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2003 Yamaha Road Star

Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations

Limited comparison data

There is not enough comparable history to draw a useful model-year comparison.

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How this year compares

Owner complaints by model year

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Counts vary with age, sales and reporting. They are not failure rates.

What owners reported most

Tap a category to read its complaints. One report may name several components.

When problems were reported

Mileage at the reported incident

38 reports with mileage · 67 unknown

NHTSA’s mileage field refers to the reported incident, not necessarily the filing date. This shows report counts, not the likelihood of a failure.

What to inspect

Issues worth paying extra attention to based on owner reports.

  • Power Train. Review the 100 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
  • Suspension. Review the 2 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
  • Air Bags. Review the 1 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →

NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.

0 crash reports0 fire reports0 injury reports

Fuel System, Gasoline complaints

1 reports
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18,000 miles · Mar 31, 2007
Fuel System, Gasoline

CARBURETOR ON 2003 YAMAHA ROADSTAR (XV1600) WILL SPIT GAS OUT ON HOT CYLINDER HEADS AND CRANKCASE UNPREDICTABLY. HAPPENS WHEN RESTARTING ENGINE AFTER ENGINE HAS BEEN STOPPED FOR A SHORT PERIOD AFTER COMING IN FROM A RIDE. RIDE CAN BE SHORT OR LONG; UNPREDICTABLE. WAS CHECKED BY DEALER DURING FIRST FEW MONTHS WHEN NEW AND CARB…

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CARBURETOR ON 2003 YAMAHA ROADSTAR (XV1600) WILL SPIT GAS OUT ON HOT CYLINDER HEADS AND CRANKCASE UNPREDICTABLY. HAPPENS WHEN RESTARTING ENGINE AFTER ENGINE HAS BEEN STOPPED FOR A SHORT PERIOD AFTER COMING IN FROM A RIDE. RIDE CAN BE SHORT OR LONG; UNPREDICTABLE. WAS CHECKED BY DEALER DURING FIRST FEW MONTHS WHEN NEW AND CARB NEEDLE WAS REPLACED. PROBLEM HAS PERSISTED AND OCCURS EVERY FEW MONTHS THEREAFTER AND IS ONLY RESOLVED BY TURNING OFF FUEL VALVE BEFORE STOPPING SO CARB EMPTIES. NUMEROUS OTHER RIDERS HAVE SEEN SAME PROBLEM. LAST EVENT FOR ME SHOWN BELOW IN INCIDENT DATE. *JB

NHTSA ODI #10186611

Official recalls

1

03V309000 · Power Train:manual Transmission

Aug 26, 2003

IN THE TRANSMISSION ON CERTAIN MOTORCYCLES, THE SECOND/THIRD PINION GEAR MAY BE INCORRECTLY MACHINED WHICH COULD CAUSE ABNORMAL WEAR THAT EVENTUALLY RESULTS IN A BROKEN RETAINER CIRCLIP.

Consequence & remedy

Consequence: IF THE CIRCLIP BREAKS, THE TRANSMISSION COULD LOCK UP, WHICH WOULD ALSO CAUSE THE REAR WHEEL TO LOCK UP. THIS COULD RESULT IN LOSS OF CONTROL AND A CRASH, POSSIBLY RESULTING IN SERIOUS INJURY OR DEATH.

Remedy: YAMAHA WILL REPLACE THE TRANSMISSION GEARS AND SHAFTS WITH NEW ONES. OWNER NOTIFICATION BEGAN ON SEPTEMBER 9, 2003. OWNERS WHO TAKE THEIR VEHICLES TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER ON AN AGREED UPON SERVICE DATE AND DO NOT RECEIVE THE FREE REMEDY WITHIN A REASONABLE TIME SHOULD CONTACT YAMAHA AT 1-800-88-YAMAHA OR VISIT THEIR WEBSITE AT WWW.YAMAHA-MOTOR.COM.

Model-level recall history does not show whether a particular VIN is affected or has received a repair. Check a VIN with NHTSA ↗

NHTSA investigations

1

PE03038 · Unintended Rear Wheel Lockup

Opened Aug 11, 2003 · Closed Nov 6, 2003

Status: closed (inferred from source dates) · Power Train:manual Transmission

SUMMARY: ON AUGUST 22, 2003 YAMAHA NOTIFIED THE AGENCY THAT IT WAS RECALLING CERTAIN MODEL YEAR2001 XV1600 ?ROAD STAR? MODEL MOTORCYCLES TO ADDRESS TRANSMISSION FAILURE IN THOSE VEHICLES.ACCORDING TO THE COMPANY, THE TRANSMISSION WOULD FAIL DUE TO EXCESSIVE BUSHING WEAR ON THE 4TH PINION GEAR.BASED ON ITS ANALYSIS OF FAILED TRANSMISSIONS FROM THE FIELD, THE COMPANY FOUND ?UNEVEN CONTACT BETWEEN THE ENGAGEMENT DOGS ON THE 2ND/3RD PINION GEAR.WHEN IN 4TH GEAR, THESE UNEVEN SURFACES CAUSED UNEVEN BUSHING WEAR IN THE 4TH GEAR BUSHING.THIS WEAR WOULD EVENTUALLY CAUSE THE 4TH GEAR RETAINING CIRCLIP TO FAIL, LEADING TO TRANSMISSION FAILURE.?THIS COULD RESULT IN BOTH TRANSMISSION AND REAR WHEEL LOCKUP AND YAMAHA CONCLUDED A SAFETY RECALL SHOULD BE CONDUCTED TO ADDRESS THE PROBLEM.YAMAHA IS LIMITING THE RECALL?S SCOPE TO THOSE MOTORCYCLES BUILT BETWEEN NOVEMBER 30, 2000 AND JANUARY 24, 2001 BASED UPON THE FOLLOWING:1. YAMAHA U.S. REPORTED FIELD FAILURES (INVOLVING BIKES BUILT IN DECEMBER, 2000) TO YAMAHA JAPAN.2.YAMAHA JAPAN INVESTIGATED AND VALIDATED THE CAUSE DESCRIBED ABOVE.3.YAMAHA JAPAN IDENTIFIED THE PROBLEM WAS RELATED TO THE ENGAGEMENT DOG ON THE 2ND/3RD PINION GEAR.4. YAMAHA JAPAN RECORDS INDICATED THAT THE JIG USED TO PRODUCE THE 2ND/3RD PINION GEAR WAS RE-CALIBRATED ON JANUARY 13, 2001.5.PARTS PRODUCED BEFORE NOVEMBER 30,2000 AND AFTER JANUARY 13, 2001 WERE SAMPLED AND FOUND TO BE WITHIN SPECIFICATION (THE RECALL WAS EXTENDED BEYOND JANUARY 13 BUILD AS A PRECAUTION).WITH YAMAHA?S RECALL, WE ARE CLOSING THIS INVESTIGATION BUT WILL CONTINUE TO MONITOR THE FIELD PERFORMANCE OF ALL ROAD STAR MODEL MOTORCYCLES TO ASSESS THE PERFORMANCE OF THOSE BIKES NOT COVERED BY THE RECALL.SHOULD THE FACTS WARRANT ADDITIONAL INVESTIGATION, WE WILL PROCEED ACCORDINGLY.

Additional source detail variants (2)

Power Train:manual Transmission

SUMMARY: ON AUGUST 22, 2003 YAMAHA NOTIFIED THE AGENCY THAT IT WAS RECALLING CERTAIN MODEL YEAR2001 XV1600 ?ROAD STAR? MODEL MOTORCYCLES TO ADDRESS TRANSMISSION FAILURE IN THOSE VEHICLES.ACCORDING TO THE COMPANY, THE TRANSMISSION WOULD FAIL DUE TO EXCESSIVE BUSHING WEAR ON THE 4TH PINION GEAR.BASED ON ITS ANALYSIS OF FAILED TRANSMISSIONS FROM THE FIELD, THE COMPANY FOUND ?UNEVEN CONTACT BETWEEN THE ENGAGEMENT DOGS ON THE 2ND/3RD PINION GEAR.WHEN IN 4TH GEAR, THESE UNEVEN SURFACES CAUSED UNEVEN BUSHING WEAR IN THE 4TH GEAR BUSHING.THIS WEAR WOULD EVENTUALLY CAUSE THE 4TH GEAR RETAINING CIRCLIP TO FAIL, LEADING TO TRANSMISSION FAILURE.?THIS COULD RESULT IN BOTH TRANSMISSION AND REAR WHEEL LOCKUP AND YAMAHA CONCLUDED A SAFETY RECALL SHOULD BE CONDUCTED TO ADDRESS THE PROBLEM.YAMAHA IS LIMITING THE RECALL?S SCOPE TO THOSE MOTORCYCLES BUILT BETWEEN NOVEMBER 30, 2000 AND JANUARY 24, 2001 BASED UPON THE FOLLOWING:1. YAMAHA U.S. REPORTED FIELD FAILURES (INVOLVING BIKES BUILT IN DECEMBER, 2000) TO YAMAHA JAPAN.2.YAMAHA JAPAN INVESTIGATED AND VALIDATED THE CAUSE DESCRIBED ABOVE.3.YAMAHA JAPAN IDENTIFIED THE PROBLEM WAS RELATED TO THE ENGAGEMENT DOG ON THE 2ND/3RD PINION GEAR.4. YAMAHA JAPAN RECORDS INDICATED THAT THE JIG USED TO PRODUCE THE 2ND/3RD PINION GEAR WAS RE-CALIBRATED ON JANUARY 13, 2001.5.PARTS PRODUCED BEFORE NOVEMBER 30,2000 AND AFTER JANUARY 13, 2001 WERE SAMPLED AND FOUND TO BE WITHIN SPECIFICATION (THE RECALL WAS EXTENDED BEYOND JANUARY 13 BUILD AS A PRECAUTION).WITH YAMAHA?S RECALL, WE ARE CLOSING THIS INVESTIGATION BUT WILL CONTINUE TO MONITOR THE FIELD PERFORMANCE OF ALL ROAD STAR MODEL MOTORCYCLES TO ASSESS THE PERFORMANCE OF THOSE BIKES NOT COVERED BY THE RECALL.SHOULD THE FACTS WARRANT ADDITIONAL INVESTIGATION, WE WILL PROCEED ACCORDINGLY.

Power Train:manual Transmission

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