The dealer said this forum overexagerates

[mike73]

Bought my 03 WR450 Oct 5th, asked them about Woodruff key status, they said this forum overexagerates, and there is no problem.

I asked them to check just to be sure.

The manager told me the key was showing "signs of wear", and needed to be replaced.

I went on a 30 mile loop sunday, about 7 miles in, small backfire....then a whole lot of pushing. Starter motor just spins (doesn't turn over the motor). Unable to kick.

Sounds like the key sheared, huh? this will be the 3'd key in aprox 50 miles. I just got off the phone with customer service, and they assured me "they won't replace the unit". In turn i assure them i won't pay for the motorcycle (yamaha credit). This is such BS. i don't know what to do.

[YZ250F49]

they said this forum overexagerates, and there is no problem.

That's what I would say if I were a dealer trying to sell you a WR450.

But really, I feel for you. Sorry about your bad luck.

It's too bad people have to pull s**t like that to sell you a bike. Kinda like being a Harley Dealer during the AMF years.

Good Luck.

fjd

[PumpkinHumper]

Go over your yamaha dealers head and contact the local yamaha rep. That will get some attention to your problem for sure. I would imagine that the local reps dont like to hear about dealers giving customers the shaft.

[mike73]

Out of all the parties that should be doing something to make me happy, the most receptive is Yamaha fiancing (not really a yamaha company). They have suspended the amount. I really won't pay for this bike. Is anyone else withholding payment? Has anyone been successfull? Has anyone found a real solution to this?

I ask cstomer service if this problem has been corrected for 2004, and all they can tell me is, "we haven't seen any service bulletins released." They are so FOS!!!.

[tctrailrider]

they said this forum overexagerates

this will be the 3'd key in aprox 50 miles

Doesn't sound like an overexageration to me. ?

[BrandonW]

they said this forum overexagerates

I kinda look at this as a riders "union". For years and years, we have had to accept the company line (what ever the dealer tells us) because we had no other recourse. Now, we have a place of assembly, and we are identifying issues before technical bulletins are being released.

That, in itself, has to be somewhat daunting for the dealers. We don't HAVE to go to them for answers, so they, in turn, try to discredit this forum.

Sorry, but this place has solved way too many problems, and collectively, we have our bikes running much better than they were offered to market (BK mod, JamesNOW!, Taffy-Timing, JamesDean Jetting, ect...)

I look here for my answers.

[bstanton]

All of this woodruff key has me worried! You mentioned that on your 30 mile loop that you had some small backfiring. Does that indicate that the key is going bad. I went for a ride up the street the other day and coming down from 5th gear (wide open) I had a few backfires. Should I be worried?

[Rokatt88]

Hey Mike 73, Sorry to hear about the problems on yer scoot. It sounds cool that the financing company is helping you out. I'm in the lending industry. As one riding bro to another, please get back to them and ask them how this loan suspension is being reported on your credit report! Just as a precaution. You don't want to end up with late payments showing and your credit score plummeting because someone didn't do the right thing. Good luck and roost on! ?

[tctrailrider]

You mentioned that on your 30 mile loop that you had some small backfiring. Does that indicate that the key is going bad.

The backfiring is probably a jetting issue. A key going bad will not cause backfiring, but its the backfiring that will shear the key.

[blireef]

They WILL replace the unit if they can't fix it and a judge orders them to replace it or the money. Lemon law in Oregon is that they get three trys to fix the problem. I think that Yamaha is taking a very poor approach to this problem and should be very helpful instead of antagonizing their customers.. It's become VERY apparent that this is a major problem for Yamaha on the 03 WR450, and it is not being handled that well.. I'm sure it's going to cost them a lot more in the long run than fixing it would. The only thing that is being exagerated is their defensive posture on this issue. ... ?

[blireef]

They WILL replace the unit if they can't fix it and a judge orders them to replace it or the money. Lemon law in Oregon is that they get three trys to fix the problem. I think that Yamaha is taking a very poor approach to this problem and should be very helpful instead of antagonizing their customers.. It's become VERY apparent that this is a major problem for Yamaha on the 03 WR450, and it is not being handled that well.. I'm sure it's going to cost them a lot more in the long run than fixing it would. The only thing that is being exagerated is the defense they've put in place... ?

[ill_caper]

I havent had the woodruff key yet(knock on wood), however my 2003 is in the shop being fixed right now for a blown water pump seal. I paid alot of money for this bike to be in the shop less than 6 months after riding it. I dont even ride it alot. Maybe about once every 2 weeks. IT just doesnt seem like it should be in the shop being worked on yet. I love the motor/handling/seat height on this bike, it is by far the best Ive had, but is also the most expensive. I hope this will be the last of my problems with it and I hope Yamaha will wake up and offer a REAL fix for the woodruff key. Otherwise I think Yamaha will lose alot of business and will end up selling the same amount of units as kawazuki. HAve a good weekend everyone. -D :D ?

[The_Blue_One]

Mine went with about 150 miles on the bike.I took the info from TT to the dealer.He lapped the flywheel and crank and i haven't had any problems since. ? I have 1800miles or so on my bike now and i've loved everyone of them(well except for the 3miles i was pushing)

TT is great i've learned alot of good things off this site.

[Rip Wheeler]

...I had a few backfires. Should I be worried?

Be afraid, be very afraid! ?

[wjc2003]

Okay,so what is the official Yamaha word on this issue?

Have we heard from any Yamaha reps,dealers,mechanics,other employees,etc.? Don't they have enough balls to speak up?How about some lawyers that would take our case?

We paid alot of money for these bikes and we don't want to take it in the a$$.

[mike73]

From everything I've gathered from the forum, the fix involved lapping and locktite. It seems to fail more than half the time (my fix failed in less than 1 week). The dealer told me it failed because he didn't wait 24 hours before starting the engine. The question is, how permanent is this fix? It seems like a lame band-aid.

My dad still rides his 1970's Husky. I bought a 03 WR thinking it would last many years. I could have bought a 10 year old bike that's more reliable. The more I write, the more fumed I get.

Solutions.......

1. I disputed the charge with Yamaha financing. They won't get their money from me. My credit is perfect up til now. They can have the dealer recredit them, they can reposess from the dealer (who has posession), they can spend money on attourneys. I"M NOT GOING TO TAKE IT IN THE SHORTS!

2. This is a perfect class action suit. Yamaha continues to sell a product that they know is defective....even dangerous; shearing a key 25 miles out in the desert can be deadly.

3. I have a good mind to picket the dealership (internet, in person, and every other way i can imagine) if they don't make things right.....not ANOTHER LAME BANDAID.

whew!

[5spoke]

Yamaha are the ones that should pay, not the dealers. The dealers didn't design the bike, Yamaha did. I know the dealers are the rep. for Yamaha, but it's not their fault.

You guys need to go after Yamaha USA. I'm not buying my 04 till I no it doesn't have major problems. If there are any reliabilty issues I'm switching brands. That goes for my street bike to.

Yamaha should release some press statements to let everyone know what's going on. The law suit needs to happen and the fix should be a new crank/f-wheel, for anyone who wants it. ?

[mike73]

don't you think the dealer should stay abreast of potential problems, and relay that to the customer?

[endurodog]

I'm not sure what the % of failures are but from reading the forum here it's lots less than 1/2 the time. Mine has not failed yet. Is there a problem? Yep and it would be nice if Yamaha makes it right, sounds like when Yamaha Corp has been involved they have done everything in thier power to get the bikes up and running. I don't know that a law suit would be succesful at this point, I have some serious doubts. The only way to find out is to pay an lawyer and start the ball rolling.

[blireef]

Endurodog and others: Yamaha is replacing my crank and flywheel tomorrow, I hope this will fix my problem and I think it will.. I think that when they spin it's over and this is the way to fix it.. We'll see.. I just find it so unfortunate that Yamaha has let this get out of control..It effects all of us blue riders because even if your bike hasn't done it everyone is thinking twice before getting too far from the truck, I know it's going to be a while before I get 10 miles from the road and I assure you I will not be stopping when I'm way out to visit with someone and then try the E-Button.. That's not a good thing and I think it could have been avoided by an agressive campaign by Yamaha to address this problem.. I think it's going to cost them tens of thousands of dollars in lost sales and that's sad because they have the finest trail and desert bike on the market and it has one small problem that can be fixed. Big Jim ?