Yamaha · NHTSA safety record

2015 Yamaha FZ-09

Every safety complaint, recall and defect investigation the US government holds on this vehicle.

Complaints

Crashes

Fires

Injuries

Deaths

Owners of the 2015 Yamaha FZ-09 have filed 10 safety complaints with NHTSA between July 2015 and November 2020. The most complained-about system is the power train, named in 5 of them (50%). The typical failure was reported at 15,900 miles, the median across the 8 complaints that gave an odometer reading.

NHTSA has issued 2 recalls covering this vehicle.

Recalls (2)

STEERING: STEERING WHEEL/HANDLE BAR

17V221000 · March 31, 2017

The defect: Yamaha Motor Corporation, USA (Yamaha) is recalling certain 2015-2017 FJ-09, FZ-09, and XSR900 motorcycles. The lower handlebar holder may loosen due to a painting issue and the inadequate application of the thread-locking agent.
The risk: If the handlebars are not properly secured to the motorcycle, a loss of vehicle control may result, increasing the risk of a crash.
The remedy: Yamaha will notify owners, and dealers will replace the lower handlebar holder, free of charge. The recall began April 13, 2017. Owners may contact Yamaha customer service at 1-800-962-7926. Yamaha's number for this recall is 990114.

Yamaha Motor Corporation, USA · up to 22,433 vehicles across all model years covered

POWER TRAIN:MANUAL TRANSMISSION

15V176000 · March 25, 2015

The defect: Yamaha Motor Corporation, USA (Yamaha) is recalling certain model year 2015 FJ-09 (FJ09F/FC), FZ-09 (FZ09F/FC), FZ6R (FZ6RF/FC), Super Tenere (XTZ12F/FC), Super Tenere ES (XTZ12EF/EFC), and R6 (YZF-R6) motorcycles manufactured September 1, 2014, to November 17, 2014. The affected motorcycles may have an incorrectly manufactured shift cam segment stopper, having a sharp edge on the inside of the bend instead of a smooth radius. As a result, the stopper can crack and possibly fracture at this sharp edge.
The risk: If the stopper fractures, the transmission may not shift properly, increasing the risk of a crash.
The remedy: Yamaha will notify owners, and dealers will replace the shift shaft assembly with a new one, free of charge. The recall began on April 6, 2015. Owners may contact Yamaha customer service at 1-800-962-7926.

Yamaha Motor Corporation, USA · up to 4,900 vehicles across all model years covered

What owners report

Complaints naming each system. One complaint can name several, so these add up to more than 10.

POWER TRAIN 5 50%

STRUCTURE 3 30%

ENGINE 2 20%

SUSPENSION 2 20%

SERVICE BRAKES 1 10%

STEERING 1 10%

When the complaints arrived

By the year NHTSA received them, which is not the year the failures happened. They peaked in 2016 at 4.

2015 to 2020

In owners' own words

Quoted from NHTSA's complaint file. These are unverified accounts by the people who filed them, not findings of fault.

POWER TRAIN Filed November 22, 2020

14,800 miles

I WAS IN THE PROCESS OF INSTALLING NEW CLUTCH PLATES WHEN I NOTICED THAT MY CLUTCH BASKET WAS CRACKED IN TWO PLACES. AFTER A QUICK GOOGLE SEARCH, I WAS DISAPPOINTED TO SEE THAT CRACKING CLUTCH BASKETS ARE A COMMON ISSUE WITH MY FIRST GENERATION FZ09. I HAD TO LEAVE MY MOTORCYCLE AT MY FRIENDS HOUSE BECAUSE OF THIS AND CANNOT PROVIDE PICTURES AT THE MOMENT. THERE IS NO TELLING WHEN THE BASKET CRACKED.

NHTSA complaint 11375850. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.

SUSPENSION Filed May 18, 2019

THE REAR SUSPENSION SHOCK ABSORBER IS RUSTED AT ALL OF THE REAR WELDED POINTS. THE VEHICLE HAS BEEN GARAGED AND IS IN A LOW HUMIDITY DESERT OF ARIZONA. THE RUST FROM THE WELDS HAS TRAVELED UP ALONG WHERE TWO PARTS OF THE SHOCK ASSEMBLY IS CONNECTED. THERE IS NO WAY TO DISASSEMBLE THE SHOCK TO CLEAN OFF THE RUST AND REFINISH IT. TO MY KNOWLEDGE, ONLY THE 2015 MODEL YEAR IS AFFECTED, SINCE YAMAHA CHANGED THE DESIGN OF THE REAR SHOCK ASSEMBLY FROM 2016.

NHTSA complaint 11208440. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.

ENGINE Filed August 28, 2017

17,000 miles

DRIVING DOWN THE ROAD AT 50MPH WHEN A ANIMAL CAME OUT OF THE DITCH. I THEN PULLED CLUTCH IN SO I COULD BRAKE. ONCE I DID THIS THE BIKE STALLED. TO GET THE BIKE GOING AGAIN I RELEASED THE CLUTCH, BUT ONCE I DID THIS THE BIKE JUST LOCKED THE BACK TIRE. I THEN PULLED CLUTCH IN AGAIN AND THEN IT STARTED. I ATTEMPTED TO PULL TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD, WHEN I NOTICED THAT THE CLUTCH WAS NOT DISENGAGING I KNEW THERE WAS SOMETHING WRONG. GOT THE BIKE BACK HOME, AND PULLED THE CLUTCH CASE OFF TO FIND TWO CLUTCH DISKS HAD SHATTERED. THIS ALSO CAUSED THE CLUTCH BASKET TO BREAK. NOW THERE IS METAL FLOATING ALL AROUND MY MOTOR.

NHTSA complaint 11020180. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.

POWER TRAIN Filed May 22, 2017

1,800 miles

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2015 YAMAHA FZ09. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE GEAR FELT CLUNKY WHEN SHIFTING GEARS AND THERE WAS AN ABNORMAL NOISE. THE MOTORCYCLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 1,800.

NHTSA complaint 10990900. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.

ENGINE Filed April 18, 2017

34,500 miles

CLUTCH BASKET CUSH BUMPERS PREMATURELY WEARING OUT, CAUSING FREEPLAY BETWEEN RING GEAR AND BASKET. ANY PLAY WHATSOEVER IS ABNORMAL AND WILL CAUSE EXCESSIVE VIBRATIONS. VIBRATIONS WITHIN THE CLUTCH ASSEMBLY WILL CAUSE PLATES TO BREAK POTENTIALLY CAUSING A CRASH.

NHTSA complaint 10979181. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.

POWER TRAIN Filed November 7, 2016

28,000 miles

CLUTCH HOUSING AND FRICTION PLATES BREAK WITHOUT NOTICE, CAN CAUSE WHEEL LOCKUP AND/OR ENGINE SEIZURE RESULTING IN CRASH

NHTSA complaint 10924904. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.

Compare

Other years of the Yamaha FZ-09

Model year	Complaints	Recalls	Deaths
2014	12	1	—

Other 2015 Yamaha models

YZF-R1 11 FJ-09 10

Every Yamaha on this site — 5 vehicles, 77 recall campaigns and 0 open investigation s.

If this is your car and a dealer keeps failing to fix it, your state's lemon law may require the manufacturer to replace it or buy it back. What each state asks for , read from the statutes.

Where these numbers come from

Complaints: NHTSA's ODI complaint file , published August 20, 2026. One complaint is one ODI number, which is how NHTSA counts them.
Recalls: NHTSA's recall campaign API , most recent campaign filed August 12, 2026.
Investigations: NHTSA's ODI investigation file , published 2026-08-19.

A complaint is one owner's account and has not been verified by NHTSA or by us. A vehicle with more complaints is not necessarily worse: models that sold in larger numbers collect more of them. How this is counted.

Compiled and maintained by guarledes
Independent developer and analyst