NHTSA safety investigation
NHTSA Investigation PE02083
Preliminary Evaluation · Harley-Davidson Motor Company · VISIBILITY
An investigation is not a finding that a defect exists.
NHTSA 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.
What NHTSA is examining
The agency's own description of the inquiry, quoted as published
REAR VIEW MIRROR STEM FAILURES
PROMPTED BY THE REFERENCED OWNER COMPLAINT, ODI OPENED THIS PE AFTER DETERMINING THAT HARLEY DAVIDSON DEALERS HAD FREQUENTLY REPLACED THE ORIGINAL EQUIPMENT (OE) MIRRORS ON 2002 SPORTSTER 1200 CUSTOM MODEL MOTORCYCLES BECAUSE OF STEM FRACTURES ON THE MIRROR ASSEMBLY.THE STEMBEING THE TUBULAR STRUCTURE WHICH CONNECTS THE ACTUAL MIRROR HEAD ASSEMBLY TO THE MOTORCYCLE.THE SINGLE CRASH ALLEGATION HAS NOT BEEN CONFIRMED.OF THE TWO INJURIES, ONE OCCURRED WHEN THE SEPARATED MIRROR STRUCK THE OPERATOR.THE OTHER OCCURRED DURING THE UNCONFIRMED CRASH. SUBSEQUENTLY, HARLEY DAVIDSON NOTIFIED THE AGENCY THAT IT WAS RECALLING THE SUBJECT MOTORCYCLES TO ADDRESS THE STEM FAILURES.
An investigation is a separate record from a recall and from a manufacturer communication. A manufacturer campaign to repair a safety defect or a failure to meet a federal safety standard.
Investigation details
Identifiers, dates and outcome as recorded by NHTSA
- Action number
- PE02083
- Investigation type
- Preliminary Evaluation (PE)
- Status
- Closed
- Manufacturer
- Harley-Davidson Motor Company
- Component
- VISIBILITY
- Opened
- Nov 12, 2002
- Closed
- Feb 26, 2003
- Associated recall campaign
- 03V058000
Vehicles named in this investigation
4 model years across 1 model
Being named here means NHTSA included the vehicle in the scope of its inquiry. It is not a statement that these vehicles have a defect.