2000 Indian Chief Owner Complaints

HORN DOESNT WORK,CHARGING SYSTEM DOESNT WORK,WINDSHIELD COMES LOSE. *LA

NHTSA ID

10041630

Incident

Sep 1, 2003

Mileage

6,000 mi

THE MOTORCYCLE HAS MULTIPLE PROBLEM S. THE WINDSHIELD IS LOOSE /THE CHARGER WILL NOT CHARGE AT ALL/BATTERY HAS LOW CELL, AND BRAKES WILL NOT HOLD AT ALL. *AK

NHTSA ID

10040434

Incident

Sep 23, 2003

CONSUMER STATES THAT T BRAKES HAVE EXTENDED STOPPING DISTANCE. DEALER NOTIFIED.*AK

NHTSA ID

10031487

Incident

Jun 14, 2003

THE CONSUMER RECEIVED RECALL NOTICE #03V039000 SUBJECT: VOLTAGE REGULATOR. THE CONSUMER CALLED KERRY FORD ON 4/28/2003 WHO STATED THAT THE PARTS HAD TO BE ORDERED. THE CONSUMER HAD NOT RECEIVED A CALL FROM KERRY FORD ON THE DATE WHEN THE RECALLED PARTS SHOULD HAVE BEEN AVAILABLE. *NLM

NHTSA ID

10020475

WHEN THE BRAKES ARE APPLIED, THE TURN SIGNALS FLASH THREE TIMES. WHILE THEY ARE FLASHING, THE TURN SIGNALS CAN NOT BE TURNED ON WHICH CAUSED ME TO BE STRUCK IN THE SIDE WHILE MAKING A LEFT TURN. *JB

NHTSA ID

10016418

Incident

Sep 9, 2000

Mileage

3,500 mi

THE CONSUMER RECEIVED A RECALL REGARDING THE VOLTAGE REGULATOR. THE CONSUMER STATED HE RECEIVED POOR CUSTOMER SERVICE. *JB

NHTSA ID

10014973

THE ENGINE WAS REPLACED LAST YEAR FOR A LEAK, THE PROBLEM RECURRED. *JB

NHTSA ID

10014791

Incident

Mar 31, 2003

CONSUMER WAS UNABLE TO GET THE RECALL PERFORMED REGARDING THE WHEEL AND HANDLE BAR.*JB

NHTSA ID

10009469

Incident

Sep 15, 2002

CONSUMER STATES THAT WHILE DRIVING AT HIGHWAY SPEED THE HEADLIGHTS SUDDENLY DIED. TOOK TO DEALER AND THEY CHANGED THE BULB. DEALER STATED THERE IS A SHORTAGE IN THE ELECTRICAL SYSTEM. THREE WEEKS LATER LIGHTS SHORTED OUT AGAIN. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY FURTHER INFORMATION. MR

NHTSA ID

8021163

Incident

Sep 18, 2002

THE CONSUMER IS CONCERN HE RECEIVE A RECALL NOTICED FOR THE HANDLE BAR. MAY 31 2001. THE DEALERSHIP HAS NO PARTS AVAILABLE. INDIAN MOTORCYCLE 200 EAST TENTH STREET GILROY CA 95020 #FOR JUDY WOODS 408 846 7228 COMPANY 408 846 7228. MR

NHTSA ID

8021158

Incident

May 31, 2002

CONSUMER STATES WHILE DRIVING DOWN THE HIGHWAY VEHICLE HEADLIGHTS SUDDENLY DIED. TOOK TO DEALER AND DEALER STATED THERE WAS A SHORTAGE. MR

NHTSA ID

8021155

Incident

Oct 18, 2002

WAITING 4 MONTHS FOR DEALERS OF INDIAN TO "GET PARTS FROM INDIAN" - STILL HAVE NOT RECEIVED NOTICE.. NOTIFIED INDIAN PERSONEL IN GILROY, NO CALL BACK YET. TS

NHTSA ID

767820

CONSUMER RECEIVED RECALL 02V124000 FOR SHOCK ABSORBERS. WHEN HE TOOK IT IN ON OR ABOUT JULY 2, 2002, WAS TOLD BY MECHANIC THAT THEY DID NOT HAVE THE PART TO REPAIR RECALL. THEN LEFT, AND RETURNED AGAIN FOR THE SECOND TIME ON OR ABOUT AUG 16, 02, AND WAS ALSO TOLD THAT THEY DID NOT HAVE THE PART TO REPAIR THE RECALL. ALSO, WAS TOLD BY MECHANIC THAT HE DID NOT KNOW WHEN WOULD BE RECEIVING THE PART. DEALER, INDIAN MOTOR OF PORTLAND ON 13844 S.E MCLOUGHLIN BLVD. MILWAUKEE, OR 97222 (503) 654 1017.*AK

NHTSA ID

8017717

Incident

Jul 15, 2002

MOTORCYCLE REAR WHEEL LOCKED UP AT 40 MPH WENT INTO A SKID AND I WAS ALMOST HIT BY THE VEHICLE BEHIND ME. TRANSMISSION FAILED. INDIAN MOTORCYCLE REPLACED TRANS TO CORRECT PROBLEM. NEW TRANS INSTALLED AND DOES NOT SHIFT PROPERLY....FRONT SUSPENSION DIVES WHEN BRAKING AND WOBBLES LEFT TO RIGHT AT 65-70 MPH IN GRADUAL TURNS UNSTABLE AND I HAVE TO SLOW DOWN TO REGAIN CONTROL OF THE MOTORCYCLE. THIS PROBLEM HAS BEEN IN FOR REPAIR 5 TIMES AND HAS NOT BEEN CORRECTED. VEHICLE IS UNSAFE TO DRIVE.KICKSTAND HAS BEEN REPLACED 4 TIMES.KICK STAND AND FLOORBOARDS ARE MOUNTED TOO LOW ON THIS MOTORCYCLE KICKSTAND HITS PAVEMENT ON SHALLOW LEFT TURNS CAUSING THE BIKE TO JUMP UPRIGHT AND CONTROL OF THE TURN IS LOST. FLOORBOARD IS TOO LOW ON RIGHT SIDE OF BIKE CAUSING THE SAME PROBLEM AS DESCRIBED FOR KICKSTAND IN RIGHT TURNS.I WOULD LIKE THESE CONTROL AND TRANSMISSION DESIGNS INVESTIGATED THE GEOMETRY OF THIS BIKE IS WRONG AND INDIAN AUTHORIZED DEALERS HAVE NOT BEEN ABLE TO CORRECT THESE PROBLEMS.

NHTSA ID

765042

Incident

Jul 30, 2001

MOTORCYCLE REAR WHEEL LOCKED UP AT 40 MPH WENT INTO A SKID ALMOST HIT BY VEHICLE BEHIND ME TRANSMISSION REPLACED TO CORRECT PROBLEM. NEW TRANS INSTALLED AND DOES NOT SHIFT PROPERLY INDIAN MOTORCYCLE COMPANY REPLACED TRANS UNDER WARRANTY WITH A DIFFERENT TYPE OF TRANSMISSION -------- FRONT SUSPENSION DIVES WHEN BRAKING HAS BEEN REPAIRED 5 TIMES.STILL HAS THIS PROBLEM EVEN WORSE IS THAT THE FRONT END WOBBLES LEFT TO RIGHT AT 65-70MPH IN GRADUAL TURNS UNSTABLE HAVE TO SLOW DOWN TO REGAIN CONTROL OF MOTORCYCLE. *AK

NHTSA ID

765040

Incident

Jul 30, 2001

PARTS ARE NOT AVAILABLE FOR RECALL 02V144000 REPAIRS TO BE DONE. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY FURTHER INFORMATION.*AK

NHTSA ID

8014127

Incident

Apr 4, 2002

THE MOTORCYCLE "WOBBLES" SO BAD IT GOES OUT OF CONTROL.*AK

NHTSA ID

764098

AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS MOTORCYCLE WOULD STALL OUT AND DIE. DEALER HAS INSPECTED MOTORCYCLE. *AK THE REAR CYLINDER WAS DEFECTIVE AND CAUSED THE ENGINE MISFIRED AND STALL OUT SEVERAL TIMES AND THE ENGINE WAS REBUILT. THE DEALER REPLACED THE IGNITION MODULE AS A POSSIBLE CAUSE. *YH

NHTSA ID

8013596

Incident

Apr 1, 2001

CONSUMER FIRST CONTACTED DEALER IN MAY OF 2002, CONCERNING RECALL O2V124000. MANUFACTURER HAS NOT SENT PARTS TO DEALER. CONSUMER HAS CALLED INDIAN CO. NUMEROUS TIMES, WILL NOT RETURN HIS CALLS. *AK

NHTSA ID

8012602

Incident

May 15, 2002

PARTS TO RECALL 01V144000 IS AVAILABLE , BUT MANUFACTURER HAS NOT SENT THEM TO THE DEALERSHIP YET.*AK

NHTSA ID

8011858

BACK FENDER HAS CRACKED AND CONSUMER CAN HEAR A RATTLING NOISE WHILE RIDING. CAUSE UNKNOWN. DEALER NOTIFIED.*AK

NHTSA ID

8011819

Incident

May 17, 2002

INDIAN IS AWARE OF THESE PROBLEMS BUT FAILS TO REACT TO THEM. NO SAFETY DEFECT LISTED. *AK

NHTSA ID

760181

THIS MOTORCYCE IS ADVERTISED TO HAVE A SEAT HEIGHT OF 24.5" IT HAS ADJUSTABLE SHOCK ABSORBERS AND THE RIDE HEIGHT CAN BE VARIED A FEW INCHES HIGHER. THE PROBLEM IS THAT WHEN YOU ARE RIDING THE BIKE AND TURN RIGHT THE LEAN OF THE MOTORCYCLE WILL CAUSE THE OPERATORS RIGHT HAND SIDE FLOORBOARD REAR SUPPORT BRAKET TO SCRAPE THE GROUND. THIS IS THE LOCATION OF THE FOOT PEDAL CONTROL FOR THE REAR BRAKE. I HAVE HAD SEVERAL CLOSE CALLS WHERE THE BRAKET WOULD CATCH ON AN RREGULARITY IN THE PAVEMENT CAUSING THE BIKE TO JUMP AND ALMOST THROWING ME OFF. I COMPLAINED ABOUT IT AT THE FIRST AND SECOND SERVICE OF THE BIKE AND THE DEALER SIMPLY SET THE RIDE HEIGHT TO A HIGHER POSITION, THE BRACKET STILL. I HAVE HEARD THAT ONE RIDER WAS THROWN FROM HIS MOTORCYCLE AT 65 MPH BECAUSE OF THIS AND HE WON A LAWSUIT AGAINST THE MANUFACTURER. THE 1999 MODEL HAD 1100 PRODUCED AND THE FIRST HALF OF THE 2000 MODEL YEAR ABOUT 1250 HAVE THE SAME DEFECT. THE ENGINEERING FOR THE FLOORBOARD BRACKET IS A BAD DESIGN. THE MANUFACTURER HAS PRODUCED THREE FLOORBOARD RELOCATION KITS TO CORRECT THE PROBLEM AND MY DEALER HAS INDICATED IT WILL COST ME OVER $500 IN PARTS TO CORRECT. I FEEL THAT I SHOULD NOT HAVE TO PAY TO HAVE THEMANUFACTURER CORRECT SOMETHING THAT THEY ENGINEERED IMPROPERLY. THESE WERE $25,000 MOTORCYCLES AND THE ADVERTISING CLAIMS THE BEST ENGINEERING. THEY HAVE ALREADY DESIGNED KITS TO FIX THE PROBLEM WHICH PROVES THEY ARE AWARE THAT IT IS A SAFETY DEFECT THAT NEEDS CORRECTION. PLEASE STOP THE RIP-OFF AND KEEP US ON TWO WHEELS SAFE ALSO. P.S. THIS SITE NEEDS TO BE UPGRADED TO SERVE MOTORCYCLIST BETTER, IT APPEARS THAT YOU HAVE FORGOTTEN HOW MANY PEOPLE UTILIZE TWO WHEEL TRANSPORTATION IN THE QUESTIONAIRE. I WOULD ALSO LIKE TO FILE A MAJOR PROBLEM WITH THSE STINKING MIMINVANS WITH THE TAILLIGHTS MOUNTED UP HIGH. I CAN ONLY IMAGINE HOW MANY DEATHS THEY HAVE CAUSED, IT IS A SIMPLE OPTICAL ILLUSION WHEN DIRIVNG AT NIGHT THEY LOOK FURTHER AWAY BECAUSE THE LIGHTS ARE TOO HIGH.

NHTSA ID

757006

Incident

Dec 1, 2000

MOTORCYCLE SEEMS UNSTABLE ACCELERATING TO CHANGE LANES AND IN SWEEPING TURNS AT HIGHER SPEEDS. *AK

NHTSA ID

755196

Incident

Sep 30, 2000

FRONT END WOBBLES TO THE POINT OF LOSS OF CONTROL. FAST SPEED, OR CURVES MAKE IT WORSE.*AK

NHTSA ID

755160

Incident

May 6, 2000