1999 Harley-Davidson Electra Glide Problems
Owner-reported complaints filed with NHTSA, grouped by component
Data refreshed
What this page shows
Everything below is an owner-reported complaint submitted to NHTSA about the 1999 Harley-Davidson Electra Glide, grouped by the component NHTSA recorded on the report. These are not confirmed defects, and they are not recalls. NHTSA does not verify most reports before publishing them, and a category with more reports in it is not evidence that a part is defective.
Complaints are reports submitted by owners and drivers to NHTSA. They are not verified and do not establish that a defect exists.
Reports by component
Ranked by how many owner reports name each component category
- Other / unspecified240.0%
- Electrical120.0%
- Interior & seats120.0%
- Suspension120.0%
Percentages are of component mentions. A single complaint can name more than one component, so these do not sum to the total complaint count.
Each component in detail
What the reports in each category say, in the owners' own words
Other / unspecified
Reports whose component NHTSA recorded as unknown, or that do not map to one of the categories above.
From owner reports, verbatim
I PUT A PRODUCT CALLED TIREFLYS ON THE VALVE STEM OF MY 1999 HARLEY DAVIDSON ELECTRA GLIDE CLASSIC. THESE GADGETS GIVE OFF LIGHT AS THE WHEEL SPINS. AFTER 15 MINUTES OF RIDING ON I 75 I DEVELOPED TWO FLAT TIRES AT THE SAME TIME. IT SEEMS THAT THE TIREFLYS REMOVE THE STEM FROM THE TIRE. I CRASHED MY BIKE ON THE LEFT SIDE OF THE INTERSTATE- LUCKILY I WAS ABLE TO HOLD THE BIKE UP UNTIL IT WAS ONLY GOING ABOUT 5 TO 10 MPH. THE BIKE SUSTAINED $7500.00 IN DAMAGE. I WAS OK, LUCKILY I WAS ABLE TO PLANT THE ACCIDENT ENOUGH TO MINIMIZE THE DAMAGE TO ME. I CANT BELIEVE THAT A $20.00 PRODUCT CAN WREAK SO MUCH HAVOC! ROSSITER'S HARLEY DAVIDSON DEALER IN SARASOTA STOPPED SELLING THEM MORE THAN A YEAR AGO. THEY TOO HAD PROBLEMS WITH THEM AS CUSTOMERS APPEARED WITH FLAT TIRES SOON AFTER HAVING THEM PLACED ON THE BIKE. TODAY, 3/15/03 I SPOKE WITH A MR. WAYNE D. HOY AT ROSSITER'S OF SARASOTA, FL. HE INFORMED ME THAT LIKE ME, HE TOO EXPERIENCED TWO FLAT TIRES FROM THE PRODUCT, TIREFLYS. THIS HAPPENED TO HIM ABOUT 1 1/2 YEARS AGO. IT WAS ALSO AT THAT TIME HE INFORMED MR. ROSSITER OF ROSSITER'S HARLEY DAVIDSON OF THE OCCURRENCE AND MR. ROSSITER, RESPONSIBLY REMOVED THE PRODUCTS FROM THE SHELF. MR. HOY INFORMED ME THAT HE WOULD BE PLEASED TO SPEAK WITH SOMEONE FROM THIS AGENCY OR FILE A COMPLAINT. HE CAN BE REACHED AT 941 745-2074. *NLM
I PUT A PRODUCT CALLED TIREFLYS ON THE VALVE STEM OF MY 1999 HARLEY DAVIDSON ELECTRA GLIDE CLASSIC. THESE CADGETS GIVE OFF LIGHT AS THE WHEEL SPINS. AFTER 15 MINUTES OF RIDING ON I 75 I DEVELOPED TWO FLAT TIRES AT THE SAME TIME. IT SEEMS THAT THE TIREFLYS REMOVE THE STEM FROM THE TIRE. I CRASHED MY BIKE ON THE LEFT SIDE OF THE INTERSTATE- LUCKILY I WAS ABLE TO HOLD THE BIKE UP UNTIL IT WAS ONLY GOING ABOUT 5 TO 10 MPH. THE BIKE SUSTAINED $7500.00 IN DAMAGE. I WAS OK, LUCKILY I WAS ABLE TO PLANT THE ACCIDENT ENOUGH TO MINIMIZE THE DAMAGE TO ME. I CANT BELIEVE THAT A $20.00 PRODUCT CAN WREAK SO MUCH HAVOC! ROSSITER'S HARLEY DAVIDSON DEALER IN SARASOTA STOPPED SELLING THEM MORE THAN A YEAR AGO. THEY TOO HAD PROBLEMS WITH THEM AS CUSTOMERS APPEARED WITH FLAT TIRES SOON AFTER HAVING THEM PLACED ON THE BIKE. *NLM
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Electrical
Reports naming the electrical system — wiring, battery, charging, control modules, infotainment and electrical accessories.
From owner reports, verbatim
WHILE DRIVING AT ANY SPEED THE MOTORCYCLE SHUT DOWN COMPLETELY WITHOUT WARNING. DEALER STATED THAT CIRCUIT BREAKER HAS TO RESET ITSELF, THEN THE MOTORCYCLE WILL START BACK UP. A RECALL WAS ISSUED AND PART WAS REPLACED. HOWEVER, THE PROBLEM RECURRED. *AK
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Interior & seats
Reports naming seats, latches, locks, linkages and interior fittings.
From owner reports, verbatim
WHILE TRAVELING 60-65MPH ON HIGHWAY BACK SEAT BROKE OFF. DEALER WAS MADE AWARE OF PROBLEM. *AK
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Suspension
Reports naming suspension components — springs, struts, shocks, control arms and related hardware.
From owner reports, verbatim
THE REAR SWING ARM ON THE PRIMARY SIDE (LEFT) IS BROKEN IN TWO. THIS SWING ARM HOLDS THE REAR WHEEL, AND BRAKES TO THE MOTORCYCLE. THIS IS A VERY DANGEROUS SITUATION. AFTER MUCH RESEARCH MANY OF THESE SWING ARMS FOR YEARS 1996 TO 2000 BREAK YET NO FACTORY RECALL HAS EVER HAPPENED. WHEN I CALLED THE LOCAL HARLEY DAVIDSON DEALER, THEY CONFIRMED THAT THESE ALWAYS BREAK, AND THAT THEY HAVE REPLACED THEM ON THE POLICE MOTORCYCLES, BUT WOULD NOT REPAIR MINE OR ANY CIVILIANS MOTORCYCLE, AND SAID THAT THESE YEAR SWING ARMS ARE OBSOLETE. I INQUIRED ABOUT HAVING THEM INSTALL A LATER UPGRADED VERSION, WHICH I RESEARCHED CAN BE DONE, AND THE REFUSED TO SERVICE THE MOTORCYCLE FOR THIS CONDITION. IT IS OBVIOUS THAT H.D. IS AWARE OF THIS PROBLEM BUT REFUSES TO ADDRESS IT FOR COST REASONS.
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Higher-selling and older vehicles accumulate more reports. Counts are not failure rates and are not directly comparable between vehicles that sold in very different numbers.
Elsewhere on this vehicle
Data sources
- NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation — owner-reported complaints and the components recorded on them
Data on this page last refreshed .