NHTSA recalls & complaints · 2012–2022

Harley-Davidson XL883N recalls, complaints and VIN decoding

NHTSA lists 2 recall campaigns and 9 owner complaints for the Harley-Davidson XL883N, covering model years 2012 to 2022. The 2012, 2019 and 2021 model years drew the most complaints (2 each), and Electrical System is the component owners name most often.

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

Decode your Harley-Davidson XL883N VIN

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

2 recall campaigns on file
9 owner complaints (unverified reports to NHTSA)
7 model years with data (2012–2022)

most complaints: 2012, 2019, 2021 (2 for that model year)
top component: Electrical System (3 complaints)
latest recall 22V160000 (reported Mar 16, 2022)

2 complaints reporting a crash (22.2%)
0 complaints reporting a fire (0.0%)
2 complaints reporting an injury (22.2%)
0 complaints reporting a death (0.0%)

Harley-Davidson XL883N complaints by model year

6 model years · NHTSA complaints

The 2012, 2019 and 2021 model years share the highest count, 2 complaints each. Next come 2016 (1) and 2017 (1). The fewest are for 2020, with 1 complaint.

Owner complaints per model yearHighest yearOther years

Harley-Davidson XL883N complaints by model year, with complaints reporting a crash, fire, injury or death

Harley-Davidson XL883N complaints by model year, with complaints reporting a crash, fire, injury or death
Model year	Complaints	Reporting a crash	Reporting an injury
2012	2	0	0
2016	1	0	0
2017	1	1	1
2019	2	0	0
2020	1	0	0
2021	2	1	1
All model years	9	2	2

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

Most-reported Harley-Davidson XL883N components

top 7 · NHTSA categories

Electrical System is the component named most often, in 3 complaints (33.3% of all 9), followed by Service Brakes (2) and Engine (1).

Components named most often in Harley-Davidson XL883N complaints (top 7)

Components named most often in Harley-Davidson XL883N complaints (top 7)
Component	Complaints	Share of complaints
Electrical System	3	33.3%
Service Brakes	2	22.2%
Engine	1	11.1%
Exterior Lighting	1	11.1%
Fuel/Propulsion System	1	11.1%
Power Train	1	11.1%
Vehicle Speed Control	1	11.1%

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 XL883N recalls

2 campaigns · newest first

Every vehicle recall campaign NHTSA lists under the model name XL883N, newest first. The 2 campaigns cover model years 2019 to 2022. The 2021 model year appears in the most campaigns (2).

2 recall campaigns

Harley-Davidson XL883N recall campaigns covering each model year
2019: 1 campaign	2020: 1 campaign	2021: 2 campaigns	2022: 1 campaign

Highlighted: the model year with the most campaigns.

NHTSA campaign 22V160000
Reported Mar 16, 2022
Equipment › Other › Labels; Service Brakes, Hydraulic › Fluid
Model years 2021–2022
Harley-Davidson Motor Company (Harley-Davidson) is recalling certain 2021-2022 XL1200X, XL883N, and 2021 XL1200NS XL Sportster motorcycles. The brake fluid warning labels may detach from the brake fluid reservoir caps. As such, these motorcycles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard number 122, "Motorcycle Brake Systems."
Consequence:
Missing brake fluid warning labels may lead to improper brake system maintenance, affecting brake performance and increasing the risk of a crash.
Remedy:
Harley-Davidson will mail replacement labels to owners, free of charge. Owners may also take their motorcycles to a dealer for label inspection and replacement, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed April 4, 2022. Harley's number for this recall is 0632.
Filed by Harley-Davidson Motor Company
NHTSA campaign 21V225000
Reported Mar 31, 2021
Exterior Lighting › Headlights › Bulbs
Model years 2019–2021
Harley-Davidson Motor Company (Harley-Davidson) is recalling certain 2019-2021 Sportster (XL) motorcycles and 796 headlight assemblies that may have been sold as replacement parts for 2005-2019 Sportster, 2005-2017 Softail, 2005-2017 Dyna, and 2005-2011 V-Rod motorcycles. The glass bulb within the headlight assembly may fail, causing a loss of both high and low beams.
Consequence:
A loss of both headlight beams can reduce visibility and increase the risk of a crash.
Remedy:
Harley-Davidson will notify owners, and dealers will install a headlamp bulb shield, free of charge. The recall began April 15, 2021. Owners may contact Harley-Davidson customer service at 1-800-258-2464. Harley-Davidson's number for this recall is 0177.
Filed by Harley-Davidson Motor Company

Recall text is shown as NHTSA publishes it. 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
Field	What it tells you
Campaign number	NHTSA's unique ID for the recall, such as 20V771000. Quote it to a dealer or when searching NHTSA's site.
Component	The system or part involved, for example air bags, brakes or electrical software.
Summary	What the defect or non-compliance is and which vehicles are covered.
Consequence	The safety risk if the problem isn't fixed.
Remedy	What 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 XL883N questions

5 questions

How many recalls does the Harley-Davidson XL883N have?

NHTSA lists 2 vehicle recall campaigns for the Harley-Davidson XL883N, covering model years 2012 to 2022. The most recent, 22V160000, was reported on March 16, 2022 and is filed under “Equipment”. The 2021 model year is covered by the most campaigns (2).

Which Harley-Davidson XL883N model year has the most complaints?

The 2012, 2019 and 2021 model years tie, with 2 complaints each out of 9. The next are 2016 (1) and 2017 (1). 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 XL883N complaint?

Electrical System is the component named most often: 3 complaints, or 33.3% of all 9. Service Brakes (2) and Engine (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 XL883N?

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 XL883N complaints report a crash, fire, injury or death?

Of the 9 complaints, 2 report a crash, 0 a fire, 2 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.

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.

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 codes Look 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.