YAMAHA Complaints

IGNITION SWITCH FAILURE ON MOTORCYCLE. FAILED SUDDENLY WHILE MOVING, WITH NEAR LOSS OF CONTROL. CONTACTS PULLED OUT OF SWITCH BODY INTERNAL TO SWITCH. THIS PROBLEM HAS BEEN REPORTED ON INTERNET FORUMS BY DOZENS OF YAMAHA FJR1300 OWNERS AND HAS NEVER BEEN RESOLVED. IT IS A DANGEROUS CONDITION SINCE A MOTORCYCLE MUST BE BALANCED BY THROTTLE APPLICATION WHILE LEANED OVER, OTHERWISE, THE MOTORCYCLE WILL EITHER FALL OVER, OR THE PATH MUST BE CHANGED TO KEEP IT UPRIGHT. UNDER LESS THAN IDEAL CIRCUMSTANCES, THIS COULD CAUSE CROSSING LANES. *TR

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 YAMAHA CC200 (NA). THE CONTACT RECEIVED A RECALL NOTICE FOR NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER 08V180000 (FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:DELIVERY:FUEL PUMP). HE IMMEDIATELY CALLED THE DEALER TO SCHEDULE AN APPOINTMENT TO HAVE THE RECALL REPAIRED. UPON ARRIVAL AT THE DEALER, THE CONTACT WAS INFORMED THAT THE PARTS WERE UNAVAILABLE. THE MANUFACTURER DID NOT KNOW WHEN THE PARTS WOULD ARRIVE. THE VEHICLE HAS NOT BEEN REPAIRED AND REMAINS PARKED. THERE HAD BEEN NO FAILURE TO DATE. THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 600.

I LEARNED OF THE YAMAHA 1999 ROADSTAR RECALL AND TOOK MY BIKE IN TO A YAMAHA DEALER TO BE FIXED. MY BIKE HAD BEEN RUNNING GREAT WITH NO PROBLEMS WHATSOEVER. THE DEALER HAS HAD THE BIKE NOW FOR 8 WEEKS. THEY GOT THE BIKE BACK TOGETHER A COUPLE OF WEEKS AGO AND IT FIRED UP. I WENT TO RIDE IT HOME AND THE DEALER TOLD ME THAT IT WOULD COUGH AND BLOW BLACK SMOKE, BUT TO KEEP ON RIDING IT. IT DIED OUT ON ME AFTER ABOUT 20 MILES AND I HAD TO HAVE IT TOWED BACK TO THE DEALERSHIP. THE DEALER HAS GIVEN US THE RUN AROUND THE ENTIRE TIME THEY HAVE HAD THE BIKE. NOW, IT WILL NOT RUN AT ALL AND THEY ARE SUGGESTING THAT I SPEND OVER 1000.00 JUST IN PARTS TO REPLACE PARTS THAT WERE NOT BAD IN THE FIRST PLACE. THEY DID SOMETHING WRONG TO IT DURING THE PROCESS OF REPLACING THE RECALLED PARTS AND NOW THEY WANT ME TO PAY FOR THEIR MISTAKES. THEY DISTURBED THE ELECTRICAL COMPONENTS AND SHORTED OUT MODULE AND POSSIBLY THE COMPUTER. THEY ARE BLAMING ME FOR THE YEAR OF THE BIKE BEING 9 YEARS OLD. WELL, THE BIKE ONLY HAS 20,000 MILES ON IT AND IT HAS NEVER HAD A PROBLEM NEVER. MY HUSBAND CALLED THE YAMAHA CUSTOMER SERVICE TO FILE A COMPLAINT WITH THEM AS WELL. YAMAHA TOLD US THAT IT WAS NOT THEIR PROBLEM THAT IT WAS BETWEEN US AND THE DEALER. WHAT CAN WE DO TO RESOLVE THIS PROBLEM? I NOW HAVE A BIKE THAT IS NOT IN RUNNING CONDITION AT ALL AND THE DEALER CANNOT FIX THE BIKE. PLEASE HELP US. *TR

SCOOTER STALLS AND IS HARD TO START AGAIN. JUST PURCHASED THE SCOOTER LESS THAN 60 DAYS AGO AND IT IS UNRELIABLE AS WE HAVE BEEN STUCK TWICE IN ONE DAY. *TR

IGNITION SWITCH FAILURE (SOLDERED WIRE FELL OFF). HAPPENED IN SLOW SPEED MANEUVER. I CUT THE IGNITION WIRE AND PUT IN A TEMPORARY SWITCH. IF THIS HAD HAPPENED ON THE HIGHWAY... *TR

WHILE RIDING THE 2007 YAMAHA FJR1300 THE MOTORCYCLE SHUT OFF ABRUPTLY. IT WAS AS IF THE KEY WAS TURNED OFF, ALL LIGHTS AND INSTRUMENTS WENT DARK. I WAS ABLE TO CLEAR TRAFFIC AND GET OFF THE ROAD WITHOUT BEING HIT, COULD HAVE BEEN UGLY. THE DEALER AT FIRST CLAIMED NO KNOWLEDGE OF SIMILAR FAILURES, WHEN PRESSED THEY ADMITTED THAT YAMAHA KNOWS THAT 2006 AND 2007 FJR IGNITION SWITCHES ARE FAILING WITH REGULARITY, YAMAHA PROVIDED A REPLACEMENT IGNITION SWITCH. TEARING THE OLD SWITCH APART REVEALED THAT PART OF THE PLASTIC WAS MELTED AND THE MAIN FEED OUT OF THE SWITCH HAD UNSOLDERED ITSELF FROM ITS POST. HAVING THE ENGINE SHUT OFF UNEXPECTEDLY ON A MOTORCYCLE IN TRAFFIC CAN BE DEADLY. YAMAHA ASKED IF I HAD ANY ACCESSORIES WIRED ONTO THE BIKE WHICH COULD HAVE CAUSED ADDITIONAL LOAD ON THE SWITCH. I DO NOT, THE ONLY LOAD ON THE IGNITION SWITCH IS WHAT IS DESIGNED IN BY YAMAHA. THE DEALER KEPT THE OLD SWITCH AFTER IT WAS TAKEN APART. I WAS NOT ALLOWED TO PHOTOGRAPH THE FAILED COMPONENTS. *TR

FOLLOWING PROBLEMS ENCOUNTERED WITH 2007 YAMAHA VSTAR 1300 TOURER XVS13CTWC 1. STICKY THROTTLE OPERATION CAUSES. BIKE EITHER DOESN'T MOVE, OR GETS SUDDEN SURGE 2. CLUNK HEARD FROM THE BOTTOM OF THE BIKE WHEN GOING OVER BUMPS, POTHOLES SPEED BUMPS. 3. NOISY AND TEMPERAMENTAL CLUTCH. AT TIMES INTERMITTENTLY THE CLUTCH DOESN'T ENGAGE. MUST PLAY WITH THE CLUTCH LEVER AND ROCK THE BIKE BACK AND FOURTH BEFORE HEARING IT FALL INTO GEAR. CLUTCH WHINES AND MOANS. ALL ISSUES ENCOUNTERED JUST ABOUT AT THE DAY OF PURCHASE. *TR

06 VSTAR 1100 CLASSIC, 12,126 MILES - PURCHASED NEW FROM SHOWROOM FLOOR FEB. 14 OF 2006 - MILEAGE WAS GENTLE - NOT ABUSIVE/HARD 5/24/2008 AT 7:30 RETURNING HOME FROM RUNNING ERRANDS. TURNING LEFT FROM DEAD STOP AT AN INTERSECTION, FELT A SHUDDER IN BIKE, HEARD A POP. AFTER COMPLETION OF THE TURN, LOUD NOISE, GRINDING AT DECELERATION. FORTUNATELY WAS LESS THAN 1/8 MILE FROM HOME AND COULD COAST IN. ON TAKING APART ON 5/24/06 DISCOVERED THAT THE RETAINING NUT ON THE MID DRIVE SHAFT INSIDE THE U JOINT HAD SHEARED/TWISTED OFF. NUT WAS LYING LOOSE INSIDE THE U BOLT. ON EXAMINING THE BOLT YOU COULD SEE THE CRACKS, WHERE THE 1/2" SHAFT HAD DISCOLORATIONS AND A WHAT LITTLE BIT OF SHAFT HAD BEEN HOLDING FOR QUITE SOME TIME. DROPPED THE REAR END, WHEEL, TIRE, PIVOT ARMS, REAR DRIVE SHAFT ASSEMBLY AND WAS ABLE TO REMOVE THE UJOINT. AFTER REMOVING THE OLD SECTION OF BOLT, STRAIGHTENING THE THREAD, REPLACE NUT ON REMAINING SHAFT. DRILLED AND TAPPED THE BOLT, INSERTED BOLT. WELDED BOLT HEAD TO THE RETAINING NUT. REPLACED ALL PARTS, REMOVED. WORK COMPLETED BY TWO MECHANICS WHO WILL BE MY HERO'S. YAMAHA DOES NOT ACCEPT THAT THE DRIVE SHAFTS ARE FAILING. IF THIS HAD HAPPENED WHILE TRAVELING ON THE EXPRESSWAY TO WORK AT 55/66/75 MPH OR AWAY FROM HOME THE CONSEQUENCES WOULD HAVE BEEN MUCH GRAVER. *TR

PURCHASED 2007 YAMAHA YZFR1 LAST SEPTEMBER. THE BIKE EXHIBITED A LAG IN THE THROTTLE AROUND 5,000 RPM, AND THE ENGINE WILL ALSO STALL AT RANDOM, USUALLY AT THE WORST TIME. THIS BIKE HAS STALLED AT LEAST 20 TIMES AT INTERSECTIONS, AND STALLED ANOTHER 6 TIMES JUST YESTERDAY! THE THROTTLE LAG ISSUE HAS BEEN FIXED BY A DEALER. THE STALL HAS NOT BEEN FIXED. THE STALL PROBLEM SCARES ME. IT MAY LEAD TO MY DEATH!!! YAMAHA NEEDS TO FIX THIS NOW! *TR

2002 YAMAHA V STAR 1100 CLASSIC - WOULD NOT START, STARTER IS TWISTED, YAMAHA ISSUED A SERVICE BULLETIN STATING THAT IMPROPER STARTING CAUSES THIS CONDITION, ALSO INFERS THAT THIS IS A DESIGN PROBLEM. THEY WILL NOT HOWEVER RECALL OR COMPENSATE OWNERS WHO HAVE HAD THIS PROBLEM (RESEARCH SHOWS HUNDREDS OF TWISTED STARTERS). *TR