AI Damage2003 Yamaha Road Star Silverado: common problems
Owners of the 2003 Yamaha Road Star Silverado filed 50 complaints with NHTSA, most often about powertrain and electrical system. Details by component below, with sources.
Key figures
- Owner complaints
- 50
What fails most often
- 1 Powertrain 92% of all complaints
- 2 Electrical system 4% of all complaints
- 3 Engine and cooling 2% of all complaints
- 4 Equipment 2% of all complaints
- 5 Fuel system 2% of all complaints
- 6 Structure 2% of all complaints
- Powertrain: 46 complaints (92% of all).
- Electrical system: 2 complaints (4% of all).
- Engine and cooling: 1 complaints (2% of all).
- Equipment: 1 complaints (2% of all).
- Fuel system: 1 complaints (2% of all).
Symptoms owners describe
How many of the 50 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 | 46 | 0 | 0 |
| Electrical system | 2 | 0 | 0 |
| Engine and cooling | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Equipment | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Fuel system | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Structure | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Other | 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.
The contact stated that while driving approximately 40 mph, he heard a clunking sound as the vehicle began to decelerate independently. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The vehicle was not repaired. The approximate failure mileage was 25,850.
Fuel tank on a five year old motorcycle has rusted through and multiple pin holes have formed. Gas leaked on hot motor creating safety issue. Manufacturer will not fix or replace tank. Per manufacturer there is no coating on the inside of the fuel tank to protect the bare metal from rusting.
I also installed an external oil cooler on the bike and had that bracket break (I feel due to the extreme vibrations inherent in the bike)! Now, on the new roadliner, they have addressed these problems, but without confirming that they exist.
Consumer received nhtsa recall 0-3v309000 concerning transmission failure. Consumer contacted the dealer on january 21 2004. Dealer informed the consumer that the parts were not available.
Consumer received nhtsa recall 03v309000 concerning transmission failure in january, 2004. Dealer informed consumer that the parts were not available, and that it would take another two months for the parts to be available.
I am complaining about the amount of time it is taking for yamaha motorcycle corp. To provide the parts for my motorcycle transmission recall (2003 road star). It has a twelve month unlimited mileage warranty and the bike is not supposed to be ridden until it is fixed.
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 5,345 of 36,656 model years in the NHTSA data (top 15% most complained about).
On average one model year of the Road Star Silverado has 15 complaints (5 years in the data). This year has 50, above average.
What to check before buying
- Powertrain. Shift quality under load, harsh shifts, transmission codes, CV joints.
- Electrical system. Scan all modules, test the battery and alternator, inspect connectors near the impact zone.
- Engine and cooling. Radiator and fan after a frontal hit, coolant level and condition, overheating.
- Fuel system. Fuel smell, leaks, rough running, fuel-system codes.
Other years of this model
Questions and answers
What are the most common problems with the 2003 Yamaha Road Star Silverado?
Owner complaints to NHTSA most often mention: powertrain, electrical system, engine and cooling. Total complaints: 50. The most frequent symptoms in complaint texts: transmission slipping (24%), fuel system, fuel smell (2%), knocking, grinding or other noise (2%).
How many service bulletins (TSB) were issued for the 2003 Yamaha Road Star Silverado?
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 Silverado 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.