Yamaha YZF-R3 Affected by Two Different Recalls

Dennis Chung
by Dennis Chung

Yamaha announced two separate recalls for the YZF-R3, one for a problem with the gear shifter and the other for a potential coolant leak. The gear shifter recall affects 11,240 units of the R3 from model years 2015 and 2016 while the coolant leak recall affects 16,760 units from 2015 to 2018.

According to the recall documentation released by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, the upper radiator hose on the affected R3 models may crack, resulting in a coolant leak. Yamaha attributes the problem to a lack of proper vulcanization of the hose material. Radiator hoses exhibiting this problem may have a visible bulge and exhibit signs of coolant loss. Affected engines may also run hotter than usual.

Yamaha Motor Corp. U.S.A. first became aware of this problem in late November after the issue was flagged by its Yamaha’s production center in Indonesia. An ensuing quality control review identified the cause of the problem and Yamaha began recall procedures.

Authorized dealers will install a new upper radiator hose on recalled motorcycles.

The second recall is for potentially faulty shift shaft torsion springs. According to the recall documentation, the torsion springs may not have been sufficiently strengthened by shot-peening during manufacturing. As a result, the torsion springs may break, making it difficult to shift gears. Motorcycles with this problem may be prone to missing shifts, have noisy shift levers or have a loose lever feel.

This issue was also discovered by Yamaha Indonesia Motor Manufacturing in late November.

Yamaha dealers will replace the shift torsion springs on recalled R3 models with a new spring.

Dennis Chung
Dennis Chung

Dennis has been a part of the Motorcycle.com team since 2008, and through his tenure, has developed a firm grasp of industry trends, and a solid sense of what's to come. A bloodhound when it comes to tracking information on new motorcycles, if there's a new model on the horizon, you'll probably hear about it from him first.

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