AI Damage1999 Kawasaki Drifter: common problems
Owners of the 1999 Kawasaki Drifter filed 4 complaints with NHTSA, most often about exterior lighting. Details by component below, with sources.
Key figures
- Owner complaints
- 4
What fails most often
- Exterior lighting: 1 complaints (25% of all).
Components owners complain about
| Component | Owner complaints | involving a crash | Technical service bulletins (TSB) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Exterior lighting | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Other | 3 | 0 | 0 |
What owners report
Short excerpts of NHTSA complaints in the original wording. These are owner statements not verified by NHTSA; personal data removed.
Since it was new the turn signal would come on when I started the motorcycle. The dealer had no solution to the problem when I pointed out that it created a safety issue because, if I failed to turn it off before driving, it would signal other drivers that I was turning when I was not in fact going to do so, making…
When owners complained
NHTSA complaints by filing year. The peak shows at what age the problems show up most.
Comparison
By complaint count this model year ranks 15,521 of 36,656 model years in the NHTSA data (top 42% most complained about).
On average one model year of the Drifter has 3 complaints (2 years in the data). This year has 4, above average.
What to check before buying
- Exterior lighting. Headlamps, leveling, sensors and mounts after a frontal hit.
Other years of this model
Questions and answers
What are the most common problems with the 1999 Kawasaki Drifter?
Owner complaints to NHTSA most often mention: exterior lighting. Total complaints: 4.
How many service bulletins (TSB) were issued for the 1999 Kawasaki Drifter?
NHTSA lists 0 manufacturer service bulletins for this year. A bulletin tells dealers how to diagnose or fix a known issue; it is not a recall.
Should I buy a 1999 Kawasaki Drifter from a US auction?
Owner complaints describe defects, not crash damage. Before bidding, check the components listed above and review the lot photos: VinWind builds a report of visible and hidden damage by VIN.
Other 1999 models
Read also
Sources: public NHTSA data (USA): service bulletins and owner complaints; YouTube: links to videos credited to their authors. Complaints are owner statements not verified by NHTSA, and describe defects rather than crash damage. Data updated 2026-11-05.