Suzuki GW250 Recalled for Electrical Issue

Dennis Chung
by Dennis Chung

Suzuki is recalling the GW250 from model years 2013, 2015 and 2017 because of an electrical problem that can short out the lighting system.

According to documents released by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, water can enter the wire harness and travel along wiring to the rear brake light switch, causing corrosion. This may cause a short circuit, melting the circuit-protection fuse and cutting power to the headlight, taillight and brake light.

Suzuki first received a field report about the problem in August 2012 from its Chinese subsidiary Changzhou Haojue Suzuki after a GW250’s headlight failed to turn on. That November, Suzuki investigated the GW250 in question and found evidence of a short circuit caused by corrosion on the rear brake light switch. At the time, Suzuki believed the problem was caused by a customer using a high-pressure washer.

In January 2013, Suzuki received another field report, this time from Japan. By October 2014, Suzuki had received 28 field reports in total, leading the company to add a water protection cover on the main wiring harness connector.

In April 2016, Suzuki received another report, this time on a GW250 that already had the extra water protection. In August, a Suzuki investigation found water splashing under a GW250 could get into the wire harness. On Oct. 28, Suzuki began recall proceedings. By that date, Suzuki had received 62 field reports from around the world (but none from the U.S.).

Suzuki dealers will install a new brake light switch assembly on affected motorcycles. GW250 models that did not already have a water protection cover will also get one installed. The recall affects 1,890 units in the U.S.

Dennis Chung
Dennis Chung

Dennis has been a part of the Motorcycle.com team since 2008, and through his tenure, has developed a firm grasp of industry trends, and a solid sense of what's to come. A bloodhound when it comes to tracking information on new motorcycles, if there's a new model on the horizon, you'll probably hear about it from him first.

More by Dennis Chung

Comments
Join the conversation
Next