2003 Yamaha ROAD STAR LIMITED EDITION: complaints, problems and recalls
Explore the records behind recurring owner reports.
Key facts
14 owner complaints analyzed
1 distinct recall campaigns
6,000 mi median reported failure mileage
Scope: 2003 model year. Data snapshot: . 7 complaints include usable failure mileage.
Most common problems
Power Train:Manual Transmission is the most frequently named component, appearing in 11 of 14 complaints (78.6%). A complaint can name multiple components.
| Topic | Matching reports | Share of complaints |
|---|---|---|
| Transmission and shifting | 9 | 64.3% |
| Braking behavior | 1 | 7.1% |
Topic matches use published keyword rules. They describe mentions, including negations or comparisons, and do not confirm a diagnosis. Read the matching rules.
Component breakdown
Number of unique complaints naming each component. Top eight shown.
| Category | Count |
|---|---|
| Power Train:Manual Transmission | 11 |
| Power Train:Automatic Transmission | 2 |
| Power Train | 1 |
| Service Brakes, Hydraulic | 1 |
Power Train:Manual Transmission: 11; Power Train:Automatic Transmission: 2; Power Train: 1; Service Brakes, Hydraulic: 1
Reported problems by failure mileage
Complaint counts in mileage bands. These are not failure rates per vehicle or mile.
| Category | Count |
|---|---|
| Under 25,000 | 7 |
| 25,000 to 49,999 | 0 |
| 50,000 to 74,999 | 0 |
| 75,000 to 99,999 | 0 |
| 100,000 to 149,999 | 0 |
| 150,000 and above | 0 |
Under 25,000: 7; 25,000 to 49,999: 0; 50,000 to 74,999: 0; 75,000 to 99,999: 0; 100,000 to 149,999: 0; 150,000 and above: 0
Under 25,000 miles has the most reports with usable mileage (7). 7 complaints have missing, zero or invalid mileage.
Complaints over time
Year the complaint was filed, not the vehicle model year or incident year. The snapshot year is partial.
| Category | Count |
|---|---|
| 2004 | 12 |
| 2009 | 1 |
| 2010 | 1 |
2004: 12; 2009: 1; 2010: 1
Pattern summary
Power Train:Manual Transmission leads the component reports. Transmission and shifting appears in 9 complaint narratives. Braking behavior appears in 1 complaint narratives. Use these patterns to inspect individual reports and prepare questions for a mechanic.
Calculated from recorded counts. An AI narrative has not been published for this selection.
Examples from the source records
Examples provide context, not a representative sample or a verified diagnosis.
Owner report 10058861 · 2004-02-24 (February 24, 2004)
RECALL ON MY 2003 YAMAHA ROAD STAR SE. RECEIVED RECALL LETTER FROM YAMAHA IN JANUARY, DEALER HAS NO PARTS TO REPAIR WITH NO DATES AS TO WHEN TO EXPECT THEM. WROTE AND CALLED YAMAHA HEAD QUARTERS IN CALIFORNIA, THEY WOULD NOT PROVIDE LOANER, BUY BACK THE BIKE, OR EXTEND WARRANTY. MY BIKE HAS 4700 MILES ON IT AND THEY WANT TO TEAR DOWN THE ENGINE AND TRANSMISSION TO REPAIR IT, ONCE THE PARTS ARE AVAILABLE. THIS WOULD MAKE THE BIKE A REBUILD, I PAID FOR A NEW BIKE, NOT A REBUILD. I AM ALSO MAKING MONTHLY PAYMENTS ON A BIKE YAMAHA SAYS NOT TO R…
Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10058861 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10059505 · 2004-02-20 (February 20, 2004)
CONSUMER RECEIVED A RECALL LETTER ON JANUARY 20, 2004 REGARDING TRANSMISSION. FAILURE. DEALERSHIP DID NOT HAVE THE PARTS AVAILABLE TO CONDUCT RECALL REPAIRS. DEALER INDICATED THAT THE CONSUMER SHOULD WAIT AT LEAST FIVE MONTHS. *AK
Owner-reported narrative. 6,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10059505 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10059918 · 2004-02-27 (February 27, 2004)
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
Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10059918 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10060001 · 2004-02-28 (February 28, 2004)
CAMPAIGN # 03V309000 MY ROAD STAR HAS BEEN AT MY DEALER SINCE 1/16/04 WAITING FOR THE REPAIR. I THINK ALMOST TWO MONTHS IS REASONABLE TIME FOR THE REPAIR. DEALER DOES NOT KNOW WHEN THEY WILL RECIEVE NECESSARY PARTS.*AK
Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10060001 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10062170 · 2004-03-14 (March 14, 2004)
I HAVE A YAMAHA ROAD STAR THAT HAS BEEN RECALLED. I HAVE GOTTEN HORRIBLE SERVIE AND THE MOTORCYCLE HAS BEEN IN THE SHOP FOR THREE MONTHS AND SCHEDULED TO BE THERE ANOTHER TWO. YAMAHA IS PROVIDING NO SERVICE AND NO COMPENSATION. THE BIKE WILL BE IN THE SHOP FOR FOUR OR FIVE MONTHS AND YAMAHA DOESN'T SEEM TO CARE. IS THERE ANYTHING ESLE I CAN DO??*AK
Owner-reported narrative. 150 miles reported. Look up ODI 10062170 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10062767 · 2004-03-21 (March 21, 2004)
MY 2003 YAMAHA ROAD STAR LIMITED IS UNDER THE YAMAHA TRANSMISSION RECALL NOTICE AND HAS BEEN IN MY LOCAL DEALERSHIP SHOP (RAINIER YAMAHA HONDA, TACOMA, WA) IN EXCESS OF 60 DAYS WAITING FOR THE TRANSMISSION REPAIR KIT. THE BIKE HAS ABOUT 3,500 MILES ON IT. NO ONE CAN TELL ME FOR SURE WHEN THE KIT WILL ARRIVE SO MY BIKE CAN BE REPAIRED. I WROTE YAMAHA IN CALIFORNIA EARLY ON ABOUT THIS PROBLEM AND THEY DIDN'T EVEN BOTHER TO RESPOND TO MY LETTER. *JB
Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10062767 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10064179 · 2004-03-30 (March 30, 2004)
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
Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10064179 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10065762 · 2004-04-08 (April 8, 2004)
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 [phone removed] NO HELP IN THIS DEPARTMENT.WAS TOLD BY HIM THE PARTS SHOULD BE HERE BY THE …
Owner-reported narrative. 1,400 miles reported. Look up ODI 10065762 at NHTSA ↗
Recall history
1 distinct campaigns affect this selection. Announcement dates below are different from vehicle model years. A campaign may cover multiple years.
03V309000 · Power Train:Manual Transmission
Reported: 2003-08-26 (August 26, 2003)
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.
Consequence: 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.
Remedy: 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.
NHTSA campaign record ↗