2002 Yamaha Road Star Problems
- Complaints
- 87filed with NHTSA
- Median mileage
- 6,000miles, 36 complaints with mileage
- Recalls
- 1campaigns on record
- Trend
- StableComplaints filed in the last 3 full calendar years are within 25% of the 3 years before.
Sources: NHTSA records for the 2002 Yamaha Road Star (complaints, recalls, investigations). Report an error
What owners report
Owner complaints for this model year center almost entirely on the transmission, and most of them are not descriptions of a failure but of a recall repair that could not be completed: owners report waiting months because dealers said the parts were unavailable and could give no date. A smaller number describe the underlying symptom directly — gears sticking or locking between gears, and in a few cases the rear wheel locking while riding. Remaining reports are scattered single items (brakes, tank venting, electrical) rather than patterns.
- Transmission and drivetrain
Transmission recall repair unavailable / long wait for parts
- 69 complaints (79%)
- median 6,000 mi at 2.4 yrs old (26 state mileage)
- filed 2003–2004
Owners describe receiving recall 03V309000 in January 2004 and then being unable to get the work done. According to the complaints, dealers told them the transmission repair kits were not available and gave no date or estimates of several additional months, and in some cases the motorcycle sat at the dealership for weeks. A few owners report that a dealer would not schedule the repair without a letter from the manufacturer, or that the bike had been sold to them shortly after the recall was issued. Reported mostly at low mileage — many under 10,000 miles — and concentrated in early to mid 2004, after the January 2004 recall notice.
What to check: Ask whether the recall 03V309000 transmission work was actually completed and for documentation of it, since many owners reported the repair never being done. If the work is still open, confirm parts availability with the dealer before buying.
2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records
“I received a recall letter from Yamaha corporation since january 9,2004 regarding transmission failures. It is march 19th and still have not been able to take my motorcycle into a dealership and all dealerships I have contacted do not know when they will have the parts to fix the transmission. …”
NHTSA complaint #10062648, filed 2004-03, 4,119 miles“2002 Yamaha Road Star transmission recall. My bike has been in the shop since 1/10/04 waiting for a transmission kit. I am being told that there are no kits available and will likely stretch into april, 04. This is unacceptable! I have only owned this bike for 6 months. Yamaha should either have to fix my bike asap or buy it back at the original price. This type of delay is not accepted in any other arena... Why is it accepted here?!!!”
NHTSA complaint #10058736, filed 2004-02, 4,500 miles - Transmission and drivetrain
Gearbox sticking between gears / rear wheel lock-up
- 5 complaints (6%)
- median 19,342 mi at 7.8 yrs old (3 state mileage, few)
- filed 2003–2009
Complaints describe the transmission getting stuck between gears, requiring effort to free it, and in some reports the rear wheel locking while riding at highway speed. Owners who inspected or had the unit opened describe broken or fractured gear pins, a snapped middle gear shaft and a loose retaining nut. Several link these symptoms to the same transmission area covered by the recall. Reported from under 1,000 miles up to about 67,000 miles; the lock-up reports came at higher mileage during highway riding, while the between-gear sticking was noted on nearly new bikes.
What to check: During a test ride, shift through every gear and listen for grinding or a gear that will not engage cleanly; ask whether the gearbox has ever locked or jumped out of gear, and whether the recall kit was installed.
2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records
“The transmission on my Yamaha Road Star 1600 [2002] gets stuck between gears. Not all the time but enough to cuase me some concern.somtimes it gets locked up in between gears and it takes a bit to get it unstuck.it seems odd as this is a brand new motorcycle with less than four thousand miles on it.I hope it doesn't lock up while I'm going down the road.I heard some of them do that.”
NHTSA complaint #10036782, filed 2003-08, 1,000 miles“The contact owns a 2002 Yamaha Road Star. While driving 60 MPH the rear wheel locked. Upon further inspection he noticed that pins that connect the fourth and the fifth gear had fractured. The vehicle was in the process of being repaired. The manufacturer was notified, but no assistance was provided. The failure and current mileages were 67,000.”
NHTSA complaint #10292952, filed 2009-11, 67,000 miles
Buying note. The main thing to establish on this model year is the status of recall 03V309000 — many owners reported that the transmission repair was never completed because parts were unavailable, so get documentation of the work rather than a verbal assurance. Beyond that, check the fuel tank venting and shift quality on a test ride, and treat the rest of the sample as isolated individual reports.
Summary written with AI from a sample of 60 NHTSA complaints for this model year (picked at random, with complaints that state a mileage and recent ones taken first), then checked automatically against the source records. Where a problem shows a complaint count, every complaint for this model year was matched with fixed keyword rules (written with AI and tested against the sample), and the mileage, age and repair figures are calculated from those complaints; owners' figures are as stated, not verified. Other counts refer to the sample. The excerpts come from NHTSA's public complaint records and are unverified; capitalisation is normalised, NHTSA staff notes are removed, and shortened text ends with “…”. Something wrong? Request a correction.
NHTSA recorded 87 consumer complaints for the 2002 Yamaha Road Star. 36 of the complaints include a mileage, and 97% of those were filed for vehicles with under 50,000 miles; the median is 6,000 miles. NHTSA lists 1 recall campaign and 0 technical service bulletins for this model year.
Not compared (before 2008). Model years 2008–2023 of the same vehicle that have at least 25 complaints are compared, and a model needs at least 3 of them.
Which parts are reported most
Complaints can name more than one part, so the counts add up to more than the total. Select a part to see its complaints, recalls and bulletins.
- Brakes1 1.1%
- Electrical system1 1.1%
- Equipment1 1.1%
- Fuel system1 1.1%
- Other or unknown1 1.1%
- Body and structure1 1.1%
Example complaints
Transmission and drivetrain: “Consumer received NHTSA recall 03v309000 concerning transmission failure. Consumer contacted the dealer, and was told that parts needed to repair the motorcycle were not available, and that there was no projected date when the parts would be available. However, consumer was upset that parts were available in the southern states, and not available in the north.”
NHTSA complaint #10060955, filed 2004-02, 8,300 milesBrakes: “Front/rear brakes wore out prematurely. Consumer would have to replace every 4,000 mile. Dealership repaired the problem once, but the consumer is still having the same problems. .. ..”
NHTSA complaint #10075466, filed 2004-06, 4,000 milesEquipment: “Yamaha has recalled my motorcycle according to the company description of recalled bikes (Road Star 2002, which was confirmed by my dealer). When I asked my dealer to order the parts they refused saying that Yamaha demands a letter accompany the request for parts. I explained that I have not received the letter from Yamaha and I am unable to reach customer service as it is keeping me on hold for up to 25 . They will not schedule the repair or order parts until I get a letter. There are 27 bikes already scheduled for repairs, and the list grows longer. …”
NHTSA complaint #10058579, filed 2004-02Mileage when problems were reported
97% of the 36 complaints with a mileage were filed for vehicles with under 50,000 miles; the middle half falls between 3,300 and 11,000 miles.
Complaints by year filed
Trend: stable. Complaints filed in the last 3 full calendar years are within 25% of the 3 years before.
Recalls and investigations
- 03V309000Aug 26, 2003Power train › Manual transmissionCovers: Yamaha Road Star 2001–2003, Midnight Star 2001–2003, XV16 2001–2003 +8 more
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.
Recall details for the 2002 Yamaha Road Star → · Check a VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls
NHTSA investigations
- PE03038Unintended rear wheel lockupClosed · Aug 11, 2003
Technical service bulletins
No technical service bulletins are on record for the 2002 Yamaha Road Star.
Other model years of the Yamaha Road Star
| Year | Complaints | Median mi | Recalls | Crash ★ | MPG | Score (50 = typical) | Trend |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2007 | 7 | 12,266 | 0 | — | — | — | Not enough data |
| 2004 | 21 | 8,000 | 0 | — | — | — | Falling |
| 2003 | 105 | 4,000 | 1 | — | — | Not compared (before 2008) | Stable |
| 2002 | 87 | 6,000 | 1 | — | — | Not compared (before 2008) | Stable |
| 2001 | 57 | 8,700 | 2 | — | — | Not compared (before 2008) | Stable |
| 2000 | 18 | 16,000 | 1 | — | — | — | Stable |
| 1999 | 15 | 59,000 | 1 | — | — | — | Stable |
All Yamaha Road Star model years · Best and worst years by complaints
Frequently asked questions
What are the most common problems with the 2002 Yamaha Road Star?
Owner complaints for this model year center almost entirely on the transmission, and most of them are not descriptions of a failure but of a recall repair that could not be completed: owners report waiting months because dealers said the parts were unavailable and could give no date. The issues reported most often: Transmission recall repair unavailable / long wait for parts; Gearbox sticking between gears / rear wheel lock-up.
How many NHTSA complaints does the 2002 Yamaha Road Star have?
NHTSA recorded 87 consumer complaints for the 2002 Yamaha Road Star as of Oct 28, 2026. Complaints are unverified consumer reports and may be duplicated or inaccurate.
What part of the 2002 Yamaha Road Star is reported most often?
Transmission and drivetrain is named most often, in 82 complaints (94% of the total), followed by brakes with 1.
Has the 2002 Yamaha Road Star been recalled?
NHTSA lists 1 recall campaign for this model year. To check a specific vehicle, enter its VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls.
At what mileage are problems with the 2002 Yamaha Road Star reported?
Among the 36 complaints that include a mileage, the median is 6,000 miles and the middle half falls between 3,300 and 11,000 miles; 97% were filed for vehicles with under 50,000 miles.
About this data. Data from NHTSA (ODI) complaints, recalls, TSBs and investigations, updated Oct 28, 2026. Complaints are unverified consumer reports and may be duplicated or inaccurate.
Complaint counts come from NHTSA’s public complaint database; we count each complaint once. The source records for this vehicle are on nhtsa.gov. Scores and trends are our own summaries of that data, described in the methodology. This page is not legal, safety or repair advice: for a specific vehicle, check its VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls and ask a qualified mechanic. See an error? Tell us.