2014 Yamaha Bolt Problems
Owner-reported complaints filed with NHTSA, grouped by component
Data refreshed
What this page shows
Everything below is an owner-reported complaint submitted to NHTSA about the 2014 Yamaha Bolt, grouped by the component NHTSA recorded on the report. These are not confirmed defects, and they are not recalls. NHTSA does not verify most reports before publishing them, and a category with more reports in it is not evidence that a part is defective.
Complaints are reports submitted by owners and drivers to NHTSA. They are not verified and do not establish that a defect exists.
Reports by component
Ranked by how many owner reports name each component category
- Electrical5656.6%
- Driver assistance2323.2%
- Exterior lighting77.1%
- Visibility66.1%
- Steering33.0%
- Body & structure22.0%
- Suspension11.0%
- Other / unspecified11.0%
Percentages are of component mentions. A single complaint can name more than one component, so these do not sum to the total complaint count.
Each component in detail
What the reports in each category say, in the owners' own words
Electrical
Reports naming the electrical system — wiring, battery, charging, control modules, infotainment and electrical accessories.
From owner reports, verbatim
SPEEDOMETER CAN'T BE SEEN WHEN TRAVELING INTO THE SUN OR ANY TIME THE SUN IS AT THE WRONG ANGLE THAT IT CREATES A NON READABLE DISPLAY, WHICH HAPPENS TO BE ALMOST ANY TIME THE SUN IS OUT. THIS IS A SAFETY HAZARD NOT BEING ABLE TO READ YOUR SPEED AS WELL AS POSSIBLY CAUSING SPEEDING TICKETS. THIS ISSUE NEEDS TO BE ADDRESSED BY THE MANUFACTURE WITH A RECALL. SERIOUSLY ISSUE.
BIKE SPEEDOMETER HAS AN ISSUE WHERE THE SPEED DISPLAY IS WAY TOO DIM TO SEE IN SUNLIGHT. IN THE RIGHT SUNLIGHT POSITION, IT IS COMPLETELY BLACK AND IMPOSSIBLE TO READ WITHOUT LITERALLY PUTTING YOUR HEAD INCHES FROM IT AND LOOKING AT IT FAR TOO LONG TO TRY TO MAKE ANYTHING OUT. THIS IS DANGEROUS WHILE IN MOTION FOR OBVIOUS REASONS. THIS HAPPENS ON EVERY RIDE FOR ME AT MULTIPLE POINTS DEPENDING ON WHERE THE SUN IS. EVEN WHEN I CAN SEE THE NUMBERS, IT'S STILL TOO DIM FOR JUST A QUICK GLANCE. THERE MUST BE SOME BADLY ENGINEERED POLARIZED LENS IN THERE. THIS IS POOR DESIGN AND A SAFETY HAZARD JUST TO GET A "BLACKED OUT" LOOK. BY 2015 YAMAHA KNOWS THIS WHICH IS WHY IT'S FIXED FROM 2015 MODELS ON. SOME GUYS ARE EVEN BUYING 2015 SPEEDOMETERS TO INSTALL ON THE 2014 BIKE TO FIX THIS. A SPEEDING TICKET IS THE LEAST OF MY WORRIES, THIS IS MY LIFE AND A GAMBLE EVERY TIME I RIDE.
Driver assistance
Reports naming forward-collision avoidance, lane keeping, back-over prevention, cruise control and related electronic driver-assistance systems.
From owner reports, verbatim
SPEEDOMETER CAN'T BE SEEN WHEN TRAVELING INTO THE SUN OR ANY TIME THE SUN IS AT THE WRONG ANGLE THAT IT CREATES A NON READABLE DISPLAY, WHICH HAPPENS TO BE ALMOST ANY TIME THE SUN IS OUT. THIS IS A SAFETY HAZARD NOT BEING ABLE TO READ YOUR SPEED AS WELL AS POSSIBLY CAUSING SPEEDING TICKETS. THIS ISSUE NEEDS TO BE ADDRESSED BY THE MANUFACTURE WITH A RECALL. SERIOUSLY ISSUE.
DURING THE DAY OR WHEN THE SUN IS BRIGHT I CAN NOT SEE THE SPEEDOMETER READING. ITS DIGITAL AND THERE ISN'T MUCH CONTRAST SO I CANT SEE HOW FAST I AM GOING. THIS IS A SAFETY HAZARD AND SHOULD BE RECALLED. THIS CAN CAUSE ME TO CHECK MY SPEED FOR LONGER PERIODS OF TIME AND CAN CAUSE A SPEEDING VIOLATION OR ACCIDENT. THIS HAPPENS WHEN IN MOTION OR STATIONARY, ITS TOO DIM.
Exterior lighting
Reports naming headlights, tail lights, turn signals and other exterior lighting.
From owner reports, verbatim
VEHICLE METER IS DANGEROUSLY DIM. NOT VISIBLE DURING DAYLIGHT DUE TO GLARE. ONLY 2014 YAMAHA BOLT MODELS ENCOUNTER THIS ISSUE. THE SPEED CAN NOT BE DETERMINED WHILE RIDING NOR ANY OTHER INFORMATION DISPLAYED ON THE METER.
SPEEDOMETER CAN'T BE SEEN WHEN TRAVELING INTO THE SUN OR ANY TIME THE SUN IS AT THE WRONG ANGLE THAT IT CREATES A NON READABLE DISPLAY, WHICH HAPPENS TO BE ALMOST ANY TIME THE SUN IS OUT. THIS IS A SAFETY HAZARD NOT BEING ABLE TO READ YOUR SPEED AS WELL AS POSSIBLY CAUSING SPEEDING TICKETS.
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Visibility
Reports naming windshields, glass, wipers, defrosters and mirrors.
From owner reports, verbatim
VEHICLE METER IS DANGEROUSLY DIM. NOT VISIBLE DURING DAYLIGHT DUE TO GLARE. ONLY 2014 YAMAHA BOLT MODELS ENCOUNTER THIS ISSUE. THE SPEED CAN NOT BE DETERMINED WHILE RIDING NOR ANY OTHER INFORMATION DISPLAYED ON THE METER.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2014 YAMAHA BOLT. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE DIGITAL ODOMETER WAS NOT VIEWABLE DURING THE DAYLIGHT DUE TO A GLARE. AS A RESULT, THE SPEED WAS NOT MONITORED WHILE DRIVING. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE ODOMETER NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 100,000. THE VIN WAS NOT AVAILABLE.
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Steering
Reports naming the steering system — racks, columns, power-steering assist and steering linkage.
From owner reports, verbatim
DEATH WOBBLE- STEERING INSTABILITY AT 35-45 MPH. THIS COULD BE FIXED BY THE MANUFACTURER BY USING TAPERED STEERING BEARINGS
MY CONCERN IS THE DEATH WOBBLE THE BIKE HAS WHEN AT SPEEDS AROUND 45 MPH.
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Body & structure
Reports naming the vehicle structure, frame, body panels, doors, hood and trim.
From owner reports, verbatim
WHEN RIDING IN BRIGHT DAYLIGHT IT WAS HARD TO SEE MY DRIVING SPEED. I WOULD HAVE TO REMOVE ONE HAND FROM HANDLEBARS TO SHADE THE SPEEDOMETER TO BE ABLE TO SEE, GIVING ME LESS CONTROL. IT CAUSED ME TO BE UNABLE TO TELL HOW FAST I WAS GOING AND IF I WAS IN COMPLIANCE WITH POSTED SPEED LIMITS. UPDATED 09/17/15*LJ
DIGITAL SPEEDOMETER CAN BE VERY DIFFICULT TO READ, ESPECIALLY WHEN USING BRIGHT HIGH VISIBILITY HELMETS. SPEEDOMETER CAN BE IMPOSSIBLE TO SEE IN BRIGHT LIGHT FROM GLARE AND REFLECTION. HAZARD IS DANGEROUS TO RIDER AS YOU WOULD NEED TO COVER IT WITH YOUR HAND TO SEE, MEANING STEERING WITH ONLY 1 HAND. I HAVE BOUGHT THE SHADE ACCESSORY YAMAHA MAKES FOR THIS MODEL AND IT DOES NOT SOLVE THE PROBLEM. THIS IS ESPECIALLY HAZARDOUS FOR A NEW RIDER SUCH AS MYSELF BUT THIS DEFECT PUTS ALL RIDERS LIVES AT RISK AS THEY CANNOT CLEARLY SEE THEIR SPEED OF TRAVEL. I HAVE MISJUDGED MY SPEED ON THE FREEWAY, IN TURNS, IN BUSY BUMPER TO BUMPER TRAFFIC. *TR
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Suspension
Reports naming suspension components — springs, struts, shocks, control arms and related hardware.
From owner reports, verbatim
PINCH BOLTS ON FRONT FORK HAVE LOOSENED (ONE WAS MISSING, ONE WAS 3/4 LOOSE). THE PINCH BOLTS ASSIST IN KEEPING THE FRONT AXLE IN LINE. CAUSED FRONT END WOBBLE. BIKE IS A LITTLE OVER ONE YEAR OLD. NO WORK HAS BEEN DONE ON THE FRONT END TO HAVE CAUSED THE BOLTS TO LOOSEN. THIS APPEARS TO HAVE HAPPENED THROUGH NORMAL RIDING. *TR
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Other / unspecified
Reports whose component NHTSA recorded as unknown, or that do not map to one of the categories above.
From owner reports, verbatim
PINCH BOLTS ON FRONT FORK HAVE LOOSENED (ONE WAS MISSING, ONE WAS 3/4 LOOSE). THE PINCH BOLTS ASSIST IN KEEPING THE FRONT AXLE IN LINE. CAUSED FRONT END WOBBLE. BIKE IS A LITTLE OVER ONE YEAR OLD. NO WORK HAS BEEN DONE ON THE FRONT END TO HAVE CAUSED THE BOLTS TO LOOSEN. THIS APPEARS TO HAVE HAPPENED THROUGH NORMAL RIDING. *TR
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Higher-selling and older vehicles accumulate more reports. Counts are not failure rates and are not directly comparable between vehicles that sold in very different numbers.
Elsewhere on this vehicle
Data sources
- NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation — owner-reported complaints and the components recorded on them
Data on this page last refreshed .