Motorcycle, gasoline, built in United States. Owner complaints on file from Oct 31, 2003 to Jan 9, 2021.
Owner complaints about this model year, by the year they were filed with NHTSA.
Owner complaints by component. Hover or focus a bar for the crash, fire, injury or death count.
Check a specific vehicle by VIN on NHTSA's site: a campaign may cover only part of a model year's production.
| Campaign | Filed | Subject | Component | Vehicles | Remedy |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 04V-134 | Mar 18, 2004 | On certain touring and police model motorcycles, the 40 amp main circuit breaker can "open" for reasons other than which it was designed, causing… | Electrical system | 81,496 | Part replacement |
The full text of every complaint filed with NHTSA about this model year, newest first. Complaints are filed by owners and are not verified by NHTSA; NHTSA removes personal details before publishing.
26 complaints on file, page 1 of 2.
I I WAS ON THE FWY AND POWER WENT OFF , WAS ABLE TO RESTART , NOE AT HOME I CAN START THE BIKE BUT POWER SHUTS DOWN WITH IN A COUPLE MINUTES , CAN'T RIDE HAVE CHECKED STATOR,VALTAGE REG IS NEW ? CAN'T FIND THE PROBLUM HEPL
NHTSA complaint 11387329BIKE SHUTS DOWN NO POWER NO LIGHTS EVERYTHING SHUTS DOWN
NHTSA complaint 10862409ENGINE FAILURE AT 30000 AND 48700 MILES. THE FIRST ENGINE FAILURE WAS PAID BY ME $5479.10. THE SECOND ENGINE FAILURE WAS PAID BY HARLEY DAVIDSON CUSTOMER RELATIONS, THANK YOU HARLEY DAVIDSON. THE CAM SHAFT TENSIONER IS A KNOWN HAZARD AND SHOULD BE CHANGED AT ABOUT 25000 MILES ON ALL TC 88 ENGINES. PLASTIC PIECES CAN BREAK OFF AND GET IN THE OIL PUMP BREAKING THE OIL PUMP. HARLEY DAVIDSON SHOULD ADD CHANGING THE CAM SHAFT TENSIONER TO THEIR SERVICE SCHEDULE AT EVERY 25000 MILES. I WILL BUY A HARLEY DAVIDSON AGAIN BUT MAKE SURE TO SERVICE CAM TENSIONER EVERY 25000 MILES. I AM NOT SURE IF THE 2015 MOTORCYCLES HAVE FIXED THIS PROBLEM. IF YOU HAVE ENGINE FAILURE CONTACT HARLEY DAVIDSON CUSTOMER SERVICE AND TRY TO GET THEM TO PAY FOR THE REPAIRS FOR THIS KNOWN PROBLEM. HARLEY JUST MIGHT HELP YOU OUT, LIKE THEY HELPED ME OUT. *TR
NHTSA complaint 10654304MY 2003 HARLEY DAVIDSON FLHTCUI ULTRA CLASSIC HAD A CATASTROPHIC ENGINE FAILURE DUE TO A CAM SHAFT TENSIONER AT 29,705 MILES.THE ENGINE WAS REBUILT FOR $5479.10 DOLLARS. MANY MOTORCYCLES HAVE HAD THE SAME PROBLEM AT ABOUT THE SAME MILEAGE. THIS WILL CAUSE THE ENGINE TO STOP RUNNING. WHICH CAN LEAVE THE RIDER STRANDED IN THE MIDDLE OF THE ROADWAY. THIS HAS HAPPENED AGAIN AT 48,700 MILES TOTAL ENGINE FAILURE, LESS THEN 20,000 MILES FROM THE 29,705 MILES ENGINE FAILURE. LUCKILY I WAS NOT INJURED BOTH TIMES. THE CAM SHIFT TENSIONER IS A KNOWN HAZARD AND SHOULD BE ON A RECALL LIST. SEARCH HARLEY DAVIDSON CAM SHAFT TENSIONER ON THE INTERNET AND IT IS EASY TO SEE WHY ALL TC 88 MOTORS SHOULD BE RECALLED AND FIXED BY HARLEY DAVIDSON. *TR
NHTSA complaint 10649238TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 HARLEY DAVIDSON ULTRA CLASSIC FLHTCUI. THE CONTACT STATED WHILE DRIVING 80 MPH ON A HIGHWAY, THE VEHICLE STALLED WITHOUT WARNING. THE CONTACT MENTIONED THAT THE EHICLE WAS REPAIRED UNDER RECALL NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 04V134000 (ELECTRICAL SYSTEM). HOWEVER, THE REMEDY FAILED TO REPAIR THE PROBLEM. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 3,000 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 29,000.
NHTSA complaint 10604620QUIT WHILE RIDING, TOTAL LOSS OF POWER. FORCED TO COAST TO SIDE OF ROAD WHILE DEALING WITH TRAFFIC CONDITIONS. EVENT HAS HAPPENED ON 4 SEPARATE OCCASIONS. RECALL #0113 WAS ISSUED BY HARLEY DAVIDSON ON APRIL 15, 2004. RECALL HAS BEEN PERFORMED ON THIS VEHICLE. IN ADDITION THE CIRCUIT BREAKER HAS BEEN REPLACED TWICE SINCE THE RECALL. TOTAL LOSS OF POWER CONDITION CONTINUES AND HAPPENS WITHOUT WARNING. JUST HAPPENED AGAIN FRIDAY JULY 12, 2012. CURRENT MILEAGE IS APPROX. 19,000. *TR
NHTSA complaint 10465706TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 HARLEY DAVIDSON ULTRA CLASSIC MOTORCYCLE. WHILE TRAVELING 70 MPH, THE CONTACT NOTICED THAT THE VEHICLE HAD SUDDENLY BEGAN TO WOBBLE ABNORMALLY. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER WHERE THE REAR RIM WAS FOUND FRACTURED AND WAS REPLACED. THERE WERE NO PRIOR WARNINGS OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 52,000 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 55,000.
NHTSA complaint 10359151I HAVE A 2003 HARLEY ELECTRA GLIDE CLASSIC. I HAD 2957 MILES ON A REBUILT MOTOR DONE BY A HARLEY CERTIFIED MECHANIC. THIS IS A TOURING BIKE AND IS NOT ABUSED, I AM 59 YEARS OLD AND DRIVE IT LIKE A MATURE ADULT. THE CRANK SHAFT ON MY BIKE BROKE ON THE RIGHT SIDE OF THE MOTOR AT 78 MILES AN HOUR. I WAS LUCKY THAT THE BIKE DID NOT WRECK OR A PISTON GO THRU THE CASE. I TOOK THE HARLEY BACK TO MY MECHANIC AND WHEN HE TOOK IT APART HIM AND THE MACHINIST CHECKED IT OUT. APPEARS THAT THE CRANK HAD NOT BEEN TEMPERED CORRECTLY, LOOKED LIKE IT HAD BEEN TEMPERED TOO MUCH. MY MECHANIC CHECKED AROUND AND IT APPEARS THAT THERE HAVE BEEN QUITE A FEW OF THESE INCIDENTS. OF COURSE HARLEY WILL NOT ADMIT THAT THERE IS A PROBLEM. *TR
NHTSA complaint 10358796TL*. THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 HARLEY DAVIDSON FLHTCU. THE CONTACT STATED THAT INTERMITTENTLY WHILE DRIVING HE EXPERIENCES UNEXPECTED INTERRUPTION OF ALL ELECTRICAL POWER TO THE MOTORCYCLE. THIS CONDITION CAUSES THE MOTORCYCLE TO STALL, WHICH COULD RESULT IN A CRASH. IN 2004 HE HAD HIS VEHICLE REPAIRED ACCORDING TO RECALL# 04V134000 (ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:FUSES AND CIRCUIT BREAKERS). AFTER THE REPAIR THE FAILURE RESURFACED.HE HE SPOKE WITH THE MANUFACTURER, IN WHICH A REPRESENTATIVE STATED THAT BECAUSE THE VEHICLE EXCEEDED ITS WARRANTY THEY WOULD NOT ASSUME ANY RESPONSIBILITY. HE IS IN THE PROCESS OF HAVING THE VEHICLE REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 47,856. THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 51,000.
NHTSA complaint 10282735ON JULY 24, 2008 I WAS RIDING MY 2003 HARLEY DAVIDSON ULTRA CLASSIC. AS I SLOWED TO ENTER A PARKING LOT, GAS BEGAN SPEWING FROM UNDER THE GAS TANK ONTO THE HOT ENGINE AND EXHAUST HEADERS. WHITE SMOKE FUMES BEGAN COMING OFF THE ENGINE. I WAS ABLE TO GET STOPPED, GET OFF THE BIKE AND TURN IT OFF. I WAS AN INSTANT AWAY FROM A FIRE. I HAD GASOLINE SOAKED INTO MY JEANS. I WAS VERY FORTUNATE THAT ME AND THE BIKE DID NOT CATCH ON FIRE. I HAD THE BIKE TRUCKED TO THE LOCAL HARLEY DAVIDSON STORE IN FORT WASHINGTON, MD. THEY SAID THAT SOMETIMES THE FUEL HOSE GETS OLD AND COMES OFF. THEY REPLACED THE FUEL LINE ASSEMBLY. THEY GAVE THE OLD ASSEMBLY TO ME. THE SERVICE REP STATED THAT SHE HAD ONLY SEEN THIS HAPPEN 1 OTHER TIME IN 5 YRS. I TOLD HER THAT 1 TIME IS TOO MANY AND THIS IS A SAFETY ISSUE THAT MUST BE ADDRESSED. THERE HAD BEEN NO PREVIOUS RECALLS OF THIS ISSUE. I TELEPHONE HARLEY DAVIDSON CORPORATE CUSTOMER SERVICE AND THEY ADVISED THAT THIS PARTICULAR ASSEMBLY HAD BEEN RE-DESIGNED SEVERAL TIMES SINCE 2003. I ASKED WHY THEY HAD NOT ISSUED A RECALL, BUT THE REP COULD NOT PROVIDE AN ANSWER. TODAY I WAS TELLING MY STORY TO A FRIEND, WHO HAS THE EXACT SAME HARLEY AS MINE. HE SAID THAT SOON AFTER HE BOUGHT HIS BIKE IN 2003. HE RECEIVED A RECALL FOR AN ELECTRICAL PROBLEM. WHILE THE BIKE WAS IN THE SHOP FOR THE PROBLEM, THE SERVICE TECH TOLD HIM THAT THEY WERE GOING REPLACE THE FUEL LINE ASSEMBLY ALSO. APPARENTLY HARLEY DAVIDSON KNEW OF THE POSSIBLE FUEL LINE FAILURE BACK THEN. WHY DIDN'T THEY ISSUE A RECALL? I GUESS NO ONE HAD BEEN BURNED UP YET. THERE WERE THOUSANDS OF BIKES, JUST LIKE MINE, MADE IN 2003. THERE ARE PROBABLY THOUSANDS ON THE STREETS WITH THE ORIGINAL FUEL LINE ASSEMBLY. I BELIEVE THAT HARLEY DAVIDSON SHOULD ISSUE A RECALL AND RECTIFY THIS PROBLEM. *TR
NHTSA complaint 10242453TL*THE CONTACT OWNS TECH INTERNATIONAL VALVE STEMS, MODEL TR413. WHILE DRIVING 70 MPH, THE REAR TIRE ON THE VEHICLE SUDDENLY FLATTENED. THE CONTACT NOTICED THAT THE VALVE STEM CAP AND CORE WERE BOTH MISSING. THE TIRES HAVE NOT BEEN DIAGNOSED BY THE DEALER. UPDATED 10-07-08 *BF THE CONSUMER STATED HE HAD A NEW VALAVE CORE AND CAP PUT ON THE BIKE AND THE NEXT DAY WHILE RIDING, THE TIRE WENT FLAT AGAIN. THE CONSUMER BELIEVED THERE WAS A DEFECT WITH THE VALVE STEM. UPDATED 10/09/08. *JB
NHTSA complaint 10240901SPEEDOMETER GOES TO ZERO REGARDLESS OF VEHICLE SPEED, ENGINE IDLE CONTROL DEGRADES. PROBLEM SEEM TO BE GREATER DURING HOT WEATHER. HAVE SEEN SIMILAR COMPLAINTS FROM OTHER RIDERS WITH SIMILAR EQUIPMENT. *TR
NHTSA complaint 10228610OCTOBER 14, 2005 I TOOK MY HARLEY DAVIDSON ULTRA CLASSIC INTO BRYAN HD SHOP TO HAVE A SAFETY RECALL COMPLIED WITH. THE SAFETY RECALL IS FOR AN INADVERTENT LOSS OF ELECTRICAL POWER. HARLEY DAVIDSON RECOMMENDED FIX WAS TO CHANGE OUT A CIRCUIT BREAKER. WHILE RIDING MY BIKE I HAVE EXPERIENCED FOUR OF THESE EVENTS OF WHICH TWO OF THESE EVENTS WOULD HAVE TAKEN MY LIFE HAD IT NOT BEEN FOR GOD SMILING ON ME. I WASN'T SMILING! I DON'T LIKE EXPERIENCING THE EMOTION INVOLVED WITH LOSING MY LIFE TO EQUIPMENT FAILURE. I PURCHASED THIS BIKE FROM A FRIEND. HE DID NOT BOTHER TO TELL ME OF THIS PROBLEM. HE WENT ON TO INFORM THAT HE HAD CHANGED THIS BREAKER OUT TWO OTHER TIMES, ONCE BY HIMSELF AND ONCE BY A DEALER. THE FIRST TIME I TOOK THIS INTO THE DEALER THEY INFORMED ME THAT THE BATTERY CABLES WERE LOSE. WHICH PROVED TO BE FALSE. WHEN THE CIRCUIT BREAKER POPS IT CAN TAKE UP TO 40 MINUTES FOR THE BREAKER TO RESET. DEPENDING ON OUTSIDE AIR TEMPERATURE. I BELIEVE THE PROBLEM MAY BE RELATED TO A COMBINATION OF EVENTS; ( OUTSIDE AIR TEMP. COUPLED WITH A MODERATE CURRENT FLOW AND THEN AN INTERMITTENT PROBLEM POPS UP FROM POSSIBLY THE FUEL INJECTION SYSTEM. THE OPERATING TEMPERATURE OF THE BIKE COUPLED WITH PREVIOUS MENTIONED ITEMS AND THE CIRCUIT BREAKER DOES ITS REQUIRED JOB AND OPENS. REPLACING THE CIRCUIT BREAKER WAS NOT THE FIX. THERE IS AN ELECTRICAL PROBLEM WITH THE BIKE. I NOTICED THAT THE SEAT WAS HOT EACH TIME AND THE BIKE HAD BEEN AT OPERATING TEMPERATURE FOR AT LEAST 20 MINUTES. EACH TIME THIS EVENT TAKES PLACE THAT CIRCUIT BREAKER WILL GET WEAKER AND WEAKER. HELP!! *NM
NHTSA complaint 10140148I OWN A HARLEY DAVIDSON 2003 ULTRA CLASSIC FLHTCUI AND EARLY AUGUST I HAD VOLUNTARY RECALL 113 REPLACE 40 AMP WITH 50 AMP CIRCUIT BREAKER. THEN OCTOBER 1ST WAS RIDING THE MOTORCYCLE AND IT MOMENTARILY SHUTDOWN FOR AN ESTIMATED 4-5 SECONDS AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS. ALL POWER SHUT OFF THEN POWER RETURNED AND MOTOR STARTED AUTOMATICALLY AS I LEFT IT IN GEAR. THE AMBIENT TEMPERATURE I WOULD SAY WAS AROUND 70 DEGREES F. HAD NOT BEEN OVERHEATING THE BIKE IE. SITTING IN TRAFFIC VERY LONG. THEN ABOUT 10 MINUTES LATER AT A STOP LIGHT (I HAD JUST PULLED UP TO IT) ALL POWER SHUT OFF AND MOTOR STOPPED. AFTER PULLING IT OUT OF TRAFFIC AND A FEW MINUTES LATER IT STARTED AGAIN, BREAKER RESET AUTOMATICALLY AS IT IS SUPPOSED TO. I HAD ONLY BEEN USING A FEW ACCESSORIES AND AFTER THAT I USED NO ACCESSORIES AND HAD NO FURTHER PROBLEMS. OTHER HISTORY IS I HAD THE 15AMP ACCESSORY FUSE BLOW TWICE BEFORE IN THE LAST YEAR VERY INTERMITTENTLY. AFTER THE MAIN BREAKER INCIDENT I LOOKED AT MOST WIRING AND FOUND WHAT I BELIEVE TO BE THE FAULT THAT THE HORN POWER WIRE WAS CHAFED THROUGH ON THE UPPER MOUNT BRACKET. I REPAIRED AND HAS NOT BEEN A PROBLEM SINCE. I HAVE ALSO BYPASSED THE HARLEY 50 AMP MAIN BREAKER AND MOUNTED IN PLACE A MAXI FUSE HOLDER WITH A 50A MP FUSE, SINCE THE BREAKER WAS NOT DEPENDABLE. *JB
NHTSA complaint 10139672I OWN A HARLEY DAVIDSON ELECTRA GLIDE MODEL MOTORCYCLE. I HAVE HAD INTERMITTENT USABILITY OF THE HORN. RANGING FROM WORKING AS EXPECTED TO BARELY NOT WORKING AT ALL. HAS BEEN THIS WAY SINCE I BOUGHT THE MOTORCYCLE. PLUS HAVE HEARD MANY OTHER OWNERS OF THIS MODEL WITH SIMILAR PROBLEMS.*JB
NHTSA complaint 10137298I HAVE A 2003 HARLEY DAVIDSON ULTRA CLASSIC MOTORCYCLE THAT WILL SHUT COMPLETELY OFF WHILE DRIVING. THIS HAS CAUSED SOME TENSE MOMENTS BECAUSE I HAD TO COAST TO A STOP NEAR THE SIDE OF THE ROAD. ALL ELECTRICAL SYSTEMS ARE OFF INCLUDING THE ENGINE. THIS HAS HAPPENED SHORTLY AFTER SITTING IN TRAFFIC AT A RED LIGHT. A RECALL WAS COMPLETED BY THE DEALER LAST YEAR TO UPGRADE THE CIRCUIT BREAKER. *JB
NHTSA complaint 101357542003 HARLEY DAVIDSON FLHTCUI DEVELOPED PROBLEMS WITH STALLING AND LOSS OF ALL POWER.*MR PRIOR TO HAVE THE RECALL WORK DONE THE CONSUMER'S MOTORCYCLE NEVER HAD ANY PROBLEMS WITH STALLING. SINCE HAVING THE CIRCUIT BREAKER REPLACED THE VEHICLE STALLS AND LOSES POWER. THE RECALL WAS ON THE 40 AMP MAIN CIRCUIT BREAKER WHICH COULD OPEN FOR REASONS OTHER THAN WHICH IT WAS DESIGNED. *NM
NHTSA complaint 10131289RECEIVED WARRANTY RECALL LETTER IN APRIL 04. BIKE WAS SERVICED @ DEALER(TWIN CITIES HD, LAKEVILLE, MN) ON 5/11/05 ODOM. @ 2213, I ALSO REPORTED THIS TO HD CUSTOMER SERVICE IN MILWAUKEE (REFERENCE SERVICE #297379). ON 6/05/05 I HAD THE 10,000 MILE CHECK COMPLETED @ THE DEALER (TWIN CITIES HD, LAKEVILLE, MN) PER MFG RECOMMENDATIONS. ON JUNE 12TH, 2005 WHILE RIDING THE BIKE I HAD COMPLETE POWER FAILURE AND WAS ABLE TO PULL TO SIDE OF ROAD, ODOM. @10,800. BIKE RESTARTED AFTER A FEW MINUTES. I CALLED DEALER (TWIN CITIES HD) AND MADE APPOINTMENT FOR SERVICE. DEALER COMPLETED SERVICE ON 6/16/05 STATING THAT THEY COULD NOT FIND PROBLEM , THEY CHARGED ME $63 TO GET MY BIKE BACK. ON JULY 17TH, 2005 I HAD A COMPLETE POWER FAILURE AGAIN WHILE RIDING WITH MY SPOUSE, I WAS ABLE TO PULL TO SIDE OF ROAD. BIKE RESTARTED AFTER A FEW MINUTES. I IMMEDIATELY DROVE TO THE DEALER AND ASKED FOR THEM TO SERVICE THE BIKE FOR THIS FAILURE. THE BIKE IS IN THE SHOP 3 DAYS NOW, THEY HAVE TEST DROVE IT AND SAID THEY CAN NOT FIX THE PROBLEM "BECAUSE IT IS A GHOST" I AGAIN REPORTED THE ISSUE TO HD CUSTOMER SERVICE IN MILWAUKEE, THEY STATED THEY WOULD CALL DEALER AND HELP THEM SOLVE PROBLEM, THIS HAS NOT OCCURRED PER THE DEALER SERVICE MANAGER. *NM
NHTSA complaint 10130398INNER PRIMARY SEAL FAILURE LEADING TO OIL SPRAY ON TIRE AND DRIVE BELT, CAUSING UNSTABLE HANDLING AND RAPID FAILURE OF DRIVE BELT CAUSING POSSIBLE LOSS OF CONTROL
NHTSA complaint 10122586RECEIVED RECALL 04V134000 CONCERNING CIRCUIT BREAKERS. CONSUMER RECEIVED NOTIFICATION FROM THE MANUFACTURER ABOUT THIS RECALL. CONSUMER SCHEDULED AN APPOINTMENT TO HAVE THE VEHICLE SERVICED . CONSUMER WAS FATALITY INJURED ON MAY 16,2004 WHILE RIDING THE MOTORCYCLE PRIOR TO HAVING RECALL REPAIRS. INFORMATION WAS FURNISHED BY OWNER'S SISTER NAMED ABOVE. *AK *NM
NHTSA complaint 10103940Technical service bulletins and other notices the manufacturer sent to dealers. A bulletin is not a recall.