2003 Honda Vfr800a: what breaks, and at what mileage
What breaks on the 2003 Honda Vfr800a
Only 4 defect reports have been filed with NHTSA about the 2003 Honda Vfr800a, which is too few to compute mileage percentiles or a risk score. The reports reported electrical fire or melted wiring.
When each failure gets reported
Tick median reported mileage Solid middle half of reports Faint 10th to 90th percentile Colour how bad the failure is when it happens
How reports accumulate
Every report with an odometer reading, cumulative, from 0 to 200,000 miles. A curve that climbs early is a car with early problems, whatever its total.
- Line share of reports filed by that mileage
Every reported failure mode
| Failure mode | System | Reports | With reading | 25th | Median | 75th | Per 1,000 | Typical repair | Severity |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Electrical fire or melted wiring | electrical | 1 | 1 | — | 6k | — | 0.5 | $1,500–$9,000 | Critical |
| Wiring harness or short circuit | electrical | 1 | 0 | — | — | — | 0.5 | $400–$3,500 | High |
| Other engine problem | engine | 1 | 1 | — | 7k | — | 0.5 | $300–$4,000 | High |
| Other electrical problem | electrical | 1 | 1 | — | 7k | — | 0.5 | $250–$2,000 | Moderate |
Rate per 1,000 uses a fleet-size estimate derived from recall paperwork for this exact model year. It is a lower bound. Repair costs are typical independent-shop ranges for the failure, not figures from these reports.
What owners wrote
Verbatim from NHTSA complaint narratives, trimmed for length. The odometer reading is the one the owner gave.
Electrical fire or melted 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 but in my small village. After reading many posts at http://www.vfrdiscussion.com/forum/index.php?showtopic=18560 it appears this is a systematic problem…
Other engine problem
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
Recalls on the 2003 model year
NHTSA has issued 1 recall campaign covering the 2003 Honda Vfr800a, affecting an estimated 2,120 vehicles. A recall is a different kind of evidence from a complaint: it is the regulator and the manufacturer agreeing that something has to be fixed, and the fix is free for as long as the car exists.
The campaigns cover service brakes, hydraulic. Whether the work was actually done on the car in front of you is a question only the VIN can answer, and the manufacturer or NHTSA will answer it free.
Recalls also distort complaint counts. Publicity about a campaign reminds owners that complaining is possible, so reports for a recalled component often spike after the recall rather than before it.
SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC
36,046 vehicles 2005-01-24- Defect
- 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.
- Consequence
- If the motorcycle continues to be used after a leak occurs, the rear brake would eventually become inoperative. A loss of rear brake force could increase the risk of a crash.
- Remedy
- Dealers will inspect the rear brake forleakage. If leakage is confirmed, the dealer will replace the pcv free of charge. The recall began on january 31, 2005. Owners may contact honda at 866-784-1870.
Recall work is free at a franchised dealer regardless of the car's age. Check the VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls before assuming it was done.
Every year of the Honda Vfr800a
Scores compare each year against other cars of the same model year, so a low number on an older car is a real result and not an artefact of age.
What the reports on file say
The complaints recorded against the 2003 Honda Vfr800a are electrical fire or melted wiring (1 report, around 6k miles), wiring harness or short circuit (1 report), other engine problem (1 report, around 7k miles) and other electrical problem (1 report, around 7k miles). With a sample this size these are anecdotes rather than a pattern, and they are shown because somebody looking at this exact car would rather see them than nothing.
Why this page is short
A model year needs about 8 reports before percentiles mean anything, and this one does not have them. Complaint volume tracks how many cars were sold and how long they have been on the road, so a thin page usually means a rare car, a new car, or a car whose owners do not file.
Where this comes from. Every figure above is computed from NHTSA owner complaints and recall records for this exact make, model and year. Complaints are voluntary and self-selected, so treat counts as a floor. The methodology page writes out each formula, and the same numbers are available as JSON.
What breaks at my mileage Compare with another car
Source Owner complaints and recall records published by the US National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, model years 1996–2027 Figures rebuilt Published by AtWhatMileage How every figure is computed