Total Complaints
4 filings
HONDA VFR800A · model year
2003 HONDA VFR800A
4 NHTSA complaints, and 1 recall campaign listed for this cohort. A VIN lookup is required to determine whether a specific vehicle has an unrepaired recall.
NHTSA overall rating
Not crash-tested
New Car Assessment Program
The 2003HONDAVFR800A carries 4 consumer safety complaints in NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation database for this specific model-year cohort. Within that volume, owners reported 0 crashes, 0 fires, 0 injuries, and 0 fatalities. No NCAP 5-star crash-test rating is available for this model year in the federal database.
The most frequently selected component label in reports for the 2003 VFR800A is electrical system:wiring with 2 filings, followed by electrical system (1) and engine and engine cooling:engine (1). Complaint categories reflect owner reports and intake categorization; they do not establish a defect pattern or cause. This cohort has 1 NHTSA recall campaign listed below. Enter a VIN in NHTSA's official recall lookup to determine whether a specific vehicle has an unrepaired recall.
NHTSA currently has 79 investigation files overlapping the 2003 VFR800A, and 9 remain open. Owners comparing this cohort against neighboring years should read the complaint-by-year trend as report volume, not a causal diagnosis. Use the related-complaint feed and the official recall lookup when researching a specific vehicle.
4
Complaints
0
Crashes
0
Fires
0
Injuries
0
Deaths
Crashes Reported
0 reports
Source
NHTSA ODI
Federal complaints database
Complaints vs. fleet median (215)
At or below the fleet median complaint volume.
Complaints by Component
| Component | Count |
|---|---|
| ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:WIRING | 2 |
| ELECTRICAL SYSTEM | 1 |
| ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE | 1 |
Recalls (1)
05V01000024/01/2005
SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC
CERTAIN MOTORCYCLES EQUIPPED WITH COMBINED-BRAKE SYSTEMS HAVE A PROPORTIONING CONTROL VALVE (PCV) THAT MECHANICALLY PROPORTIONS BRAKE FORCE WHEN THE REAR BRAKE IS APPLIED. A SEAL IN SOME PCVS IS IMPROPERLY SHAPED, AND BRAKE FLUID LEAKAGE MAY OCCUR.
Recent Complaints
20110802ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
WHILE RIDING MY 2003 VFR800 TODAY THE BIKE SHUT DOWN. AND RESTARTED DURING THE RIDE. THE DASH WENT BLANK AND STILL IS BLANK. (NO READING, NO POWER). I WONDER HOW MANY PEOPLE WERE HURT OR KILLED BY THIS SHUT DOWN WHILE MOVING? *KB
Mileage: 7,155
20110802ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE
WHILE RIDING MY 2003 VFR800 TODAY THE BIKE SHUT DOWN. AND RESTARTED DURING THE RIDE. THE DASH WENT BLANK AND STILL IS BLANK. (NO READING, NO POWER). I WONDER HOW MANY PEOPLE WERE HURT OR KILLED BY THIS SHUT DOWN WHILE MOVING? *KB
Mileage: 7,155
20060719ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:WIRING
ON THE WAY TO WORK THIS MORNING, THE MOTORCYCLE DIED. MULTIPLE ATTEMPTS TO RESTART FAILED. UPON INSPECTION, DETERMINED THERE WAS FUEL, GOOD BATTERY, GOOD STARTER. FUEL INJECTION INDICATOR LIGHT WAS FLICKERING. UPON INSPECTION OF THE UNDER SEAT COMPARTMENT, LOCATED A MELTED WIRE AT THE 30 AMP ACCESSORY FUSE RELAY. ABOUT A YEAR AGO, THE BIKE CUT OUT A FEW TIMES. AT THAT TIME, TROUBLESHOOT TO THE SAME WIRE, HOWEVER, APPLICATION OF DIELECTRIC GREASE AND ISOLATION FROM CHAFFING ALLEVIATED THE PROBLEM. UPON INSPECTION THIS MORNING, THE SHIELDING HAD COMPLETELY MELTED OFF THE WIRE, EXPOSING THE BARE ELEMENTS. THE 30 AMP FUSE BLOCK GOT SO HOT AS TO DEFORM NOT ONLY THE BLOCK ITSELF, BUT TO ALSO DEFORM THE FUSE (WHICH DID NOT BLOW AND STILL CARRIES A CURRENT). HAD THIS FAILURE OCCURRED WHILE ON THE ROAD IT WOULD MOST CERTAINLY CAUSED AN ACCIDENT. ROADS IN THE UK DO NOT HAVE SHOULDERS. I AM CONFIDENT THAT MYSELF OR OTHERS WOULD HAVE BEEN SERIOUSLY INJURED IF THIS HAD HAPPENED ANYWHERE
Mileage: 6,000
20050525ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:WIRING
THE WIRING FOR THE OXYGEN SENSORS WERE CROSSED ON THE 2003 HONDA VFR800/A.*MR SINCE THE MOTORCYCLE WAS NEW IT WOULD STALL OCCASIONALLY. IT WOULD ALSO ACCELERATE UP AND DOWN BETWEEN 4000 AND 5000 RPM'S. THE WIRING HARNESS FOR THE OXYGEN SENSOR WAS CROSSED THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED. THE MANUFACTURER CLAIMED THAT THIS PROBLEM WAS ISOLATED TO THE EUROPEAN VFR'S BUT THE CONSUMER HAD A US BIKE. *NM
Compare 2003HONDAVFR800A to Similar Vehicles
NHTSA Investigations 9 Open
DP26005Defect PetitionOpen
Inadvertent Deployment of Air Bags
PE25017Preliminary EvaluationOpen
Inaccurate Rear Passenger Seat Belt Warning Status
PE25016Preliminary EvaluationOpen
Loss of Motive Power
PE25018Preliminary EvaluationClosed
Inadvertent Deployment of Side Air Bags
PE25015Preliminary EvaluationClosed
Loss of braking force
Frequently Asked Questions
How many complaints does the 2003 HONDA VFR800A have?▼
The 2003 HONDA VFR800A has 4 NHTSA complaints, 0 crashes, 0 fires, 0 injuries, and 0 deaths reported.
Are there any recalls for the 2003 HONDA VFR800A?▼
Yes, the 2003 HONDA VFR800A has 1 recall(s). The most common affected component is SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC. Recalls are issued by NHTSA and manufacturers must provide a free remedy.
What are the most common problems with the 2003 HONDA VFR800A?▼
The most-complained component for the 2003 HONDA VFR800A is ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:WIRING with 2 complaints. Other frequently reported areas include ELECTRICAL SYSTEM and ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE.
Is the 2003 HONDA VFR800A safe to buy?▼
Review the complaint history, crash and fire reports, safety ratings, and recall status on this page to make an informed decision. No NHTSA crash test rating is available for this model year. Compare with other model years using the links above.
Where does this data come from?▼
All complaint, recall, and safety rating data is sourced from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). Complaints are filed by vehicle owners through NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation.
Vehicle Safety Guides
Data vintage: August 2026. Sources: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) complaints database, NHTSA recall campaign API, NHTSA NCAP crash-test ratings, and NHTSA FARS for fatality cross-reference.
Every figure on PlainCars is rendered directly from NHTSA complaint and safety data, no number is typed in by an editor. This year-specific record is rendered from NHTSA ODI, recall, and NCAP rows for the 2003 HONDA VFR800A; no figure is typed in by an editor. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error. Data current as of August 2026.
Read our methodology - how this data is sourced, computed, and verified.