Indian Motorcycle Company: Visibility › Windshield
Indian Motorcycle Company reported this defect to federal regulators on May 5, 2003 and put the number of vehicles at risk at 3,625. The repair is free for as long as the recall stands.
The defect
CERTAIN WINDSHIELDS THAT WERE SOLD AS STANDARD EQUIPMENT ON THESE MOTORCYCLES OR SOLD AS ACCESSORIES FOR ALL OTHER CHIEF MODELS MAY HAVE DEFECTIVE BRACKETS. THE BRACKETS THAT ATTACH THE WINDSHIELD TO THE MOTORCYCLE ARE FORMED SUCH THAT THE MOUNTING BOLTS ARE NOT FLUSH WITH THE BRACKET. THIS COULD PLACE EXCESSIVE STRESS ON THE BOLTS CAUSING THEM TO BREAK.
The risk
BROKEN MOUNTING BOLTS COULD LEAD TO THE WINDSHIELD COMING LOOSE AND EVEN FALLING OFF THE BIKE, POTENTIALLY STRIKING THE RIDER OR OTHERWISE CAUSING THE RIDER TO LOSE CONTROL OF THE MOTORCYCLE AND CRASH.
The remedy
DEALERS WILL REPLACE THE BRACKETS AND BOLTS ON THE WINDSHIELD. OWNER NOTIFICATION BEGAN MAY 30, 2003. OWNERS WHO TAKE THEIR VEHICLES TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER ON AN AGREED UPON SERVICE DATE AND DO NOT RECEIVE THE FREE REMEDY WITHIN A REASONABLE TIME SHOULD CONTACT INDIAN MOTORCYCLE AT 1-888-899-2997.
5 model years covered
Newest first| Vehicle | Complaints | Recalls | Fires | Crashes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2003 Indian Chief | 2 | 2 | 0 | 0 |
| 2002 Indian Chief | 4 | 4 | 0 | 0 |
| 2001 Indian Chief | 10 | 2 | 0 | 0 |
| 2000 Indian Chief | 40 | 4 | 1 | 3 |
| 1999 Indian Chief | 9 | 4 | 0 | 1 |
What this page is, and what to do next
A recall is not an opinion. It is a Part 573 report a manufacturer is required by federal law to file once it decides a defect poses an unreasonable risk to safety, and it commits them to repairing the vehicle at no cost to the owner. The three passages above are the manufacturer’s own wording as published by NHTSA.
This page describes the campaign. It cannot tell you whether one particular car has already been through the shop — that is tracked by VIN, and only the manufacturer knows it. Check yours at nhtsa.gov/recalls or with a franchised dealer, quoting campaign number 03V191000.
Full record for the 2003 Indian Chief → · Recalls carrying a do-not-drive advisory → · Where this data comes from →