RoadVitals

2003 Harley-Davidson Fltri Problems

Owner-reported complaints filed with NHTSA, grouped by component

Data refreshed

Owner complaintsComplaints are reports submitted to NHTSA by owners and drivers. NHTSA does not verify most reports before publishing them, and a complaint does not establish that a defect exists. Volume is influenced by how many of a vehicle were sold, how long it has been on the road, and how much attention an issue has received.
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Latest May 23, 2014
Components namedHow many of our component categories appear on at least one report for this model year. One report can name several.
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Crash or fire reportedComplaints whose submitter recorded that a crash or a fire occurred. These are the reporter's own answers on the NHTSA form, not verified findings.
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What this page shows

Everything below is an owner-reported complaint submitted to NHTSA about the 2003 Harley-Davidson Fltri, 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

  • Engine250.0%
  • Brakes125.0%
  • Electrical125.0%

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

Engine

Reports naming the engine itself — including stalling, misfires, oil consumption, cooling and internal engine components.

2
reports

From owner reports, verbatim

THE ENGINE ON THIS MOTORCYCLE HAS A DEFECT IN THE CAM TENSIONER THAT CAN CAUSE THE MOTOR TO FAIL AT ANY TIME WITHOUT WARNING DUE TO OIL PRESSURE BEING LOST. THE MOTORCYCLE CAN LOCK-UP, CAUSING THE RIDER TO FALL THE ENGINE CASE CAN BECOME CRACKED CAUSING OIL ON THE REAR TIRE CAUSING THE RIDER TO FALL. HARLEY DAVIDSON IS WELL AWARE OF THIS PROBLEM BECAUSE THEY OFFER A KIT TO REPAIR THIS PROBLEM. THIS PROBLEM EXIST ON ANY MOTORCYCLE BUILT WITH THE TWIN CAM 88, 96, 103, 110 ENGINE DATING BACK TO 1999. MY QUESTION IS WHY HASN'T SOMEONE LOOKED INTO THIS? THERE ARE THOUSANDS OF MOTORCYCLES WITH THIS POTENTIALLY DEADLY PROBLEM. I WAS LUCKY, AND NOTICED MY OIL PRESSURE DROPPED AND SHUT THE ENGINE OFF. HARLEY SAYS THIS IS A MAINTENANCE ITEM, YET IT IS NOT IN THE BOOK ANYWHERE. I ONLY FOUND AT ABOUT IT WHEN TALKING TO A HARLEY DEALER. THE INTERNET IS FILLED WITH MAGAZINE ARTICLES AND STORIES ABOUT PEOPLE WHO HAVE HAD THIS PROBLEM. *TR

NHTSA ID 10593755 · filed May 23, 2014

DT: CONTACT'S SON OWNED A 2005 HARLEY DAVIDSON MOTORCYCLE THAT WAS OVERHEATING. THE SPEED HAD NO IMPACT ON THE MOTORCYCLE OVERHEATING AFTER DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 5 MILES. THE SERVICE DEALER TRIED TO CORRECT THE PROBLEM AT LEAST 6 TIMES. THEY REPLACED A NEW COMPUTER CHIP AND THE PIPES. THE SERVICE DEALER COULD NOT FIND WHAT WAS WRONG WITH THE MOTORCYCLE. THE CONTACT CONTACTED THE MANUFACTURER'S CUSTOMER SERVICE, THEY OFFERED NO RECOMMENDATIONS. *AK

NHTSA ID 10130324 · filed Jul 27, 2005

Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.

Brakes

Reports naming service brakes, the antilock braking system, brake hoses, master cylinders or the parking brake.

1
report

From owner reports, verbatim

THE FRONT BRAKE ON MY HARLEY FLTRI FAILED DECEMBER 4, 2004 AT 15933 MILES. THE BRAKE LIGHT WAS STICKING ON. BECAUSE OF WORK AND MEDICAL CONDITIONS I DID NOT RIDE MUCH FOR A WHILE. THE DEALER REBUILT THE MASTER CYLINDER. BECAUSE OF WORK AND MEDICAL CONDITIONS I DID NOT RIDE MUCH FOR A WHILE. ON NOVEMBER 18, 2005, AT 20507 MILES, I TOOK THE MOTORCYCLE BACK BECAUSE THE FRONT BRAKES WERE AGAIN VERY SOFT. THE DEALER BLED THEM. ON OCTOBER 26, 2006, AT 22515 MILES, I COMPLAINED AGAIN THAT THE FRONT BRAKES WERE EXTREMELY SOFT. THE DEALER BLED THEM AGAIN I THINK. NO MENTION OF IT ON THE SERVICE REPORT. ON MARCH 28,2007, I AGAIN COMPLAINED OF THE FRONT BRAKE BEING EXTREMELY SOFT AND NOW THE BRAKE LIGHT IS SPORADICALLY STICKING AGAIN. THIS IS AT 23261 MILES. THE DEALER WRITES THEY SERVICED THE FRONT BRAKE. THEY TOLD ME THE MECHANISM WAS DIRTY AND THEY CLEANED IT. ON APRIL 18,2007, AT 23343 MILES I AGAIN COMPLAINED OF SOFT FRONT BRAKES, THE BRAKE LIGHT STICKING, AND ALSO THE FAIRING MAKING A LOUD RATTLE. THE DEALER SAID THERE WAS NO PROBLEM FOUND WITH THE BRAKES OR THE FAIRING. I LATER DISCOVERED THE FAIRING HAD BEEN INSTALLED INCORRECTLY. I REINSTALLED IT CORRECTLY AND THE NOISE WAS GONE. IT IS NOW MAY 25, AT 23600 MILES, AND THE FRONT BRAKE IS SOFT, SOMETIMES NO PRESSURE A ALL, AND THE BRAKE LIGHT IS STICKING FOR LONGER PERIODS OF TIME. PERHAPS SOON IT WILL STAY ON AND THE DEALER WILL FINALLY REPLACE THE MASTER CYLINDER. OR WORSE MAYBE I WILL GET REARENDED BECAUSE SOME ONE DOES NOT KNOW I HIT THE BRAKES. OR THE BRAKES WILLL FAIL AT THE WRONG TIME AND I WILL RUN OVER SOMEONE ELSE.

NHTSA ID 10191742 · filed May 25, 2007

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.

1
report

From owner reports, verbatim

UNEXPECTED INTERRUPTION OF ALL ELECTRICAL POWER CAUSING ENGINE SUDDENLY TO QUIT WHILE RIDING HARLEY-DAVIDSON MOTORCYCLES. *BF RECALL CAMPAIGN: NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER : 04V134000 THE CONSUMER SUSTAINED SERIOUS BODILY INJURIES WHEN HE CRASHED INTO A TREE ON THE SIDE OF THE ROAD. THE CONSUMER WAS NEVER GIVEN NOTICE THAT THE MOTORCYCLE MAY HAVE CONDITIONS WHEREBY THE 40 AMP MAIN CIRCUIT BREAKER COULD OPEN DUE TO REASONS OTHER THAN FOR WHICH IT WAS DESIGNED. *TC (LAWYER [XXX] ON BEHALF OF CLIENT [XXX]) *JB INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6). *TR

NHTSA ID 10108825 · filed Dec 3, 2004

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

Data on this page last refreshed .