AI Damage1999 Suzuki Intruder: common problems
Owners of the 1999 Suzuki Intruder filed 14 complaints with NHTSA, most often about service brakes and powertrain. Details by component below, with sources.
Key figures
- Owner complaints
- 14
- involving a crash
- 1
What fails most often
- 1 Service brakes 43% of all complaints
- 2 Powertrain 36% of all complaints
- 3 Engine and cooling 7% of all complaints
- 4 Suspension 7% of all complaints
- 5 Vehicle speed control 7% of all complaints
- Service brakes: 6 complaints (43% of all).
- Powertrain: 5 complaints (36% of all).
- Engine and cooling: 1 complaints (7% of all).
- Suspension: 1 complaints (7% of all).
- Vehicle speed control: 1 complaints (7% of all).
Symptoms owners describe
How many of the 14 NHTSA complaints mention each symptom (automatic count from complaint text; one complaint can mention several).
Components owners complain about
| Component | Owner complaints | involving a crash | Technical service bulletins (TSB) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Service brakes | 6 | 0 | 0 |
| Powertrain | 5 | 0 | 0 |
| Engine and cooling | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Suspension | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Vehicle speed control | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Other | 1 | 1 | 0 |
What owners report
Short excerpts of NHTSA complaints in the original wording. These are owner statements not verified by NHTSA; personal data removed.
1999 suzuki vl-1500lc. Has had shifting issues since it was purchased with false neutral between 4th adn 5th gears. July 23, 2003 the main transmission drive shaft failed/broke while driving down I-90 leaving seattle.
Transmission failure. The bike will not stay in 4th gear under load. It pops out leaving the transmission between 3 & 4th. This could be a major a safety issue if it ever does it while I'm passing vehicles. This has been on going since the bike was first purchased.
1999 suzuki vl 1500lc motorcycle has terrible front brakes. They fade real bad after one moderate stop from normal freeway speeds. Many owners are having to do after market modifications to bring functionality to an acceptable level.
The manufacturer was going to replace the crankcase when an oil leak developed from this problem. To do the repairs, they would have to crack the motor open, and it would never seal the way it did from the factory.
While idling, rear brake line caught on fire. Manufacturer warranty rep claimed that it is normal for this bike to overheat if left idling too long. This incident happened after idling for 15 minutes in 30 degree weather.
There are quit a few of these motorcycles out there with failing back brakes because the poiston in the calipper hangs up and causes ware and the brake to lock up. It is all over the internet on the 1500lc forum and we can't get the manufacture to do andthing about the problem.
While driving at approximately 30-35 mph rear brakes completely failed to operate. Front brake slowed it down until the motorcycle came to a stop. Dealer notified.
Also, there is a rattling noise in the transmission itself. Dealer says it's normal. When vehicle was delivered, there was no oil in the rear drive line; was filled by consumer.
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 9,551 of 36,656 model years in the NHTSA data (top 26% most complained about).
On average one model year of the Intruder has 8 complaints (13 years in the data). This year has 14, above average.
What to check before buying
- Service brakes. Pedal feel, ABS operation, leaks, discs and hoses.
- Powertrain. Shift quality under load, harsh shifts, transmission codes, CV joints.
- Engine and cooling. Radiator and fan after a frontal hit, coolant level and condition, overheating.
- Suspension. Wheel alignment, control arms, subframe, even tire wear.
Other years of this model
Questions and answers
What are the most common problems with the 1999 Suzuki Intruder?
Owner complaints to NHTSA most often mention: service brakes, powertrain, engine and cooling. Total complaints: 14. The most frequent symptoms in complaint texts: knocking, grinding or other noise (7%), oil leak or consumption (7%), overheating, coolant loss (7%).
How many service bulletins (TSB) were issued for the 1999 Suzuki Intruder?
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 Suzuki Intruder 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.