Reported: 2011-06-08 (June 8, 2011) · Model years: 2009, 2010
KAWASAKI IS RECALLING CERTAIN MODEL YEAR 2009-2010 KLX250 MOTORCYCLES. THE FUEL TANK COULD LEAK FROM CRACKS AT THE SPOT WELD(S) ON THE SIDE MOUNT TABS DUE TO STRESS CAUSED BY EXCESSIVE CLEARANCE BETWEEN THE FUEL TANK AND A FRAME-MOUNTED RUBBER DAMPER.
Consequence: FUEL LEAKAGE IN THE PRESENCE OF SPARK OR FLAME COULD CAUSE A FIRE OR EXPLOSION POSSIBLY RESULTING IN INJURY OR DEATH.
Remedy: DEALERS WILL INSPECT AND CORRECT THE FUEL TANK AS NECESSARY, FREE OF CHARGE. THE SAFETY RECALL BEGAN ON JUNE 16, 2011. OWNERS MAY CONTACT KAWASAKI CONSUMER SERVICES DEPARTMENT AT 866-802-9381.
Inspect model-year patterns, reported mileage, monthly activity and the evidence behind each signal.
Data completeness
3 unique complaints in this selection. Analysis snapshot: 2026-10-01.
33.3%Usable mileage1 / 3 records
100.0%Valid incident date3 / 3 records
100.0%Valid filing date3 / 3 records
100.0%Ordered incident and filing dates3 / 3 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
Component
2009
2010
2012
2019
Engine
1100.0%ODI 10532652
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2009 KAWASAKI KLX250SF MOTORCYCLE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE TRAVELING AT UNKNOWN SPEEDS, THE VEHICLE OVERHEATED. THE CONTACT MERGED TO THE SHOULDER AND DISMOUNTED THE VEHICLE JUST AT IT BURST INTO FLAMES. THE FIRE AND POLICE DEPARTMENTS WERE NOTIFIED. THE VEHICLE WAS DESTROYED. THERE WERE NO INJURIES. THE MANUFACTURER WAS CONTACTED ABOUT THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS NOT AVAILABLE.
The contact owns a 2019 Kawasaki KLX250. The contact stated while riding 10-20 MPH and depressing the rear brake piston, the motorcycle failed to respond. There was no warning light illuminated. The contact engaged the front brake and the engine brake, and the motorcycle responded as intended. The motorcycle was taken to the dealer, where it was diagnosed that the rear brake piston had failed due to dirt intrusion in the piston's internal plunger, which damaged the pressure seal and rendered the hydraulic unit inoperable. The contact was inform…
2012 KAWASKI KLX250 MOTORCYCLE. CONSUMER WRITES IN REGARDS TO FRONT WHEEL CAMBER PROBLEM *TGW THE CONSUMER STATED WHILE RIDING THE BIKE, HE NOTICED THE HANDLEBARS WERE NOT SQUARE TO THE BIKE WHEN TRAVELING IN A STRAIGHT LINE. INSTEAD, THEY WERE COCKED TO THE RIGHT. UPON CLOSER INSPECTION, HE NOTICED THE FRONT WHEEL HAD A CAMBER PROBLEM. HE NOTICED THE AXLE WAS NOT SQUARE TO THE FRONT FORKS, WHICH CAUSED THE TOP OF THE WHEEL TO BE CLOSER TO THE LEFT FORK, THAN THE RIGHT FORK AND CAUSED THE BIKE TO PULL TO THE LEFT WHEN TRAVELING WITH THE HANDLE…
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
Component
Mileage range (25th–75th percentile)
Median
Usable records
Examples
Service Brakes, Hydraulic
Too few reports for a range
640 mi
1 (sparse)
ODI 11631371 · 640 mi
The contact owns a 2019 Kawasaki KLX250. The contact stated while riding 10-20 MPH and depressing the rear brake piston, the motorcycle failed to respond. There was no warning light illuminated. The contact engaged the front brake and the engine brake, and the motorcycle responded as intended. The motorcycle was taken to the dealer, where it was diagnosed that the rear brake piston had failed due to dirt intrusion in the piston's internal plunger, which damaged the pressure seal and rendered the hydraulic unit inoperable. The contact was inform…
Explore monthly filing activity alongside recall announcements. Up to ten years of monthly history is available.
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
Month
Complaints
Campaigns announced
Examples
2024-11
0
None
No examples available for this selection.
2024-12
1
None
ODI 11631371 · 640 mi
The contact owns a 2019 Kawasaki KLX250. The contact stated while riding 10-20 MPH and depressing the rear brake piston, the motorcycle failed to respond. There was no warning light illuminated. The contact engaged the front brake and the engine brake, and the motorcycle responded as intended. The motorcycle was taken to the dealer, where it was diagnosed that the rear brake piston had failed due to dirt intrusion in the piston's internal plunger, which damaged the pressure seal and rendered the hydraulic unit inoperable. The contact was inform…
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.
2012: 1 complaints · 2019: 0 complaints
Equal observation windows
Model year
Through age 0
Through age 1
Through age 2
2012
1
1
1
2019
0
0
0
Date coverage across each selected cohort
Date basis for all complaints in selected model years
Year
Incident dates used
Filing date fallbacks
Excluded dates
2012
1
0
0
2019
1
0
0
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
Component
Engine
Service Brakes, Hydraulic
Suspension
Engine
—
0
0
Service Brakes, Hydraulic
0
—
0
Suspension
0
0
—
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 · 33.3% of complaints
Median mileage: 640 mi (1 usable records).
ODI 11631371 · 640 mi
The contact owns a 2019 Kawasaki KLX250. The contact stated while riding 10-20 MPH and depressing the rear brake piston, the motorcycle failed to respond. There was no warning light illuminated. The contact engaged the front brake and the engine brake, and the motorcycle responded as intended. The motorcycle was taken to the dealer, where it was diagnosed that the rear brake piston had failed due to dirt intrusion in the piston's internal plunger, which damaged the pressure seal and rendered the hydraulic unit inoperable. The contact was inform…