indicate a larger share of submitted complaints. Components overlap. This measures complaint composition, not failure probability.
Failure mileage by component
Median and middle 50% of usable owner-reported mileages. Ranges require at least five records.
Component failure mileage distribution
Component
Mileage range (25th–75th percentile)
Median
Usable records
Examples
Electrical System
Too few reports for a range
29,300 mi
1 (sparse)
ODI 10454028 · 29,300 mi
MAIN WIRING HARNESS HOLDER HOOKS HAS WORN THROUGH THE INSULATION OF WIRES, CAUSING BARE SPOTS ON HOT WIRES. IT BEGAN AS NO HEADLAMP BEING LIT, THEN PROGRESSED TO A NO START SITUATION (HAD TO BUMP START IT), THEN PROGRESSED TO BLOWING FUSE. *TR WHEN I WAS TOLD WHAT WAS WRONG, I WAS TOLD BECAUSE OF VIBRATION.
Explore monthly filing activity alongside recall announcements. Up to ten years of monthly history is available.
Solid line: filed complaints. Dashed amber lines: recall announcement dates for this vehicle selection; markers include all recall components. The latest month is partial. Temporal proximity does not establish causation.
Monthly counts, recall campaigns and complaint examples
Monthly complaint and recall timeline
Month
Complaints
Campaigns announced
Examples
2024-11
0
None
No examples available for this selection.
2024-12
0
None
No examples available for this selection.
2025-01
0
None
No examples available for this selection.
2025-02
0
None
No examples available for this selection.
2025-03
0
None
No examples available for this selection.
2025-04
0
None
No examples available for this selection.
2025-05
0
None
No examples available for this selection.
2025-06
0
None
No examples available for this selection.
2025-07
0
None
No examples available for this selection.
2025-08
0
None
No examples available for this selection.
2025-09
0
None
No examples available for this selection.
2025-10
0
None
No examples available for this selection.
2025-11
0
None
No examples available for this selection.
2025-12
0
None
No examples available for this selection.
2026-01
0
None
No examples available for this selection.
2026-02
0
None
No examples available for this selection.
2026-03
0
None
No examples available for this selection.
2026-04
0
None
No examples available for this selection.
2026-05
0
None
No examples available for this selection.
2026-06
0
None
No examples available for this selection.
2026-07
0
None
No examples available for this selection.
2026-08
0
None
No examples available for this selection.
2026-09
0
None
No examples available for this selection.
2026-10 (partial)
0
None
No examples available for this selection.
Emerging complaint spikes
Complete months in the latest six months with at least 10 complaints, at least twice the preceding 12-month average, and at least three square-root deviations above that average.
This is a descriptive screening rule, not a statistical defect finding. Publicity and reporting changes can increase submissions.
No complete months meet the spike thresholds for this selection.
Equal-age model-year comparison
Model-wide cumulative reports during the first three or five calendar years, starting with the model year (age 0). Only fully elapsed windows are compared.
2008: 0 complaints
Equal observation windows
Model year
Through age 0
Through age 1
Through age 2
2008
0
0
0
Date coverage across each selected cohort
Date basis for all complaints in selected model years
Year
Incident dates used
Filing date fallbacks
Excluded dates
2008
1
0
0
Incident date is preferred when valid and no later than filing; otherwise filing date is used. Model year approximates age. Equal observation time does not adjust for sales, distance driven or reporting delays. One complaint linked to multiple model years can appear in each cohort.
Components reported together
Each cell counts unique complaints naming both components. Open a nonzero cell for examples.
Component co-occurrence matrix
Component
Electrical System
Electrical System
—
Co-reporting does not establish that one component caused another concern.
Recurring narrative patterns
Specific keyword mentions beyond broad component labels. Matching includes negations and comparisons and does not confirm a diagnosis.
1 patterns with matching reports.
Battery drain and no-start mentions
1 mentions · 100.0% of complaints
Median mileage: 29,300 mi (1 usable records).
ODI 10454028 · 29,300 mi
MAIN WIRING HARNESS HOLDER HOOKS HAS WORN THROUGH THE INSULATION OF WIRES, CAUSING BARE SPOTS ON HOT WIRES. IT BEGAN AS NO HEADLAMP BEING LIT, THEN PROGRESSED TO A NO START SITUATION (HAD TO BUMP START IT), THEN PROGRESSED TO BLOWING FUSE. *TR WHEN I WAS TOLD WHAT WAS WRONG, I WAS TOLD BECAUSE OF VIBRATION.