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2003 Yamaha Road StarProblems, recalls & complaints

NHTSA has logged 105 owner complaints about the 2003 Yamaha Road Star, most often about the power train. It is covered by 1 safety recall.

45
CarFlaw IndexSolid year1.2× the Road Star median · #1 of 6 years by complaints
Safety recalls1Free fix at dealersOwner complaints1050 with a crash, fire or injuryTypical failure mileage4kPower train, median miles

Source: NHTSA complaints, recalls, investigations and manufacturer recall reports, through December 16, 2009. Updated daily.

Complaints by system

Where the 2003 Yamaha Road Star has problems

105 complaints grouped by the system owners reported.

Box size = number of complaints naming that system. Darker = larger share. One complaint can name more than one system.
Complaints by system
SystemComplaintsCrash, fire or injury
Power train1000
Suspension20
Air bags10
Fuel system, gasoline10
Service brakes, hydraulic10

Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation. Complaints are submitted by the public and are not verified by NHTSA.

1 recall

2003 Yamaha Road Star recalls and how many were fixed

Each ring shows the share of affected cars repaired, from the manufacturer’s latest quarterly report to NHTSA. Recall repairs are free at authorized dealers.

–no report yet

Power train: manual transmission

Recall 03V-309 · Aug 26, 2003 · 29,139 vehicles

Risk. IF THE CIRCLIP BREAKS, THE TRANSMISSION COULD LOCK UP, WHICH WOULD ALSO CAUSE THE REAR WHEEL TO LOCK UP.

Problem, fix and repair progress →

Recalls apply to specific cars. To see whether a recall is still open on yours, enter the 17-character VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls or with Yamaha.

Mileage at failure

When do power train problems start?

4kmiles, median

Based on the odometer reading in 34 power train complaints. 100% were reported before 100,000 miles.

Only 36% of complaints for this model year include a mileage.

median0k50k100k150k200k+
34under 30k miles34under 100k miles0100k miles or more
Best & worst years

2003 vs. every other Road Star year

Bars show complaints per model year. Colors show the CarFlaw verdict: complaints weighted for crashes, fires and injuries, adjusted for years on the road and compared with the Road Star median. How we score

'99'00'01'02'03'04'05'06'07'08'09
  • Avoid
  • Caution
  • Solid
  • Best
  • Not rated
1 investigation

NHTSA defect investigations

Federal investigations that included the 2003 Yamaha Road Star, and the recalls they led to.

  1. UNINTENDED REAR WHEEL LOCKUPPE03038 · closed Nov 6, 2003
    Led to recall 03V-309
In owners' words

What Road Star owners report

Recent power train complaints filed with NHTSA, shortened. Personal details are removed.

WHILE RIDING M Y 2003 YAMAHA ROADSTAR I HAD PROBLEMS GETTING IT TO SHIFT INTO 4TH GEAR. I CHECKED THE INTERNET FOR ANY RECALLS ON THE BIKE. WHEN I FOUND THAT THERE IS A RECALL I TOOK THE BIKE TO MY LOCAL DEALER, THE RAN THE VIN# AND SAID THAT IT HAD ALREADY BEEN DONE. THE RECALL STATES THAT AFTER…
Complaint 10183407 · Feb 24, 2007
NHTSA RECALL 03V309000 REGARDING TRANSMISSION FAILURE. AFTER HAVING RECALL REPAIRS DONE, A WEEK LATER, CONSUMER HEARD A LOUD NOISE, AND TOOK IT BACK TO THE DEALER FOR INSPECTION. *AK
Complaint 10083947 · Jul 30, 2004
CONSUMER RECEIVED RECALL 03V309000 CONCERNING TRANSMISSION FAILURE. CONSUMER HAD THE RECALL NOTICE SINCE JANUARY, AND DEALER HAD NOT RECEIVED THE PARTS AS OF YET.*AK
Complaint 10083898 · Jul 30, 2004 · 2,000 miles

Own a 2003 Road Star?

Decode your VIN to see the recalls for your exact car, then confirm open recalls with NHTSA.