Your vehicle report
2001 Yamaha Road Star
The problems owners report. The recalls to check. The evidence behind each.
Your vehicle at a glance
Complaint patterns and official recall records, kept distinct.
- Owner complaints
- 57
- Received Jun 2001 to Apr 2009
Owner reports
Most reported problems
- 1Transmission fails or loses power while driving5 complaints · 8.8% of this vehicle’s complaints
- 2Automatic transmission shifts unexpectedly or slips4 complaints · 7.0% of this vehicle’s complaints
- 3Engine knocking from rod or main bearings4 complaints · 7.0% of this vehicle’s complaints
Official NHTSA records
Recalls to check
- Recall #06V397000On certain motorcycles, certain transmission components may not meet yamaha quality-control standards, which could allow abnormal wear that eventually results in a broken retaining circlip.
- Recall #03V309000In 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.
BrakeNews signals
Flagged complaint patterns
Unusual complaint patterns with no matched recall yet. A flag does not mean a recall will happen.
No problems currently meet BrakeNews’s flagging criteria. This is not a safety rating.
How flags are identifiedComplaint counts reflect reports submitted to NHTSA, not failure rates or a reliability ranking. Reported in these complaints: 3 crashes, 0 fires, 14 people injured, 0 deaths.
Explore by system
Where do owners report problems?
Choose an area on the car or a system below to explore the reported problems.
Illustrative only; not this vehicle’s exact design. Areas represent complaint categories, not confirmed defective parts.
Showing all 4 listed problems by system.
Engine & powertrain
- Transmission fails or loses power while driving
- Automatic transmission shifts unexpectedly or slips
- Engine knocking from rod or main bearings
1 more problem
Brakes
No problems in this category meet this page’s listing criteria. This does not establish that the system is free of problems.
Electrical & lights
No problems in this category meet this page’s listing criteria. This does not establish that the system is free of problems.
Airbags, belts & seats
No problems in this category meet this page’s listing criteria. This does not establish that the system is free of problems.
Steering, suspension & tires
No problems in this category meet this page’s listing criteria. This does not establish that the system is free of problems.
Body, doors & glass
No problems in this category meet this page’s listing criteria. This does not establish that the system is free of problems.
Driver assistance
No problems in this category meet this page’s listing criteria. This does not establish that the system is free of problems.
Other
No problems in this category meet this page’s listing criteria. This does not establish that the system is free of problems.
Complaint history
When NHTSA received these reports. Changes in reporting alone do not establish a change in failure rates.
Show as a table
| Year | Complaints |
|---|---|
| 2001 | 1 |
| 2002 | 5 |
| 2003 | 30 |
| 2004 | 18 |
| 2005 | 1 |
| 2006 | 0 |
| 2007 | 0 |
| 2008 | 0 |
| 2009 | 2 |
| 2010 | 0 |
| 2011 | 0 |
| 2012 | 0 |
| 2013 | 0 |
| 2014 | 0 |
| 2015 | 0 |
| 2016 | 0 |
| 2017 | 0 |
| 2018 | 0 |
| 2019 | 0 |
| 2020 | 0 |
| 2021 | 0 |
| 2022 | 0 |
| 2023 | 0 |
| 2024 | 0 |
| 2025 | 0 |
| 2026 (to Oct 2026) | 0 |
| Total | 57 |
Problems owners report
Listed groups have at least 3 complaints. The page includes the 20 largest groups plus any additional flagged groups; some complaints are not assigned to a group.
| Problem | Complaints | Share | Share ratio | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Transmission fails or loses power while driving | 5 | 8.8% | – | NHTSA recall #03V309000, #06V397000 |
| Automatic transmission shifts unexpectedly or slips | 4 | 7.0% | – | |
| Engine knocking from rod or main bearings | 4 | 7.0% | – | |
| Fuel tank or line leaks gasoline | 3 | 5.3% | – |
AI groups complaints by meaning; the groups are approximate. Share ratio compares the problem’s share of this vehicle’s complaints with its share on other vehicles over the last 24 months (shown from 3 recent complaints). A 2× ratio means twice the complaint share, not twice the failure risk. Flags mark unusual shares or recent surges after an AI review of the complaint content. “First signal” does not mean the pattern has persisted continuously.How recall estimates are calculated.
Recalls
NHTSA recall #06V397000October 17, 200620,000 vehicles affected
power train: manual transmission
On certain motorcycles, certain transmission components may not meet Yamaha quality-control standards, which could allow abnormal wear that eventually results in a broken retaining circlip.
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 with injury or death.
Remedy
Dealers will replace certain transmission components with new ones free of charge. The recall began on october 30, 2006. Owners may contact Yamaha at 1-800-88-YAMAHA or visit their website at www.yamaha-motor.com.
NHTSA recall #03V309000August 26, 200329,139 vehicles affected
power train: manual transmission
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.
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.
Other model years
About this data
NHTSA complaints and recalls through October 2026. Complaints are counted once each, however many components they name. Original complaints are on NHTSA's page for the 2001 Yamaha Road Star.
Problem groups are formed by AI and may be approximate. BrakeNews flags unusual complaint patterns; they are not official defect findings. Investigation reports are written and checked by AI, with no human review. Owner reports do not establish that a defect exists.
Read the methodology and track record · Check current recalls by VIN