YAMAHA Complaints

ONE OF FOUR BOLTS HOLDING SIDESTAND SAFETY SWITCH IN POSITION FOR OPERATION OF 1992, YAMAHA, FCR1000, HAS FALLEN OFF, THIS SCREW AND BOLT SYSTEM HOLDS SIDESTAND IN PLACE TO PREVENT MOTORCYCLE FROM BEING DRIVEN WITH THE SIDESTAND IN THE DOWN POSITION.*AK *SLC

ENGINE COOLANT IS LEAKING FROM SIDE OF ENGINE. DEALERSHIP EXAMINED MOTORCYCLE AND WAS UNABLE TO LOCATE THE PROBLEM. HOWEVER, MANUFACTURER INFORMED DEALERSHIP THE PROBLEM WAS DUE TO A "POROUS CASING," AND WILL BE CONSUMERS RESPONSIBILITY TO HAVE REPAIRS MADE. *AK THE CONSUMER STATED THAT THE COOLANT LEAK WAS DUE TO A COMBINATION OF POOR DESIGN AND MANUFACTURER DEFECT. THE ENGINE'S DRAIN HOLE IS TOO CLOSE TO WATER JACKET. *YH

CONSUMER WAS TRAVELING ON HIS MOTORCYCLE APPROXIMATELY 40 MPH WHEN FRONT BRAKES LOCKED UP WITHOUT ANY ACTIVATION, ONCE THE RELEASE VALVE WAS OPENED THE BRAKES THEN WERE RELEASED, THE MOTORCYCLE WAS DRIVEN 100 FEET AND THE FRONT BRAKES LOCKED UP AGAIN, CONSUMER RECEIVED BURNS, CUTS, AND A BROKEN HAND. *JADA

THE OIL SEAL ON THE REAR WHEEL DRIVESHAFT UNIT FAILED CAUSING FINAL SHAFT OIL TO LEAK ONTO REAR SWING ARM AND REAR WHEEL. REMOTE CHANGE THAT OIL LEAKING ON REAR WHEEL COULD CAUSE DRIVER TO LOSE CONTROL BUT MORE IMPORTANTLY A LEAK GREAT ENOUGH COULD CAUSE REAR DIFFERENTIAL TO SEIZE CAUSING REAR WHEEL LOCK UP RESULTING IN POSSIBLE INJURY OR DEATH TO RIDER(S). DEALERSHIP WAS NOTIFIED AND THEY REPLACED OIL SEAL PER WARRANTY

THE IGNITION SWITCH ON MY 1998 ROYAL STAR WILL CUT OUT AT INTERMITTENT TIMES CAUSING THE ENGINE TO STOP RUNNING. THIS HAS HAPPENED TO ME ABOUT 8 OR 9 TIMES NOW SINCE THE 1ST OCCURANCES (5) ON 9/15/2001. THE MOTORCYCLE IS STILL UNDER FACTORY WARRANTEE AND A REPLACEMENT IGNITION SWITCH IS ON ORDER BUT I FEEL THAT THIS IS DEFINITELY A SAFETY ISSUE. WHEN A MOTORCYCLE ENGINE STOPS RUNNING AT SPEED THERE IS A SUDDEN DECELERATION THAT COULD CAUSE A RIDER TO LOSE CONTROL OF THE MOTORCYCLE. IF THE LOSS OF ENGINE POWER OCCURS WHILE ATTEMPTING A PASSING MANEUVER IT COULD RAPIDLY RESULT IN A SERIOUS SITUATION WHERE THE CYCLIST HAS NO POWER TO MANUVER AND IS FACED WITH ONCOMING TRAFFIC. I WAS (ALMOST) IN THIS TYPE OF SITUATION WHILE TOURING THE GREEN MOUNTIANS IN VERMONT ON 9/15/2001. I LOST ENGINE POWER 5 SEPARATE TIMES DURING THAT TRIP, TWICE WHILE ON MOUNTAIN ROADS WITH NO SHOULDER TO COAST ONTO AND TRAFFIC RIGHT ON MY REAR FENDER. THE ONLY WAY TO RESTART THE ENGINE IS TO SHIFT INTO NEUTRAL, TURN THE INGITION KEY OFF/ON AND THEN PRESS THE STARTER BUTTON. TRYING TO DO THIS WHILE SUDDENLY LOOSING POWER IN FULL TRAFFIC IS TRICKY EVEN FOR AN EXPERIENCED CYCLIST. COMPOUNDING IT WITH THE LOCATION OF THE IGNITION SWITCH (LOW FRONT LEFT FORK) REQUIRING THE RIDER TO REACH DOWN AROUND THE FUEL TANK MAKES FOR A VERY HAIRY SITUATION. IN MY RESEARCH ON THIS COMPONENT I HAVE FOUND THAT YAMAHA IS AWARE OF THE PROBLEM AND HAS REDESIGNED THE IGNITION SWICH ASSEMBLY. BUT THEY WILL NOT REPLACE IT UNTIL AN OWNER ACTIVELY REQUESTS THAT IT BE DONE AND I DO NOT KNOW IF THEY WILL REPLACE THE SWITCH IF THE MOTORCYCLE IS OUT OF WARRANTEE. SINCE THE ROYAL STAR LINE OF MOTORCYCLES STARTED IN MODEL YEAR 1996 AND CAME WITH A 5 YEAR WARRANTEE THE ISSUE OF OUT OF WARRANTEE REPLACEMENT MAY START TO COME TO A HEAD. I BELIEVE THAT THIS PROBLEM SHOULD BE A RECALL AND NOT LEFT UP TO THE FATE OF THE CYCLISTS. I WAS FORTUNATE, OTHERS MAY NOT BE....

YAMAHA, V-STAR , XVS65AL; WHILE DRIVING 35 MPH FRONT BRAKE LOCKED UP. CONSUMER WAS THROWN FROM MOTORCYCLE. BROKE RIGHT HAND, AND WAS BRUISED BADLY.*AK

ONE OF THE NUTS FROM BACK WHEEL SPROCKET HIT TRAILING ARM WHICH PULLED NUT OFF BACK WHEEL. ALSO, POST THAT HOLDS NUT IS PULLED OUT TOO FAR. IF NUT GETS CAUGHT BETWEEN SPROCKET WHEEL AND TRAILING ARM IT CAN LOCK UP BACK WHEEL. CONTACTED YAMAHA AND, YAMAHA STATED WARRANTY HAS RUN OUT.*AK

SHOCK MOUNT CRACKED AND TURNED AWAY FROM FRAME, ALSO WELDS ARE BREAKING WHICH CAN CAUSE A CRASH. DEALER REPLACED FRAME. *AK

YAMAHA IS AWARE OF THE PROBLEM BUT ISSUED ONLY A SERVICE BULLITEN, AT 65 THE CYLINDER DROPED ON ME ON THE INTERSTATE AND IF NOT FOR MY QUICK THINKING I COULD HAVE BEEN INJURED IF NOT WORSE KILLED. THE LOSS OF THE CYLINDER DROPPED MY SPEED TO 35 MPH ON THE INTERSTATE IN RUSH HOUR TRAFFIC IN ATLANTA GA. THANK YOU TROY A BARBER

THIS MOTORCYCLE HAS A SEVERE PROBLEM TAT HAS GONE UNREPAIRED BY THE MANUFACTURER FOR 2 YEARS NOW. THE FIRST PROBLEM IS SEVERE BACKFIRING UPON DECELLERATION. NOT A TYPICAL POP BUT A LOUD BOOM THAT WILL ACTUALLY STARTLE THE RIDER AND PASSENGER. ONLY KNOWN SOLUTION IS TO DIABLE THE AIS SYSTEM WHICH IS PART OF THE FEDERAL EMISSIONS SYSTEM. MOST CURRENT PROBLEM IS SEVER EXHAUST OR RAW GAS FUMES WHICH ARE MAKING THE RIDER AND PASSENGER VERY SICK. YAMAHA ATTEMPTED 4 TIMES AND FOR 19 DAYS TO CORRECT THE PROBLEM BUT UPON BEING UNABLE TO DO SO, NOW CLAIM IT IS NORMAL. THIS IS A DANGEROUS SITUATION WHICH MAKES USING THE VEHICLE DANGEROUS AND THEREFORE NOT POSSIBLE.