Auto Recall Watch
U.S. public vehicle records

Kawasaki KLX230 problems and owner complaints

Explore the records behind recurring owner reports.

Key facts

2 owner complaints analyzed

0 distinct recall campaigns

25 mi median reported failure mileage

Scope: 2020 to 2022 model years. Data updated: . 1 complaints include usable failure mileage. View data status.

This selection has limited data. It remains available for lookup but is excluded from search indexing.

Owner-reported patterns

Most common problems

Engine is the most frequently named component, appearing in 1 of 2 complaints (50.0%). A complaint can name multiple components.

Recurring terms in complaint narratives
TopicMatching reportsShare of complaints
Braking behavior150.0%
Fuel system concerns150.0%

Topic matches use published keyword rules. They describe mentions, including negations or comparisons, and do not confirm a diagnosis. Read the matching rules.

Component breakdown

Number of unique complaints naming each component. Top eight shown.

Engine
1
Fuel/Propulsion System
1
Component breakdown data
CategoryCount
Engine1
Fuel/Propulsion System1

Engine: 1; Fuel/Propulsion System: 1

Reported problems by failure mileage

Complaint counts in mileage bands. These are not failure rates per vehicle or mile.

Under 25,000
1
25,000 to 49,999
0
50,000 to 74,999
0
75,000 to 99,999
0
100,000 to 149,999
0
150,000 and above
0
Reported problems by failure mileage data
CategoryCount
Under 25,0001
25,000 to 49,9990
50,000 to 74,9990
75,000 to 99,9990
100,000 to 149,9990
150,000 and above0

Under 25,000: 1; 25,000 to 49,999: 0; 50,000 to 74,999: 0; 75,000 to 99,999: 0; 100,000 to 149,999: 0; 150,000 and above: 0

Under 25,000 miles has the most reports with usable mileage (1). 1 complaints have missing, zero or invalid mileage.

Complaints over time

Year the complaint was filed, not the vehicle model year or incident year. The snapshot year is partial.

2019
1
2022
1
Complaints over time data
CategoryCount
20191
20221

2019: 1; 2022: 1

Pattern summary

Engine leads the component reports. Braking behavior appears in 1 complaint narratives. Fuel system concerns appears in 1 complaint narratives. Use these patterns to inspect individual reports and prepare questions for a mechanic.

Calculated from recorded counts. An AI narrative has not been published for this selection.

Complaint evidence

Examples provide context, not a representative sample or a verified diagnosis.

Owner report 11495281 · 2022-11-29 (November 29, 2022)

On Wednesday, June 29th, 2022 I was riding my new Kawasaki KLX230S on private property. While riding I was experiencing surging while riding off-road. We set up a course to practice for my on-road license test and upon returning from the opposite end of the course I applied both the front and rear brakes bringing the bike to a stop. At that very moment the motorcycle accelerated to full throttle on it's own causing me to dump the bike rather than run over my husband. A Kawasaki dealer told us we probably overfilled the fuel tank and got fuel …

Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 11495281 at NHTSA ↗

Compare model years

Recalls by model year

All campaigns in the snapshot affecting each model year, including recalls announced years later.

Recall campaigns

Shared campaigns appear once in each affected model year.

2020
0
2022
0
Recall campaigns data
CategoryCount
20200
20220

2020: 0; 2022: 0

Year-by-year records

Kawasaki KLX230 model-year comparison
Model yearComplaintsRecallsChange in recalls
202010Not available
202210Not available
Explore the data

Vehicle analysis explorer

Inspect model-year patterns, reported mileage, monthly activity and the evidence behind each signal.

Data completeness

2 unique complaints in this selection. Analysis snapshot: 2026-10-01.

50.0%Usable mileage1 / 2 records
100.0%Valid incident date2 / 2 records
100.0%Valid filing date2 / 2 records
100.0%Ordered incident and filing dates2 / 2 records

Missing, zero and invalid mileage is excluded. Dates after the snapshot are excluded. Examples are limited selections, not a representative sample.

Problems by model year

Model-wide comparison of the eight most reported components across the model. Cells show counts and shares within each model year. Open a cell for source examples.

Component complaint heatmap
Component20202022
Engine
1100.0%
ODI 11291143 · 25 mi

JUST PURCHASED A 2020 KAWASAKI KLX 230 ALF. I RODE IT AROUND THE BACKYARD FOR SEVERAL MINUTES. WHEN, I WOULD COME TO A STOP FOR JUST A COUPLE OF SECONDS, I NOTICED A BURNING SMELL. IT SMELLED LIKE SOMEONE WAS BURNING LEAVES. AS I LOOKED DOWN AT THE HEADER PIPE, IT WAS GLOWING ORANGE!!! LEAVES AND TALL GRASS WERE STARTING TO CATCH ON FIRE !!! IT'S A VERY DANGEROUS EXHAUST FLAW IN THE EXHAUST SYSTEM ! YARD ALMOST CAUGHT ON FIRE. ALSO THE MOTORCYCLE AND MYSELF!!!!

Look up ODI 11291143 at NHTSA ↗

00.0%

No examples available for this selection.

Fuel/Propulsion System
00.0%

No examples available for this selection.

1100.0%
ODI 11495281

On Wednesday, June 29th, 2022 I was riding my new Kawasaki KLX230S on private property. While riding I was experiencing surging while riding off-road. We set up a course to practice for my on-road license test and upon returning from the opposite end of the course I applied both the front and rear brakes bringing the bike to a stop. At that very moment the motorcycle accelerated to full throttle on it's own causing me to dump the bike rather than run over my husband. A Kawasaki dealer told us we probably overfilled the fuel tank and got fuel …

Look up ODI 11495281 at NHTSA ↗

Darker cells indicate a larger share of submitted complaints. Components overlap. This measures complaint composition, not failure probability.

Failure mileage by component

Median and middle 50% of usable owner-reported mileages. Ranges require at least five records.

Component failure mileage distribution
ComponentMileage range (25th–75th percentile)MedianUsable recordsExamples
EngineToo few reports for a range25 mi1 (sparse)
ODI 11291143 · 25 mi

JUST PURCHASED A 2020 KAWASAKI KLX 230 ALF. I RODE IT AROUND THE BACKYARD FOR SEVERAL MINUTES. WHEN, I WOULD COME TO A STOP FOR JUST A COUPLE OF SECONDS, I NOTICED A BURNING SMELL. IT SMELLED LIKE SOMEONE WAS BURNING LEAVES. AS I LOOKED DOWN AT THE HEADER PIPE, IT WAS GLOWING ORANGE!!! LEAVES AND TALL GRASS WERE STARTING TO CATCH ON FIRE !!! IT'S A VERY DANGEROUS EXHAUST FLAW IN THE EXHAUST SYSTEM ! YARD ALMOST CAUGHT ON FIRE. ALSO THE MOTORCYCLE AND MYSELF!!!!

Look up ODI 11291143 at NHTSA ↗

Complaint and recall timeline

Explore monthly filing activity alongside recall announcements. Up to ten years of monthly history is available.

1 reports2024-112026-10

Solid line: filed complaints. Dashed amber lines: recall announcement dates for this vehicle selection; markers include all recall components. The latest month is partial. Temporal proximity does not establish causation.

Monthly counts, recall campaigns and complaint examples
Monthly complaint and recall timeline
MonthComplaintsCampaigns announcedExamples
2024-110None

No examples available for this selection.

2024-120None

No examples available for this selection.

2025-010None

No examples available for this selection.

2025-020None

No examples available for this selection.

2025-030None

No examples available for this selection.

2025-040None

No examples available for this selection.

2025-050None

No examples available for this selection.

2025-060None

No examples available for this selection.

2025-070None

No examples available for this selection.

2025-080None

No examples available for this selection.

2025-090None

No examples available for this selection.

2025-100None

No examples available for this selection.

2025-110None

No examples available for this selection.

2025-120None

No examples available for this selection.

2026-010None

No examples available for this selection.

2026-020None

No examples available for this selection.

2026-030None

No examples available for this selection.

2026-040None

No examples available for this selection.

2026-050None

No examples available for this selection.

2026-060None

No examples available for this selection.

2026-070None

No examples available for this selection.

2026-080None

No examples available for this selection.

2026-090None

No examples available for this selection.

2026-10 (partial)0None

No examples available for this selection.

Emerging complaint spikes

Complete months in the latest six months with at least 10 complaints, at least twice the preceding 12-month average, and at least three square-root deviations above that average.

This is a descriptive screening rule, not a statistical defect finding. Publicity and reporting changes can increase submissions.

No complete months meet the spike thresholds for this selection.

Equal-age model-year comparison

Model-wide cumulative reports during the first three or five calendar years, starting with the model year (age 0). Only fully elapsed windows are compared.

Age 0Age 1Age 21 reports

2020: 0 complaints · 2022: 1 complaints

Equal observation windows
Model yearThrough age 0Through age 1Through age 2
2020000
2022111
Date coverage across each selected cohort
Date basis for all complaints in selected model years
YearIncident dates usedFiling date fallbacksExcluded dates
2020001
2022100

Incident date is preferred when valid and no later than filing; otherwise filing date is used. Model year approximates age. Equal observation time does not adjust for sales, distance driven or reporting delays. One complaint linked to multiple model years can appear in each cohort.

Components reported together

Each cell counts unique complaints naming both components. Open a nonzero cell for examples.

Component co-occurrence matrix
ComponentEngineFuel/Propulsion System
Engine—0
Fuel/Propulsion System0—

Co-reporting does not establish that one component caused another concern.

Recurring narrative patterns

Specific keyword mentions beyond broad component labels. Matching includes negations and comparisons and does not confirm a diagnosis.

1 patterns with matching reports.

Warning lights and dashboard alerts

1 mentions · 50.0% of complaints

Median mileage: Unavailable (0 usable records).

ODI 11495281

On Wednesday, June 29th, 2022 I was riding my new Kawasaki KLX230S on private property. While riding I was experiencing surging while riding off-road. We set up a course to practice for my on-road license test and upon returning from the opposite end of the course I applied both the front and rear brakes bringing the bike to a stop. At that very moment the motorcycle accelerated to full throttle on it's own causing me to dump the bike rather than run over my husband. A Kawasaki dealer told us we probably overfilled the fuel tank and got fuel …

Look up ODI 11495281 at NHTSA ↗

Matching rule\b(warning light\w*|check engine|dashboard warning\w*|malfunction indicator)\b