FaultScore

Kawasaki KLR650 vs BMW 5 Series

Both cars' complete complaint records, side by side.

Read the totals carefully. NHTSA publishes no sales figures, so the car that sold more collects more complaints regardless of quality. The rows worth weighing are the proportions — the share of complaints that involved harm, and which part dominates.

Measure Kawasaki KLR650 BMW 5 Series
Complaints on file 229 556
Model years covered 1993–2024 1989–2012
Worst model year 2008 2006
Best model year 2023 2003
Crashes reported 0 26
Fires reported 1 25
Injuries reported 1 22
Deaths reported 0 1
Most complained-about part Lights Airbags
Share of complaints involving harm 0.9% 13.3%

Kawasaki KLR650 by year

Complaints filed with NHTSA, by model year. Bar colour is the FaultScore grade: A B C D F ungraded

What breaks

Lights 87 38.0%
Engine & Cooling 69 30.1%
Steering 18 7.9%
Suspension 13 5.7%
Body & Structure 11 4.8%
Electrical System 9 3.9%
Transmission & Drivetrain 7 3.1%
Equipment & Accessories 3 1.3%

BMW 5 Series by year

Complaints filed with NHTSA, by model year. Bar colour is the FaultScore grade: A B C D F ungraded

What breaks

Airbags 96 17.3%
Engine & Cooling 67 12.1%
Tires 43 7.7%
Steering 32 5.8%
Brakes 22 4.0%