Model year record

2003 Yamaha Road Star Limited Edition recalls & problems

The 2003 Yamaha Road Star Limited Edition has 1 safety recall and 14 owner complaints on file with NHTSA. The most-reported problem area is power train (14 complaints).

Recalls1safety recalls

Complaints14filed by owners

Crashes · fires0 · 1reported in complaints

Injuries · deaths0 · 0reported in complaints

Safety recalls

Power trainAug 26, 2003

Manual transmission

Recall 03V30900029,139 vehiclesopened after NHTSA action (ODI)

Problem: IN THE TRANSMISSION ON CERTAIN MOTORCYCLES, THE SECOND/THIRD PINION GEAR MAY BE INCORRECTLY MACHINED WHICH COULD CAUSE ABNORMAL WEAR THAT EVENTUALLY RESULTS IN A BROKEN RETAINER CIRCLIP.
Risk: IF THE CIRCLIP BREAKS, THE TRANSMISSION COULD LOCK UP, WHICH WOULD ALSO CAUSE THE REAR WHEEL TO LOCK UP. THIS COULD RESULT IN LOSS OF CONTROL AND A CRASH, POSSIBLY RESULTING IN SERIOUS INJURY OR DEATH.
Fix: YAMAHA WILL REPLACE THE TRANSMISSION GEARS AND SHAFTS WITH NEW ONES. OWNER NOTIFICATION BEGAN ON SEPTEMBER 9, 2003. OWNERS WHO TAKE THEIR VEHICLES TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER ON AN AGREED UPON SERVICE DATE AND DO NOT RECEIVE THE FREE REMEDY WITHIN A REASONABLE TIME SHOULD CONTACT YAMAHA AT 1-800-88-YAMAHA OR VISIT THEIR WEBSITE AT WWW.YAMAHA-MOTOR.COM.

Recall repairs are free at any authorised dealer. A recall listed here may already have been fixed on a particular car: enter its 17-character VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls to see open recalls.

What owners report

Problem area	Complaints	Crashes	Fires	Injuries	Typical mileage*
Power trainManual transmission; Automatic transmission	14	0	1	0	6,000 mi
Service brakes, hydraulic	1	0	1	0	—

*Median odometer reading when the problem happened, where owners gave one. One complaint can name several problem areas.

Recent owner complaints

Power train › Manual transmission
I WAS RIDING SOUTH BOUND INTERSTATE 95 ABOUT 65 MPH WHEN ALL OF A SUDDEN MY YAMAHA SILVERADO LOST SPEED AND STARTED JERKING. I PULLED THE CLUTCH IN AND LET THE BIKE SLOW DOWN. I THEN TRIED TO DOWNSHIFT BUT THE SHIFTER WAS FROZEN, FINALLY I GOT IT TO GO INTO GEAR. AS I STARTED TO PICK UP SPEED IT DIDN'T WANT TO GO INTO 4TH GEAR. I CRAWLED HOME ABOUT 2 MILES AND ATTEMPTED TO HIT ALL GEARS AFTER I WAS PARKED IN MY DRIVEWAY, IT WOULD NOT MOVE. I THANK GOD IT DIDN'T LOCK UP THE WHEEL ON I95 AT 65 MPH. I HAVE OWNED YAMAHA BIKES FOR 30 YEARS AND THIS IS THE FIRST TIME I HAVE HAD THIS HAPPEN. IF I HAD KNOWN YAMAHA HAD THIS PROBLEM I WOULD NEVER HAD BOUGHT THE BIKE. IS YAMAHA DOING ANYTHING TO…
Sep 5, 2010 · 14,000 miles
Power train › Manual transmission
I WAS TRAVELING DOWN THE FREEWAY WHEN SUDDENLY 5TH GEAR WAS GONE CAUSING ME TO SUDDENLY LOOSE SPEED IN HEAVY TRAFFIC. I WAS ABLE TO DOWNSHIFT INTO 4TH GEAR AND CONTINUE MOVING AT A SLOWER SPEED, BUT 5TH GEAR IS COMPLETELY GONE. THIS IS THE ONLY TIME IT HAS OCCURRED TO ME, BUT THERE IS ABSOLUTELY NO 5TH GEAR. APPARENTLY IT HAS HAPPENED TO NUMBERS OF OTHER YAMAHA ROAD STAR OWNERS. THIS TRANSMISSION HAD A RECALL ISSUED ON IT A FEW YEARS AGO THAT WAS DIFFERENT THAN THIS ISSUE, SO THIS IS A SECOND PROBLEM WITH THE SAME TRANSMISSION. *TR
Jul 26, 2009 · 13,078 miles
Service brakes, hydraulicFire
I HAVE A 2003 YAMAHA ROAD STAR LIMITED SILVER EDITION MOTORCYCLE, WHICH I PURCHASED FROM MALCOLM SMITH MOTORSPORTS, RIVERSIDE. IN JANUARY 2004, WITH 2,500 MILES ON THE MOTORCYCLE, I HAD A VERY DANGEROUS MALFUNCTION WITH THE REAR BRAKE, CAUSING THE REAR BRAKE TO BE APPLIED WITHOUT APPLYING FORCE TO THE PEDAL. DURING THAT SAME WEEK, I RECEIVED A NOTICE BY MAIL OF A RECALL ON THE MOTORCYCLE INVOLVING THE TRANSMITION (UNRELATED TO THE BRAKE). UPON CALLING THE DEALER, I WAS TOLD THE BRAKE WOULD NOT BE LOOKED AT UNTIL THE RECALL WORK WAS ALSO PERFORMED. I WAS NOT GIVEN A DATE. AFTER THE MOTORCYCLE HAD BEEN SITTING FOR FOUR MONTHS, I TOLD THE DEALERSHIP I WAS TIRED OF HAVING A $15,000 GARAGE…
Apr 30, 2004 · 2,575 miles
Power train › Manual transmission
CONSUMER UNABLE TO GET RECALL WORK PERFORMED DUE TO LACK OF PARTS. *PH RECALL #03V309000 *JB
Apr 20, 2004
Power train › Automatic transmission
THREE MONTHS AGO CONSUMER RECEIVED A RECALL LETTER REGARDING AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION FAILURE. DEALERSHIP STILL DID NOT HAVE THE PARTS AVAILABLE TO CONDUCT RECALL REPAIRS. CONSUMER WAS ANGRY THAT YAMAHA HAD NOT ISSUED ANY STATEMENT ON HOW LONG IT WILL TAKE TO OBTAIN THE COMPONENT ITEMS ON RECALL. *AK
Apr 16, 2004 · 7,800 miles
Power train › Manual transmission
DEALERSHIP DIDN'T HAVE PARTS TO PERFORM TRANSMISSION RECALL IN THE SPECIFIED TIME FRAME. *PH CUSTOMER SERVICE REPRESENTATIVE INFROMED CONSUMER THAT THEY'RE NOT CERTAIN WHEN THE PARTS FOR REPAIR WILL ARRIVE. *LA
Apr 15, 2004
Power train › Manual transmission
SAFETY RECALL ON TRANSMISSION.RECEIVED RECALL ON JAN. 9TH TO HAVE BIKE REPAIRED BUT WHEN I CALLED THE DEALER I WAS INFORMED THERE WAS NO PARTS TO REPAIR IT.I WAS TOLD THAT THE PARTS WOULD NOT BE HERE FOR AT LEAST 2 MONTHS.NOW IT IS THS MIDDLE OF APRIL AND THE PARTS ARE STILL NOT AVAILABLE.THE LETTER STATED DO NOT RIDE BECAUSE THE TRANMISSION COULD LOCK UP AND CAUSE THE REAR WHEEL TO START SLIDING.I TAKED TO BRAD FRANKLIN IN GOVERMENT RELATIONS AT YAMAHA 1-714-761-7842 NO HELP IN THIS DEPARTMENT.WAS TOLD BY HIM THE PARTS SHOULD BE HERE BY THE END OF APRIL.COULD NOT GAURANTEE THAT.IN THE MEAN TIME THE BIKE HAS BEEN SITTING IN THE GARAGE FOR THREE MONTHS AND COLLECTING DUST.THE PAYMENTS AND…
Jan 9, 2004 · 1,400 miles
Power train › Manual transmission
RECALL OF DEFECTIVE TRANSMISSION. PARTS THAT ARE NEEDED FOR REPAIR ARE NOT AVAILABLE. NO TIME FRAME FOR REPAIRS. TWO (2) MONTHS SINCE RECALL NOTIFICATION. INSTRUCTED NOT TO USE VEHICLE UNTIL COMPLETED. VEHICLE NEEDS TO BE INSURED AND LOANS PAID BUT UNABLE TO USE VEHICLE.*AK
Mar 30, 2004

Owner complaints are submitted to NHTSA by the public and are not verified. Shown as filed (NHTSA removes personal details); long reports are shortened.