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2002 Yamaha YZFR6L

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

22 reports with mileage · 5 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.

  • Electrical System. Review the 25 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
  • Power Train. Review the 3 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
  • Engine And Engine Cooling. 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

What owners actually said

27 reports
6,137 miles · Aug 30, 2003
Electrical System

BATTERY FROM MY 02 YAMAHA R6 LEAKED. IM ORIGINAL OWNER AND THE BIKE HAS 6,000 MILES ON IT. THE ACID LEAKED ALL OVER REAR SHOCK EATING AWAY THE METAL NOW THE SHOCK IS RUINED. LUCKILY I NOTICED BEFORE RIDING OR POSIBLY COULD OF HAD AN ACCIDENT. THE ACID ALSO LEAKED ONTO THE SWING ARM AND ATE THREW THE FINISH ON THAT ALSO. *A…

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BATTERY FROM MY 02 YAMAHA R6 LEAKED. IM ORIGINAL OWNER AND THE BIKE HAS 6,000 MILES ON IT. THE ACID LEAKED ALL OVER REAR SHOCK EATING AWAY THE METAL NOW THE SHOCK IS RUINED. LUCKILY I NOTICED BEFORE RIDING OR POSIBLY COULD OF HAD AN ACCIDENT. THE ACID ALSO LEAKED ONTO THE SWING ARM AND ATE THREW THE FINISH ON THAT ALSO. *AK

NHTSA ODI #10036899

Mileage unknown · Aug 20, 2003
Electrical System

YAMAHA YZF R6 2002 BATTERY IS LEAKING. CAUSING DAMAGE TO SWINGARM,SHOCK,CHAIN,REARSET,SHIFTLEVER,SHIFT ROD,ETC.*AK

NHTSA ODI #10033155

3,500 miles · Aug 18, 2003
Electrical SystemEngine And Engine CoolingPower Train

SECOND GEAR SLIPS UNDER ACCELERATION, BATTERY LEAKED ACID ON REAR ASSEMBLY OF MOTORCYCLE, COOLING FAN NO LONGER OPERATES, MOTORCYCLE OVERHEATS OVERHEATS IN TRAFFIC. *AK

NHTSA ODI #10033073

1,680 miles · Aug 16, 2003
Electrical System

I OWN A 2002 YAMAHA YZF R6, IT HAS A GS BATTERY IN IT MODEL GT9B-4 RECENTLY AFTER RIDING THE BATTERY LEAKED ACID ALLOVER THE MOTORCYCLE SHOCK, SWING ARM, CHAIN, SPROCKET AND OTHER ASSORTED PARTS. I PROCEEDED TO CALL THE BATTERY MANUFACURER GS ABOUT THE BATTERY AND THEY STATED THAT THE BATTERY MADE FROM 1999-2002 WAS DEFECTIVE AN…

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I OWN A 2002 YAMAHA YZF R6, IT HAS A GS BATTERY IN IT MODEL GT9B-4 RECENTLY AFTER RIDING THE BATTERY LEAKED ACID ALLOVER THE MOTORCYCLE SHOCK, SWING ARM, CHAIN, SPROCKET AND OTHER ASSORTED PARTS. I PROCEEDED TO CALL THE BATTERY MANUFACURER GS ABOUT THE BATTERY AND THEY STATED THAT THE BATTERY MADE FROM 1999-2002 WAS DEFECTIVE AND THAT YAMAHA WAS AWARE OF THE PROBLEM. I SPOKE WITH YAMAHA AND THEY DENIED ANY KNOWLEDGE OF THE INCIDENT, I SPOKE TO THE GS BATTERY PEOPLE AGAIN AND THEN CALLED YAMAHA AGAIN AND FINALLY GOT SOMEONE TO ADMIT THAT THERE WAS A PROBLEM AND THAT THEY HAVE HEARD OF THE BATTERIES LEAKING BEFORE MY MOTORCYCLE IS OUT OF WARRANTY, AND CURRENTLY AT THE SHOP BEING EVALUATED TO SEE IF THEY WILL REPLACE THE PARTS FOR FREE. MANY OTHER PEOPLE HAVE EXPERIENCED THE SAME PROBLEM IF THE BATTERY MANUFACTURER ADMITS IT IS A DEFECTIVE BATTERY WHY DOES YAMAHA NOT RECALL THE MOTORCYCLES AND REPLACE THE DEFECTIVE PARTS? I AM WAITING NOW TO SEE WHAT THERE DECISION WILL BE. *AK

NHTSA ODI #10032936

5,500 miles · Aug 8, 2003
Electrical System

I AM THE OWNER OF A 2002 YAMAHA YZF-R6. A FAULTY BATTERY LEAKED AND DRIPPED ACID ON SEVERAL PARTS OF MY MOTORCYCLE. YAMAHA HAS BEEN CONTACTED AND SAID THAT NOTHING WOULD BE DONE ABOUT SINCE IT IS NOT AN OFFICAL RECALL.

NHTSA ODI #10031083

2,250 miles · Jul 31, 2003
Electrical System

BATTERY LEAKED ALL OVER T SWING ARM, CHAIN, REAR SHOCK, ETC. 2000 MILES ON THE BIKE, JUST OUT OF WARRANTY BY 2 WEEKS. *PH

NHTSA ODI #10030535

350 miles · Jul 13, 2003
Electrical System

2002 YAMAHA YZFR6 W/ 500 MILES. WENT RIDING ... ONLY 'BOUT A 20 MILES B4 A THUDERSTORM APPROACHED. I RUSHED BACK HOME AND PUT THE BIKE BACK IN THE GARAGE, LOOKED IT OVER FOR BUG GUTS, AND THEN CLOSED UP. NEXT MORNING I HAD TO GO BACK IN AND NOTICED WHITE FOAM'Y STUFF ON THE FLOOR UNDER THE 6. SO I GO TO THE LEFT SIDE AND THERE I…

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2002 YAMAHA YZFR6 W/ 500 MILES. WENT RIDING ... ONLY 'BOUT A 20 MILES B4 A THUDERSTORM APPROACHED. I RUSHED BACK HOME AND PUT THE BIKE BACK IN THE GARAGE, LOOKED IT OVER FOR BUG GUTS, AND THEN CLOSED UP. NEXT MORNING I HAD TO GO BACK IN AND NOTICED WHITE FOAM'Y STUFF ON THE FLOOR UNDER THE 6. SO I GO TO THE LEFT SIDE AND THERE IT IS, BATTERY ACID ALL OVER THE SWINGARM, CHAIN, SHOCK, REAR SET, CHAIN GUARD, AND CHAIN GUIDE!!!!! THIS ACID SEVERLY WEAKENED MY MOTORCYCLES STRUCTURE AND IT'S ABILITY TO WITHSTAND STRAIN UNDER NORMAL RIDING CONDITIONS! IT'S NO LONGER SAFE! I CALLED THE DEALER, THREE DEALERS TO BE EXACT (LUMBERTON YAMAHA, SANDHILLS YAMAHA, & MERIDIAN YAMAHA, ALL IN NC). THEY ALL SAY THEY'VE NEVER HEARD OF THE PROBLEM AND YAMAHA WILL DO NOTHING 'CAUSE THE BIKE IS OVER A YEAR OLD. HOWEVER, I FIND OVER 500 DIFFERENT PERSONAL REFERENCES TO THIS ISSUE ON THE NET.*AK

NHTSA ODI #10025978

Mileage unknown · Jul 1, 2003
Electrical System

I PURCHASED A 2002 YAMAHA R6 JANUARY 2002, AND BY THE 6 MONTH THE BATTERY STARTED TO LEAK ACID OVER PARTS OF THE BIKE. I TOOK THE BIKE TO THE DEALER WHERE I WAS STAIONED AT(GUAM). HE SAID THERE WAS NOTHING HE COULD DO ABOUT IT. I WOULD LIKE TO SEE A RECALL OF ALL RECENT R6'S FOR TH E LEAKING BATTERY. IT HAS BECOME A HUGE PROBLEM…

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I PURCHASED A 2002 YAMAHA R6 JANUARY 2002, AND BY THE 6 MONTH THE BATTERY STARTED TO LEAK ACID OVER PARTS OF THE BIKE. I TOOK THE BIKE TO THE DEALER WHERE I WAS STAIONED AT(GUAM). HE SAID THERE WAS NOTHING HE COULD DO ABOUT IT. I WOULD LIKE TO SEE A RECALL OF ALL RECENT R6'S FOR TH E LEAKING BATTERY. IT HAS BECOME A HUGE PROBLEM AND NO ONE IS DOING ANYTHING ABOUT IT. I JUST RETURNED TO THE USA FROM GUAM AND I AM TRYING TO GET THIS PROBLEM FIXED NOW IN AMERICA. I APPRECIATE YOU HELP. *AK

NHTSA ODI #10025231

4,900 miles · Jun 25, 2003
Electrical System

2002 YAMAHA R6. BATTERY WAS FOUND LEAKING. ACID DAMAGE TO SWING ARM, REAR SHOCK, CHAIN AND FRONT SPROCKET. *NLM

NHTSA ODI #10023751

4,000 miles · Jun 20, 2003
Electrical System

BATTERY ACID LEAKED ALL OVER SWING ARM, SHOCK AND SHOCK RESERVOIR, AND CHAIN. I CALLED YAMAHA CUSTOMER SERVICE, AND THEY DENIED ANY KNOWLEDGE OF LEAKING BATTERIES, ALTHOUGH I FOUND A WEBSITE (WWW.HOUNDHEAVEN.COM) WITH DOZENS OF PEOPLE WITH THE SAME MODELS AND SAME LEAKING BATTERIES. I'M IN THE PROCESS OF TAKING IT TO THE DEALE…

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BATTERY ACID LEAKED ALL OVER SWING ARM, SHOCK AND SHOCK RESERVOIR, AND CHAIN. I CALLED YAMAHA CUSTOMER SERVICE, AND THEY DENIED ANY KNOWLEDGE OF LEAKING BATTERIES, ALTHOUGH I FOUND A WEBSITE (WWW.HOUNDHEAVEN.COM) WITH DOZENS OF PEOPLE WITH THE SAME MODELS AND SAME LEAKING BATTERIES. I'M IN THE PROCESS OF TAKING IT TO THE DEALER, IN HOPES THAT IT'S COVERED UNDER WARRANTY (THE BIKE IS STILL UNDER FACTORY WARRANTY AND IS LESS THAN A YEAR OLD). *NLM

NHTSA ODI #10023452

Official recalls

0

No recalls in this snapshot.

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

0

No exact-year investigations in this snapshot.