What owners actually said

2 reports

Mileage unknown · Sep 27, 2005

Engine And Engine CoolingCrash

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DT: THE OWNER'S MOTORCYCLE WHEEL LOCKED THREE YEARS AGO. THE INCIDENT OCCURRED WHILE DRIVING AT A LOW SPEED. IT SOUNDED LIKE IT BACKFIRED, AND THEN THE WHEEL LOCKED. THERE WAS A SKID, AND ENTIRE ENGINE LOCKED . THE OWNER WAS GOING SLOW ENOUGH TO CATCH HIMSELF. THE MOTORCYCLE STILL HAD NOT BEEN TAKEN TODEALER FOR REPAIRS. THE SIDE COVER WAS REMOVED FROM THE MOTOR. THE MOTORCYCLE HAS AN ELECTRICAL START, THE REDUCTION GEARS TURNED SIDEWAYS INSIDE THE MOTOR WHEN THE SKID OCCURRED. THIS CAUSED THE ENGINE TO LOCK AND SKID OUT OF CONTROL. ALTHOUGH THE MOTORCYCLE DID NOT HIT THE GROUND THE OWNER CONSIDERED THIS A CRASH. SUZUKI MODEL DR650SE. *AK

NHTSA ODI #10137911

Mileage unknown · Jul 22, 2005

Engine And Engine Cooling

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I'M HOPING YOU COVER MOTORCYCLE RECALLS. THIS IS A PROBLEM I DISCOVERED ON MY '99 SUZUKI DR-350SE (STREET LEGAL DIRTBIKE). THE WEBSITE WHICH DISCUSSES THE DEFECT IN DETAIL IS LOCATED AT : HTTP://WWW.KIENTECH.COM/TOPPAGE1.HTM KIEN TECH ENGINEERING IS A PERFORMANCE SHOP SPECIALIZING IN SUZUKI 350/400 DIRTBIKES. APPARENTLY, THEY HAVE CONTACTED SUZUKI ABOUT HIS ISSUE. I HAVE NOT HAD A FAILURE OF THIS KIND. BUT I WOULD CERTAINLY THINK A RECALL IS IN ORDER IF THIS CLAIM IS TRUE. THE RESULTS OF THIS FAILURE IS ENGINE SEIZURE AND POSSIBLY DEATH. I WILL COPY KEIN TECH'S DESCRIPTION OF THE PROBLEM: DR350 CRANK SHAFT FAILURE ALERT EXPLAINED THE SUBJECT THAT I WANT TO COVER IS THE DR350 CONCERNING FAILURES OF THE ENGINE DUE TO A HOLE IN THE CRANKSHAFT THAT IS SUPPOSE TO LOCK THE DRIVE GEAR FOR THE COUNTER BALANCER TO THE CRANKSHAFT. THIS INDEXING HOLE IS SUPPOSED TO BE DRILLED JUST DEEP ENOUGH TO KEEP THE LOCKING PIN THAT IS PRESSED INTO THE COUNTER BALANCING DRIVE GEAR FROM ESCAPING. WELL SOME WHERE SOME ONE AT THE CRANK FACTORY IS DRILLING THIS HOLE CLEAR THROUGH THE RIGHT CRANK HALF. THIS ALLOWS THE LOCKING PIN TO MOVE INTO THE CRANK IF ITS PRESS FIT HAPPENS TO BE MARGINAL. WHEN THIS HAPPENS TO A POINT OF ESCAPING THE DRIVE GEAR THE CRANKSHAFT AND COUNTER BALANCER ARE NO LONGER TIMED THE ROD HITS THE HEAVY COUNTER BALANCER WEIGHT AND BLOWS IT RIGHT OUT THE FRONT OF THE ENGINE. THIS DESTROYS THE CASES, COUNTERBALANCER, CYLINDER SLEEVE AND CRANKSHAFT. I HAVE ALSO DISCOVERED THAT CRANK REPAIR NEW PART ( RIGHT CRANK HALF) ARE ALSO AFFECTED WITH THE THROUGH HOLE.

NHTSA ODI #10129676

Official recalls

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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

PE04055 · Rear Wheel Lockup

Opened Aug 3, 2004 · Closed Nov 12, 2004

Status: closed (inferred from source dates) · Engine And Engine Cooling

A BUSINESS SPECIALIZING IN SERVICING DR350'S ALLEGED THAT THE COUNTER-BALANCER GEAR-INDEXING PIN IS NOT PROPERLY RETAINED AND MAY BECOME DISPLACED.THE DISPLACED PIN THEN CAUSES CATASTROPHIC ENGINE FAILURE WITH POSSIBLE REAR-WHEEL LOCKUP.AFTER OPENING THIS PE, ODI GATHERED INFORMATION FROM AMERICAN SUZUKI MOTOR CORPORATION, SUZUKI DEALERS, INDEPENDENT MOTORCYCLE REPAIR SHOPS, AND SUBJECT MOTORCYCLE OWNERS.WE FOCUSED ON THE DUAL-PURPOSE VARIANTS OF THE DR350 MODEL LINEUP AS THESE ARE THE ONLY STREET-LEGAL VERSIONS THAT, CONSEQUENTLY, ARE WITHIN OUR JURISDICTION.THE LONE CRASH, OCCURING IN 1997, INVOLVED A MY 1997 DR350SE DUAL-PURPOSE MOTORCYCLE, WITH ONE MINOR INJURY.THE CRASH ALLEGEDLY OCCURRED WHEN THE ENGINE'S COUNTER-BALANCER BECAME MIS-TIMED AND COLLIDED WITH THE ENGINE'S CONNECTING ROD, RESULTING IN REAR WHEEL LOCK-UP.HOWEVER, BASED ON THE FACT THAT THERE ARE 3 FAILURES ON VEHICLES THAT ARE 5 TO 10 YEARS OLD, NO DEFECT TREND HAS BEEN IDENTIFIED AT THIS TIME.FURTHER USE OF AGENCY RESOURCES DOES NOT APPEAR TO BE WARRANTED.THE CLOSING OF THIS INVESTIGATION DOES NOT CONSTITUTE A FINDING BY NHTSA THAT A SAFETY-RELATED DEFECT DOES NOT EXIST.THE AGENCY WILL TAKE FURTHER ACTION IF WARRANTED BY THE CIRCUMSTANCES.