2009 Kawasaki KL650E Problems
Owner-reported complaints filed with NHTSA, grouped by component
Data refreshed
What this page shows
Everything below is an owner-reported complaint submitted to NHTSA about the 2009 Kawasaki KL650E, grouped by the component NHTSA recorded on the report. These are not confirmed defects, and they are not recalls. NHTSA does not verify most reports before publishing them, and a category with more reports in it is not evidence that a part is defective.
Complaints are reports submitted by owners and drivers to NHTSA. They are not verified and do not establish that a defect exists.
Reports by component
Ranked by how many owner reports name each component category
- Electrical466.7%
- Engine233.3%
Percentages are of component mentions. A single complaint can name more than one component, so these do not sum to the total complaint count.
Each component in detail
What the reports in each category say, in the owners' own words
Electrical
Reports naming the electrical system — wiring, battery, charging, control modules, infotainment and electrical accessories.
From owner reports, verbatim
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2009 KAWASAKI KL650E MOTORCYCLE. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 15 MPH, THE VEHICLE SUDDENLY STALLED WITHOUT WARNING. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT TAKEN TO THE DEALER FOR DIAGNOSTICS. THE CONTACT REFERENCED NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER: 09V062000 (ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:WIRING) HOWEVER, WAS ADVISED BY THE MANUFACTURER THAT THE VIN WAS NOT INCLUDED IN THE RECALL. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 1,600.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2009 KAWASAKI KL650E. THE CONTACT ATTEMPTED TO START THE VEHICLE AND IT FAILED TO START. THE CONTACT WAS EVENTUALLY ABLE TO START THE VEHICLE; HOWEVER AFTER INSPECTING THE VEHICLE THE CONTACT NOTICED THE METAL BRACKET ATTACHED TO THE GENERATOR WAS EXTREMELY SHARP AND WAS CUTTING INTO THE WIRING HARNESS. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT TAKEN TO A DEALER FOR DIAGNOSTIC TESTING. THE PREVIOUS OWNER REPLACED THE WIRING HARNESS DUE TO SIMILAR FAILURES. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 6,350.
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Engine
Reports naming the engine itself — including stalling, misfires, oil consumption, cooling and internal engine components.
From owner reports, verbatim
2009 KLR 650 WITH ONLY 7K MILES, ENGINE CUT OFF SUDDENLY AT HIGHWAY SPEED. MECHANICS REPORTING THE ENTIRE ENGINE WILL NEED TO BE REPLACED DUE TO EXCESSIVE OIL USAGE CAUSING DAMAGE IN ALL PARTS OF ENGINE. *KB
NEW 09 KAWASAKI KLR650 BOUGHT FROM RIDERSVILLE CYCLE IN BERKELEY SPRINGS, WV. ON INITIAL RIDE OIL DRAIN PLUG CAME OUT, DRAINING OIL, LEADING TO ENGINE SEIZING WHILE TRAVELING AT 55MPH, BUT FOR THE QUICK REACTIONS OF THE RIDER, A SERIOUS ACCIDENT WOULD HAVE PURSUED. DEALER/MANUFACTURER ERROR FOR NOT CHECKING BOLT TIGHTNESS, AS 2 QUARTS OF OIL HAD TO BE ADDED TO BIKE UPON PICKUP, INDICATING THE BOLT WAS ALREADY LOOSE AND OIL HAD LEAKED OUT, AS THE BIKES ARE DELIVERED FULL ACCORDING TO KAWASAKI. OIL CAPACITY OF BIKE IS 2.6 QTS. OR MANUFACTURE DEFECT IN DESIGN OF BIKE, BY NOT BUILDING IT WITH A SKID PLATE THAT PROTECTS THE BOLT AND BOTTOM OF CRANKCASE FROM IMPACT. SOMETHING THEY READILY ADMIT BY SELLING AN ACCESSORY SKID PLATE THAT COVERS THE BOLT, BUT WITH NO MENTION OR WARNING THAT IT SHOULD BE ADDED TO THE BIKE. *TR
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Higher-selling and older vehicles accumulate more reports. Counts are not failure rates and are not directly comparable between vehicles that sold in very different numbers.
Elsewhere on this vehicle
Data sources
- NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation — owner-reported complaints and the components recorded on them
Data on this page last refreshed .