Owners filed 6 complaints about this vehicle with federal regulators, most often about the suspension. It has been recalled 2 times.
What fails
Component
Reports
Crashes
Fires
Injuries
Suspension
2
0
0
0
Tires › Tread/Belt
1
0
0
0
Steering › Steering Wheel/Handle Bar
1
0
0
0
Engine and Engine Cooling
1
0
0
0
Electrical System › Horn
1
0
0
0
2 safety recalls
Part 573 reports
Electrical System › Wiring › Fuses and Circuit Breakers04V134000
Filed Mar 18, 200481,496 vehiclesHarley-Davidson Motor Company
Defect. ON CERTAIN TOURING AND POLICE MODEL MOTORCYCLES, THE 40 AMP MAIN CIRCUIT BREAKER CAN "OPEN" FOR REASONS OTHER THAN WHICH IT WAS DESIGNED, CAUSING AN UNEXPECTED INTERRUPTION OF ALL ELECTRICAL POWER TO THE MOTORCYCLE.
Risk. THIS CONDITION COULD CAUSE THE MOTORCYCLE TO STALL, WHICH COULD RESULT IN A CRASH.
Remedy. DEALERS WILL REPLACE THE CIRCUIT BREAKER. OWNER NOTIFICATION BEGAN APRIL 23, 2004. OWNERS SHOULD CONTACT HARLEY-DAVIDSON AT 1-414-343-4056.
Exterior Lighting02V002000
Filed Jan 4, 200228,949 vehiclesHarley-Davidson Motor Company
Defect. ON CERTAIN MOTORCYCLES, THE CLIPS THAT RETAIN THE WIRING FOR THE FRONT FENDER TIP LIGHT CAN BECOME DETACHED FROM THE FENDER, CAUSING THE WIRES TO FRAY AND SHORT.
Risk. THIS COULD CAUSE THE LIGHTING SYSTEM FUSE TO BLOW, LEAVING THE VEHICLE WITHOUT AN OPERATIONAL FRONT FENDER TIP LIGHT, HEADLIGHT, TAILLIGHT, RUNNING LIGHTS, AND PASSING LAMPS (IF EQUIPPED).
Remedy. DEALERS WILL REPLACE THE FENDER TIP LIGHT WIRING HARNESS RETENTION CLIPS, AND INSPECT AND REPLACE, IF NECESSARY, ANY DAMAGED WIRING HARNESSES. OWNER NOTIFICATION BEGAN JANUARY 9, 2002. OWNERS WHO TAKE THEIR VEHICLES TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER ON AN AGREED UPON SERVICE DATE AND DO NOT RECEIVE THE FREE REMEDY WITHIN A REASONABLE TIME SHOULD CONTACT HARLEY-DAVIDSON AT 1-414-342-4680.
What owners reported
Newest filings
Suspension
Filed Aug 20, 201572,000 milesPA
MY 2001 HARLEY-DAVIDSON HAD A FRAME FAILURE ON THE SWING ARM (REAR FORK) WHERE THE AXLE BOLT GOES THROUGH THE SWING ARM. AFTER DOING SOME RESEARCH I FOUND THIS TO BE A VERY COMMON PROBLEM ON THE TOURING MODELS 1997-2001. HARLEY-DAVIDSON DID A RECALL IN 2000 FOR THE SWING ARM, THEY NEVER CHANGED THE DESIGN UNTIL 2002. HARLEY-DAVIDSON HAS DISCONTINUED THE SWING ARM FOR THE 2001 TOURING BIKES. THE DEALERS I SPOKE TO HAVE TOLD ME THAT HARLEY-DAVIDSON WANTS YOU UPGRADE TO A 2002-2008 SWING ARM BECAUSE THE CHANGED THE DESIGN TO PREVENT THE SWING ARM FAILURE FROM HAPPENING AGAIN, TO UPGRADE THE CONSUMER MUST UPGRADE TO A NEWER REAR WHEEL,BRAKE CALIPER,AXLE WHEEL BEARINGS , AND SPECIAL BUSHINGS TO ACCEPT THE LARGER PIVOT SHAFT. AT A COST OF APROX. $2900.00 JUST FOR THE PARTS.WHEN THE SWING ARM FAILS THE ONLY THING HOLDING THE REAR WHEEL ON THE BIKE IS THE DRIVE BELT AND SHOCK, IF YOU LOSE A REAR WHEEL ON A MOTORCYCLE IT IS ALMOST CERTAIN DEATH! I SPOKE WITH HARLEY CUSTOMER SERVICE AND THEY SEEM IT IS ACCEPTABLE TO HAVE FRAME FAILURE AT 70,000 MILES, WHEN I ASKED HOW I WAS SUPPOSED TO REPAIR MY BIKE WITH OUT THE PARTS I WAS TOLD TO JUST WELD IT BACK TOGETHER. HOWEVER IN MY RESEARCH I FOUND PEOPLE WITH FAILURES AT 30,000 MILES. THIS IS A TRUE SAFETY ISSUE ON 1997-2001 TOURING BIKES. .
Suspension
Filed Sep 5, 201490,000 milesWI
THE REAR SWING ARM HAS FAILED ABOVE THE WHEEL AXLE. TRYING TO ORDER A NEW ONE FROM HARLEY AND THEY DO NOT HAVE A REPLACEMENT ONE. I WAS TOLD IT'S OBSOLETE. I LOOKED THIS UP ON GOOGLE AND FOUND OTHERS WITH THE SAME PROBLEM. MY BIKE SHOP WANTS TO GET A USED ONE AND REINFORCE IT BY WELDING A PLATE ABOVE THE AXLE SHAFT. I WOULD FEEL BETTER WITH A FIX FROM HARLEY. THIS MAY BE MY LAST HARLEY. *TR
Electrical System › Horn
Filed Sep 23, 2005PA
THE HORN ON MY HARLEY DAVIDSON, SOUNDS LIKE A HALF DEAD DUCK. MY WIFE WAS IN THE CAR AND I WAS BEHIND HER ON MY 2001 FLHTCI AND I WAS BLOWING MY HORN AND SHE COULD NOT HEAR IT IN THE CAR WITH THE WINDOWS UP. THESE HORNS ARE NOT LOUD ENOUGH TO BE HEARD. SOMETHING NEEDS TO BE DONE.*JB
Engine and Engine Cooling
Filed Apr 29, 200415 milesMD
WHILE DRIVING AT HIGH SPEEDS AND AT HIGH TEMPERATURES OIL SPRAYED FROM THE AIR CLEANER. THE HOT OIL SPRAYED BACKWARDS ONTO THE LOWER PANTS LEG OF THE CONSUMER. ALSO, THE OIL SPRAYED ON THE REAR TIRE AND THE REAR BRAKE PAD. DEALER EXAMINED THE VEHICLE TEN TIMES. *AK
Tires › Tread/Belt
Filed Jun 11, 2002CA
SCPD PURCHASED 4, 2001 FLHPI, 3 OF WHICH HAVE EXPERIENCED BELT SEPARATIONS. WE HAVE HAD SEVERAL OTHER FLHPI SINCE 1998 - 2002, WITHOUT A SINGLE FAILURE. ALL THREE ARE LOW SPEED SEPARATIONS. DEALER ADMITTED A "PROBLEM" WITH BELTS IN STORAGE BEING DEFECTIVE, BUT "DID NOT MAKE IT ONTO MOTORCYCLES". HARLEY SAID THEY WILL EXAMIN EACH CASE INDIVIDUALLY!*AK
Steering › Steering Wheel/Handle Bar
Filed Mar 21, 2002WI
WHEN RELEASING HANDLE BAR IT CAUSES MOTORCYCLE TO MOVE TO THE LEFT. DEALER NOTIFIED. *AK *TT
No unusual pattern of severe incidents in the complaint record.
Complaint counts track how many cars were sold and how long they have been on the road as much as they track quality. A common model from 2013 has had a decade to accumulate reports; a rare one from last year has not. The signal worth weighing is in the severity columns, in whether the same component keeps appearing, and in whether the manufacturer eventually opened a recall for it.
Recall repairs are free for as long as the recall stands. Check whether a specific car still has open work at NHTSA's VIN lookup.
Most recent recall on file: Mar 18, 2004. Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation.