NHTSA recalls & complaints · 1998–2002
Harley-Davidson Ultra Classic complaints and VIN decoding
NHTSA lists 34 owner complaints for the Harley-Davidson Ultra Classic from model years 1998 to 2002, and no vehicle recall campaigns filed under this model name. The 2001 model year drew the most complaints (10), and Electrical System is the component owners name most often.
Source: NHTSA recall and complaint flat files, updated September 25, 2026.
See the model year, plant and build details of one vehicle, then the recalls for its exact year.
- 34 owner complaints (unverified reports to NHTSA)
- 5 model years with data (1998–2002)
- most complaints: 2001 (10 for that model year)
- top component: Electrical System (10 complaints)
- 4 complaints reporting a crash (11.8%)
- 0 complaints reporting a fire (0.0%)
- 3 complaints reporting an injury (8.8%)
- 1 complaint reporting a death (2.9%)
The 2001 model year has the most complaints: 10 of 34, or 29.4%. Next come 1999 (9) and 2002 (9). The fewest are for 1998, with 2 complaints.
| Model year | Complaints | Reporting a crash | Reporting a fire | Reporting an injury | Reporting a death |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1998 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| 1999 | 9 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| 2000 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 2001 | 10 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 2002 | 9 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 1 |
| All model years | 34 | 4 | 0 | 3 | 1 |
Crash, fire, injury and death columns count complaints that report at least one of them, not people.
Electrical System is the component named most often, in 10 complaints (29.4% of all 34), followed by Engine and Engine Cooling (9) and Power Train (3).
| Component | Complaints | Share of complaints |
|---|---|---|
| Electrical System | 10 | 29.4% |
| Engine and Engine Cooling | 9 | 26.5% |
| Power Train | 3 | 8.8% |
| Wheels | 3 | 8.8% |
| Fuel System, Gasoline | 2 | 5.9% |
| Structure | 2 | 5.9% |
| Engine | 1 | 2.9% |
| Equipment | 1 | 2.9% |
| Fuel/Propulsion System | 1 | 2.9% |
| Suspension | 1 | 2.9% |
| Tires | 1 | 2.9% |
| Vehicle Speed Control | 1 | 2.9% |
One complaint can name several components, so the shares add up to more than 100%. Component names are NHTSA’s top-level categories.
What NHTSA owner complaints mean
These figures count complaints that vehicle owners and other members of the public have submitted to NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation. NHTSA uses complaints, together with other data, to spot safety issues that may warrant an investigation and to check whether existing recalls go far enough.
- They are reports, not findings. Each complaint is the submitter's own account. Its presence in the database does not mean NHTSA has confirmed a defect.
- Counts are not defect rates. The data doesn't say how many vehicles were sold, so a raw count can't tell you what share of vehicles had a problem.
- Popular models collect more complaints. A model sold in large numbers will usually gather more complaints than a rare one, simply because more people own it.
- One complaint can name several components. Totals by component can therefore add up to more than the number of complaints.
- Coverage starts in 1995. NHTSA's complaint file contains complaints received since January 1, 1995.
Use complaint patterns as a prompt for questions: whether a recall covers the issue, whether the vehicle you are considering has had the fix, and what a mechanic finds on inspection. For confirmed safety defects, see the recall list for this model.
Are there any recalls for the Harley-Davidson Ultra Classic?
NHTSA lists no vehicle recall campaigns filed under the model name Ultra Classic. NHTSA sometimes files versions of a model under other names, so check the brand’s other models too, and use NHTSA’s VIN lookup (opens in a new tab) for any particular vehicle.
Which Harley-Davidson Ultra Classic model year has the most complaints?
The 2001 model year, with 10 of the 34 complaints in NHTSA’s file (29.4%). The next are 1999 (9) and 2002 (9). Complaint counts also reflect how many vehicles of each year were sold and how long they have been on the road, so they are not a reliability ranking.
What is the most common Harley-Davidson Ultra Classic complaint?
Electrical System is the component named most often: 10 complaints, or 29.4% of all 34. Engine and Engine Cooling (9) and Power Train (3) follow. Complaints are unverified reports from owners, not confirmed defects, and one complaint can name several components.
How many Harley-Davidson Ultra Classic complaints report a crash, fire, injury or death?
Of the 34 complaints, 4 report a crash, 0 a fire, 3 at least one injury and 1 at least one death. These figures count complaints, not people, and each complaint is the submitter’s own unverified account.
The Harley-Davidson models with the most NHTSA complaints, and the Harley-Davidson VIN decoder with every Harley-Davidson model page, WMI code and VIN note.
- Harley-Davidson FLHTCU 1995–2019 · 14 recalls · 274 complaints
- Harley-Davidson FLHX 2006–2026 · 16 recalls · 184 complaints
- Harley-Davidson FLHTK 2010–2023 · 12 recalls · 161 complaints
- Harley-Davidson FLHTCUI 1995–2007 · 4 recalls · 108 complaints
- Harley-Davidson FLHTC 1995–2013 · 8 recalls · 94 complaints
- Harley-Davidson XG750 2015–2019 · 4 recalls · 88 complaints
- Harley-Davidson FLHR 1995–2022 · 12 recalls · 87 complaints
- Harley-Davidson FLHTCUTG 2009–2025 · 8 recalls · 87 complaints
All Harley-Davidson models and WMI codesLook up recalls by year
Data: NHTSA recalls and complaints flat files, updated September 25, 2026. Recall campaigns are vehicle (V) campaigns listed for this model name; complaints are counted once per NHTSA ODI number and model year.