2003 Yamaha Yzf-R6 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 Yzf-R6, 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
- Electrical133.3%
- Engine133.3%
- Transmission133.3%
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
2003 YAMAHA YZF R6 SHUTS DOWN DURING RIDE OR AT A STOP. WAS RIDING MY BIKE FROM MY STORAGE TO THE HOUSE WHEN IT JUST STARTED IDLING LOW AND SHUTTING OFF. I'VE HAD THIS HAPPEN TO ME NUMEROUS TIMES SINCE I BOUGHT IT IN 09 WITH ONLY 4K MILES ON IT. SOMETIMES IF BULKS AND LOOSES POWER AND IT JUST SHUTS OFF...SO FAR IF I SHUT OFF THE BKE AND WAIT ACOUPLE OF MINUTES IF STARTS RIGHT UP AS IF IT JUST NEEDS TO BE RESET BUT I'M WORRIED ABOUT IT HAPPENING AS I'M GOING AROUND A CURVE OR IN HIGH TRAFFIC OR SPEEDS. I'VE HAD YAMAHA DEALERS AND PERFORMANCE TECH DO DIAGNOSTICS ON IT AND THEY SAY ITS ELECTRICAL BUT CANT SAY WHICH PART EXACTLY. I'VE REPLACED FUSES, THE TPS, AND THE COIL WITH NO RESULTS. *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
I AM POSTING THIS COMPLAINT IN CONJUNCTION WITH ANOTHER POSTED ABOUT THE YAMAHA R6 MOTORCYCLE. MINE WAS A 2003 AND I BELIEVE MOST OF THE ISSUES ARE WITH THIS YEAR. THE BIKE SHUT OFF WHILE RIDING WHEN PULLING IN THE CLUTCH OR LETTING THE RPM'S DIP LOW WHEN COMING TO A STOP - BELOW ABOUT 2500. BIKE SHOULD HAVE IDLED EASILY AROUND 1500. IT WAS IN THE SHOP 3 TIMES AND NO DEALER COULD FIGURE IT OUT. WE CALLED YAMAHA AND THEY SAID THEY'D NEVER HEARD OF IT . NOT TRUE. PLEASE SEE THIS WEBSITE: HTTP://WWW.R6MESSAGENET.COM/FORUMS/SHOWTHREAD.PHP?T=30990&HIGHLIGHT=NHTSA AND HTTP://WWW.R6MESSAGENET.COM/FORUMS/SHOWTHREAD.PHP?T=1513&HIGHLIGHT=NHTSA FOR DETAILS ON MANY OTHER RIDERS HAVING THE SAME PROBLEM - AND YAMAHA DENIES THEY EVER HEARD OF IT. MANY OTHERS HAVE CALLED THEM WITH THE SAME PROBLEM. THIS IS A SERIOUS SAFETY ISSUE AND SOMEBODY IS GOING TO GET KILLED. I FINALLY TRADED IT IN BECAUSE IT IS NOT SAFE. IT HAD HAPPENED TO ME MULTIPLE TIMES OVER THE LAST TWO YEARS. THE LAST DATE REPORTED WAS THE LAST TIME I BROUGHT IT INTO THE DEALER (APPROXIMATE DATE). *JB
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Transmission
Reports naming the automatic or manual transmission, including shifting behaviour, shudder, slipping and transmission control modules.
From owner reports, verbatim
I AM POSTING THIS COMPLAINT IN CONJUNCTION WITH ANOTHER POSTED ABOUT THE YAMAHA R6 MOTORCYCLE. MINE WAS A 2003 AND I BELIEVE MOST OF THE ISSUES ARE WITH THIS YEAR. THE BIKE SHUT OFF WHILE RIDING WHEN PULLING IN THE CLUTCH OR LETTING THE RPM'S DIP LOW WHEN COMING TO A STOP - BELOW ABOUT 2500. BIKE SHOULD HAVE IDLED EASILY AROUND 1500. IT WAS IN THE SHOP 3 TIMES AND NO DEALER COULD FIGURE IT OUT. WE CALLED YAMAHA AND THEY SAID THEY'D NEVER HEARD OF IT . NOT TRUE. PLEASE SEE THIS WEBSITE: HTTP://WWW.R6MESSAGENET.COM/FORUMS/SHOWTHREAD.PHP?T=30990&HIGHLIGHT=NHTSA AND HTTP://WWW.R6MESSAGENET.COM/FORUMS/SHOWTHREAD.PHP?T=1513&HIGHLIGHT=NHTSA FOR DETAILS ON MANY OTHER RIDERS HAVING THE SAME PROBLEM - AND YAMAHA DENIES THEY EVER HEARD OF IT. MANY OTHERS HAVE CALLED THEM WITH THE SAME PROBLEM. THIS IS A SERIOUS SAFETY ISSUE AND SOMEBODY IS GOING TO GET KILLED. I FINALLY TRADED IT IN BECAUSE IT IS NOT SAFE. IT HAD HAPPENED TO ME MULTIPLE TIMES OVER THE LAST TWO YEARS. THE LAST DATE REPORTED WAS THE LAST TIME I BROUGHT IT INTO THE DEALER (APPROXIMATE DATE). *JB
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 .