1999 Harley-Davidson Ultra Classic 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 Ultra Classic, 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
- Engine555.6%
- Driver assistance111.1%
- Electrical111.1%
- Fuel system111.1%
- Other / unspecified111.1%
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.
From owner reports, verbatim
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1999 HARLEY DAVIDSON ULTRA CLASSIC. THE CONTACT STATED THAT HIS VEHICLE BEGAN TO MAKE AN UNFAMILIAR NOISE. A RECALL REPAIR WAS PERFORMED ON THE VEHICLE IN JUNE OF 2001 IN WHICH THE CAM BEARINGS WERE REPLACED. HE STATED THAT THE NOISE HAS RETURNED AND THE CAM BEARINGS NEED TO BE REPLACED AGAIN. THE FAILURE SPEED WAS UNKNOWN. THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 44,700 AND FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 14,000.
DT: THE CONSUMER STATED ABOUT A WEEK AGO, LAST SATURDAY 7/16/05. THE CONSUMER WAS DRIVING DOWN THE INTERSTATE WHEN HE NOTICED THAT THERE WAS A MISSING IN THE ENGINE. THEN ALL OF A SUDDEN, THE ENGINE SEIZED. THEN CONSUMER SKIDDED AND PULLED OVER TO SHOULDER OF THE ROAD. THE BACK WHEEL LOCKED UP BECAUSE THERE WAS A LOCK UP IN THE CRANK SHAFT BEARING THE CONSUMER STATED THE CRANK SHAFT BEARING WENT OUT AND CAUSED A SEIZING OF THE ENGINE. THE VEHICLE HAS NOT BEEN TO DEALERSHIP. THE CONSUMER HAS NOTICED THAT THERE IS A MOTORCYCLE SHOP NEARBY WHERE HE FOUND OUT WHAT WAS WRONG. THE MOTORCYCLE IS NOW IN THE SHOP. THE CONSUMER HAS ALSO CONTACTED HARLEY DOESN'T WANT TO DO ANYTHING ABOUT IT. OWNER NOTICED THAT OTHER OWNERS HAVE HAD THE SAME PROBLEM. *JB
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Driver assistance
Reports naming forward-collision avoidance, lane keeping, back-over prevention, cruise control and related electronic driver-assistance systems.
From owner reports, verbatim
HIGH SPEED THROTTLE, FRONT TRAIN TURNS WITH WHEELS. UNTIL WIND HITS IT, IT WOULD WOBBLE. CYCLE HIT CONCRETE WALL WHEN IT HAPPENED. OWNER WAS THROWN BACK INTO HWY TRAFFIC LANE. *AK
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
CONSUMER HAS RECEIVED RECALL #0091 FOR THE IGNITION SWITCH IN JULY. CONSUMER HAS CONTACTED DEALER SEVERAL TIMES. LAST TIME THE DEALER WAS CONTACTED WAS ON NOVEMBER 10,1998. DEALER INDICATED THAT THEY DO NOT HAVE THE PART AVAILABLE YET. CONSUMER STATED THAT ON SEVERAL OCCASIONS THE IGNITION SWITCH WOULD NOT GO ON AFTER TURNING THE SWITCH. *AK *TT
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.
From owner reports, verbatim
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1999 HARLEY DAVIDSON ULTRA CLASSIC. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING 35 MPH, THERE WAS A FUEL ODOR PRESENT FROM THE VEHICLE. THE CONTACT DISCOVERED THAT THE BOTTOM OF THE FUEL TANK WHERE THE FUEL LINE WAS CONNECTED BECAME FRACTURED IN HALF ALLOWING FUEL TO LEAK. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 51,000.
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.
From owner reports, verbatim
THE TOUR PACK BRACKET SNAPPED IN HALF. THE LIGHT MEDAL TUBING WHICH SUPPORTED THE TOUR PACK BROKE ON THE RIGHT SIDE AND CRACKED ON THE LEFT SIDE AT BOLT SITES. NEARLY $50.00 TO REPLACE. CONSUMER KEPT OLD ONE AND IS GETTING IT WORKED ON. *TT *CB JB
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 .