Recalls, owner-reported complaints, investigations and safety data
Data refreshed
Our database contains 35 NHTSA owner-reported complaints for the 2003 Honda VTX1300, most frequently naming the steering, suspension and driver assistance categories. 7 manufacturer communications are on file.
Complaints are reports submitted by owners and drivers to NHTSA. They are not verified and do not establish that a defect exists.
When owners filed reports about this model year
| Month | Complaints filed | Cumulative |
|---|---|---|
| Mar 2003 | 1 | 1 |
| Aug 2003 | 1 | 2 |
| Sep 2003 | 1 | 3 |
| Nov 2003 | 1 | 4 |
| Apr 2004 | 1 | 5 |
| May 2004 | 2 | 7 |
| Jun 2004 | 10 | 17 |
| Oct 2004 | 1 | 18 |
| Nov 2004 | 1 | 19 |
| Dec 2004 | 5 | 24 |
| May 2005 | 1 | 25 |
| Aug 2005 | 1 | 26 |
| Sep 2005 | 1 | 27 |
| Nov 2005 | 1 | 28 |
| Jul 2006 | 3 | 31 |
| Aug 2006 | 1 | 32 |
| Jun 2008 | 2 | 34 |
| Jul 2012 | 1 | 35 |
Complaints grouped by the component NHTSA recorded
Percentages are of component mentions. A single complaint can name more than one component, so these do not sum to the total complaint count.
No recalls in our database for this model year
That does not guarantee a specific vehicle is unaffected — recalls are issued against VINs, and new campaigns are announced regularly. Check a VIN on NHTSA.gov.
Reports submitted to NHTSA, shown in the owner's own words
BAD WOBBLE IN STEERING/BEARING BETWEEN 30 AND 50 MPH. WHEN THIS IS GOING ON IN A CURVE YOU NEARLY LOOSE CONTROL IT CONVULSIVE WOBBLE GROWS. NOT HARD TO FIND NUMEROUS COMPLAINTS ABOUT THIS CONDITION EVEN ON THESE BIKES RIGHT FROM THE DEALER. *TR
I OWN A 2003 HONDA VTX1300S MOTORCYCLE. THIS BIKE IS SHAFT DRIVE. WHILE RIDING THROUGH TOWN THE SWING ARM SEPARATED FROM THE REAR WHEEL DO TO THE SPOT WELDS BRAKING ON THE DRIVE SHAFT SIDE OF THE MOTORCYCLE. THIS CAUSED THE BIKE TO TWIST WILDLY DO TO THE REAR WHEEL ONLY BEING SUPPORTED ON ONE SIDE OF THE SWING ARM. THIS BIKE ONLY HAS 7,200 MILES ON IT AND IS GARAGED & WELL KEPT. I WAS TRAVELING 25 MPG ON A CITY STREET AND GOT STOPPED WITHOUT ACCIDENT. IF I HAD BEEN TRAVELING AT SPEED ON A HIGHWAY OR COUNTY ROAD THERE NO DOUBT THAT I WOULD HAVE BEEN INJURED. AT THIS TIME HONDA CLAIMS NO RE-CALLS AND NO RESPONSIBILITY TO REPAIR. I HAVE NOT ABUSED THIS MOTORCYCLE AND FEEL SOMEONE IS GOING TO GET HURT IF NOT ALREADY. *TR
REAR FLANGE BEARING IN VTX 1300 CAME APART, LOOKED AT BEARING WHILE CHANGING REAR TIRE. REPLACE 2004 AND 2003 VTX S BEARING WHILE CHANGING REAR TIRE. REPLACE BEARING # 91052-KZ4-J21. *TR
I AM THE OWNER OF A 2003 HONDA VT1300S. THIS MOTORCYCLE HAS A DECELERATION "WOBBLE" AT 35-45 MPH. IT IS FELT AT THE HANDLEBARS EVEN WHILE HAVING BOTH HANDS ON THEM. MANY VTX OWNERS I KNOW HAVE THE SAME PROBLEM. I'M CONCERNED ABOUT THIS ISSUE BECAUSE IT REALLY FEELS AS IF THE STEERING HEAD WOULD COME LOOSE AT ANY POINT AND ALSO IT'S DANGEROUS WHEN RIDING ON CERTAIN ROADS. IT ALSO SHOWS UNEVEN TIRE WEAR ON THE FRONT TIRE. *JB
2003 HONDA VTX 1`300S FRONT FROK WOBBLE AS BIKE SLOWS DOWN. THE SEVERITY CHANGES AS THE SPEED DECREASES. THE PROBLEM HAS EXISTED SINCE I PURCHASED THE BIKE WITH 9,000 MILES ON IT. IT NOW HAS 19,000 AND THE WOBBLE SHOWS NO SIGNS OF GOING AWAY. *NM
WHEN RIDDING MY MOTORCYCLE AT A SPEED OF 50 AND LETTING OFF THE GAS, AT AROUND 45 MPH I GET A WOBBLE REAL BAD FROM THE FRONT END AND IT IS REALLY DANGEROUS AROUND A TURN AND CAN CAUSE AN ACCIDENT. TALKED TO MANY HONDA OWNERS AND THEY ALL HAVE THE SAME PROBLEM. AFTER CHANGING THE STEERING BEARING IT IS FIXED, THEY SAID. *NM
2003 HONDA VTX 1300R MOTORCYCLE HAS FRONT END WOBBLE AT SPEEDS BELOW APPROX. 45 MPH. *NM
VEHICLE - 2003 HONDA VTX S/R MODEL PROBLEM IS FRONT END WOBBLE AT 45-35 MPH WHEN DECELERATING. I REPLACED FRONT AND REAR TIRES AT JUST OVER 9000 MILES. BEFORE I REPLACED THE FRONT TIRE THE WOBBLE WAS GETTING WORSE. AFTER I REPLACED THE FRONT TIRE I NOTICED THAT THE WOBBLE IS GONE BUT I CAN STILL FEEL A VERY SLIGHT SIDE TO SIDE VIBRATION IN THE HANDLEBARS. *NM
A bulletin sent by a manufacturer to its dealers. Not a recall, and repairs are not necessarily free.
AIR BAGS
Dealer message - On Monday, June 23, 2014, American Honda announced three recalls for various 2001-11 Honda models. As of August 4, 2014, affected VINs have been identified, and VIN status inquiry has been updated.
AIR BAGS
Dealer message - On Monday, June 23, 2014, American Honda announced three recalls for various 2001-11 Honda models. As of July 23, 2014, affected VINs have been identified, and service bulletins 14-040, Safety Recall: Accord, Civic, and Others ? Front Passenger?s Airbag Inflator Can Be Over-Pressurized, 14-045, Recall: Front Driver?s Airbag Inflator May Produce Excessive Pressure After Long-Term Exposure to High Absolute Humidity Recall, and 14-046, Recall: Front Passenger?s Airbag Inflator May Produce Excessive Pressure After Long-Term Exposure to High Absolute Humidity have been posted to ISIS. However, due to the large number of affected units, American Honda is still in the process of populating the VIN status inquiry function on iN, which is expected to take several days. When this process is complete, American Honda will notify all dealers again via iN message. Until that time, the existing acknowledgement procedure must be used for all potentially affected vehicles.
EQUIPMENT:OTHER:LABELS
LOAD CARRYING CAPACITY REDUCED LABEL FOR ALL HONDA VEHICLES. *PE
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM: INSTRUMENT CLUSTER/PANEL
HONDA: WARRANTY EXTENSION-VEHICLE WARRANTY MILEAGE. CLASS ACTION LAWSUIT ALLEGING THAT THE ODOMETERS ON CERTAIN 2002-2006 HONDA MODELS WERE OVERSTATING MILEAGE. FEDERAL COURT PROVIDED FINAL APPROVAL OF SETTLEMENT ON 12/29/07. NO MODELS LISTED. *PE
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:COOLING SYSTEM:FAN
COOLING FAN GROUND. HONDA THE WRENCH. *TT
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE
DON'T STRAIGHT EDGE IT WHEN PERFORMING PERIODIC VALVE INSPECTION. *JB
Manufacturers file copies of the bulletins they send to dealers with NHTSA. These often describe diagnostic or repair procedures for a known condition. They are not recalls: repairs described in a bulletin are usually only free if the vehicle is still under warranty or the manufacturer has extended coverage.
Complaint and recall counts across every year of this model
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. Older model years have had longer for reports to accumulate.