RoadVitals

2002 Kawasaki KLR650 Engine Problems

Owner-reported complaints naming the engine system, filed with NHTSA

Data refreshed

Engine reportsComplaints are reports submitted to NHTSA by owners and drivers. NHTSA does not verify most reports before publishing them, and a complaint does not establish that a defect exists. Volume is influenced by how many of a vehicle were sold, how long it has been on the road, and how much attention an issue has received.
8
Latest Apr 11, 2007
Share of all reportsThis category as a share of every owner report on file for this model year. One report can name more than one component, so the categories overlap.
73%
of 11 total
Crash or fire reportedReports in this category whose submitter recorded that a crash or a fire occurred. The reporter's own answer on the NHTSA form, not a verified finding.
0
Injuries or deaths reportedTotals the submitters entered on their own reports in this category. Not verified by NHTSA and not a casualty statistic.
0

What this page shows

Reports naming the engine itself — including stalling, misfires, oil consumption, cooling and internal engine components. Every record below is an owner-reported complaint about the 2002 Kawasaki KLR650 submitted to NHTSA — not a confirmed defect, not a recall and not a manufacturer bulletin. 8 reports on file name it.

Complaints are reports submitted by owners and drivers to NHTSA. They are not verified and do not establish that a defect exists.

Owner reports naming engine

Shown in the owner’s own words, exactly as filed

Engine
Filed Apr 11, 2007

I OWN A 2002 KAWASAKI KLR650 WITH APPROXIMATELY 9500 MILES ON IT. I WAS RIDING AT LOW SPEED ON THE DATE BELOW WHEN I HEARD A LOUD METAL CLANG IN THE ENGINE AND THE MOTORCYCLE CAME TO A SCREECHING HALT. LUCKILY, I WAS ONLY TRAVELING AT 30 MPH AND I WAS NOT IN TRAFFIC. THE CAUSE OF THE INCIDENT WAS NOT IMMEDIATELY KNOWN. WHEN I BROUGHT THE MOTORCYCLE INTO THE REPAIR SHOP, I OBSERVED AFTER THE ENGINE WAS OPENED THAT THE IDLER SHAFT LEVER , A WELDED PIECE OF STEEL, SNAPPED IN HALF, SENDING BOTH BROKEN PIECES INTO THE LOWER END OF ENGINE, AND DISLODGING THE BALANCER CHAIN FROM THE SPROCKET, WHICH CAUSED NEAR-CATASTROPHIC DAMAGE TO THE ENGINE. AFTER SIGNIFICANT TIME AND FINANCIAL INVESTMENT, 40% OF THE TOTAL VALUE OF THE MOTORCYCLE, IT WAS PUT BACK ON THE ROAD HAVING BEEN REPAIRED WITH ONLY KAWASAKI FACTORY PARTS AND RAN FINE FOR A TIME. ABOUT 2000 MILES LATER, I WAS DOING ROUTINE MAINTENANCE WHEN I NOTICED A PIECE OF METAL ATTACHED TO THE MAGNETIC OIL PLUG. AFTER SOME INVESTIGATION I FOUND THIS TO BE A PIECE OF THE NEWLY INSTALLED IDLER SHAFT LEVER. ONCE AGAIN THE PIECE NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. HAD I NOT INSTALLED A MAGNETIC OIL PLUG ANOTHER MAJOR PROBLEM MOST DEFINITELY WOULD HAVE OCCURRED.*AK

NHTSA ID
10187570
Incident
Feb 3, 2006
Mileage
9,000 mi
Engine
Filed May 17, 2006

KAWASAKI KLR650'S HAVE A PROBLEM WITH AN ENGINE BALANCER LEVER BREAKING. I HAVE A 2002 KLR AND FOUND MY LEVER TO BE BROKEN IN THREE PLACES. ALTHOUGH IT DID NOT CAUSE A CRASH IN THIS CASE, THE BROKEN PIECES COULD EASILY CAUSE AN ACCIDENT (AND HAVE IN THE PAST). YOU CERTAINLY DO NOT WANT THIS PIECE TO BREAK WHILE YOU ON THE HIGH WAY. IT IS WELL KNOWN THAT NEW KLR OWNERS CHANGE THIS PART OUT WITH AN AFTER MARKET PART TO AVOID INJURY. *JB

NHTSA ID
10157761
Incident
May 16, 2006
Engine
Filed Dec 8, 2005

DT: THE CONTACT STATED THE ENGINE COUNTER BALANCE PART ON MOTORCYCLE FAILED. THE CONTACT PURCHASED AN AFTER MARKET PART AND REPLACED THE FAILED ONE AT HIS OWN EXPENSE. THE MOTORCYCLE WAS NOT SEEN BY A DEALER. *AK

NHTSA ID
10144784
Incident
Dec 8, 2005
Engine
Filed Jan 8, 2005

BALANCER TENSIONER SPRING FAILED. I HAD READ REPORTS ON THE INTERNET DESCTIBING THE BALANCER TENSIONER SYSTEM AS BEING PRONE TO FAILURE. I FOUND THAT THE TENSIONER SPRING HAD BROKEN WHERE IT ATTACHES TO THE ENGINE CASE. THE MOTORCYCLE HAS 6706 MILES ON IT. I AM REPLACING THE SPRING AND TENSION ADJUSTER WITH AN IMPROVED AFTERMARKET KIT. THE FAILURE WAS FOUND BEFORE THERE WAS ANY MAJOR DAMAGE TO THE ENGINE.*AK

NHTSA ID
10105991
Incident
Jan 8, 2005
Mileage
3,000 mi
Engine
Filed Nov 22, 2003

SUBJECT: 2002 KAWASAKI KLR650. NOVEMBER 2003, 16,500+ MILES: DAVIS SERVICE CENTER, MONTROSE, COLORADO, WAS ASKED TO REPLACE THE STOCK COUNTERBALANCER CHAIN TENSIONER LEVER WITH A STAINLESS STEEL UPGRADE FROM EAGLE MANUFACTURING & ENGINEERING. THIS WAS TO BE PREVENTIVE MAINTENANCE SINCE I'VE HEARD FROM THAT THIS IS A WEAK POINT. UPON INTERNAL INSPECTION, THE STOCK COUNTER BALANCED CHAIN TENSIONER LEVER WAS FOUND TO BE BROKEN. A BROKEN PIECE HAD GOTTEN INTO THE TRANSMISSION MAIN SHAFT BEARING AND DESTROYED THE RACE/BEARING-HOLDER. THE BEARINGS WERE STILL MORE-OR-LESS IN PLACE AND THIS PROBLEM WAS NOT YET APPARENT WHEN OPERATING THE KLR. SUBSEQUENT CATASTROPHIC FAILURE WAS A DISTINCT POSSIBILITY. FAILURE COULD RESULT IN ENGINE SEIZURE AND SERIOUS HARM TO THE OPERATOR. FROM MY EXPERIENCE ON A KLR650 EMAIL FORUM, I'VE LEARNED THAT THIS PROBLEM OCCURS FREQUENTLY AND THAT KAWASAKI IS AWARE OF IT. *LA

NHTSA ID
10047386
Incident
Nov 20, 2003
Mileage
16,500 mi
Engine
Filed Sep 29, 2003

BALANCER IDLE CHAIN ADJUSTER FAILED WHILE DRIVING THE MOTORCYCLE. DEALER NOTIFIED. *AK

NHTSA ID
10041824
Incident
Sep 29, 2003
Engine
Filed Mar 5, 2003

NAR 03/05/2003 AFTER THREE CONSECUTIVE TRIPS TO THE REPAIRS SHOP WITHIN 30 DAYS FOR ENGINE OIL LEAK THE CONSUMER NO LONGER WANTS THE VEHICLE. *CB

NHTSA ID
10011343
Incident
Nov 20, 2002
Mileage
300 mi
Engine
Filed Jan 1, 2003

THE BALANCER IDLER SHAFT TENSIONING SPRONG WAS DISCOVERED TO BE BROKEN WHEN PREVENTIVE MAINTENANCE WAS CARRIED OUT ON MY 2002 KAWASAKI KLR 650 MOTORCYCLE AT 2867 MILES. POTENTIALLY, THIS FAILURE COULD HAVE CAUSED THE ENGINE TO SIEZE WHILST IN OPERATION.

NHTSA ID
10000675
Incident
Dec 14, 2002
Mileage
2,867 mi

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

Data on this page last refreshed .