RoadVitals

2022 Indian Chief

Recalls, owner-reported complaints, investigations and safety data

Data refreshed

Owner complaintsComplaints are reports submitted to NHTSA by owners and drivers. NHTSA does not verify most reports before publishing them, and a complaint does not establish that a defect exists. Volume is influenced by how many of a vehicle were sold, how long it has been on the road, and how much attention an issue has received.
2
Latest Mar 30, 2026
Safety recallsA safety recall is issued when a manufacturer or NHTSA determines that a vehicle has a safety-related defect or does not comply with a federal motor vehicle safety standard. Recall repairs are free. Whether a specific vehicle is covered depends on its VIN — a recall listed for a model year does not necessarily apply to every vehicle of that year.
2
Latest Dec 29, 2022
InvestigationsNHTSA opens an investigation to examine whether a safety defect may exist. An open investigation is not a determination that a defect exists, and many investigations close without a recall. Investigations can, however, lead to one.
0
Crash or fire reportedComplaints whose submitter recorded that a crash or a fire occurred. These are the reporter's own answers on the NHTSA form, not verified findings.
0

Overview

Our database contains 2 NHTSA owner-reported complaints for the 2022 Indian Chief, most frequently naming the body & structure, electrical and engine categories. 2 safety recalls have been issued covering this model year; and 24 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.

What owners report

Complaints grouped by the component NHTSA recorded

  • Body & structure133.3%
  • Electrical133.3%
  • Engine133.3%

Percentages are of component mentions. A single complaint can name more than one component, so these do not sum to the total complaint count.

Safety recalls

2 campaigns cover this model year

Recalls apply to specific vehicles, not to every vehicle of a model year. Check your VIN with NHTSA or your manufacturer's dealer to confirm whether a recall affects your vehicle.

Check a VIN on NHTSA.gov
22V957000

STRUCTURE:MOTORCYCLE:KICKSTAND/CENTER STAND

Dec 29, 2022
4,653 units potentially affected
The defect: Indian Motorcycle Company (Indian) is recalling certain 2022 Chief, Chief Bobber, Chief Bobber Darkhorse, Chief Darkhorse, Super Chief, and Super Chief Limited motorcycles. The kickstand may not properly retract upon ground contact when left extended while riding. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard number 123, "Motorcycle Controls and Displays."
The risk: A kickstand that does not properly retract can increase the risk of a crash.
The remedy: Dealers will replace the kickstand, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed February 17, 2023. Owners may contact Indian customer service at 1-877-204-3697. Indian's number for this recall is I-23-01.
Indian Motorcycle CompanyManufacturer number I-23-01View on NHTSA.gov
22V837000

FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:DELIVERY:FUEL PUMP

Nov 11, 2022
7,812 units potentially affected
The defect: Indian Motorcycle Company (Indian) is recalling certain 2021-2022 Scout, Scout Bobber Sixty, Scout Bobber, Scout Icon, Scout Sixty, Scout Bobber Twenty, Scout Bobber Icon, 2022 Scout Rogue Sixty, Chief, Chief Bobber, Chief Bobber Dark Horse, Chief Dark Horse, Scout Rogue, Super Chief, and Super Chief Limited motorcycles. The fuel pump may fail while riding.
The risk: Fuel pump failure can cause an engine stall, increasing the risk of a crash.
The remedy: Dealers will replace the fuel pump and the fuel pump seal, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed December 6, 2022. Owners may contact Indian customer service at 1-877-204-3697. Indian's number for this recall is I-22-06.
Indian Motorcycle CompanyManufacturer number I-22-06View on NHTSA.gov

Recent owner complaints

Reports submitted to NHTSA, shown in the owner's own words

Body & structure
Filed Mar 30, 2026

The motorcycle has developed corrosion and rust on all bolts and exposed metal. There is rust and corrosion coming through the paint and powder coat, including on the frame in the recesses and bolt holes where the frame is bolted together; threads inside the frame where foot pegs and floor boards and accessories are installed; the shock mounts. I called Indian/Polaris about the issues and was told to take the motorcycle to a dealership so a case could be opened. Indian/Polaris denied any warranty work for being "to far outside warranty". The motorcycle has always been kept in an enclosed garage and cleaned and maintained. The rust and corrosion are not from environmental issues, the rust and corrosion are on the metal and coming through the paint. Frame corrosion is a safety hazard. There are several report and complaints with pictures from other Indian Chief owners on social media sites and forums. Because of the maximum number of files, I will attach the report I received from the local dealership and nine of the pictures I have taken. I have others pictures.

NHTSA ID
11728076
Incident
Jan 4, 2025
ElectricalEngine
Filed Dec 29, 2022

At 70mph on I-95 in the outside lane between Rt 50 and Rt 46 in Titusville FL, the vehicle tipover sensor triggered causing the motorcycle to engine to shut down. The roads were clear and dry, it was night time with no streetlights. The motorcycle immediately began to slow down, causing cars to veer around us as we coasted off the road and onto the shoulder. We were able to clear the alert and get the motorcycle to our FL residence (We winter in FL, reside in MA). On the way home, it triggered two more times, but we were on surface roads with light traffic and were able to safely stop the motorcycle. The motorcycle was subsequently trailered to the closest Indian dealer (Daytona Beach, FL), where they have diagnosed some electrical issues, but have no cause or resolution to the triggered tipover sensor. The warning lamp had triggered twice previously, without shutting the motorcycle down, and both times the dealer (different dealer in Worcester, MA) said it was operator error, that I must have touched the kickstand while coming to a stop. This third event was the first where it shut down. The warning lamp illuminated for several seconds before the shutdown event occurred. I am aware of the fuel pump recall and am still awaiting parts for this repair. The dealer has confirmed that this is not a fuel pump failure event.

NHTSA ID
11499309
Incident
Dec 8, 2022

Manufacturer communications

A bulletin sent by a manufacturer to its dealers. Not a recall, and repairs are not necessarily free.

IND-10.3.2025-2

ENGINE

This Ask Polaris article provides details for troubleshooting and remediation of model year 2022+ Chief motorcycles that exhibit a whistling noise coming from the engine or intake tract during operation.

I-22-09-01 (R02)

ENGINE

Indian Motorcycles is releasing a guide to aid in misfire diagnosis on heavyweight air and liquid cooled motorcycles. This Team Tip provides additional details on the systems and components that may contribute to misfire or runabillity concern, along with how to repair them.

IND-05-08-2025

POWER TRAIN

This Indian motorcycle help center article provides information regarding belt inspection and tension adjustment for model year 2022-2025 Indian Chief motorcycles.

IND-04.22.2025

POWER TRAIN

This Indian Motorcycle help center article provides information regarding maintenance and adjustment of the clutch lever on model year 2022+ Indian Chief Motorcycles.

IND-03.25.2025

ENGINE

This Indian Motorcycle help center article provides information regarding changing the engine oil on 2022+ Chief motorcycles.

ISA-24-01

SUSPENSION

Indian Motorcycle found that some 2022 and 2023 Chief models can exhibit a noise in the front of the motorcycle when operating slowly on rough or bumpy road conditions. The sound can be difficult to properly diagnose as it may resemble a metallic clicking in the front headlight area. The sound is coming from the rebound check valve within the front suspension and occurs when switching between compression and rebound. To address this, Indian Motorcycle has released this Service Advisory with instructions to install a new fork service kit that has an updated rebound check valve to correct the noise. This Service Advisory replaces ISA-21-01.

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.

Compare model years

Complaint and recall counts across every year of this model

Indian Chief by model year
YearComplaintsRecallsInvestigationsIssue Index
2025000—
2024000—
2023000—
2022Viewing220—
2021000—
2020000—
2019010—
2018030—
2017220—
2016010—
2015110—
2014020—
2013010—
2012010—
2003220—
2002441—
2001102141.7
2000404256.4
1999942—

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.