AI Damage2014 Yamaha Bolt: common problems
Owners of the 2014 Yamaha Bolt filed 82 complaints with NHTSA, most often about electrical system and vehicle speed control. Details by component below, with sources.
Key figures
- Owner complaints
- 82
What fails most often
- 1 Electrical system 68% of all complaints
- 2 Vehicle speed control 28% of all complaints
- 3 Exterior lighting 9% of all complaints
- 4 Visibility 7% of all complaints
- 5 Steering 4% of all complaints
- 6 Structure 2% of all complaints
- 7 Suspension 1% of all complaints
- 8 Wheels 1% of all complaints
- Electrical system: 56 complaints (68% of all).
- Vehicle speed control: 23 complaints (28% of all).
- Exterior lighting: 7 complaints (9% of all).
- Visibility: 6 complaints (7% of all).
- Steering: 3 complaints (4% of all).
Symptoms owners describe
How many of the 82 NHTSA complaints mention each symptom (automatic count from complaint text; one complaint can mention several).
Components owners complain about
| Component | Owner complaints | involving a crash | Technical service bulletins (TSB) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Electrical system | 56 | 0 | 0 |
| Vehicle speed control | 23 | 0 | 0 |
| Exterior lighting | 7 | 0 | 0 |
| Visibility | 6 | 0 | 0 |
| Steering | 3 | 0 | 0 |
| Structure | 2 | 0 | 0 |
| Suspension | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Wheels | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Other | 5 | 0 | 0 |
What owners report
Short excerpts of NHTSA complaints in the original wording. These are owner statements not verified by NHTSA; personal data removed.
Vehicle meter is dangerously dim. Not visible during daylight due to glare. Only 2014 yamaha bolt models encounter this issue. The speed can not be determined while riding nor any other information displayed on the meter.
Death wobble- steering instability at 35-45 mph. This could be fixed by the manufacturer by using tapered steering bearings
This is a safety hazard not being able to read your speed as well as possibly causing speeding tickets. This issue needs to be addressed by the manufacture with a recall. Seriously issue.
My concern is the death wobble the bike has when at speeds around 45 mph.
During the day or when the sun is bright I can not see the speedometer reading. Its digital and there isn't much contrast so I cant see how fast I am going. This is a safety hazard and should be recalled. This can cause me to check my speed for longer periods of time and can cause a speeding violation or accident.
While driving my 2014 yamaha bolt r spec, the speedometer does not illuminate at night and is nearly impossible to read during sunny daylight hours. This causes the driver to take his or her eyes off of the road for an extended period of time in attempt to read the speedometer to remain at the posted speed limit.
When riding the yamaha bolt towards the sun, the speedometer is impossible to read. Because of the positioning of the speedometer, and the graphic interface that is used, it is impossible to read. This has caused me great difficulty while riding.
This will cause me to get a speeding ticket or, worse, get into a crash because I can not judge my speed.
When owners complained
NHTSA complaints by filing year. The peak shows at what age the problems show up most.
Comparison
By complaint count this model year ranks 4,021 of 36,656 model years in the NHTSA data (top 11% most complained about).
On average one model year of the Bolt has 43 complaints (2 years in the data). This year has 82, above average.
What to check before buying
- Electrical system. Scan all modules, test the battery and alternator, inspect connectors near the impact zone.
- Vehicle speed control. Accelerator pedal, cruise control, throttle codes.
- Exterior lighting. Headlamps, leveling, sensors and mounts after a frontal hit.
- Visibility. Wipers, mirrors, defrosters, cracked glass.
Other years of this model
Questions and answers
What are the most common problems with the 2014 Yamaha Bolt?
Owner complaints to NHTSA most often mention: electrical system, vehicle speed control, exterior lighting. Total complaints: 82. The most frequent symptoms in complaint texts: knocking, grinding or other noise (11%), infotainment or screen glitches (1%), smoke, burning smell, fire (1%).
How many service bulletins (TSB) were issued for the 2014 Yamaha Bolt?
NHTSA lists 0 manufacturer service bulletins for this year. A bulletin tells dealers how to diagnose or fix a known issue; it is not a recall.
Should I buy a 2014 Yamaha Bolt from a US auction?
Owner complaints describe defects, not crash damage. Before bidding, check the components listed above and review the lot photos: VinWind builds a report of visible and hidden damage by VIN.
Other 2014 models
Read also
Sources: public NHTSA data (USA): service bulletins and owner complaints; YouTube: links to videos credited to their authors. Complaints are owner statements not verified by NHTSA, and describe defects rather than crash damage. Data updated 2026-11-05.