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NHTSA recalls & complaints · 1995–2005

Harley-Davidson XL recalls, complaints and VIN decoding

NHTSA lists 2 recall campaigns and 7 owner complaints for the Harley-Davidson XL, covering model years 1995 to 2005. The 2005 model year drew the most complaints (3), and Visibility is the component owners name most often.

Source: NHTSA recall and complaint flat files, updated September 25, 2026.

Decode your Harley-Davidson XL VIN

See the model year, plant and build details of one vehicle, then the recalls for its exact year.

  • 2 recall campaigns on file
  • 7 owner complaints (unverified reports to NHTSA)
  • 6 model years with data (1995–2005)
  • most complaints: 2005 (3 for that model year)
  • top component: Visibility (2 complaints)
  • latest recall 04V465000 (reported Sep 30, 2004)
  • 0 complaints reporting a crash (0.0%)
  • 0 complaints reporting a fire (0.0%)
  • 0 complaints reporting an injury (0.0%)
  • 0 complaints reporting a death (0.0%)

Harley-Davidson XL complaints by model year

3 model years · NHTSA complaints

The 2005 model year has the most complaints: 3 of 7, or 42.9%. Next come 1998 (2) and 1999 (2).

Owner complaints per model yearHighest yearOther years
Harley-Davidson XL owner complaints to NHTSA by model year, 1998–2005Column chart of 7 complaints across 8 model years. The highest is 2005 with 3. The full figures are in the table below the chart.1998: 2 complaints219981999: 2 complaints219992000: 0 complaints20002001: 0 complaints20012002: 0 complaints20022003: 0 complaints20032004: 0 complaints20042005: 3 complaints32005
Harley-Davidson XL complaints by model year, with complaints reporting a crash, fire, injury or death
Harley-Davidson XL complaints by model year, with complaints reporting a crash, fire, injury or death
Model yearComplaintsReporting a crashReporting a fireReporting an injuryReporting a death
199820000
199920000
200530000
All model years70000

Crash, fire, injury and death columns count complaints that report at least one of them, not people.

Most-reported Harley-Davidson XL components

top 7 · NHTSA categories

Visibility is the component named most often, in 2 complaints (28.6% of all 7), followed by Electrical System (1) and Exterior Lighting (1).

Components named most often in Harley-Davidson XL complaints (top 7)
Components named most often in Harley-Davidson XL complaints (top 7)
ComponentComplaintsShare of complaints
Visibility228.6%
Electrical System114.3%
Exterior Lighting114.3%
Fuel System, Gasoline114.3%
Latches/Locks/Linkages114.3%
Suspension114.3%
Unknown or Other114.3%

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.

Harley-Davidson XL recalls

2 campaigns · newest first

Every vehicle recall campaign NHTSA lists under the model name XL, newest first. The 2 campaigns cover model years 1995 to 2005. 4 model years tie for the most campaigns (1 each).

  • 2 recall campaigns
Harley-Davidson XL recall campaigns covering each model year
DecadeYears ending in 0Years ending in 1Years ending in 2Years ending in 3Years ending in 4Years ending in 5Years ending in 6Years ending in 7Years ending in 8Years ending in 9
1995: 1 campaign1996: 1 campaign1997: 1 campaign1998: no campaigns1999: no campaigns
2000: no campaigns2001: no campaigns2002: no campaigns2003: no campaigns2004: no campaigns2005: 1 campaign
Highlighted: the model years with the most campaigns.

  1. NHTSA campaign 04V465000

    Reported

    Fuel System, Gasoline › Storage › Tank Assembly

    Model year 2005

    On certain motorcycles, a condition occurs that could allow pressure to build up in the fuel tank. On fuel injected vehicles, this condition could cause fuel to spray out unexpectedly when the fuel cap is removed. On carbureted vehicles, excessive fuel could be transferred to the carburetor, which would eventually allow fuel to drip from the air cleaner.

    Consequence:
    These situations could cause serious personal injury or create a fire hazard for persons or property on or near the motorcycle.
    Remedy:
    Dealers will test each canister for blockage, then replace as necessary. The recall began November 4, 2004. Owners should contact Harley-Davidson at 1-414-343-4056.

    Filed by Harley-Davidson Motor Company

  2. NHTSA campaign 96V204000

    Reported

    Fuel System, Gasoline › Fuel Injection System

    Model years 1995–1997

    The effects of reformulated gasoline along with certain usage of the fuel supply valve affects the supply of gasoline to the carburetor. This condition requires two factors: (1) the use of reformulated fuels containing mbte and (2) starting the motorcycle with the fuel valve handle in the off position.

    Consequence:
    This condition can cause the fuel flow to be unpredictable thus causing the engine to shut down increasing the risk of a motorcycle accident.
    Remedy:
    Dealers the replace the diaphragm in the fuel valve.

    Filed by Harley-Davidson Motor Company

Recall text is shown as NHTSA publishes it; older campaigns, which NHTSA stores in capital letters, are shown in sentence case. NHTSA’s Vehicle Safety Hotline, 1-888-327-4236, also answers recall questions.

How to read this recall list

This list shows every safety recall campaign NHTSA has on file for this make, model and model year. It is not specific to one vehicle: a recall often covers only vehicles built in a certain date range or with a certain part, and many of the vehicles it covers will already have been repaired.

What each recall field means
What each recall field means
FieldWhat it tells you
Campaign numberNHTSA's unique ID for the recall, such as 20V771000. Quote it to a dealer or when searching NHTSA's site.
ComponentThe system or part involved, for example air bags, brakes or electrical software.
SummaryWhat the defect or non-compliance is and which vehicles are covered.
ConsequenceThe safety risk if the problem isn't fixed.
RemedyWhat the manufacturer will do, such as a repair, replacement or software update, and whether it is free.
  • Some recalls carry an NHTSA consumer advisory, “Do Not Drive” or “Park Outside”. Follow it until the repair is done.
  • A single campaign often covers several models or model years, so the same campaign number can appear in more than one list.
  • Recalls are shown as NHTSA publishes them. Very recent campaigns may take time to appear.

Does your vehicle have an open recall? Only a VIN check can tell you. Enter the VIN at NHTSA's recall lookup (opens in a new tab) or on the manufacturer's website. Our VIN recall check guide explains what each option covers.

Harley-Davidson XL questions

5 questions

How many recalls does the Harley-Davidson XL have?

NHTSA lists 2 vehicle recall campaigns for the Harley-Davidson XL, covering model years 1995 to 2005. The most recent, 04V465000, was reported on September 30, 2004 and is filed under “Fuel system, gasoline”.

Which Harley-Davidson XL model year has the most complaints?

The 2005 model year, with 3 of the 7 complaints in NHTSA’s file (42.9%). The next are 1998 (2) and 1999 (2). 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 XL complaint?

Visibility is the component named most often: 2 complaints, or 28.6% of all 7. Electrical System (1) and Exterior Lighting (1) follow. Complaints are unverified reports from owners, not confirmed defects, and one complaint can name several components.

Does every recall on this page apply to my Harley-Davidson XL?

Not necessarily. Each campaign lists specific model years, and many cover only vehicles built in a certain period or fitted with a certain part; repairs already carried out aren’t shown. To see whether a recall is open on your vehicle, enter its VIN at NHTSA’s recall lookup (opens in a new tab) or ask a Harley-Davidson dealer.

How many Harley-Davidson XL complaints report a crash, fire, injury or death?

Of the 7 complaints, 0 report a crash, 0 a fire, 0 at least one injury and 0 at least one death. These figures count complaints, not people, and each complaint is the submitter’s own unverified account.

Other Harley-Davidson models

8 models · most complaints first

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.

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.