AI Damage2002 Yamaha Road Star Warrior: common problems
Owners of the 2002 Yamaha Road Star Warrior filed 84 complaints with NHTSA, most often about powertrain and engine and cooling. Details by component below, with sources.
Key figures
- Owner complaints
- 84
What fails most often
- 1 Powertrain 83% of all complaints
- 2 Engine and cooling 5% of all complaints
- 3 Electrical system 2% of all complaints
- 4 Fuel system 2% of all complaints
- 5 Service brakes 2% of all complaints
- 6 Vehicle speed control 2% of all complaints
- 7 Fuel/propulsion system 1% of all complaints
- Powertrain: 70 complaints (83% of all).
- Engine and cooling: 4 complaints (5% of all).
- Electrical system: 2 complaints (2% of all).
- Fuel system: 2 complaints (2% of all).
- Service brakes: 2 complaints (2% of all).
Symptoms owners describe
How many of the 84 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 | 70 | 0 | 0 |
| Engine and cooling | 4 | 0 | 0 |
| Electrical system | 2 | 0 | 0 |
| Fuel system | 2 | 0 | 0 |
| Service brakes | 2 | 0 | 0 |
| Vehicle speed control | 2 | 0 | 0 |
| Fuel/propulsion system | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Other | 2 | 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.
If motor is hot, can result in fire and has happened in the past. I was fortunate to have just started riding when it happened to me.
While driving 70 mph the check engine light illuminated, the needle on the gauge began swinging back and forth, then the motorcycle shut off. The contact was unable to restart the motorcycle. The vehicle was towed to his residence.
I have a yamaha roadstar warrior motorcycle and the recall (id# 45939 - fuel system, gasoline:storage:tank assembly:mounting) was performed. This was to prevent the tank from cracking at the mounting bracket. My tank is now leaking gas from that mounting bracket.
1) code 12, crankshaft position sensor. Motorcycle loses all power at any speed. Motorcycle inoperative. No prior indication or warning. 2) this has happened to me on 3 different occasions. Twice at highway speeds exceeding 80 mph. This will eventually lead to a fatality and needs to be deemed as a "recall".
While riding my motorcycle down the hwy it suddenly stopped running while in the center lane of traffic I had to pull over on the side of the road with no engine running. The motorcycle would not restart and it had to get towed.
On january 8, 2004 consumer received a recall letter regarding transmission failure. Dealership still did not have the parts available to conduct recall repairs.
Nhtsa recall 03v309000 concerning transmission failure. The consumer contacted the dealer, and was told that the parts were not available. The vehicle was unable to be used for 4 months.
Consumer received a recall notice for transmission failure. No parts were available. Yamaha , us 6555, katella avenue, cypress, [ZIP]. Service manager victor. The parts were still not available as of 4/15/04. (model/warrior)
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 3,956 of 36,656 model years in the NHTSA data (top 11% most complained about).
On average one model year of the Road Star Warrior has 39 complaints (3 years in the data). This year has 84, above average.
What to check before buying
- Powertrain. Shift quality under load, harsh shifts, transmission codes, CV joints.
- Engine and cooling. Radiator and fan after a frontal hit, coolant level and condition, overheating.
- Electrical system. Scan all modules, test the battery and alternator, inspect connectors near the impact zone.
- 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 2002 Yamaha Road Star Warrior?
Owner complaints to NHTSA most often mention: powertrain, engine and cooling, electrical system. Total complaints: 84. The most frequent symptoms in complaint texts: transmission slipping (10%), smoke, burning smell, fire (2%), stalls while driving (2%).
How many service bulletins (TSB) were issued for the 2002 Yamaha Road Star Warrior?
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 2002 Yamaha Road Star Warrior 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 2002 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.