RoadVitals

2004 Yamaha Road Star Engine Problems

Owner-reported complaints naming the engine system, filed with NHTSA

Data refreshed

Engine reportsComplaints are reports submitted to NHTSA by owners and drivers. NHTSA does not verify most reports before publishing them, and a complaint does not establish that a defect exists. Volume is influenced by how many of a vehicle were sold, how long it has been on the road, and how much attention an issue has received.
15
Latest Feb 19, 2013
Share of all reportsThis category as a share of every owner report on file for this model year. One report can name more than one component, so the categories overlap.
71%
of 21 total
Crash or fire reportedReports in this category whose submitter recorded that a crash or a fire occurred. The reporter's own answer on the NHTSA form, not a verified finding.
2
Injuries or deaths reportedTotals the submitters entered on their own reports in this category. Not verified by NHTSA and not a casualty statistic.
1

What this page shows

Reports naming the engine itself — including stalling, misfires, oil consumption, cooling and internal engine components. Every record below is an owner-reported complaint about the 2004 Yamaha Road Star submitted to NHTSA — not a confirmed defect, not a recall and not a manufacturer bulletin. 15 reports on file name it.

Complaints are reports submitted by owners and drivers to NHTSA. They are not verified and do not establish that a defect exists.

Owner reports naming engine

Shown in the owner’s own words, exactly as filed

Engine
Filed Feb 19, 2013

REAR CYLINDER EXHAUST VALVES STICKING. *TR

NHTSA ID
10499332
Incident
Feb 1, 2011
Mileage
15,000 mi
Driver assistanceEngine
Filed Apr 16, 2010

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 YAMAHA ROADSTAR MOTORCYCLE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHEN HE ENGAGED THE THROTTLE, THE ENGINE SPUTTERED AND STALLED. THE VEHICLE ALSO STALLED WHEN IT CAME TO A COMPLETE STOP. THE MOTORCYCLE WAS TAKEN TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER BUT THEY COULD NOT DUPLICATE THE FAILURE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE DEALER NEVER INSPECTED THE VEHICLE, INSTEAD THEY JUST INFORMED HIM THAT HE WAS RIDING IT INCORRECTLY. THE CONTACT CALLED THE MANUFACTURER AND WAS TOLD THAT HIS VIN WAS NOT INCLUDED IN RECALL 06V371000 (VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL). THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 5. THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 66,000. UPDATED 11/05/10. *LJ UPDATED 12/15/10 *LJ UPDATED 12/27/10

NHTSA ID
10325989
Incident
Mar 4, 2010
Mileage
5 mi
Engine
Filed Jun 12, 2007

I HAVE A 2004 YAMAHA ROAD STAR AND THE REAR VALVE IS STICKING AND WILL SUDDENLY DROP POWERAND RUN ON ONE CYLINDER. I HAVE HAD THIS PROBLEM FOR A WHILE AND IS A VERY DANGEROUS PROBLEM THAT YAMAHA KNOWS ABOUT.

NHTSA ID
10193038
Incident
May 28, 2007
Mileage
29,000 mi
Engine
Filed May 21, 2007

I WAS MERGING ONTO INTERSTATE 80 GETTING UP TO SPEED AND IT STARTED TO SPIT/SPUTTER AND LOST POWER. ALMOST, REAR ENDED BY ANOTHER CAR AT 60 MPH. NOTHING HAS BEEN DONE TO THIS POINT TO REMEDY THE PROBLEM.*AK

NHTSA ID
10191328
Incident
May 18, 2007
Mileage
20,550 mi
Engine
Filed May 14, 2007
Fire reported

FOR OVER A YEAR 2004 YAMAHA ROADSTAR MOTORCYCLE HAD THE VALVES STICKING WHILE RIDING IT , CAUSING IMMEDIATE LOSS OF POWER. IT HAD 8000 MILES ON IT . THIS HAPPENED AT 4500 MILES. I DID WHAT YAMAHA ADVISED TO DO TO AVOID THE SITUATION, IT DIDN'T HELP. THEY KEPT GIVING ME THE RUN AROUND. THEY KNEW IT WAS A PROBLEM WITH THIS MOTORCYCLE HAD TWO CARBURETOR FIRES AFTER IT LOST POWER, AND I HAD TO HIT THE THROTTLE HARD TO GET THROUGH AN INTERSECTION. *AK

NHTSA ID
10190624
Incident
May 11, 2007
Mileage
8,000 mi
Engine
Filed Sep 4, 2006

2004 ROAD STAR VALVES STICK ON REAR CYLINDER CAUSING A LOSS OF POWER. *NM

NHTSA ID
10167290
Incident
Apr 5, 2006
Mileage
15,000 mi
Engine
Filed Aug 29, 2006

I HAVE A 2004 YAMAHA ROADSTAR. AT ABOUT 24,000 MILES IT DEVELOPED STICKING VALVES IN THE REAR CYLINDER HEAD. TALKED WITH DEALER ABOUT THE PROBLEM AND THEY HAD NOT HEARD OF IT. THIS IS A WELL DOCUMENTED SITUATION SO I REFUSED TO LET THEM EVEN MESS WITH IT. TOOK IT APART MYSELF. REAMED THE GUIDES AND LAPPED THE VALVES, PUT IN STRONGER SPRINGS AND PUT IT BACK TOGETHER. RUNS GREAT NOW. YAMAHA NEEDS TO BE TOLD TO DO A RECALL ON THE 2004, 2005 ROADSTAR TO SIMPLY REPLACE THE HEADS. THEY KNOW ABOUT THE PROBLEM AND HAVE FIXED IT ON THE 2006 MODEL. *NM

NHTSA ID
10166837
Incident
Apr 15, 2006
Mileage
24,000 mi
Engine
Filed Aug 23, 2006

MOTORCYCLE LOOSES POWER AT ODD TIMES DUE TO REAR CYLINDER NOT FIRING. PROBLEM APPEARS TO BE CAUSED BY STICKING EXHAUST VALVE. USUALLY OCCURS DURING THE FIRST 5 OR SO MILES AND WILL CLEAR UP AND RUN FINE FOR THE REST OF THE TRIP. I'VE BEEN LUCKY AND IT HAS NEVER OCCURRED WHEN PULLING OUT INTO TRAFFIC, BUT THIS IS A POSSIBILITY. *JB

NHTSA ID
10166292
Incident
Nov 1, 2003
Mileage
2,500 mi
Engine
Filed Aug 22, 2006

I OWN A 2004 YAMAHA ROADSTAR, 1700CC MOTORCYCLE. I HAVE HAD A PROBLEM WITH THE REAR EXHAUST VALVES STICKING FOR THE LAST 20,000 MILES. I HAVE BEEN TO DEALER AFTER DEALER AND HAVE HAD NO SUCCESS IN HAVING MY PROBLEM FIXED. I BELIEVE THERE IS A POTENTIAL SAFETY RISK WITH THIS PROBLEM, BECAUSE THE BIKE WILL SUDDENLY LOSE ALL POWER AND QUIT RUNNING. IT IS JUST A MATTER OF TIME BEFORE SOMEONE HAS THIS HAPPEN AND IS SERIOUSLY INJURED OR EVEN KILLED. *JB

NHTSA ID
10166280
Incident
Sep 1, 2004
Engine
Filed Aug 22, 2006

THE VALVES STICK OPEN ON MY 2004 YAMAHA MOTORCYCLE. THEY STUCK OPEN IN THE MIDDLE OF A LEFT TURN IN A THREE-WAY INTERSECTION AND ALMOST RESULTED IN A HEAD-ON COLLISION. MY DEALER IS AWARE OF THIS PROBLEM AND HAS CHOSE TO IGNORE IT. *NM

NHTSA ID
10166230
Incident
Nov 23, 2005
Mileage
17,000 mi
Engine
Filed Aug 19, 2006

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

NHTSA ID
10166028
Incident
Aug 18, 2006
Mileage
5,000 mi
Engine
Filed Apr 8, 2005
Crash reported1 injury reported

2004 YAMAHA ROADSTAR MIDNIGHT SILVERADO 1700 HAD A DEFECTIVE OIL PUMP SHAFT.*MR THE OIL PUMP SHAFT WHICH HOOKS TO THE TRANSMISSION BROKE RESULTING IN AN ACCIDENT. YAMAHA HAS SENT TWO GOODWILL GESTURES TO EXTEND THE WARRANTY. *NM

NHTSA ID
10117658
Incident
Apr 1, 2005
Engine
Filed Mar 9, 2005

WHEN RIDING THE MOTORCYCLE AND PULLING OFF FROM A STAND STILL MOTORCYCLE BACKFIRED AND THEN STALLS OUT. OWNER STATED THAT THE MOTORCYCLE HAD BEEN AT THE DEALER FOR 22 DAYS, BUT THE DEFECT STILL HAD NOT BEEN RESOLVED. OWNER CONTACTED THE MANUFACTURER, BUT DID NOT GET ANY ASSISTANCE FROM THEM EITHER. *AK

NHTSA ID
10113792
Incident
Feb 14, 2005
Mileage
2,980 mi
Engine
Filed Mar 7, 2005

THE OIL PUMP SHAFT OF THE CONSUMER'S 2004 YAMAHA ROAD STAR FAILED. *NM *NM

NHTSA ID
10113815
Incident
Jan 10, 2005
Engine
Filed Oct 27, 2004

ENGINE STALLS WHILE WARMING UP, RUNNING ON ONLY ONE CYLINDER. *AK

NHTSA ID
10096525
Incident
Jul 12, 2004
Mileage
550 mi

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

Data on this page last refreshed .