Model year record

2002 Yamaha XVS11 recalls & problems

The 2002 Yamaha XVS11 has 2 safety recalls and 13 owner complaints on file with NHTSA. The most-reported problem area is power train (11 complaints).

Recalls2safety recalls

Complaints13filed by owners

Crashes · fires1 · 0reported in complaints

Injuries · deaths0 · 0reported in complaints

Safety recalls

SeatsJun 1, 2005

Motorcycle

Recall 05V25600046,000 vehicles

Problem: ON CERTAIN MOTORCYLES, THE ORIGINAL REPLACEMENT MOUNTING HARDWARE HOLDING THE PASSENGER SEAT TO THE FENDER COULD BREAK IF THE MOUNTING HARDWARE IS OVER TIGHTENED.
Risk: IF THE HARDWARE BREAKS, THE PASSENGER SEAT CAN FALL OFF THE REAR FENDER. THE PASSENGER COULD LOSE BALANCE AND FALL, CAUSING SERIOUS INJURY OR DEATH.
Fix: OWNERS MAY ALREADY HAVE RECEIVED A LETTER FROM YAMAHA DATED MARCH 3, 2005, ABOUT THIS DEFECT. IN ORDER TO PROVIDE AN IMPROVED REMEDY TO THE REPAIR OF THE PREVIOUS RECALL, YAMAHA IS RECALLING CERTAIN MOTORCYCLES AGAIN. DEALERS WILL REPLACE THE HARDWARE HOLDING THE PASSENGER SEAT TO THE FENDER WITH COMPONENTS OF A DIFFERENT TYPE THAT WILL NOT ALLOW THE SEAT TO FALL OFF. THE RECALL BEGAN ON JUNE 15, 2005. OWNERS MAY CONTACT YAMAHA AT 1-800-88-YAMAHA.

SeatsMar 3, 2005

Motorcycle

Recall 05V067000179,042 vehicles

Problem: ON CERTAIN MOTORCYCLES, THE MOUNTING HARDWARE HOLDING THE PASSENGER SEAT TO THE FENDER COULD LOOSEN DUE TO THE PASSENGER'S WEIGHT SHIFTING ON THE SEAT.
Risk: IF THE MOUNTING HARDWARE BECOMES LOOSE ENOUGH TO FALL OFF, THE PASSENGER SEAT CAN FALL OFF THE REAR FENDER. A PASSENGER ON THE MOTORCYCLE COULD LOSE BALANCE AND FALL, CAUSING SERIOUS INJURY OR DEATH.
Fix: DEALERS WILL REPLACE THE PASSENGER SEAT'S MOUNTING HARDWARE FREE OF CHARGE. THE RECALL BEGAN ON MARCH 4, 2005. OWNERS MAY CONTACT YAMAHA AT 1-800-227-5963.

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	Typical mileage*
Power trainDriveline; Driveline › Driveshaft	11	1	28,000 mi
Electrical system	2	0	—
Engine and engine coolingExhaust system › Emission control	1	0	—
Unknown or other	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
MIDDLE DRIVE SHAFT SNAPPED OFF WHERE THE NUT GOES ON. THIS IS VERY DANGEROUS AND HAS HAPPENED ON MANY OF THESE BIKES. THE BACK WHEEL CAN LOCK UP AND PUT THE MOTORCYCLE INTO A SKID CAUSING AN ACCIDENT THAT COULD EASILY RESULT IN DEATH. I WAS DRIVING DOWN THE ROAD AND NOTICED A LOUD NOISE COMING FROM THE ENGINE AREA OF THE MOTORCYCLE. THE DRIVE TRAIN WAS SKIPPING AND LOCKING UP. UPON INSPECTION I SEEN THAT THE DRIVE SHAFT HAD SNAPPED OFF. I PLAN ON CONTACTING YAMAHA TO SEE WHAT THEY PLAN TO DO ABOUT THIS. THIS WAS POOR DESIGN BECAUSE THE HAVE MADE A STRONGER DRIVE SHAFT TO REPLACE IT. *TT
Sep 9, 2011 · 53,000 miles
Power train › Driveline
WHILE COMMUTING TO WORK I NOTICED A VERY LOUD WHINING SOUND COMING FROM THE DRIVE SHAFT AREA DURING DECELLERATION ON MY 2002 V-STAR 1100. AFTER FURTHER INSPECTION AND RESEARCH I LEARNED IT WAS MY MIDDLE DRIVE THAT HAD ACTUALLY DISMEMBERED ITSELF, CAUSING A BROKEN PART TO RATTLE AROUND INSIDE THE ASSEMBLY, WHICH MANY OTHER YAMAHA OWNERS HAVE EXPERIENCED ACCORDING TO AN ONLINE FORUM. THANKFULLY I WAS NOT INJURED BUT SOME INDIVIDUALS VOICED THAT THIS CAN CAUSE THE REAR WHEEL TO COMPLETELY LOCK UP GOING AT ANY RATE OF SPEED. *TT
Jun 25, 2011 · 28,000 miles
Power train › Driveline
MOTORCYCLE STARTED MAKING NOISE WHEN LETTING OFF THE GAS. REAR WHEEL LOCKED UP JUST AS I GOT HOME. END OF MIDDLE SHAFT BROKEN OFF AND NUT JAMMED IN U-JOINT. *TR
Jun 26, 2011 · 19,125 miles
Power train
WHEN STARTING AND SHUTTING OFF THE MOTORCYCLE, THERE TENDS TO BE A LOUD CLUNK. THIS HAS BEEN GOING ON SINCE I PURCHASED THIS BIKE FROM A PRIVATE OWNER IN 2010. I HAVE ALL OF THE SERVICE DOCUMENTATION FOR THIS BIKE FROM THE PREVIOUS OWNER, ALL MAINTENANCE WAS PERFORMED ON SCHEDULE. JUST RECENTLY, I HAD AN ISSUE WHERE THE BIKE WOULD NOT TURN OVER AT ALL. THE STARTER MOTOR WOULD JUST SPIN AND WHINE, AND THE ENGINE WOULD NOT TURN OVER. I REMOVED THE STARTER MOTOR AND LOOKED AT IT, AND INSIDE, THERE ARE 4 BRUSHES. ONE BRUSH WAS COMPLETELY DESTROYED AND WORN TO NOTHING. I REPLACED THE STARTER MOTOR, AND THE SAME ISSUE EXISTED. THE STARTER MOTOR WOULD JUST SPIN AND NOT TURN THE ENGINE OVER. I TOOK…
May 25, 2011 · 20,000 miles
Power train › Driveline
THE VEHICLE IS A 2002 YAMAHA V STAR 1100 CLASSIC MOTORCYCLE WITH APPROX. 74,000 MILES.THE EVENTS LEADING UP TO THE INCIDENT WERE JUST NORMAL RIDING CONDITIONS FOR THIS MOTORCYCLE. THE FAILURE OCCURRED WHEN THE TIP OF THE MIDDLE DRIVE SHAFT SHEARED OFF WITH THE NUT THAT HOLDS IT IN PLACE. THIS IS A COMMON PROBLEM FROM WHAT I UNDERSTAND WITH THIS PARTICULAR MOTORCYCLE, WITH ALL OF THE BREAKAGE OCCURRING IN THE EXACT SAME SPOT. THIS DEFECT COULD LEAD TO THE DRIVE SHAFT JAMMING UP AND CAUSING SERIOUS HARM AND QUITE POSSIBLY DEATH FROM AN ACCIDENT. THUS FAR YAMAHA HAS FAILED TO RECOGNIZE THE ISSUE. IT IS A VERY COSTLY AND EXPENSIVE REPAIR INVOLVING BASICALLY DISASSEMBLING THE BIKE TO GET AT THE…
Jul 30, 2010 · 74,000 miles
Power train › DrivelineCrash
HAD THE MIDDLE DRIVE SHAFT BOLT SHEAR OFF MY 1100 V STAR. AS A RESULT OF THE BOLT SHEARING OF FOR NO APPARENT REASON IT LOCKED UP THE REAR TIRE,LOST CONTROL AND NEARLY KILLED MYSELF !!! *TR
May 24, 2010 · 25,000 miles
Power train › Driveline
WAS DRIVING IN TOWN AROUND 30MPH ,,,ALL OF A SUDDEN I HEARD AND DEVELOPED A WHINE (SOUNDED LIKE TIRE WHINE)., COULD ONLY HEAR IT DURING DECELERATION. NOISE GRADUALLY GOT LOUDER. LOUD CRUNCH WAS HEARD WHEN NUT HOLDING U-JOINT TO MIDDLE GEAR DISLODGED AND BUSTED SPEEDO PICKUP. I AM A TECHNICAL MECHANIC FOR A CAR BIG CAR COMPANY ....SO AS SOON AS I COULD TAKE IT BACK TO MY SHOP ,,,, I STARTED A DIAGNOSED OF THE PROBLEM....IT TOOK 10 TO 15 MINUTES TO FIND THAT THE NOISE WAS COMING FROM THE DRIVE PINION SHAFT (MIDDLE SHAFT) .. THE JOB STARTED ...SO I TOOK IT A PART AND FOUND OUT THAT THE MIDDLE SHAFT AT THE NUT WAS SHEARED OFF (BROKEN OFF TOTALLY) ....IT IS A VERY ENORMOUS JOB TO GET TO THAT…
May 22, 2010 · 28,273 miles
Power train
I OWN A 02 YAMAHA VSTAR 1100 CLASSICA AND IT'S HAS BEEN KNOWN THAT YEARS PRIOR TO 2003 THAT THE STARTER AND STARTER CLUTCH WILL FAIL AND NEED REPLACING. THIS WOULD NORMALLY RUN OVER 800 DOLLARS TO REPLACE AT THE DEALER. THIS HAS BEEN HAPPENING ALOT TO THESE BIKES AND SOME HAVE BEEN SUCCESSFUL OF GETTING THE PARTS FOR FREE FROM THE DEALER BUT MANY HAVE NOT BEEN SO LUCKY LIKE MYSELF. IF ONE DEALER REPLACED THE PARTS FOR ON CUSTOMER THEN THIS SHOULD BE DONE TO EVERY BIKE THAT NEEDS THIS TYPE OF REPAIR. IT HAS BEEN KNOWN THAT THE BIKES MADE AFTER 03 DO NOT HAVE THIS PROBLEM BUT MANY OF US STILL HAVE THIS PROBLEM. IS THERE ANYTHING THAT CAN BE DONE SO EVERYONE GETS THIS DEFECTIVE PARTS REPLACED?…
Nov 2, 2007 · 3,500 miles

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