2005 Harley-Davidson Xl 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 2005 Harley-Davidson Xl, 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
- Fuel system133.3%
- Interior & seats133.3%
- Suspension133.3%
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
Fuel system
Reports naming fuel storage or delivery — tanks, pumps, lines, injectors and fuel leaks.
From owner reports, verbatim
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 HARLEY DAVIDSON XB (N/A). THE CONTACT WAS DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 45 MPH WHEN THE VEHICLE STALLED WITHOUT WARNING. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE DEALER BUT THE FAILURE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED. THE CONTACT LATER INSPECTED THE VEHICLE AND DISCOVERED THAT THERE WAS A FAILURE WITHIN THE FUEL PUMP AND THE WIRES HAD BLOWN THE FUSES. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 10,000.
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Interior & seats
Reports naming seats, latches, locks, linkages and interior fittings.
From owner reports, verbatim
I RECENTLY PURCHASED A MOTORCYCLE TRAILER FROM KENDON INDUSTRIES, 3711 E. LA PALMA AVE, ANAHEIM, CA 92806. THE TRAILER WAS SPECIFICALLY DESIGNED FOR A LONG BIKE (CHOPPER STYLE). THE FIRST TIME I USED THE TRAILER, I WAS TRAVELING ON THE FREEWAY AND NOTICED THAT THE TIE DOWNS FOR THE BIKE AND COME LOOSE AND THE BIKE VERY NEARLY CAME LOOSE FROM THE TRAILER INTO HEAVY FREEWAY TRAFFIC. KENDON TRAILERS HAVE A FRONT WHEEL MOUNTING UNIT THAT OPERATES IN A WAY THAT AS YOU MOVE THE MOTORCYCLE FORWARD INTO THE MOUNTING UNIT THE MOUNTING UNIT ROCKS FORWARD SECUTING THE FRONT WHEEL AGAINST THE FRONT OF THE TRAILER. THE TRAILER ALSO HAS FOUR TIE DOWN POINTS (TWO AT THE FRONT AND TWO AT THE REAR). THE MAJOR PROBLEM WITH THE TRAILER IS THE FACT THAT THE FRONT TIE DOWN POINTS ARE BEHIND THE STEARING HEAD OF THE MOTORCYCLE. AS A RESULT, WHEN THE TRAILER HITS A BUMP, THE ACTION OF THE TRAILER IS TO PULL THE BIKE BACKWARDS (AWAY FROM THE FRONT SECURING UNIT). THIS IS WHAT HAPPENED TO ME. WHILE TRAVELING ON THE FREEWAY I MUST HAVE HIT A BUMB WHICH CAUSED THE MOTORCYCLE TO PULL OUT OF THE FRONT UNIT. THIS ALSO INCREASED THE SLACK IN THE TIE DOWNS WHICH ALLOWED THE BIKE TO FLOP FROM SIDE TO SIDE AND ALMOST CAUSED THE BIKE TO EXIT THE TRAILER (WHICH HAS NO SIDES OR REAR SECURITY). *NM
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Suspension
Reports naming suspension components — springs, struts, shocks, control arms and related hardware.
From owner reports, verbatim
DT: 2005 HARLEY DAVIDSON WIDE GLIDE. THE FRONT FORKS WERE SO WEAK THAT THEY SAGGED WHEN THE CONSUMER WAS NOT BRAKING. THE CONSUMER STATED THE SPRINGS WERE TOO WEAK IN THE FORKS. THE CONSUMER FOUND OTHER COMPLAINTS ABOUT THE SAME PROBLEM. HE TRIED TO GET THE AFTER MARKET SPRINGS, BUT THEY WERE ON BACK ORDER. THE CONSUMER NOTICED THIS A WEEK AGOON SEPTEMBER 29, 2005. *AK UPDATED 03/09/06
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 .