RoadVitals

2003 Kawasaki KLR650 Owner Complaints

Reports submitted to NHTSA by owners and drivers, shown in full

Data refreshed

Complaints on fileComplaints 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.
6
Latest Oct 2, 2010
Crash or fire reportedComplaints whose submitter recorded that a crash or a fire occurred. These are the reporter's own answers on the NHTSA form, not verified findings.
0
Filed in the last 12 monthsReports filed with NHTSA in the trailing 365 days. Recent volume reflects attention and vehicle age as much as anything else.
0
Reports on file since Oct 12, 2003

What this page shows

Our database holds 6 NHTSA owner-reported complaints for the 2003 Kawasaki KLR650. Each one is a report filed by an owner or driver and published by NHTSA without most of them being verified. A complaint is not a confirmed defect, not a recall and not a manufacturer bulletin. Narratives are shown exactly as filed.

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

Complaints, most recent first

Showing 1–6 of 6

Engine
Filed Oct 2, 2010

KLR650 ENGINE IDLE LEVER ADJUSTER SPRING FAILED SENDING METAL FRAGMENTS THROUGH OUT THE ENGINE THAT I HAD TO FISH OUT - VERY VERY COMMON PROBLEM TO THE POINT THAT IT IS THE FIRST THING PEOPLE DO WHEN THEY BUY A KLR OF ANY YEAR. *TR

NHTSA ID
10358886
Incident
Oct 2, 2010
Mileage
15,000 mi
Engine
Filed Apr 23, 2009

KAWASAKI KLR 650 MOTORCYCLE CHAIN TENSIONER COUNTER BALANCER AND RETAINER SPRING BROKEN AND MISSING. THE BROKEN PIECES CAN CAUSE CATASTROPHIC FAILURE INCLUDING ENGINE SEIZURE WHILE IN OPERATION. REPLACED THE PARTS FROM AFTERMARKET SUPPLIER. *TR

NHTSA ID
10266451
Incident
Apr 21, 2009
Mileage
25,600 mi
Engine
Filed Jul 30, 2007

I HAVE A 2003 KAWASAKI KLR650 AND THE BALANCER LEVER ADJUSTER IS BROKEN. IT MAKES A LOUD NOISE AND THERE IS A POSSIBILITY OF ENGINE SEIZURE. I HAVE DONE NOTHING TO FIX THIS YET AND AM DRIVING AN ALTERNATE VEHICLE. *JB

NHTSA ID
10197781
Incident
Jul 28, 2007
Mileage
2,200 mi
EngineSteering
Filed Jan 8, 2006

I JUST CHECKED MY IDLER SHAFT LEVER (DOOHICKEY) ON MY 2003 KLR 650. THE DOOHICKEY WAS INTACT BUT, THE SPRING WAS BROKE. I CAN'T FIND THE END OF THE SPRING THAT BROKE OFF AND THE CHAIN WORE PART WAY THROUGH THE SPRING LEAVING METAL SHAVINGS THROUGHOUT THE ENGINE NOT GOOD!!! JUST ORDERED NEW DOOHICKEY AND SPRING FROM ARROWHEAD MOTORSPORTS. *JB

NHTSA ID
10147202
Incident
Jan 8, 2006
Mileage
8,900 mi
Tires & wheels
Filed Jul 9, 2004

WHEN THE MOTORCYCLE WAS TAKEN OUT OF STORAGE CONSUMER NOTICED THAT TIRES SIDEWALL DEVELOPED WEATHER CHECKS. THESE WERE SMALL CRACKS THAT WENT AROUND THE SIDEWALL OF THE TIRES. THE MOTORCYCLE WAS DRIVEN FOR 6 MONTHS, THEN STORED FOR 6 MONTHS PRIOR TO THIS PROBLEM OCCURRING. DEALERSHIP WAS CONTACTED BUT COULD NOT IDENTIFY WHAT CAUSED THE CRACKS TO OCCUR BECAUSE THE MOTORCYCLE WASN'T STORED NEXT TO ANY CHEMICALS. THE FRONT TIRE SIZE WAS 90/90-21 AND THE REAR TIRE SIZE WAS 130/80-17. THE MODEL NAME LISTED ON TIRE WAS K750.*AK

NHTSA ID
10081619
Incident
May 5, 2004
Engine
Filed Oct 12, 2003

THE MOTORCYCLE CAM CHAIN ADJUSTER SPRING BROKE AND CAUSED THE VEHICLE TO STALL WHILE DRIVING. SAUSAGE, KLR 650, 2003. *AK WHILE DRIVING CONSUMER HEARD A GRINDING SOUND FROM THE LEFT SIDE OF THE ENGINE. THE BROKEN SPRING BENT THE INTAKE VALVE AND DAMAGED VALVE GUIDES (SAUSAGE 630 2003). *TS *NLM

NHTSA ID
10038446
Incident
Aug 23, 2003
Mileage
10,265 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.

Data sources

Data on this page last refreshed .