2022 Indian Chief Dark Horse 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 2022 Indian Chief Dark Horse, 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 system240.0%
- Electrical120.0%
- Engine120.0%
- Powertrain (other)120.0%
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
The unit stalls upon startup, within minutes of takeoff from a start (both cold and warm), and even occasionally while riding and decelerating. Unsolicited stalling of unit creates unpredictable riding conditions and immediate loss of power and control while riding. Independent shop notated that the unit stalled on them both before and after a service (oil and plugs). Dealer may not admit but I witnessed numerous times from two different dealers in which they started it up in the back of the shop and I heard it stall on them as they were bringing it out to me. I have video of the unit stalling immediately after startup. Two dealers claim to have inspected and looked over unit but have failed to find the issue. I've received a round about explanation that they are acutely aware of this issue but they don't know what's causing it or how to fix. The unit had other erroneous electrical issues that seemed to have been mostly rectified through software updates. There is a current recall for the '22 chief darkhorse regarding a fuel pump issue that may cause stalling under numerous conditions. They are claiming my unit was not part of this recall, despite it having the exact symptoms of that recall.
The bike in question has given multiple issues and safety concerns. I would ride and the bike would die. I would be in the middle of an intersection and the engine would die leaving me in the middle with no power. It would happen in parking lots and on the highway as well. It's been in the shop and had the recall completed in november/December. I was told that would solve the issue. It was dropped off at my house after that, and I still was getting the same issues. I was riding around and it still died on me. I almost was hit more than once while trying to turn through intersections. I was within inches of having other vehicles hit me. Polaris and Indian are not stepping up and solving the issue.
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
The bike in question has given multiple issues and safety concerns. I would ride and the bike would die. I would be in the middle of an intersection and the engine would die leaving me in the middle with no power. It would happen in parking lots and on the highway as well. It's been in the shop and had the recall completed in november/December. I was told that would solve the issue. It was dropped off at my house after that, and I still was getting the same issues. I was riding around and it still died on me. I almost was hit more than once while trying to turn through intersections. I was within inches of having other vehicles hit me. Polaris and Indian are not stepping up and solving the issue.
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Engine
Reports naming the engine itself — including stalling, misfires, oil consumption, cooling and internal engine components.
From owner reports, verbatim
The bike in question has given multiple issues and safety concerns. I would ride and the bike would die. I would be in the middle of an intersection and the engine would die leaving me in the middle with no power. It would happen in parking lots and on the highway as well. It's been in the shop and had the recall completed in november/December. I was told that would solve the issue. It was dropped off at my house after that, and I still was getting the same issues. I was riding around and it still died on me. I almost was hit more than once while trying to turn through intersections. I was within inches of having other vehicles hit me. Polaris and Indian are not stepping up and solving the issue.
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Powertrain (other)
Powertrain reports that are not specifically the engine or transmission — driveshafts, axles, transfer cases and differentials.
From owner reports, verbatim
The unit stalls upon startup, within minutes of takeoff from a start (both cold and warm), and even occasionally while riding and decelerating. Unsolicited stalling of unit creates unpredictable riding conditions and immediate loss of power and control while riding. Independent shop notated that the unit stalled on them both before and after a service (oil and plugs). Dealer may not admit but I witnessed numerous times from two different dealers in which they started it up in the back of the shop and I heard it stall on them as they were bringing it out to me. I have video of the unit stalling immediately after startup. Two dealers claim to have inspected and looked over unit but have failed to find the issue. I've received a round about explanation that they are acutely aware of this issue but they don't know what's causing it or how to fix. The unit had other erroneous electrical issues that seemed to have been mostly rectified through software updates. There is a current recall for the '22 chief darkhorse regarding a fuel pump issue that may cause stalling under numerous conditions. They are claiming my unit was not part of this recall, despite it having the exact symptoms of that recall.
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 .