Owners filed 5 complaints about this vehicle with federal regulators, most often about the electrical system › alternator/generator/regulator. It has been recalled 3 times.
What fails
Component
Reports
Crashes
Fires
Injuries
Structure
1
0
0
0
Service Brakes
1
0
0
0
Fuel System, Gasoline › Delivery › Fuel Pump
1
0
0
0
Engine and Engine Cooling › Exhaust System › Manifold/Header/Muffler/Tail Pipe
1
0
0
1
Electrical System › Alternator/Generator/Regulator
1
0
0
0
3 safety recalls
Part 573 reports
Engine and Engine Cooling › Exhaust System › Manifold/Header/Muffler/Tail Pipe07V296000
Filed Jul 11, 200735,112 vehiclesHarley-Davidson Motor Company
Defect. CERTAIN MOTORCYCLES WERE BUILT WITH A CONDITION WHEREBY THE PANT LEG OF SOME RIDERS CAN HAVE DIRECT CONTACT WITH THE EXHAUST PIPE.
Risk. THIS CONDITION COULD CAUSE THE PANT LEG TO CHAR OR BURN, WHICH COULD LEAD TO THE POSSIBILITY OF INJURY TO THE RIDER.
Remedy. DEALERS WILL ADD A NEW EXHAUST SHIELD WHICH PROVIDES ADDITIONAL COVERAGE OFTHE EXHAUST PIPE. THE RECALL BEGAN ON JULY 12, 2007. OWNERS MAY CONTACT HARLEY-DAVIDSON AT 1-414-343-4056.
Tires07V025000
Filed Feb 1, 2007614 vehiclesHarley-Davidson Motor Company
Defect. CERTAIN SPORTSTER AND DYNA MODEL MOTORCYCLES WERE BUILT WITH AN INCORRECT FRONT TIRE.
Risk. THIS INCORRECT TIRE COULD CAUSE PERFORMANCE ISSUES, WHICH COULD RESULT IN A CRASH.
Remedy. DEALERS WILL INSPECT THE FRONT TIRE AND REPLACE IT IF NECESSARY. THE RECALL BEGAN ON MARCH 5, 2007. OWNERS MAY CONTACT HARLEY-DAVIDSON AT 1-414-343-4056.
Electrical System › Alternator/Generator/Regulator06V476000
Filed Dec 19, 200618,758 vehiclesHarley-Davidson Motor Company
Defect. ON CERTAIN MOTORCYCLES, AS A RESULT OF A GREATER BODY THICKNESS THAN USED IN PREVIOUS MODEL YEARS, THE VOLTAGE REGULATOR MAY CONTACT THE FRONT FENDER UNDER CERTAIN CONDITIONS. IN SOME CASES THIS CONTACT MAY ALLOW THE FRONT FENDER TO CATCH ON THE TOP SIDE OF THE REGULATOR BODY WHICH COULD IMPEDE THE OPERATOR'S ABILITY TO STEER THE VEHICLE.
Risk. THIS COULD RESULT IN A CRASH WHICH COULD CAUSE INJURY OR DEATH TO THE RIDER.
Remedy. ON MOTORCYCLES WHICH DO NOT HAVE ACCESSORY ENGINE GUARDS, DEALERS WILL INSTALL AN INTERMEDIATE MOUNTING BRACKET THAT WILL RELOCATE THE VOLTAGE REGULATOR TO A POSITION WHICH PROVIDES MORE CLEARANCE FROM THE FRONT FENDER. ON VEHICLES WITH AN ACCESSORY ENGINE GUARDS, DEALERS WILL INSTALL THE THINNNER DIMENSION VOLTAGE REGULATOR TO AVOIDE THE FRONT FENDER CLEARANCE PROBLEM. THE RECALL BEGAN ON JANUARY 22, 2007. A SECOND CUSTOMER LETTER REFLECTING THE ABOVE REMEDY WILL BE SENT TO OWNERS ON MARCH 16, 2007. OWNERS MAY CONTACT HARLEY-DAVIDSON AT 1-414-343-4056.
What owners reported
Newest filings
Service Brakes
Filed Aug 14, 201710,600 milesPA
I WAS RIDING MY STOCK 2007 HD SPORTSTER 1200 YESTERDAY ON A PAVED ROAD APPROX. 35 MPH WHEN I RAN OVER A ROUGH PORTION OF ROAD. THE RIGHT FOOT PEG / REAR BRAKE PEDAL ASSEMBLY CAME OFF FROM ITS MOUNTING POSITION ON THE LOWER FRAME AND WAS DRAGGING ON THE ROAD. I PULLED OVER TO DISCOVER THAT THE TWO BOLTS THAT HOLD THE BRACKET / ASSEMBLY TO THE FRAME HAD SHEARED OFF. I WEIGH 185 LBS AND THE MOTORCYCLE DID NOT BOTTOM-OUT ON THE ROUGH ROAD, NOR DID THE BRAKE / FOOT PEG ASSEMBLY STRIKE THE ROAD. THE BOLTS APPEAR TO HAVE SIMPLY SHEARED OFF FROM MY WEIGHT ON THE FOOT PEG ON A ROUGH PATCH OF ROAD. LUCKILY, I MAINTAINED CONTROL OF THE MOTORCYCLE AND WAS ABLE TO STOP IT WITH NO USABLE REAR BRAKE AS THE CONTROL WAS DRAGGING ON THE ROAD. I DID RESEARCH LAST NIGHT ON THE INTERNET AND READ SEVERAL POSTINGS ON A MOTORCYCLE BLOG WITH OWNERS OF 2007 SPORTSTER 1200 MOTORCYCLES THAT REPORTED EXACTLY THE SAME ISSUE, SO I AM REPORTING IT TO YOU. THERE IS NO VISIBLE RUST ON THE BOLTS WHERE THEY SHEARED OFF. THEY APPEAR TO BELOW-GRADE STEEL BOLTS THAT FAILED UNDER NORMAL USE. I WAS LUCKY THAT I MAINTAINED CONTROL AS MY FOOT DROPPED TO THE GROUND AT 35 MPH - IT COULD HAVE BEEN MUCH WORSE. PLEASE LET ME KNOW IF YOU HAVE RECEIVED SIMILAR COMPLAINTS AND IF THERE IS A RESOLUTION UNDERWAY.
Engine and Engine Cooling › Exhaust System › Manifold/Header/Muffler/Tail Pipe1 injured
Filed Aug 21, 2008TX
I PAID FOR A BRAND NEW 2007 HARLEY DAVIDSON 1200XL, ON JULY 28, 07. I PICKED IT UP FROM STUBBS HARLEY DAVIDSON DEALER ON JULY 30, 07. THE DEALER FAILED TO DISCLOSE A RECALL ON THE MOTORCYCLE WHICH WAS ISSUED IN JUNE 07 FOR THE HEAT SHIELD MANIFOLD. SUBSEQUENTLY, I BURNT MY LEG ON THE PIPES, AND INCURRED A LOT OF PAIN, AND A SCAR ON MY LEG WHICH IS PERMANENT AND UNSIGHTLY. I FOUND OUT AFTERWARDS, THAT THERE WAS A RECALL ON MY OWN FROM INVESTIGATION INTO THE INCIDENT. THE DEALER NEVER TOOK ANY INITIATIVE TO NOTIFY ME ON THEIR OWN. I BELIEVE THE DEALER IS LIABLE FOR CAUSING MY INJURY, DUE TO NEGLECT TO DISCLOSE SAFETY INFORMATION, WHICH SHOULD HAVE BEEN ADDRESSED BEFORE I BOUGHT THE MOTORCYCLE. THIS WAS MY FIRST EVER MOTORCYCLE, AND BECAUSE OF THIS AND OTHER ISSUES OF NEGLECT BY THIS DEALER, I HAVE HAD TO ENDURE COUNTLESS HOURS OF MY TIME TO TRY AND GET THIS DEALER TO HONOR SAFETY AND ETHICAL ISSUES. *TR
Structure
Filed Nov 21, 2007SD
THERE IS A RECALL ON MY MOTORCYCLE AND I ASKED BUT THEY DONT HAVE THE PART TO FIX IT. *TR
Fuel System, Gasoline › Delivery › Fuel Pump
Filed Aug 20, 2007534 milesOH
5 DAY OLD HARLEY, SPORTSTER FAIL TO START. FUEL PUMP OUT. NEW PART ON 20 BACKORDER. NOT ACCEPTABLE. *TR
Electrical System › Alternator/Generator/Regulator
Filed Jun 1, 2007AZ
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2007 HARLEY DAVIDSON XL1200L. THE CONTACT RECEIVED RECALL NOTICE # 06V476000 (ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:ALTERNATOR/GENERATOR/REGULATOR). HE HAS BEEN UNABLE TO GET THE VEHICLE REPAIRED BECAUSE THE COMPONENT IS ON BACK ORDER. PRESENTLY, NO FAILURES HAVE OCCURRED. THE CURRENT MILEAGE IS 200. UPDATED 02-01-08. *KB
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: Jul 11, 2007. Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation.