NHTSA vehicle safety data

2014 Yamaha Bolt Recalls & Complaints

The 2014 Yamaha Bolt has 1 NHTSA recall campaign and 82 owner complaints on file as of November 3, 2026. Recall repairs are usually free at an authorized Yamaha dealer.

NHTSA recall and complaint data for the 2014 Yamaha Bolt. Recall data is refreshed daily from NHTSA.

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2014 Yamaha Bolt owner complaints

Owners have filed 82 complaints with NHTSA about the 2014 Yamaha Bolt, describing incidents dated April 1, 2013 to March 16, 2021.

Most-cited components

Electrical System 56 complaints
Vehicle Speed Control 23 complaints
Exterior Lighting 7 complaints
Visibility/Wiper 6 complaints
Unknown or Other 5 complaints
Steering 3 complaints

Newest complaints

ODI #11414546 · Filed April 30, 2021
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.
ODI #11365921 · Filed October 23, 2020
DEATH WOBBLE- STEERING INSTABILITY AT 35-45 MPH. THIS COULD BE FIXED BY THE MANUFACTURER BY USING TAPERED STEERING BEARINGS
ODI #11128017 · Filed September 7, 2018
SPEEDOMETER CAN'T BE SEEN WHEN TRAVELING INTO THE SUN OR ANY TIME THE SUN IS AT THE WRONG ANGLE THAT IT CREATES A NON READABLE DISPLAY, WHICH HAPPENS TO BE ALMOST ANY TIME THE SUN IS OUT. THIS IS A SAFETY HAZARD NOT BEING ABLE TO READ YOUR SPEED AS WELL AS POSSIBLY CAUSING SPEEDING TICKETS. THIS…

Read all 82 complaints

Owner-reported

2014 Yamaha Bolt mileage at failure

64 of the 82 complaints on file for the 2014 Yamaha Bolt give the vehicle's mileage when the problem happened.

Mileage at failure by component, from owners' complaints to NHTSA
Component	Median	Middle half	Based on
Electrical System	Median under 100 miles	Middle half up to 400 miles	Based on 43 complaints

A component's median is its 50th percentile, and its middle half runs from its 25th to its 75th percentile.

Owners give the mileage themselves, often as a round number, and NHTSA doesn't check it. A complaint that names several components counts under each one, and mileages that can't be right, such as 999,999, or 50 miles on a five-year-old car, are left out.

These figures describe the complaints owners filed. They don't predict when a particular vehicle will have a problem, and vehicles that never had one aren't counted.

Mileage from NHTSA's complaints file of October 31, 2026. How these figures are worked out

Engine May Stall due to Melted Wiring Harness

NHTSA #13V298000 · Electrical System · NHTSA notice

Reported July 8, 2013 · Yamaha Motor Corporation, USA

Potentially affected: 3,900 vehicles

Owners notified August 2, 2013 · Vehicles built March 1, 2013 – June 30, 2013 (per NHTSA)

Defect description

Yamaha Motor Company (Yamaha) is recalling certain model year 2014 XVS950CU (Bolt) motorcycles manufactured March 2013 through June 2013. Slack or sag in the wiring harness may allow it to contact the exhaust manifold causing the wires to melt, and possibly short circuit.

Safety consequence

If the wires short circuit, the fuses will blow which may cause the engine to stall. An engine stall while riding, increases the risk of a crash.

Manufacturer remedy

Yamaha will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the wiring harness and secure it away from the exhaust. If the wiring harness is damaged, it will first be replaced. The recall began on August 2, 2013. Owners may contact Yamaha at 1-800-962-7926.

Notes

Owners may also contact the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration's Vehicle Safety Hotline at 1-888-327-4236 (TTY: 1-800-424-9153), or go to www.safercar.gov.

try.vin has no NCAP crash-test rating on file for the 2014 Yamaha Bolt. NHTSA rates some vehicles by body style — pickups by cab, vans by roof height — so check nhtsa.gov/ratings.

82 owner complaints have been filed with NHTSA for the 2014 Yamaha Bolt.

Exterior Lighting; Unknown or Other; Visibility/Wiper

ODI #11414546

Incident: March 16, 2021 · Filed: April 30, 2021

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.

Steering

ODI #11365921

Incident: October 1, 2018 · Filed: October 23, 2020

DEATH WOBBLE- STEERING INSTABILITY AT 35-45 MPH. THIS COULD BE FIXED BY THE MANUFACTURER BY USING TAPERED STEERING BEARINGS

Electrical System; Vehicle Speed Control

ODI #11128017

Incident: July 4, 2018 · Filed: September 7, 2018

SPEEDOMETER CAN'T BE SEEN WHEN TRAVELING INTO THE SUN OR ANY TIME THE SUN IS AT THE WRONG ANGLE THAT IT CREATES A NON READABLE DISPLAY, WHICH HAPPENS TO BE ALMOST ANY TIME THE SUN IS OUT. 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.

Exterior Lighting

ODI #10967154

Incident: March 19, 2017 · Filed: March 20, 2017

Steering

ODI #10947988

Incident: January 15, 2017 · Filed: January 27, 2017

MY CONCERN IS THE DEATH WOBBLE THE BIKE HAS WHEN AT SPEEDS AROUND 45 MPH.

Vehicle Speed Control

ODI #10939106

Incident: December 31, 2016 · Filed: January 2, 2017

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. THIS HAPPENS WHEN IN MOTION OR STATIONARY, ITS TOO DIM.

Electrical System; Vehicle Speed Control

ODI #10938974

Incident: August 20, 2016 · Filed: January 1, 2017

BIKE SPEEDOMETER HAS AN ISSUE WHERE THE SPEED DISPLAY IS WAY TOO DIM TO SEE IN SUNLIGHT. IN THE RIGHT SUNLIGHT POSITION, IT IS COMPLETELY BLACK AND IMPOSSIBLE TO READ WITHOUT LITERALLY PUTTING YOUR HEAD INCHES FROM IT AND LOOKING AT IT FAR TOO LONG TO TRY TO MAKE ANYTHING OUT. THIS IS DANGEROUS WHILE IN MOTION FOR OBVIOUS REASONS. THIS HAPPENS ON EVERY RIDE FOR ME AT MULTIPLE POINTS DEPENDING ON WHERE THE SUN IS. EVEN WHEN I CAN SEE THE NUMBERS, IT'S STILL TOO DIM FOR JUST A QUICK GLANCE. THERE MUST BE SOME BADLY ENGINEERED POLARIZED LENS IN THERE. THIS IS POOR DESIGN AND A SAFETY HAZARD JUST TO GET A "BLACKED OUT" LOOK. BY 2015 YAMAHA KNOWS THIS WHICH IS WHY IT'S FIXED FROM 2015 MODELS ON. SOME GUYS ARE EVEN BUYING 2015 SPEEDOMETERS TO INSTALL ON THE 2014 BIKE TO FIX THIS. A SPEEDING TICKET IS THE LEAST OF MY WORRIES, THIS IS MY LIFE AND A GAMBLE EVERY TIME I RIDE.

Vehicle Speed Control

ODI #10896490

Incident: August 15, 2016 · Filed: August 17, 2016

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. THIS INCREASES THE CHANCES OF A MOTOR VEHICLE ACCIDENT WHICH COULD LEAD TO SERIOUS BODILY INJURY OR DEATH. THE NEWER MODEL BOLT (2015-PRESENT) HAS FIXED THIS ISSUE HOWEVER YAMAHA HAS NOT ISSUED A RECALL OR REACHED OUT TO THE 2014 BOLT OWNERS TO PROVIDE THEM WITH THE OPPORTUNITY TO REPLACE THE POOR MANUFACTURED SPEEDOMETER.

Exterior Lighting

ODI #10854603

Incident: April 9, 2016 · Filed: April 9, 2016

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. IF I CANNOT READ MY SPEED ACCURATELY, I HAVE NO IDEA OF MY RATE OF TRAVEL. THIS IS A SAFETY ISSUE AND POSES RISK TO MYSELF, MY PROPERTY, AND THOSE SURROUNDING ME. THIS SPECIFICALLY HAPPENS WHILE IN MOTION, RIDING TOWARDS THE SUN.

Electrical System

ODI #10851693

Incident: March 24, 2016 · Filed: March 25, 2016

AT CERTAIN TIMES OF THE DAY THE SPEEDOMETER IS NEXT TO IMPOSSIBLE TO READ TO TO THE SUN SHINING ON TO IT . IT TAKES YOUR EYES OFF THE ROAD AND YOU SOMETIMES HAVE TO USE YOUR HAND TO COVER THE SPEEDOMETER TO SEE THE NUMBERS WITH IN ITSELF IS UNSAFE WHEN RIDING A MOTORCYCLE WHICH COULD CAUSE A ACCIDENT.

Check your 2014 Yamaha Bolt VIN

Not every recall applies to every VIN in a given year. Enter the 17-character VIN from your Yamaha Bolt at nhtsa.gov/recalls to see whether your specific vehicle has an unrepaired recall.

Check a Yamaha VIN