Recalls, owner-reported complaints, investigations and safety data
Data refreshed
Our database contains 13 NHTSA owner-reported complaints for the 2003 Harley-Davidson Electra Glide, most frequently naming the electrical, engine and steering categories. 1 NHTSA investigation names it.
Complaints are reports submitted by owners and drivers to NHTSA. They are not verified and do not establish that a defect exists.
When owners filed reports about this model year
| Month | Complaints filed | Cumulative |
|---|---|---|
| Sep 2002 | 1 | 1 |
| Sep 2003 | 3 | 4 |
| Oct 2003 | 2 | 6 |
| Dec 2003 | 2 | 8 |
| Mar 2004 | 1 | 9 |
| May 2004 | 1 | 10 |
| Feb 2005 | 1 | 11 |
| Jun 2005 | 1 | 12 |
| Jun 2007 | 1 | 13 |
Complaints grouped by the component NHTSA recorded
Percentages are of component mentions. A single complaint can name more than one component, so these do not sum to the total complaint count.
No recalls in our database for this model year
That does not guarantee a specific vehicle is unaffected — recalls are issued against VINs, and new campaigns are announced regularly. Check a VIN on NHTSA.gov.
NHTSA inquiries naming this vehicle. An investigation is not a finding of a defect.
MOTORCYCLE STALLING
ODI OPENED THIS INVESTIGATION AFTER RECEIVING COMPLAINTS FROM OWNERS OF MY 2003 FLH-SERIES HARLEYS ALLEGING SUDDEN ENGINE SHUTDOWN DUE TO TRIPPING OF THE MAIN ELECTRICAL CIRCUIT BREAKER FOR NO APPARENT REASON.SUBSEQUENTLY, HARLEY-DAVIDSON NOTIFIED THE AGENCY THAT IT WAS RECALLING THE SUBJECT MOTORCYCLES TO REPLACE THE MAIN CIRCUIT BREAKER IN SUBJECT VEHICLES.
Reports submitted to NHTSA, shown in the owner's own words
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 HARLEY DAVIDSON ELECTRA GLIDE. WHILE DRIVING 70 MPH, THE ENGINE SHUT OFF AND ALL ELECTRICAL POWER WAS LOST. THE FAILURE OCCURRED WITHOUT WARNING. THE VEHICLE RESTARTED AND HAS NOT YET BEEN DIAGNOSED. THE PURCHASE DATE WAS UNKNOWN. THE CURRENT MILEAGE IS 25,500 AND FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 25,000.
DT: WITHOUT WARNING THE MOTORCYCLE LOST POWER. THE HEADLIGHTS AND ALL ELECTRICAL COMPONENTS MALFUNCTIONED. DEALER HAS MOTORCYCLE NOW AND CANNOT ANYTHING WRONG WITH IT. MANUFACTURER IS WAITING TO SEE WHAT THE DEALER SAYS.*AK
MY 2003 HARLEY DAVIDSON CLASSIC MOTORCYCLE INTERMINTELY SHUTS DOWN WHILE IAM RIDING IT.IT HAS DONE THIS OVER THE PAST YEAR. IWAS ALMOST INVOLVED IN TWO ACCIDENTS DUE TO THIS CONDITION. HARLEY REPLACED THE MAIN BREAKER,HOWEVER THE BIKE STILL SHUTS DOWN TOTALLY WHILE RIDING.WHEN THIS HAPPNES IT IS AS IF THE IGNATION WAS SHUT DOWN OR THE BATTERY SUDDENLY REMOVED EVERYTHING DIES. I HAD IT INTO A HARLEY DEALER A COUPLE OF WEEKS AGO AND THEY COULDNT FIND THE PROBLEM, IT HAPPENED AGAIN AND AGAIN I ALMOST WAS INVOLVED IN AN ACCIDENT . THE MOTORCLCLE IS IN THE HARLEY SHOP AGAIN, AND THEY ARE COMMUNICATING WITH THE FACTORY TO TRY AND RECTIFY THE PROBLEM.NOTE IAM A POLICE OFFICER IN FLORIDA AND BELEIVE ME IAM NOT EXAGERATING THE PROBLEM. IT IS A GRAVE SAFETY CONCEARN,TWO OF THE INCIDENTS HAPPNED AT NIGHT AND IWAS LEFT IN THE MIDDLE OF MOVING TRAFFIC W/OUT LIGHTS OR ENGINE POWER. THANK YOU.*AK
CONSUMER RECEIVED A RECALL NOTICE(0302 - REPLACEMENT OF A FUSE AMP) BUT THERE WERE NOT PARTS AVAILABLE. SERVICE MANGER MIKE DILLINGER. *NM
MY HARLEY DAVIDSON 2003 ULTRA GLIDE CLASSIC WILL SHUT DOWN WITHOUT WARNING.*AK
WHILE DRIVING ON FLAT SURFACES THE MOTORCYCLE VEERS LEFT. IF YOU REMOVE YOUR HANDS FROM THE HANDLEBARS THE BIKE WILL CROSS THE CENTERLINE OF THE ROAD. THE DEALER SAID THIS WAS A NORMAL CONDITION. PROBLEM IS ONGOING SINCE NEW. *LA
WHILE DRIVING AT 40 MPH THE SHIFT LEVER FELL OFF WHILE SHIFTING GEARS. THE DRIVER HAD THE MOTORCYCLE TOWED TO THE DEALER, AND MECHANIC NOTICED THAT THE SHIFT LEVER CLAMP NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. *AK
MY 03 HARLEY DAVIDSON ULTRA CLASSIC ELECTRAGLIDE EXPERIENCED TOTAL ELECTRICAL FAILURE AT 60 MPH. TOWED TO DEALER WHO COULD FIND NOTHING WRONG; THEY CALLED HARLEY WHO ARE SENDING A 40AMP FUSE ASSEMBLE TO REPLACE THE MAIN CIRCUIT BREAKER WHICH IS DEFECTIVE. THERE ARE NUMEROUS INTERNET POSTINGS REGARDING THIS DEFECT THAT HARLEY NEEDS TO RECALL. IN 04 ALL NEW HARLEY MODELS HAVE THE FUSE AND NOT THE CIRCUIT BREAKER. *AK
Complaint and recall counts across every year of this model
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. Older model years have had longer for reports to accumulate.