Reported: 2018-06-29 (June 29, 2018) · Model years: 2018
Suzuki Motor of America, Inc. (Suzuki) is recalling certain 2018 Suzuki DR-Z400S and DR-Z400SM motorcycles. During assembly the resin that fills the rear brake stop lamp switch may have adhered to the internal contacts, which can prevent the brake lamp from illuminating.
Consequence: If the brake lights do not illuminate, it can increase the risk of a crash.
Remedy: Suzuki will notify owners, and dealers will install a new stop lamp switch assembly, free of charge. The recall began on July 16, 2018. Owners may contact Suzuki customer service at 1-800-934-0934. Suzuki's number for this recall is 2A84.
Reported: 2025-12-17 (December 17, 2025) · Model years: 2025, 2026
Suzuki Motor USA, LLC (Suzuki) is recalling certain 2025-2026 DR-Z400S and 2025 DR-Z400SM motorcycles. The reservoir tank cap fixing screws may have been incorrectly tightened, allowing brake fluid to leak. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) number 122, “Motorcycle Brake Systems.”
Consequence: A brake fluid leak can reduce braking ability, increasing the distance required to stop and the risk of a crash.
Remedy: Dealers will tighten the screws, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed January 9, 2026. Owners may contact Suzuki customer service at 1-800-934-0934. Vehicle Identification Numbers (VINs) involved in this recall became searchable on NHTSA.gov on December 20, 2025.
Inspect model-year patterns, reported mileage, monthly activity and the evidence behind each signal.
Data completeness
4 unique complaints in this selection. Analysis snapshot: 2026-10-01.
75.0%Usable mileage3 / 4 records
100.0%Valid incident date4 / 4 records
100.0%Valid filing date4 / 4 records
100.0%Ordered incident and filing dates4 / 4 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
2018
2025
2026
Electrical System:12v/24v/48v Battery
0Unavailable
No examples available for this selection.
0Unavailable
No examples available for this selection.
0Unavailable
No examples available for this selection.
Engine
0Unavailable
No examples available for this selection.
0Unavailable
No examples available for this selection.
0Unavailable
No examples available for this selection.
Fuel System, Gasoline:Storage:Tank Assembly:Filler Pipe And Cap
0Unavailable
No examples available for this selection.
0Unavailable
No examples available for this selection.
0Unavailable
No examples available for this selection.
Tires
0Unavailable
No examples available for this selection.
0Unavailable
No examples available for this selection.
0Unavailable
No examples available for this selection.
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:12v/24v/48v Battery
Too few reports for a range
200 mi
1 (sparse)
ODI 10228740 · 200 mi
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2007 SUZUKI DRZ400S. WHILE STOPPING THE MOTORCYCLE TO APPROACH A STOP LIGHT, THE BATTERY SPONTANEOUSLY FAILED DISABLING THE VEHICLE. AS A CONSEQUENCE, HE WAS ALMOST REAR ENDED BY ANOTHER VEHICLE. PRIOR TO THE FAILURE THE THE BATTERY FAILED THREE TIMES. THE DEALER AND A TECHNICIAN STATED THAT THE BATTERY WAS TO SMALL FOR THE VEHICLE AND THE ONLY WAY TO REMEDY THE PROBLEM WAS TO KEEP THE BATTERY ON THE TRICKLE CHARGE FOR 24 HOURS. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 200 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE IS 700.…
THE HEAD GASKET ON MY DR-Z400 BLEW AT 45 MPH WITH ONLY 4100 MILES, I USUALLY ONLY DRIVE THE MOTORCYCLE DURING THE SUMMER, AND I ALWAYS PUT NEW OIL AND NEW RADIATOR FLUID, AND DO ALL MAINTENANCE BEFORE I TAKE THE MOTORCYCLE OUT FOR THE YEAR, I WAS TRAVELING ABOUT 45 ON THE ROAD AND THE HEAD GASKET BLEW OUT, WHEN I GOT IT HOME AND TOOK THE HEAD OFF TO REPLACE THE HEAD GASKET, IT HAD PITTED ON THE UPPER AND LOWER SURFACES OF THE HEAD WHERE THE HEAD GASKET FITS FROM HOT GASES. HOWEVER, AFTER TAKING ALL THE ITEMS TO GET DOWN TO UNTORQUE THE HEAD BOL…
Fuel System, Gasoline:Storage:Tank Assembly:Filler Pipe And Cap
Too few reports for a range
1,500 mi
1 (sparse)
ODI 10155726 · 1,500 mi
DT*: THE CONTACT STATED WHILE DRIVING OFF ROAD IN WARM WEATHER THE MOTORCYCLE RUNS ROUGH AND THERE IS A GAS SMELL. THE GAS CAP WAS TAKEN OFF OF THE VEHICLE; GASOLINE SPURTED FROM THE GAS TANK. THE DEALER STATED THE MOTORCYCLE NEEDED A VENTED GAS CAP, HOWEVER DUE TO THE MOTORCYCLE BEING OFF ROAD AND STREET LEGAL THERE IS NOT A VENTED GAS CAP AVAILABLE. THE MANUFACTURER HAS NOT BEEN ALERTED.
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
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.
2007: 1 complaints · 2018: 0 complaints
Equal observation windows
Model year
Through age 0
Through age 1
Through age 2
2007
0
1
1
2018
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
2007
1
0
0
2018
0
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:12v/24v/48v Battery
Engine
Fuel System, Gasoline:Storage:Tank Assembly:Filler Pipe And Cap
Tires
Electrical System:12v/24v/48v Battery
—
0
0
0
Engine
0
—
0
0
Fuel System, Gasoline:Storage:Tank Assembly:Filler Pipe And Cap
0
0
—
0
Tires
0
0
0
—
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.
Fuel smell or leak mentions
1 mentions · 25.0% of complaints
Median mileage: 1,500 mi (1 usable records).
ODI 10155726 · 1,500 mi
DT*: THE CONTACT STATED WHILE DRIVING OFF ROAD IN WARM WEATHER THE MOTORCYCLE RUNS ROUGH AND THERE IS A GAS SMELL. THE GAS CAP WAS TAKEN OFF OF THE VEHICLE; GASOLINE SPURTED FROM THE GAS TANK. THE DEALER STATED THE MOTORCYCLE NEEDED A VENTED GAS CAP, HOWEVER DUE TO THE MOTORCYCLE BEING OFF ROAD AND STREET LEGAL THERE IS NOT A VENTED GAS CAP AVAILABLE. THE MANUFACTURER HAS NOT BEEN ALERTED.