AI Damage2003 Yamaha Road Star Limited Edition: common problems
Owners of the 2003 Yamaha Road Star Limited Edition filed 14 complaints with NHTSA, most often about powertrain and service brakes. Details by component below, with sources.
Key figures
- Owner complaints
- 14
What fails most often
- 1 Powertrain 100% of all complaints
- 2 Service brakes 7% of all complaints
- Powertrain: 14 complaints (100% of all).
- Service brakes: 1 complaints (7% of all).
Symptoms owners describe
How many of the 14 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) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Powertrain | 14 | 0 | 0 |
| Service brakes | 1 | 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.
I was riding south bound interstate 95 about 65 mph when all of a sudden my yamaha silverado lost speed and started jerking. I pulled the clutch in and let the bike slow down. I then tried to downshift but the shifter was frozen, finally I got it to go into gear.
I was traveling down the freeway when suddenly 5th gear was gone causing me to suddenly loose speed in heavy traffic. I was able to downshift into 4th gear and continue moving at a slower speed, but 5th gear is completely gone. This is the only time it has occurred to me, but there is absolutely no 5th gear.
Three months ago consumer received a recall letter regarding automatic transmission failure. Dealership still did not have the parts available to conduct recall repairs. Consumer was angry that yamaha had not issued any statement on how long it will take to obtain the component items on recall.
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 9,551 of 36,656 model years in the NHTSA data (top 26% most complained about).
What to check before buying
- Powertrain. Shift quality under load, harsh shifts, transmission codes, CV joints.
- Service brakes. Pedal feel, ABS operation, leaks, discs and hoses.
Questions and answers
What are the most common problems with the 2003 Yamaha Road Star Limited Edition?
Owner complaints to NHTSA most often mention: powertrain, service brakes. Total complaints: 14. The most frequent symptoms in complaint texts: jerking, harsh shifts (7%), transmission slipping (7%).
How many service bulletins (TSB) were issued for the 2003 Yamaha Road Star Limited Edition?
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 2003 Yamaha Road Star Limited Edition 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 2003 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.