1997 Harley-Davidson FX

Routine

Owners filed 2 complaints about this vehicle with federal regulators, most often about the service brakes, hydraulic › foundation components. It has been recalled 1 time.

What fails
ComponentReportsCrashesFiresInjuries
Suspension › Front1
000
Service Brakes, Hydraulic › Foundation Components1
000

1 safety recall

Part 573 reports
Fuel System, Gasoline › Fuel Injection System96V204000
Filed Oct 22, 1996176,515 vehiclesHarley-Davidson Motor Co.

Defect. THE EFFECTS OF REFORMULATED GASOLINE ALONG WITH CERTAIN USAGE OF THE FUEL SUPPLY VALVE AFFECTS THE SUPPLY OF GASOLINE TO THE CARBURETOR. THIS CONDITION REQUIRES TWO FACTORS: (1) THE USE OF REFORMULATED FUELS CONTAINING MBTE AND (2) STARTING THE MOTORCYCLE WITH THE FUEL VALVE HANDLE IN THE OFF POSITION.

Risk. THIS CONDITION CAN CAUSE THE FUEL FLOW TO BE UNPREDICTABLE THUS CAUSING THE ENGINE TO SHUT DOWN INCREASING THE RISK OF A MOTORCYCLE ACCIDENT.

Remedy. DEALERS THE REPLACE THE DIAPHRAGM IN THE FUEL VALVE.

What owners reported

Newest filings
Suspension › Front
Filed May 4, 1998OK

MOTORCYCLE HAS A TENDENCY TO PULL RIGHT.

Service Brakes, Hydraulic › Foundation Components
Filed Jul 24, 1997TN

THE ENGINE CASE WAS NOT DRILLED FOR OIL RETURN AND THIS CAUSES OIL TO SPILL OUT OF THE MOTORCYCLE WHILE DRIVING, AND THE OIL SOAKS THE BACK OF TIRES AND BRAKES. THIS CAUSES THE BRAKES TO OPERATE IMPROPERLY. PLEASE DESCRIBE DETAILS. *AK

2 of 2 complaints, reproduced as filed.

Across model years

Worst on record: 1997
YearComplaintsRecallsFiresDeathsAssessment
20001000Routine
19981000Routine
1997 — this page2100Routine
19961200Routine
19950100Routine
19910100Routine
19901300Routine

Compare every FX year →

Reading this record

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: Oct 22, 1996. Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation.