RoadVitals

2002 Harley-Davidson Softail Owner Complaints

Reports submitted to NHTSA by owners and drivers, shown in full

Data refreshed

Complaints on fileComplaints 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.
4
Latest Aug 8, 2005
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
Filed in the last 12 monthsReports filed with NHTSA in the trailing 365 days. Recent volume reflects attention and vehicle age as much as anything else.
0
Reports on file since Dec 18, 2002

What this page shows

Our database holds 4 NHTSA owner-reported complaints for the 2002 Harley-Davidson Softail. Each one is a report filed by an owner or driver and published by NHTSA without most of them being verified. A complaint is not a confirmed defect, not a recall and not a manufacturer bulletin. Narratives are shown exactly as filed.

Complaints are reports submitted by owners and drivers to NHTSA. They are not verified and do not establish that a defect exists.

Complaints, most recent first

Showing 1–4 of 4

Fuel system
Filed Aug 8, 2005

DT: THE CONTACT OWNED A 2002 HARLEY DAVIDSON SOFTAIL FXSTS. THE CONTACT WAS COMPLAINING ABOUT A FUEL SYSTEM PROBLEM. HE PURCHASED THE MOTORCYCLE BRAND NEW AND IN THE WINTER THE GAS TANK RUSTED IN LESS THAN THREE YEARS. . HARLEY DAVIDSON PUT A LINER INSIDE THE GAS TANK TO PREVENT IT FROM RUSTING AND IT DID NOT WORK. THE ACTUALLY LINER WAS PEELING AND COMING OFF INSIDE THE TANK. IF IT GOT THROUGH THE FUEL FILTER INTO THE CARBURETOR IT WOULD CAUSE THE MOTORCYCLE TO STALL. THE DEALERSHIP WOULD HAVE TO REPLACE THE FUEL TANK. CONSUMER CONTACTED HARLEY DAVIDSON CUSTOMER SERVICE. SEVERAL TIMES. THEY SUGGESTED THAT CONSUMER KEEP MORE GAS IN THE GAS TANK IN THE WINTER. CONSUMER MAINTAINED THAT HE KEPT THE MOTORCYCLE IN LIVING ROOM IN THE WINTER AND THERE WAS NO REASON FOR THIS PROBLEM. ALSO, COSTUMER SERVICE SUGGESTED THAT CONSUMER CHANGE THE FUEL TANK, AND CALL INSURANCE COMPANY TO GET THEM TO PURCHASE A NEW FUEL TANK. HE HAS ONLY SPOKEN TO ONE PERSON AT CUSTOMER SERVICE AND THEY WOULD NOT LET HIM SPEAK TO ANYONE ELSE. HE FIRST STARTED NOTICING THE RUST INSIDE THE TANK IN MARCH OF 2005. THE MOTORCYCLE STALLED THREE TIMES. HE HAD THE MOTORCYCLE TOWED TO THE DEALER, AND THEY CLEANED THE CARBURETOR, AND THEY TOLD HIM THIS WOULD HAPPEN AGAIN. EVERY 2500 MILES CONSUMER TOOK THE MOTORCYCLE TO DEALER FOR A TUNE UP. *AK

NHTSA ID
10131971
Incident
Mar 1, 2005
Driver assistance
Filed Jul 29, 2003

WHEN ACCELERATING THE MOTORCYCLE WILL NOT MOVE. WHEN CONSUMER OPENS THE THROTTLE COMPLETELY, MOTORCYCLE THEN LURCHES FORWARD, POSING A SAFETY HAZARD TO THE RIDER AND OTHER VEHICLES/PEDESTRIANS.*AK

NHTSA ID
10031431
Mileage
1,000 mi
Other / unspecified
Filed Jan 21, 2003

THE SPOKES ARE CORRODING AND TURNING BLACK AFTER ONLY TWO WEEKS OF OWNERSHIP. THE DEALER HAS BEEN CONTACTED. PH (MODEL/STANDARD FXSTI) SCC

NHTSA ID
10004304
Incident
Nov 1, 2002
Mileage
500 mi
EngineTransmission
Filed Dec 18, 2002

THE MOTORCYCLE OVERHEATED EXCESSIVELY, WHICH WAS CAUSED BY THE OIL TANK BEING LOCATED DIRECTLY UNDER SEAT.TS ALSO THE CLUTCH WAS READJUSTED.*JB

NHTSA ID
10001160
Incident
Dec 1, 2002

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.

Data sources

Data on this page last refreshed .