Car Problem DataNHTSA records

2004 Harley-Davidson XL883C

Routine

Owners filed 3 complaints about this vehicle with federal regulators, most often about the engine and engine cooling. No safety recall has been issued.

What fails
ComponentReportsCrashesFiresInjuries
Engine and Engine Cooling2
000
Service Brakes1
000

What owners reported

Newest filings
Service Brakes
Filed May 29, 2025MI

To change the rear tire requires the following several steps including, removal of disc brake pads and compressing the brake caliper piston inward, removing the axle and drive belt also required . After completion of the Disassembly and then reassembly of components including brake pads.The rear brake master cylinder failed, to function, no hydraulic pressure was supplied to activate the brake caliper. I believe when compressing the caliper piston inward (which is a common and necessary practice) caused the master cylinder to fail. Researching this issue I found that this is a common failure to 2004 - 2006 Harley Sportster motorcycles.

Engine and Engine Cooling
Filed Jun 23, 20094,700 milesSC

2004 HARLEY DAVIDSON SPORTSTER 886 XLC CRANK POSITION SENSOR FAILS AND RENDERS THE MOTORCYCLE USELESS. IF THIS WERE TO HAPPEN IN TRAFFIC, THE RIDER COULD BE KILLED OR SERIOUSLY INJURED. *TR

Engine and Engine Cooling
Filed Jun 22, 2008SC

THE MOTORCYCLE SPUTTERS OFF IDLE LEAVING THE MOTORCYCLE UNABLE TO MOVE OUT OF THE WAY OF ONCOMING TRAFFIC. THIS POSES A SERIOUS SAFETY ISSUE TO THE RIDER AS THE MOTORCYCLE WILL STOP FORWARD MOTION. REPLACEMENT OF THE CRANK POSITION SENSOR SOLVES THIS PROBLEM. *TR

3 of 3 complaints, reproduced as filed.

Across model years

Worst on record: 2005
YearComplaintsRecallsFiresDeathsAssessment
20070100Routine
20062000Routine
20053000Routine
2004 — this page3000Routine
20030100Routine
20001000Routine

Compare every XL883C year →

Other Harley-Davidson models

All Harley-Davidson models →
Flhtcu 276Flhx 184Flhtk 161Flhtc 109Flhtcui 108Harley Davidson 101XG750 88Flhtcutg 87Flhr 87Flstc 73

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.

Most recent recall on file: none. Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation.