NHTSA vehicle safety data

2008 Kawasaki KLR650 Recalls & Complaints

The 2008 Kawasaki KLR650 has 1 NHTSA recall campaign and 116 owner complaints on file as of November 3, 2026. Recall repairs are usually free at an authorized Kawasaki dealer.

NHTSA recall and complaint data for the 2008 Kawasaki KLR650. Recall data is refreshed daily from NHTSA.

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2008 Kawasaki KLR650 owner complaints

Owners have filed 116 complaints with NHTSA about the 2008 Kawasaki KLR650, describing incidents dated May 9, 2007 to January 14, 2018.

Most-cited components

Exterior Lighting 85 complaints
Engine 13 complaints
Structure 10 complaints
Suspension 9 complaints
Electrical System 5 complaints
Equipment 2 complaints

Of the 116 complaints on file, 1 reports a fire (owner-reported, not verified by NHTSA).

Newest complaints

ODI #11063854 · Filed January 20, 2018
TURNED IN COMPLAINT ON A FEW DAYS AGO. RECEIVED THIS TRACKING NUMBER 11063172. WHAT'S MY NEXT STEP? THE COMPLAINT WAS TURN SIGNALS FALLING OFF.
ODI #11063172 · Filed January 16, 2018
TURN SIGNALS FELL OFF. HANGING ON BY ELECTRIC WIRING
ODI #11061059 · Filed January 7, 2018
EXTERIOR TURN SIGNALS DRYROT,THEREFORE TURN SIGNAL INDICATORS FALLING OFF AND HANGING ON BY WIRE. ONE IN FRONT AND ONE IN BACK. THE ONE IN BACK FELL ON TO MUFFLER MELTING PLASTIC.

Read all 116 complaints

Owner-reported

2008 Kawasaki KLR650 mileage at failure

110 of the 116 complaints on file for the 2008 Kawasaki KLR650 give the vehicle's mileage when the problem happened.

Mileage at failure by component, from owners' complaints to NHTSA
Component	Median	Middle half	Based on
Exterior Lighting	Median 2,000 miles	Middle half 800–4,000 miles	Based on 83 complaints

A component's median is its 50th percentile, and its middle half runs from its 25th to its 75th percentile.

Owners give the mileage themselves, often as a round number, and NHTSA doesn't check it. A complaint that names several components counts under each one, and mileages that can't be right, such as 999,999, or 50 miles on a five-year-old car, are left out.

These figures describe the complaints owners filed. They don't predict when a particular vehicle will have a problem, and vehicles that never had one aren't counted.

Mileage from NHTSA's complaints file of October 31, 2026. How these figures are worked out

SIDESTAND SPRING WELDING

NHTSA #07V244000 · Structure — Motorcycle — Kickstand/Center Stand · NHTSA notice

Reported June 7, 2007 · KAWASAKI MOTORS CORP., U.S.A.

Potentially affected: 5 vehicles

Owners notified June 1, 2007 · Vehicles built March 26, 2007 – March 28, 2007 (per NHTSA)

Defect description

ON CERTAIN MOTORCYCLES, THE SPRING RETAINING PIN ON THE FRAME MAY NOT HAVE BEEN COMPLETELY WELDED IN PLACE AND COULD FALL OUT, ALLOWING THE SIDESTAND TO DROP INTO THE "PARKING" POSITION.

Safety consequence

IF THIS OCCURRED WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS IN MOTION, A CRASH COULD OCCUR.

Manufacturer remedy

KAWASAKI WILL REPURCHASE THESE MOTORCYCLES. THE RECALL BEGAN ON JUNE 1, 2007. ALL DEALERS/OWNERS HAVE BEEN NOTIFIED.

Notes

CUSTOMERS MAY ALSO CONTACT THE NATIONAL HIGHWAY TRAFFIC SAFETY ADMINISTRATION'S VEHICLE SAFETY HOTLINE AT 1-888-327-4236 (TTY 1-800-424-9153), OR GO TO HTTP://WWW.SAFERCAR.GOV.

try.vin has no NCAP crash-test rating on file for the 2008 Kawasaki KLR650. NHTSA rates some vehicles by body style — pickups by cab, vans by roof height — so check nhtsa.gov/ratings.

116 owner complaints have been filed with NHTSA for the 2008 Kawasaki KLR650.

Exterior Lighting

ODI #11063854

Incident: January 2, 2018 · Filed: January 20, 2018

TURNED IN COMPLAINT ON A FEW DAYS AGO. RECEIVED THIS TRACKING NUMBER 11063172. WHAT'S MY NEXT STEP? THE COMPLAINT WAS TURN SIGNALS FALLING OFF.

Exterior Lighting

ODI #11063172

Incident: January 14, 2018 · Filed: January 16, 2018

TURN SIGNALS FELL OFF. HANGING ON BY ELECTRIC WIRING

Exterior Lighting

ODI #11061059

Incident: December 30, 2017 · Filed: January 7, 2018

EXTERIOR TURN SIGNALS DRYROT,THEREFORE TURN SIGNAL INDICATORS FALLING OFF AND HANGING ON BY WIRE. ONE IN FRONT AND ONE IN BACK. THE ONE IN BACK FELL ON TO MUFFLER MELTING PLASTIC.

Exterior Lighting

ODI #10474274

Incident: September 7, 2012 · Filed: September 7, 2012

TURN SIGNALS HAVE A RUBBER MOUNT THAT FALLS OFF. *TR

Engine

ODI #10462108

Incident: June 16, 2011 · Filed: June 18, 2012

THE ENGINE BURNS OIL EXCESSIVELY AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS (60 TO 70 MPH). AN ENGINE LOCKUP DUE TO LACK OF LUBRICANT IS A VERY REAL CONCERN DUE TO THE OIL CONSUMPTION RATE. *TR

Exterior Lighting

ODI #10461869

Incident: June 9, 2012 · Filed: June 15, 2012

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 KAWASAKI KLR 650 MOTORCYCLE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE TURN SIGNALS RUBBER DETERIORATED AND FELL OFF THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT TAKEN TO THE DEALER. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE WHO DID NOT OFFER ANY ASSISTANCE SINCE THE VEHICLE WAS NOT INCLUDED IN ANY RECALLS. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 4,900.

Engine and Engine Cooling; Power Train

ODI #10434053

Incident: April 15, 2011 · Filed: November 3, 2011

THE STARTER IDLER GEAR SHAFT HOLE/SLEEVE IS BORE/MILLED TO DEEP ON THE OUTSIDE CASING. THE SHAFT MOVES TO THE CASING SIDE AND LOSES CONTACT WITH THE INSIDE BUSHING/SLEEVE, WICH FORMS A GAP AT THE MAIN HOUSING SIDE. THERE IS NOW ENOUGH SPACE FOR THE SPACER WASHER TO FALL INTO THE BOTTOM-END AND CAUSE HUGE/CATASTROPHIC FAILURE. *TR

Engine and Engine Cooling

ODI #10349235

Incident: July 12, 2010 · Filed: August 13, 2010

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 KAWASAKI KLR650. WHILE TRAVELING 65 MPH THE CONTACT NOTICED THAT THE VEHICLE HAD SUDDENLY SHUT OFF WITHOUT WARNING. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER WHERE THE CONTACT WAS INFORMED THAT THE ENGINE NEEDED TO BE REPLACED DUE TO OIL LEAKS. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED AND THERE WERE NO PRIOR WARNINGS. THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGES WERE 5400.

Engine and Engine Cooling

ODI #10334914

Incident: June 5, 2010 · Filed: June 6, 2010

2008 KAWASAKI KLR 650 STARTER GEAR COVER IS IMPROPERLY BORED ALLOWING SUPPORT SHAFT TO BECOME UNSUPPORTED ON ONE END. THIS COULD CAUSE THRUST WASHERS TO DROP INTO THE ROTATING FLYWHEEL AT SPEED, LOCKING THE MOTOR AND CAUSING LOSS OF CONTROL. OLDER AND NEWER MODELS BOTH HAVE A RIDGE IN THE OUTER ENGINE COVER THAT PREVENTS THE IDLER GEAR SHAFT FROM DRIFTING OUT TOO FAR AND LOOSING SUPPORT IN THE INNER ENGINE COVER. THIS WAS CLEARLY A MACHINING ERROR. I INSERTED A SMALL SPACER IN THE HOLE TO PREVENT THE SHAFT FROM MOVING. *TR

Engine and Engine Cooling

ODI #10334707

Incident: May 23, 2010 · Filed: June 5, 2010

THE SAFETY ISSUE IS ON A 2008 KAWASAKI KLR-650. THE STARTED GEAR IS GRINDING WHEN I TRY TO CRANK THE BIKE. THE DEALER WILL NOT FIX THE ISSUE. THE CAUSE OF THE FAILURE IS A DEEP BORE ON THE SIDE COVER THAT HOLDS THE GEAR. IT IS A MFG ISSUE. MY CONCERN IS WHEN THE GEAR LOCK UP? THERE IS A GOOD CHANCE IT COULD LOCK UP AS I'M RIDING DOWN THE RODE. *TR

Check your 2008 Kawasaki KLR650 VIN

Not every recall applies to every VIN in a given year. Enter the 17-character VIN from your Kawasaki KLR650 at nhtsa.gov/recalls to see whether your specific vehicle has an unrepaired recall.

Check a Kawasaki VIN