2008 Kawasaki KLR650 Problems, Complaints & Recalls
- Compared with other KLR650 years
- Far more complaints than other years 1st of 17 for complaints
- Safety recalls
- 1 recall: check your VIN
- NHTSA crash rating
- Not rated
Owners have filed 116 complaints with NHTSA about the 2008 Kawasaki KLR650. That is the most of any KLR650 model year in the database (17 years). The most reported problem area is exterior lighting (85 complaints, 73%), typically at around 2,000 miles. Complaints mention 1 fire. There is 1 safety recall covering this model year.
- 116owner complaints
- 1safety recalls
- 0NHTSA investigations
- 0complaints mentioning a crash
Complaints are unverified owner reports and are not adjusted for sales volume.
Most common 2008 Kawasaki KLR650 problems
Complaints grouped by the part of the car owners reported, with the median mileage when the problem happened.
| Problem area | Complaints | Share | Median miles | Owners mention most | Typical repair cost |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Exterior Lighting problems | 85 | 73% | 2,000 | “turn signal” (47%) | — |
| Engine and Engine Cooling | 12 | 10% | 5,400 | — | — |
| Structure | 10 | 9% | 800 | — | — |
| Suspension | 9 | 8% | 1,504 | — | — |
| Electrical System | 5 | 4% | 1,550 | — | — |
| Equipment | 2 | 2% | 900 | — | — |
| Power Train | 2 | 2% | 8,700 | — | — |
| Engine | 1 | 1% | 6,022 | — | — |
| Equipment Adaptive/mobility | 1 | 1% | 600 | — | — |
| Visibility | 1 | 1% | 2,500 | — | — |
One complaint can list several problem areas, so shares can add up to more than 100%.
Complaints by year received
2008 Kawasaki KLR650 recalls (1)
Tap a recall to see the problem, the risk and the fix.
Structure:motorcycle:kickstand/center stand
Problem: 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.
Risk: If this occurred while the vehicle was in motion, a crash could occur.
Fix: Kawasaki will repurchase these motorcycles. The recall began on june 1, 2007. All dealers/owners have been notified.
To see whether a specific car still has an open recall, enter its VIN on NHTSA's official recall lookup. You can also decode a VIN here.
Recent owner reports
Short excerpts of the latest complaints filed with NHTSA, with personal details removed. Full reports can be searched on NHTSA.gov.
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.
Turn signals fell off. Hanging on by electric wiring
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.
Turn signals have a rubber mount that falls off. *tr
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
Other Kawasaki KLR650 years
| Year | Complaints | Recalls |
|---|---|---|
| 2024 KLR650 | 1 | 0 |
| 2023 KLR650 | 16 | 0 |
| 2022 KLR650 | 1 | 0 |
| 2017 KLR650 | 1 | 0 |
| 2009 KLR650 | 6 | 0 |
| 2008 | 116 | 1 |
| 2007 KLR650 | 3 | 0 |
| 2006 KLR650 | 1 | 0 |
| 2005 KLR650 | 1 | 0 |
| 2003 KLR650 | 6 | 0 |
| 2002 KLR650 | 11 | 0 |
| 2001 KLR650 | 19 | 0 |
| 2000 KLR650 | 8 | 0 |
| 1999 KLR650 | 7 | 0 |
| 1998 KLR650 | 6 | 0 |
| 1997 KLR650 | 1 | 0 |
| 1995 KLR650 | 1 | 0 |
See all Kawasaki KLR650 problems by year, every Kawasaki model, or the VIN decoder.
Similar Kawasaki models
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Frequently asked questions
What are the most common problems with the 2008 Kawasaki KLR650?
Owners most often report exterior lighting, engine and engine cooling, structure problems. The top one, exterior lighting, accounts for 85 complaints.
Was there a recall on the 2008 Kawasaki KLR650?
Yes, 1 safety recall. Enter your VIN at NHTSA.gov to check whether the repairs were done on your car.
Was the 2008 Kawasaki KLR650 a good year?
Complaint data can't fully answer that, because counts aren't adjusted for sales. Compared with other KLR650 model years, the 2008 has far more complaints than most years. Always get a pre-purchase inspection and check the VIN for open recalls.