The Kawasaki KRX 1000 is one of the most popular sport side-by-sides you’ll find.
And while Kawasaki is well-known for producing some of the most reliable side-by-sides out there, they’re definitely not bulletproof.
Even their most popular overall utility vehicles, the Kawasaki Mule Pro FXT has a number of common problems.
And while many owners love their KRX 1000’s, others have voiced their displeasure with a number of different negatives that tend to be commonly experienced with these models.
Below are the 12 most common owner complaints with the Kawasaki KRX 1000.
Most Common Owner Complaints With The KRX 1000
- The KRX 1000 can’t hang with the sportier side-by-sides in the mid to upper RPM ranges. Acceleration drops off a bit in these RPM ranges so you don’t get quite the zip you might hope for when throttling.
- A speed limiter is installed on the KRX 1000 which limits the top-end speed, keeping them from being as fast as much of the competition.
- The engine noise in the cab can be almost deafening, making it hard to hear your passengers when accelerating.
- The cab tends to get uncomfortably hot, especially on warm days, due to warm air from the radiator and engine areas venting in.
- There are only door handles on the outsides of the doors, requiring you to reach over from the inside to open them.
- The driver’s seat is adjustable, but only offers around 2 inches of travel when sliding forward or backward. That doesn’t offer much added cab room for longer legs and can leave those with shorter legs in a tricky spot as well.
- The location of the front cup holders directly behind the shifter is inconvenient and tends to lead to your drinks heating up rather quickly while out driving.
- The stock clutch weights and clutch rollers in the KRX 1000 are both known to wear out quickly and lead to clutch-related issues:
- Clutch drag: creates hard shifting in and out of gear
- Belt slippage: leads to a whining noise when idling or coasting downhill
- Slipping in and out of certain gears
- Many owners find that after around 500 miles of driving, their KRX 1000 starts to experience spring sag from both the front and rear shock springs. This leads to less and less ground clearance and more frequent bottoming out, and usually requires replacing the springs to fix.
- The axle caps on the wheels are known to vibrate loose quite easily while riding, with some owners reporting they lost at least one after the very first ride with the KRX 1000. A missing axle cap looks unnatural and will need to be replaced. This is more annoying than anything, but when you fork over a big sum of money you’d hope for better.
- The fuel gauge in the KRX 1000 is wildly inaccurate and is known to fluctuate randomly during rides, leaving owners frustrated and stressed about not knowing how much fuel they have left at any given time.
- Some owners of a brand new KRX 1000 report spongy brakes, where the brake pedal feels like it has too much give and the brakes slow to react to pressure. This usually works itself out over time but is frustrating for owners of a new vehicle.
For more on how to overcome some of these common complaints, check out the most common KRX 1000 problems and fixes.
