KTM North America is recalling certain 2022 through 2024 390 Adventures, as well as 2022-2023 Husqvarna Vitpilen 401s and Svartpilen 401s due to a potential issue with an e-throttle module on certain bikes.
On affected bikes, the e-throttle module could allow moisture inside. This, in turn, could cause a fault that the engine control unit (ECU) will then modulate by setting the engine to operate at idle speed until you switch the ignition off. From the description of the behavior in the recall notice, it appears that it may behave properly after switching the ignition back on again, but only until the same fault is detected and the ECU tells the engine to only operate at idle speed again.
You probably don't need me to tell you this, but if your bike's throttle isn't behaving as expected, it can pose a danger to the rider and their bike, and increase the risk of a crash and/or injury. For these reasons, KTM North America is recalling as many as 9,070 motorcycles, which it says represents around 1.6 percent of the population.
According to KTM's chronology for this issue, cases were first reported back at the end of 2022. Since that time, it's been conducting an internal investigation to determine root cause analysis and what actions should be taken.
In many cases, with US National Highway Traffic Safety Administration recall reports, manufacturers often note a planned calendar date window when they intend to notify both their dealer network and their registered customer base about the issue, as well as the recall remedy they have deemed appropriate to address the issue.
However, in this specific case, KTM and Husqvarna simply state that they are notifying registered owners via mail, and instructing them to bring their affected bikes to an authorized dealer for the appropriate recall service, which will be provided at no charge to them. They have not, however, listed any specific dates when they intend to notify owners.
If you are the owner of one of these bikes, and you previously had service performed to address this issue prior to the announcement of this recall, you may be eligible for reimbursement as long as you have supporting evidence to back your claim.
Owners may contact KTM customer service at 1-888-985-6090. Additionally, owners may contact the NHTSA Vehicle Safety Hotline at 1-888-327-4236 or go to www.nhtsa.gov.
