2003 Yamaha Road Star Silverado 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 2003 Yamaha Road Star Silverado, 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
- Transmission4484.6%
- Electrical23.8%
- Powertrain (other)23.8%
- Other / unspecified11.9%
- Fuel system11.9%
- Engine11.9%
- Body & structure11.9%
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
Transmission
Reports naming the automatic or manual transmission, including shifting behaviour, shudder, slipping and transmission control modules.
From owner reports, verbatim
I OWNED A YAMAHA ROAD STAR SILVERADO 1600 YEAR 2003. I HAVE NOW 52000 KLM ONLY. LAST WEEK WILE A WAS RIDING AT 110KLM PER HOUR ON THE FIFTH GEAR AS USUAL TRANSMISSION CAME ON NEUTRAL STATE, WHEN I RELEASED THE TRANSMISSION WAS BROKEN IN FIFTH GEAR. SO I ENDED MY RIDE IN FOURTH GEAR AS THE RESULT AT LEAST 3000.00 DOLLARS IN REPAIRS, OR MORE AT YAMAHA SHOP. *KB
I OWN A 2003 YAMAHA ROAD STAR AND THE RECALL WAS DONE ON TRANS. BUT 3 WEEKS A GO IT LOCKED UP WHILE I WAS RIDING IT. THE SHOP TELLS ME IT WAS SECOND GEAR THAT BROKE, HE SAID THAT HE DIDN'T HAVE ANY IDEA WHY. IT ONLY HAS 18000 MILES AND ITS IN MINT SHAPE. NEVER BEEN TREATED ROUGH, DON'T THINK I COULD EVER RIDE IT AGAIN AND FEEL SAFE. *TR
Electrical
Reports naming the electrical system — wiring, battery, charging, control modules, infotainment and electrical accessories.
From owner reports, verbatim
THE FORWARD HORN BRACKET ON MY 2003 YAMAHA ROAD STAR HAS REGULARLY BROKEN AT 5000 MILE INTERVALS. I TOOK ONE AND BEEFED IT UP WITH WELDED-IN ROD AND ANGLED BRACKETS BUT IT STILL ONLY LASTED 15000 MILES. MY DEALER SAYS THEY HAVE REPORTED THIS PROBLEM TO YAMAHA, BUT WHEN I CALL THE CUSTOMER SERVICE LINE, THEY CLAIM TO HAVE NO KNOWLEDGE OF THIS PROBLEM. I ALSO INSTALLED AN EXTERNAL OIL COOLER ON THE BIKE AND HAD THAT BRACKET BREAK (I FEEL DUE TO THE EXTREME VIBRATIONS INHERENT IN THE BIKE)! NOW, ON THE NEW ROADLINER, THEY HAVE ADDRESSED THESE PROBLEMS, BUT WITHOUT CONFIRMING THAT THEY EXIST. *JB
THE MOTORCYCLE'S REAR WHEEL LOCKED UP WHEN THE FLYWHEEL DISENGAGED CAUSING THE CONSUMER TO SKID WHILE TURNING THE CORNER. *PH CONSUMER RECEIVED CALL FROM DEALER TO INFORM ABOUT A RECALL ON TRANSMISSION; HOWEVER, PARTS ARE NOT AVAILABLE AND ON BACK ORDER. *LA
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Powertrain (other)
Powertrain reports that are not specifically the engine or transmission — driveshafts, axles, transfer cases and differentials.
From owner reports, verbatim
PASSING ON A FREEWAY AND LOST 5TH GEAR. COULD HAVE HAD SERIOUS ACCIDENT. THIS IS A WELL KNOWN ISSUE AND PROBLEM THAT YAMAHA IS AWARE OF AND THEY LEFT CUSTOMERS OUT TO DRY. OR SHOULD I SAY DIE!! THIS WILL COST US AROUND 4,000 TO FIX. SHAME ON YAMAHA FOR NOT FIXING THIS PROBLEM. EVEN THOUGH THEY HAD A RECALL ON THE TRANSMISSION, THIS IS A DIRECT RESULT OF THE ORIGINAL ISSUE. YAMAHA STATES IF THE RECALL IS DONE, THEN THEY'RE DONE.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 YAMAHA ROAD STAR SILVERADO MOTORCYCLE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 40 MPH, HE HEARD A CLUNKING SOUND AS THE VEHICLE BEGAN TO DECELERATE INDEPENDENTLY. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 25,850. *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
I AM COMPLAINING ABOUT THE AMOUNT OF TIME IT IS TAKING FOR YAMAHA MOTORCYCLE CORP. TO PROVIDE THE PARTS FOR MY MOTORCYCLE TRANSMISSION RECALL (2003 ROAD STAR). IT HAS A TWELVE MONTH UNLIMITED MILEAGE WARRANTY AND THE BIKE IS NOT SUPPOSED TO BE RIDDEN UNTIL IT IS FIXED. IT IS MY PRIMARY MEANS OF COMMUTE TO AND FROM WORK. CAN SOMETHING BE DONE ABOUT THE RECALL PARTS TIME LINE? MY DEALER SUGGESTED IT WAS PROBABLY OK TO CONTINUE RIDING THE BIKE EVEN THOUGH THE RECALL SAID NOT TO. WHAT IS THE LEGAL RAMIFICATIONS IF I CONTINUE TO RIDE? MY WARRANTY COULD EXPIRE BEFORE THE BIKE IS EVEN FIXED. THE CONSUMER IS GETTING A VERY BAD END OF THE STICK DEAL ON THIS ONE. HOW CAN I FIND OUT EXACTLY WHAT IS WRONG WITH THE PRODUCT?*AK
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Fuel system
Reports naming fuel storage or delivery — tanks, pumps, lines, injectors and fuel leaks.
From owner reports, verbatim
FUEL TANK ON A FIVE YEAR OLD MOTORCYCLE HAS RUSTED THROUGH AND MULTIPLE PIN HOLES HAVE FORMED. GAS LEAKED ON HOT MOTOR CREATING SAFETY ISSUE. MANUFACTURER WILL NOT FIX OR REPLACE TANK. PER MANUFACTURER THERE IS NO COATING ON THE INSIDE OF THE FUEL TANK TO PROTECT THE BARE METAL FROM RUSTING. MOTORCYCLE HAS BEEN GARAGE KEPT SINCE PURCHASED NEW IN 2003. *TR
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Engine
Reports naming the engine itself — including stalling, misfires, oil consumption, cooling and internal engine components.
From owner reports, verbatim
CONSUMER RECEIVED A RECALL NOTICE CONCERNING TRANSMISSION FAILURE. HOWEVER, NO PARTS WERE AVAILABLE. YAMAHA, US 6555, KATELLA, CYPRESS, CA 90630. 714-761-7300. SERVICE MANAGER VICTOR. *AK MOTORCYCLE ONLY HAS 2,000 MILES AND HAS BEEN REPAIRED TWICE. OIL LEAKING FROM THE MOTOR BECAUSE MECHANIC USED THE MOTORCYCLE TO TRAIN HIMSELF. *LA
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
FUEL TANK ON A FIVE YEAR OLD MOTORCYCLE HAS RUSTED THROUGH AND MULTIPLE PIN HOLES HAVE FORMED. GAS LEAKED ON HOT MOTOR CREATING SAFETY ISSUE. MANUFACTURER WILL NOT FIX OR REPLACE TANK. PER MANUFACTURER THERE IS NO COATING ON THE INSIDE OF THE FUEL TANK TO PROTECT THE BARE METAL FROM RUSTING. MOTORCYCLE HAS BEEN GARAGE KEPT SINCE PURCHASED NEW IN 2003. *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 .