2003 Harley-Davidson Fxdwg

Routine

Owners filed 3 complaints about this vehicle with federal regulators, most often about the fuel system, gasoline. It has been recalled 1 time.

What fails
ComponentReportsCrashesFiresInjuries
Fuel System, Gasoline2
000
Engine1
000

1 safety recall

Part 573 reports
Exterior Lighting › Tail Lights04V218000
Filed May 7, 200431,070 vehiclesHarley-Davidson Motor Company

Defect. ON CERTAIN DYNA, XL, AND TOURING MOTORCYCLES, THE TAIL LIGHT BULB CAN FALL OUT OF THE SOCKET.

Risk. THE TAIL LIGHT AND THE BRAKE LIGHT BECOME INOPERATIVE, WHICH COULD LEAD TO A CRASH.

Remedy. DEALERS WILL REPLACE THE BULBS. OWNER NOTIFICATION BEGAN ON JUNE 3, 2004. OWNERS SHOULD CONTACT HARLEY-DAVIDSON AT 1-414-342-4680.

What owners reported

Newest filings
Engine
Filed Jul 24, 2014WI

AFTER A LONG DAY OF RIDING WHEN SHUTTING OFF MOTOR HEARD A NOISE IN THE PRIMARY CHAIN AREA REMOVED COVER TO FIND THAT THE ENGINE COMPENSATOR NUT WAS EXTREMELY LOOSE ABOUT TO FALL OFF I HAVE NEVER TOUCHED THIS AREA AND HAVE PERFORMED THE ROUTINE MAINTENANCE ON THE BIKE IE OIL CHANGES AND INSPECTION AS I'VE READ SEVERAL MODEL YEAR BIKES HAVE HAD THE SAME PROBLEM IF THE NUT WOULD HAVE COME OUT COMPLETELY THIS SURELY WOULD HAVE CAUSE AN ACCIDENT EVEN DEATH IF I WAS GOING AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS. *TR

Fuel System, Gasoline
Filed Jan 25, 20058,240 milesCA

THIS IS A MODIFICATION TO COMPLAINT 10107892 WHICH HAD THE WRONG PHONE NUMBER. MY 2003 HARLEY FXDWG WAS RIDDEN TO ORANGE COUNTY HARLEY DAVIDSON AND SAT IN THE SUN FOR 1 HOUR. THE TEMP WAS 64-70. I HAD HALF A TANK OF GAS, WHICH WAS CHEVRON 91 OCT. GETTING BACK ONTO THE 405 FREEWAY AT 70 MPH THE BIKE FELT AS IF IT LACKED POWER. AFTER 30 SEC THE BIKE STARTED SPUTTERING AS IF IT WAS NOT GETTING ENOUGH GAS OR WAS VAPOR LOCKING CAUSING ME TO LOSE SPEED AND POWER. THIS SPUTTERING CONTINUED FOR 3-4 MILES, AFTER WHICH I COMPLETELY BACKED OFF THE THROTTLE AND JUST BARELY OPENED IT, WHICH AFTER APPROXIMATELY. 30 SEC THE BIKE REGAINED FULL POWER (GOT THE GAS IT NEEDED) AND I HAD NO MORE TROUBLE. THIS IS THE THIRD TIME THIS HAS HAPPENED. THE FIRST TIME, APRIL 04 THE BIKE COMPLETELY STOPPED RUNNING 5-6 TIMES ON THE FREEWAY BUT STARTED AGAIN ON THE SIDE OF THE ROAD. THE SECOND TIME JULY 2004 THE BIKE SPUTTERED AND BACK FIRED. THE CAUSE ALWAYS SEEMS TO BE THE SAME, THE BIKE SITS IN THE SUN 1-2 HOURS AND THEN ACCELERATING ONTO THE FREEWAY AT A HIGH SPEED THE BIKE DOES NOT GET ENOUGH GAS AND LOSES POWER. WESTMINISTER HARLEY DAVIDSON IN CA HAS TALKED WITH THE FACTORY AND TRIED TWICE TO FIX THIS PROBLEM. I CONSIDER THIS LOSS OF POWER AT FREEWAY SPEEDS A SAFETY ISSUE WHICH COULD LEAD TO A CRASH OR DEATH. *NM

Fuel System, Gasoline
Filed Jan 25, 20058,240 milesCA

MY 2003 HARLEY FXDWG WAS RIDDEN TO ORANGE COUNTY HARLEY AND SAT IN THE SUN FOR 1 HOUR. THE TEMP WAS 64-70 AND I HAD HALF A TANK OF GAS, WHICH WAS CHEVRON 91 OCT. GETTING BACK ONTO THE 405 FREEWAY AT 70 MPH THE BIKE FELT AS IF IT LACKED POWER. AFTER 30 SEC THE BIKE STARTED SPUTTERING AS IF IT WASN'T GETTING ENOUGH GAS OR WAS VAPOR LOCKING CAUSING ME TO LOSE SPEED AND POWER. THIS SPUTTERING CONTINUED FOR 3-4 MILES. I FINALLY COMPLETELY BACKED OF THE THROTTLE AND JUST BARELY OPENED IT, WHERE AS AFTER ABOUT 30 SEC THE BIKE REGAINED FULL POWER (GOT GAS IT NEEDED) AND I HAD NO MORE TROUBLE. THIS IS THE THIRD TIME THIS HAS HAPPENED. THE FIRST TIME, APRIL 04 THE BIKE COMPLETELY STOPPED RUNNING 5-6 TIMES ON THE FREEWAY BUT STARTED AGAIN ON THE SIDE OF THE FREEWAY. THE SECOND TIME JULY 2004 THE BIKE SPUTTERED AND BACK FIRED. THE CAUSE ALWAYS SEEMS TO BE THE SAME, IT SITS IN THE SUN 1-2 HOURS AND THEN ACCELERATING ONTO THE FREEWAY AT A HIGH SPEED THE BIKE DOES NOT GET ENOUGH GAS AND LOSES POWER. WESTMINISTER HARLEY DAVIDSON IN CA HAS TALKED WITH THE FACTORY AND TRIED TWICE ALREADY TO FIX IT. I CONSIDER THIS LOSS OF POWER AT FREEWAY SPEEDS A SAFETY ISSUE WHICH COULD LEAD TO A CRASH OR DEATH. *NM

3 of 3 complaints, reproduced as filed.

Across model years

Worst on record: 2008
YearComplaintsRecallsFiresDeathsAssessment
20131000Routine
20121000Routine
20103000Routine
200813100Routine
20072100Routine
20051000Routine
2003 — this page3100Routine
20024101Fatalities reported
20013000Routine
20002000Routine
19996200Routine
19981000Routine
19972000Routine

Compare every Fxdwg 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: May 7, 2004. Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation.