2004 Harley-Davidson Sportster 1200r

Routine

Owners filed 4 complaints about this vehicle with federal regulators, most often about the service brakes, hydraulic. It has been recalled 1 time.

What fails
ComponentReportsCrashesFiresInjuries
Service Brakes, Hydraulic › Foundation Components › Master Cylinder2
000
Service Brakes, Hydraulic2
101

1 safety recall

Part 573 reports
Service Brakes, Hydraulic › Foundation Components › Master Cylinder06V201000
Filed Jun 8, 20069,506 vehiclesHarley-Davidson Motor Company

Defect. ON CERTAIN MOTORCYCLES, THE FRONT MASTER BRAKE CYLINDER ASSEMBLY HAD BEEN BUILT WITH INADEQUATE LUBRICATION ON THE SECONDARY CUP. THIS COULD CAUSE THE SLIDING RESISTANCE OF THE PISTON TO BE EXCESSIVE, WHICH IN TURN COULD CAUSE THE RETURN OF THE PISTON TO BE SLOW UPON RELEASE OF THE BRAKE.

Risk. THE PISTON MAY NOT RETURN COMPLETELY. IF THIS HAPPENS, THE REAR BRAKE LIGHT COULD REMAIN ILLUMINATED WHICH COULD CAUSE A CRASH OR INJURIES.

Remedy. DEALERS WILL REBUILD THE MASTER CYLINDER. THE RECALL BEGAN ON JULY 10, 2006. OWNERS MAY CONTACT HARLEY DAVIDSON AT 1-414-343-4056.

What owners reported

Newest filings
Service Brakes, HydraulicCrash1 injured
Filed May 28, 200813,400 milesOH

TL*THE CONTACT OWNED A 2004 HARLEY DAVIDSON SPORTSTER. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 65 MPH, THE CONTACT APPLIED THE BRAKE TO SLOW DOWN, BUT THE BRAKES LOCKED AND NEVER UNLOCKED. THE VEHICLE SLID TO A STOP ON ITS SIDE AND THE CONTACT SUSTAINED INJURIES. THE MOTORCYCLE WAS SEVERELY DAMAGED. THERE WAS NO POLICE REPORT. THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGES WERE 13,400. UPDATED 07/08/08. *BF UPDATED *JB

Service Brakes, Hydraulic › Foundation Components › Master Cylinder
Filed Aug 25, 200617,365 milesOK

DT*: THE CONTACT STATED THE VEHICLE'S BRAKES WERE INOPERABLE. THERE WAS A NHTSA RECALL, #06V201000, REGARDING THE MASTER CYLINDER. THE PARTS NEEDED TO REPAIR THE VEHICLE WERE NOT AVAILABLE AT THE LOCAL DEALERSHIP. THE MANUFACTURER CONFIRMED THE PARTS WERE NOT AVAILABLE.

Service Brakes, Hydraulic › Foundation Components › Master Cylinder
Filed Aug 4, 2006400 milesAZ

DT*: THE CONTACT STATED NHTSA RECALL LETTER, #06V201000 WAS RECEIVED REGARDING THE MASTER CYLINDER. THE PARTS NEEDED TO REPAIR THE VEHICLE WERE NOT AVAILABLE AT THE LOCAL DEALERSHIP. THE MANUFACTURER CONFIRMED THE PARTS ARE NOT AVAILABLE. THE VEHICLE HAS NOT EXHIBITED PROBLEMS RELATING TO THE RECALL DEFECT.

Service Brakes, Hydraulic
Filed Aug 3, 20063,500 milesNC

DT*: THE CONTACT STATED THAT A RECALL LETTER WAS RECEIVED PERTAINING TO THE FRONT MASTER BRAKE CYLINDER ASSEMBLY. WHILE DRIVING AT NIGHT, THE BACK BRAKE LIGHTS MALFUNCTIONED AND WOULD NOT WARN VEHICLES TRAVELING FROM BEHIND THE MOTORCYCLE THAT IT WAS ABOUT TO STOP. THE MOTORCYCLE WAS TAKEN INTO THE DEALERS FOR REPAIRS AND THE PART WAS UNAVAILABLE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS CONTACTED AND THEY COULD NOT PROVIDE A TIME FRAME FOR WHEN THE PARTS WOULD BE AVAILABLE. THE CONTACT WAS WAITING FOR OVER TWO MONTHS FOR REMEDY ON THE RECALL.

4 of 4 complaints, reproduced as filed.

Across model years

Worst on record: 2004
YearComplaintsRecallsFiresDeathsAssessment
20053100Routine
2004 — this page4100Routine

Compare every Sportster 1200r 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: Jun 8, 2006. Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation.