RoadVitals

2000 Harley-Davidson Softail 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.
7
Latest Mar 3, 2006
Components namedHow many of our component categories appear on at least one report for this model year. One report can name several.
5
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.
0

What this page shows

Everything below is an owner-reported complaint submitted to NHTSA about the 2000 Harley-Davidson Softail, 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

  • Engine228.6%
  • Fuel system228.6%
  • Brakes114.3%
  • Other / unspecified114.3%
  • Tires & wheels114.3%

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

DT: CAM CHAIN TENSIONERS WORE OUT. IF IT GOES THROUGH ALL THE WAY THE ENGINE WILL LOCK UP. IT WILL DISINTEGRATE THE METAL PIECES WHERE THE ENGINE WILL LOCK UP. IT HAPPENS IN THE HOT WEATHER, CONSUMER HEARD EXCESSIVE ENGINE NOISE, AND WAS TOLD TO CHANGE THE TENSIONERS. CONSUMER IS CONCERNED FOR BOTH HARLEY DAVIDSON MOTORCYLCLES HE OWNS. *AK *SB

NHTSA ID 10125883 · filed Jun 20, 2005

THE CAM BEARING PROBLEM WAS KNOWN AT THE TIME I PURCHASED MY MOTORCYCLE FOR CLOSE TO $20,000, BUT I WAS NOT NOTIFIED THIS WAS A PROBLEM. THE FAILURE COULD HAVE COST ME AND MY GIRLFRIEND OUR LIVES. THIS SHOULD BE A RECALL ITEM. HARLEY DAVIDSON SENT A SERVICE REPAIRMAN.

NHTSA ID 731169 · filed Sep 12, 2000

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

Fuel system

Reports naming fuel storage or delivery — tanks, pumps, lines, injectors and fuel leaks.

2
reports

From owner reports, verbatim

WHEN CONSUMER WENT TO TAKE MOTORCYCLE OUT OF HIS GARAGE, HE NOTICED THAT THERE WAS FUEL LEAKING FROM CARBURETOR. DEALERSHIP WAS IN POSSESSION OF MOTORCYCLE, AND INFORMED CONSUMER THAT DEFECT WAS A RESULT OF BAD GAS. THE CONSUMER HAD THE MOTORCYCLE SERVICED LAST SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER - THERE WAS NOTHING WRONG WITH MOTORCYCLE. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY ADDITIONAL INFORMATION/ATTACHMENTS.*AK

NHTSA ID 886292 · filed Apr 19, 2001

WOULD FILL MOTORCYCLE WITH FUEL & ABOUT 1/2 GALLON WOULD LEAK OUT & WOULD TRAIL MOTORCYCLE WHILE DRIVING.*AK

NHTSA ID 864383 · filed Jun 28, 2000

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 BRAKE PEDAL TRAPS THE FOOT UNDER IT DUE TO ITS DESIGN. HARLEY HAS REDISIGNED IT FOR THE 2001 MODELS BUT WON'T REPLACE IT ON THE OLDER MODELS. I WROTE TO THEM AND THEY REFUSED IN WRITING TO DO ANYTHING ABOUT THE DEFECT.

NHTSA ID 756187 · filed Dec 29, 2001

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

Other / unspecified

Reports whose component NHTSA recorded as unknown, or that do not map to one of the categories above.

1
report

From owner reports, verbatim

I PURCHASED FORM PERFORMANCE MACHINEINC A CONTOUR BELT DRIVE PRIMARY FOR MY 2000 HARLEY DAVIDSON SOFT TAIL DUCE. AFTER HAVING A HARLEY DAVIDSON DEALER INSTALL IT I PUT 400 MILES ON THE MOTORCYCLE WHEN AT ABOUT 20 MPH THE REAR WHEEL LOCKED UP. CAUSED BY THE CLUTCH HUB RETAINING CLIP COMING OFF LETTING THE CLUTCH HUB JAMMING INTO THE OUTER COVER. I SENT IT BACK TO PERFORMANCE MACHINE WHILE IT WAS STILL UNDER WARRANTY FOR A REFUND. THEY TELL ME THERE WAS NOTHING WRONG AND ARE RETURNING IT. THERE SEEMS TO BE A PROBLEM WITH THIS SYSTEM THAT COULD BE A SERIOUS SAFETY ISSUE FOR IF IT WOULD HAVE HAPPENED 1/2 MILE FURTHER DOWN THE ROAD I WOULD BEEN ON THE INTERSTATE GOING 65 MPH. *JB

NHTSA ID 10151740 · filed Mar 3, 2006

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

Tires & wheels

Reports naming tires, wheels, hubs, or the tire-pressure monitoring system.

1
report

From owner reports, verbatim

THE TIRES LOST AIR PRESSURE, WHILE DRIVING.*JB

NHTSA ID 10008982 · filed Feb 21, 2003

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 .