Owners filed 3 complaints about this vehicle with federal regulators, most often about the visibility/wiper. It has been recalled 5 times.
What fails
Component
Reports
Crashes
Fires
Injuries
Visibility/Wiper
1
0
0
0
Unknown or Other
1
0
0
0
Electrical System
1
0
0
0
5 safety recalls
Part 573 reports
Electrical System19V776000
Filed Oct 29, 201952,745 vehiclesIndian Motorcycle Company
Defect. Indian Motorcycle Company (Indian) is recalling certain 2014-2019 Chief, Chieftain, Roadmaster, and Springfield motorcycles. The gear position switch contacts may oxidize, causing the gear position display to inaccurately show that the motorcycle is in neutral when it is actually in gear.
Risk. If the transmission is not in neutral when the motorcycle is started, the motorcycle may move unexpectedly, increasing the risk of a crash.
Remedy. Dealers will replace the switch free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed April 16, 2020. Owners may contact Indian customer service at 1-877-204-3697. Indian's number for this recall is I-19-03.
Electrical System › Wiring › Rear Compartment/Trunk18V055000
Filed Jan 16, 20187,392 vehiclesIndian Motorcycle Company
Defect. Indian Motorcycle Company (Indian) is recalling certain 2015-2017 Roadmaster motorcycles. Water may enter the trunk wiring harness, potentially causing the brake light to remain illuminated even when the brakes are not applied.
Risk. If the brake light remains illuminated when the brakes are not applied, a vehicle behind the motorcycle may not know when the motorcycle is actually slowing, increasing the risk of a crash.
Remedy. Indian will notify owners, and dealers will replace the trunk wiring harness with an updated harness that contains sealing plugs in the connectors, free of charge. The recall began on January 30, 2018. Owners may contact Indian customer service at 1-877-204-3697. Indian's number for this recall is I-18-01.
Fuel System, Gasoline16V877000
Filed Dec 6, 201623,761 vehiclesIndian Motorcycle Company
Defect. Indian Motorcycle Company (Indian) is recalling certain model year 2014-2017 Chief Classic, Chief Dark Horse, Vintage, Chieftan, Chieftan Dark Horse, Springfield and Roadmaster motorcycles manufactured April 15, 2013, to July 15, 2016. In the affected motorcycles, the fuel rail may contact other components and result in a fuel leak.
Risk. A fuel leak in the presence of an ignition source increases the risk of a fire.
Remedy. Indian will notify owners, and dealers will install a bracket that will limit movement of the fuel rail, free of charge. The recall began on December 12, 2016. Owners may contact Indian customer service at 1-877-204-3697. Indian's number for this recall is I-16-03.
Electrical System › Ignition16V446000
Filed Jun 17, 201618,383 vehiclesIndian Motorcycle Company
Defect. Indian Motorcycle Company (Indian) is recalling certain model year 2014-2016 Chief Classic, Dark Horse, Chieftain, Roadmaster, Vintage, Springfield, and Chieftain Dark Horse motorcycles manufactured April 15, 2013, to June 16, 2015. In the event of an engine misfire, unburned fuel may pass through parts of the exhaust system, raising the exhaust temperatures.
Risk. Elevated exhaust temperatures may result in an increased risk of fire.
Remedy. Indian will notify owners, and dealers will update the engine control module (ECM) software, free of charge. The recall began July 2016. Owners may contact Indian customer service at 1-877-204-3697. Indian's number for this recall is I-16-02.
Service Brakes, Hydraulic › Foundation Components › Master Cylinder15V721000
Filed Nov 2, 20157,614 vehiclesIndian Motorcycle Company
Defect. Indian Motorcycle Company (Indian) is recalling certain model year 2015-2016 Chief Classic, Chief Vintage, Chieftain, Roadmaster, and 2016 Dark Horse motorcycles manufactured January 2, 2015, to October 23, 2015. Due to a problem with the rear brake master cylinder, the motorcycles may have a reduction in, or a complete loss of, rear brake power.
Risk. A full or partial loss of rear braking power may lengthen the distance needed to slow or stop the motorcycle, increasing the risk of a crash.
Remedy. Indian will notify owners, and dealers will replace the rear brake master cylinder piston assembly, free of charge. The recall began on November 5, 2015. Owners may contact Indian customer service at 1-877-204-3697. Indian's number for this recall is I-15-04.
What owners reported
Newest filings
Electrical System
Filed Dec 14, 2024TX
NHTSA Campaign Number: 19V776000 Was performed by Lonestar Powersport at 2565 S Danville Dr Abilene, TX 79605. They did not fully complete the recall as they were to legally do and skipped the final steps. All they did was replace the sensor. When I brought the bike back to them, letting them know I was having the same problems as described in the recall, they told me that it would cost me for them to even look at it because they completed the recall. I took it to another Indian dealer in Fort Worth, who opened up a case with Polaris and they diagnosed that in fact, the recall was not completely done, but Polaris denied to pay them to properly complete the recall, and I had to pay out-of-pocket for the recall to be completely done the correct way to alleviate the issue with the bike.
Unknown or Other
Filed Dec 12, 201618,700 milesFL
WHILE ATTEMPTING TO MAKE A U-TURN IN A CROWDED PARKING LOT IN CLERMONT, FLORIDA THE MOTORCYCLE TIPPED OVER ONTO THE SAFETY BARS BUT THE TIP OVER SENSOR FAILED TO SHUT THE ENGINE OFF. THE BIKE CONTINUED FORWARD ON IT'S LEFT SIDE, STRIKING ME IN THE ANKLE AND CONTINUING ON ACROSS THE PARKING LOT ON ITS SIDE FOR 80-90 FEET BEFORE I COULD GET TO THE KILL SWITCH AND SHUT IT OFF. I HAVE FOUND 3 OTHER INSTANCES OF THE SAME THING HAPPENING TO OTHER OWNERS OF INDIAN MOTORCYCLES. I HAVE AN OPEN TICKET ( TICKET # 3898797) WITH POLARIS, WHO IS THE PARENT COMPANY OF INDIAN AND I'VE BEEN GETTING NOTHING BUT THE RUN AROUND FOR THE LAST MONTH. IF THIS INCIDENT HAD HAPPEN OUT ON THE HIGHWAY THE RESULTS COULD HAVE BEEN DISASTROUS. I HAVE PICTURES AND A VIDEO OF THE SCRAP MARKS MY BIKE LEFT IN THE PARKING LOT, PICTURES OF THE DAMAGE TO MY BIKE WHICH IS ABOUT $1400 AND 2 EYE WITNESSES WHO SAW THE WHOLE INCIDENT. I ALSO HAVE A VIDEO OF ME TESTING THE TIP OVER SENSOR IN A CONTROLLED DROP AND AGAIN THE ENGINE DID NOT SHUT OFF. I'M NOT SURE WHICH PICTURES YOU WOULD LIKE TO SEE AND I DON'T SEE ANY OPTION TO UPLOAD VIDEOS. PLEASE CONTACT ME ON HOW YOU WOULD LIKE TO PROCEED WITH THE PICS AND VIDEOS. BELOW IS A LINK TO AN INDIAN MOTORCYCLE MESSAGE BOARD THAT HAS POSTS BY AT LEAST 3 OTHER INDIAN MOTORCYCLE OWNERS WHO EXPERIENCED THE SAME ISSUE AS ME. HTTP://WWW.INDIANMOTORCYCLES.NET/THREADS/A-SAFETY-FEATURE.35705/ I'VE BEEN RIDING FOR OVER 50 YEARS AND HAVE NEVER SEEN OR HEARD OF ANYTHING LIKE THIS. IN M
Visibility/Wiper
Filed Nov 2, 20152 milesSC
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2015 INDIAN ROADMASTER. WHILE RIDING THE MOTORCYCLE AT VARIOUS SPEEDS ON SUNNY DAYS, A GLARE WOULD APPEAR ON THE WINDSHIELD DUE TO THE CHROME COVERING ON THE FUEL TANK. THE FAILURE OCCURRED EACH TIME THE MOTORCYCLE WAS DRIVEN IN THE SUNSHINE. THE MOTORCYCLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 2.
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 29, 2019. Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation.