Exhaust manifolds could be loose!

Kawasaki has to recall numerous W 800 machines from the 2019 to 2021 model years. The exhaust manifolds may not be properly attached.

As Kawasaki reports, the manifold nuts may not have been tightened correctly during the final assembly of the W 800 due to an incorrect procedure. In the worst case scenario, the nuts and crescents on the manifold flanges on the cylinder head will be lost. For this reason, Kawasaki is calling 287 W 800 models from the 2019 to 2021 model years back to the workshops in Germany. There, the manifold seals and the crescents are replaced free of charge and the nuts are tightened in the correct order and with a higher torque. The models W 800, W 800 Street and W 800 Café from model years 2019 to 2021 are affected. Kawasaki estimates that the workshop visit will be a good 30 minutes. Kawasaki informs the owners of the affected machines.

Wrong order

Kawasaki had known the problem since April 2020, but the error could not be reproduced. The affected parts were within all tolerances. It was only after many tests that Kawasaki found the reason in September:

If the mufflers were not preassembled as prescribed during the assembly of the manifold, the manifold nuts would loosen again in the long run. In production, this problem has been eliminated by changing the assembly process.

International recall

At the same time, Kawasaki is recalling the corresponding models in Europe, the USA and Australia. Including the 287 German W 800s, the number of recalled machines in Europe adds up to 981 units. In the US, 574 W 800s are affected, while Australia is recalling 45 units.

Conclusion

Kawasaki is recalling the W 800 model years 2019 to 2021. The reason may be loose nuts on the manifold attachment.