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2018 Yamaha SmaxProblems, recalls & complaints

NHTSA has logged 1 owner complaint about the 2018 Yamaha Smax, most often about the engine. It is covered by 2 safety recalls, and for recall 20V-277 the manufacturer reports only 27% of affected cars repaired.

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CarFlaw IndexNot enough dataHigher is better (0–100)
Safety recalls2Lowest repair rate 27%Owner complaints10 with a crash, fire or injuryTypical failure mileage2kEngine, median miles

Source: NHTSA complaints, recalls, investigations and manufacturer recall reports, through April 9, 2021. Updated daily.

Complaints by system

Where the 2018 Yamaha Smax has problems

1 complaint 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
Engine10

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

2 recalls

2018 Yamaha Smax 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.

28%repaired · 2023 Q1

Engine

Do not drive

Recall 21V-251 · Apr 9, 2021 · 4,262 vehicles · 1,185 repaired

Risk. A missing primary sheave nut may cause a stall, without the ability to restart the engine, increasing the risk of a crash.

Problem, fix and repair progress →

27%repaired · 2022 Q1

Engine and engine cooling: engine

Recall 20V-277 · May 15, 2020 · 3,116 vehicles · 846 repaired

Risk. A fouled spark plug could cause the engine to stall at idle and possibly not restart, increasing the risk of a crash.

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.

Best & worst years

2018 vs. every other Smax 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 Smax median. How we score

'15'16'17'18'19'20
  • Avoid
  • Caution
  • Solid
  • Best
  • Not rated
In owners' words

What Smax owners report

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

I AM FILING A COMPLAINT REGARDING YAMAHA'S HANDLING OF THE RECALL ON THIS SCOOTER. DESPITE RECEIVING THE RECALL NOTICE IN REALLY JUNE, I WAS TOLD THAT THE PARTS NECESSARY TO REPAIR THE SCOOTER DEFECT WOULD NOT BE AVAILABLE FOR SEVERAL WEEKS. AFTER WAITING OVER TWO MONTHS, I CALLED THE LOCAL YAMAHA…
Complaint 11343530 · Aug 5, 2020 · 1,600 miles

Own a 2018 Smax?

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