Model year record
2012 Yamaha Super Tenere recalls & problems
The 2012 Yamaha Super Tenere has no safety recalls on file with NHTSA, and 11 owner complaints. The most-reported problem area is service brakes (6 complaints).
Safety recalls
No safety recalls have been filed for the 2012 Yamaha Super Tenere.
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 | Typical mileage* |
|---|---|---|
| Service brakes | 6 | — |
| Electrical system | 5 | 14,000 mi |
| Engine | 3 | 10,000 mi |
| Unknown or other | 2 | — |
| Vehicle speed control | 1 | — |
| Fuel/propulsion system | 1 | — |
*Median odometer reading when the problem happened, where owners gave one. One complaint can name several problem areas.
Recent owner complaints
- Service brakes
While riding, my abs light lit up and my rear brake became hard to press and rear brakes because inoperable. Had it diagnosed and the abs pump is malfunctioning
- Service brakes
At 12 years old and 34,500 miles the rear brakes began feeling soft and eventually traveled to the bottom and the rear brakes stopped working. Front brakes worked normally. Several attempts at bleeding the air out of the rear system only resulted in safe operation for a few days. Eventually the rear brakes stopped working after each air bleeding attempt. The problem is the ABS pump has failed and the combined braking engagement admits air to the rear braking system when the combined braking is engaged through the ABS pump. The only fix is replacement of the ABS pump with a new part at $1,900 retail ($1,600 street price), using a used unit ($450 or so), or repairing the old unit ($550 with…
- Service brakes
On 15 JUN 2023, my Super Tenere experienced total loss of rear brakes during vehicle operation in traffic, almost resulting in an accident. There was no vehilce annunciation of loss of brakes or ABS failure. Vehicle-specific forums show that this has happened to at least 5 other operators since 2014. The vehicle anti-lock braking system (ABS) pump fails in a manner that allows air ingression in the rear brake hydraulic fluid path, resulting in loss of braking. The vehicle has been serviced (by myself - brake bleed) three times, each time the problem returns. The sole curative measure is replacement of the ABS pump unit, at significant cost. This failure represents a safety system single…
- Service brakes
The ABS pump has failed nearly causing a life threatening incident. This is a known issue with ABS systems on the 2012 and 2013 Yamaha XTZ1200 which are classified as Generation 1 machines. This problem was addressed and apparently remedied on the 2014 - 2023 model bikes comprising Generation 2 machines. Yamaha needs to address this issue and recall every 2012 & 2013 XTZ1200 for ABS pump replacement .
- Service brakes
The ABS module on the Super Tenere is known to fail in such a way as to leave the rear brake inoperable (the brake pedal can be bottomed out without any resistance and without applying any pressure to the rear caliper). This happened on my 2012 Super Tenere, and has been discussed considerably among multiple other Super Tenere owners who have experienced the same failure. This is a significant safety risk, as any ABS module failure should fail in such a way as to leave both front and rear brake operable. It is believed amongst Super Tenere owners that the failure occurs largely due to the Unified Braking System (a subsystem contained within the ABS module which applies rear brake when the…
- Service brakesCrash
I HAD A TOTAL LOSS OF BRAKES ON MY BIKE. I WAS RIDING IT AND WHEN APPLYING THE REAR BRAKES THE PEDAL WENT ALL THE WAY DOWN AND DID NOT ENGAGE, IT DID NOT SLOW ME DOWN. THERE WAS NO INDICATION OF POSSIBLE FAILURES ON PREVIOUS USAGE OF THE BRAKES. I HAVE TAKEN MY BIKE TO TWO AUTHORIZED YAMAHA DEALERS AS THIS HAS HAPPENED 3 TIME IN TOTAL. THE ABS PUMP IS FAILING AND INJECTING AIR INTO THE HYDRAULIC SYSTEM. THE BRAKES HAVE BEEN BLEED SEVERAL TIMES, THE ABILITY RETURNED BUT IT FAILED AGAIN. EVERY PART ON THE BRAKES HAVE EITHER BEEN REPAIRED OR REPLACED EXCEPT THE ABS UNIT. I COMPLAINED TO YAMAHA NORTH AMERICA AND THEY INSISTED THAT THE ABS UNIT WAS NOT BAD NOR WAS IT TO BLAME FOR THE AIR IN THE…
- Electrical system
MOTORCYCLE WILL FOR NO REASON DIE OR IDLE FAST AROUND 3,500 RPM. THIS IS VERY DANGEROUS WHEN LETTING OFF THE THROTTLE TO TURN AROUND A CORNER AND THE BIKE DOES NOT SLOW DOWN. IT HAS HAPPENED TO ME ABOUT 5 DIFFERENT RIDE DAYS. IT WOULD STALL WHEN LETTING OFF THE GAS OR ACCELERATE. I ALWAYS WAS ABLE TO LET THE BIKE REST START STOP THE MOTOR 5 TO 30 TIMES AND IT WOULD GO BACK TO NORMAL. I ALMOST WENT OF THE ROAD IN THE MOUNTAINS WHEN IT 1ST HAPPENED. LET OFF THE GAS FOR A TIGHT CORNER AND THE BIKE DID NOT SLOW IT SPEED UP. *TT *CN
- Electrical systemCrash
I HAVE HAD NUMEROUS ELECTRICAL FAULTS RESULTING IN LOSS OF POWER WHILE RIDING AND IDLE SPEED SURGES, RESULTING IN THE VEHICLE ACCELERATING WITHOUT WARNING. THE SURGE OF ACCELERATION CAUSED ME TO REAR END A VEHICLE UNDER NORMAL BRAKING, WHEN DOWN SHIFTING CAUSED THE BIKE TO LURCH FORWARD WITH AN IDLE SPEED ABOVE 4000 RPM, IMPACTING THE VEHICLE IN FRONT OF ME. LUCKILY, I WAS ABLE TO SLOW THE VEHICLE BEFORE IMPACT SO THERE WAS ONLY SUPERFICIAL SCRATCHES FOUND. THE SUDDEN ACCELERATION CAUSED A LOSS OF CONTROL WHICH RESULTED IN THE IMPACT. I HAVE ALSO RECENTLY HAD MORE ISSUES WITH THE CYCLE DISPLAYING AN ERROR CODE AND NOT STARTING, LEAVING ME STRANDED ON A RIDE. THE PROBLEM HAS BEEN…
Owner complaints are submitted to NHTSA by the public and are not verified. Shown as filed (NHTSA removes personal details); long reports are shortened.