U.S. public vehicle records

2003 Harley-Davidson FLHRI: complaints, problems and recalls

Explore the records behind recurring owner reports.

Key facts

3 owner complaints analyzed

0 distinct recall campaigns

22,919 mi median reported failure mileage

Scope: 2003 model year. Data updated: 2026-10-01 (October 1, 2026). 2 complaints include usable failure mileage. View data status.

This selection has limited data. It remains available for lookup but is excluded from search indexing.

Owner-reported patterns

Most common problems

Service Brakes, Hydraulic is the most frequently named component, appearing in 1 of 3 complaints (33.3%). A complaint can name multiple components.

Recurring terms in complaint narratives
Topic	Matching reports	Share of complaints
Braking behavior	1	33.3%

Topic matches use published keyword rules. They describe mentions, including negations or comparisons, and do not confirm a diagnosis. Read the matching rules.

Component breakdown

Number of unique complaints naming each component. Top eight shown.

Service Brakes, Hydraulic

Steering: Steering Wheel/Handle Bar

Unknown Or Other

Service Brakes, Hydraulic: 1; Steering: Steering Wheel/Handle Bar: 1; Unknown Or Other: 1

Reported problems by failure mileage

Complaint counts in mileage bands. These are not failure rates per vehicle or mile.

Under 25,000

25,000 to 49,999

50,000 to 74,999

75,000 to 99,999

100,000 to 149,999

150,000 and above

Under 25,000: 1; 25,000 to 49,999: 1; 50,000 to 74,999: 0; 75,000 to 99,999: 0; 100,000 to 149,999: 0; 150,000 and above: 0

Under 25,000 miles has the most reports with usable mileage (1). 1 complaints have missing, zero or invalid mileage.

Complaints over time

Year the complaint was filed, not the vehicle model year or incident year. The snapshot year is partial.

2005

2010

2026

2005: 1; 2010: 1; 2026: 1

Pattern summary

Service Brakes, Hydraulic leads the component reports. Braking behavior appears in 1 complaint narratives. Use these patterns to inspect individual reports and prepare questions for a mechanic.

Calculated from recorded counts. An AI narrative has not been published for this selection.

Examples from the source records

Examples provide context, not a representative sample or a verified diagnosis.

Owner report 10106351 · 2005-01-14 (January 14, 2005)

TRAVELING ALONG ON MY 2003 HARLEY DAVIDSON ROAD KING MOTOR CYCLE, LET OFF ON THE GAS AND IMMEDIATLY WENT INTO A SPEED WOBBLE. I LOST CONTROL AND CRASHED. *JB

Owner-reported narrative. 2,837 miles reported. Look up ODI 10106351 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10326236 · 2010-04-18 (April 18, 2010)

HARLEY DAVIDSON 2003 FLHRI TOURING MOTORCYCLE. NOTICED FLUID ALONG FRAME NEAR FLOORBOARD MOUNT FOR SOMETIME, WAS NOT SURE WERE IT WAS COMING FROM. ON A RIDE AND BRAKE PETAL WENT ALL THE WAY DOWN, REAR BRAKE FAILURE. BROUGHT BIKE HOME. I REMOVED THE EAR BRAKE LINE TO FIND IT HAD BEEN RUBBING AGAINST THE FRAME. HARLEY PUT A THIN PLASTIC SLEEVE IN THE AREA OF THE FRAME WHERE FLOORBOARD MOUNT IS. THE PROBLEM WAS LINE IS ROUTED AGAINST THIS AREA AND RUBBED RIGHT THROUGH METAL BRAKE LINE. BROUGHT TO AMERICAN HARLEY IN LEOMINSTER MASS. GOT NEW LINE AN…

Owner-reported narrative. 43,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10326236 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 11717375 · 2026-02-11 (February 11, 2026)

It has been over 90 days, and dealership has not submitted the transfer paperwork for my vehicle that I’ve purchased

Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 11717375 at NHTSA ↗

Recall history

0 distinct campaigns affect this selection. Announcement dates below are different from vehicle model years. A campaign may cover multiple years.

No recall campaigns are recorded in this snapshot.

Explore the data

Vehicle analysis explorer

Inspect model-year patterns, reported mileage, monthly activity and the evidence behind each signal.

Data completeness

3 unique complaints in this selection. Analysis snapshot: 2026-10-01.

66.7%Usable mileage2 / 3 records

100.0%Valid incident date3 / 3 records

100.0%Valid filing date3 / 3 records

100.0%Ordered incident and filing dates3 / 3 records

Missing, zero and invalid mileage is excluded. Dates after the snapshot are excluded. Examples are limited selections, not a representative sample.

Problems by model year

Model-wide comparison of the eight most reported components across the model. Cells show counts and shares within each model year. Open a cell for source examples.

From model yearThrough model year

Component complaint heatmap
Component	1997	2000	2001	2002	2003	2005	2006
Tires	1100.0% ODI 10762633 · 28,332 mi THE TIRE IS SEPARATING. THE TREAD IS LIFTING FROM THE CARCASS AND CORDS ARE VISIBLE AT 5,000 MILES. OTHERS HAVE HAD THE SAME PROBLEM, SEARCH FORUMS OR GOOGLE IT. Look up ODI 10762633 at NHTSA ↗	00.0% No examples available for this selection.	150.0% ODI 10243063 · 32,021 mi HAVE HAD TWO FAILURES ON METZELER 140/90 B16 MC 77H (75R005601) MOTORCYCLE TIRES. THE TREAD CRACKS AND SEPARATES FROM THE CORE OF THE TIRE WITH LESS THAN 3,000 MILES AND NO IMPACT DAMAGE TO TIRES. DOT XE48 A415 1306 (MGF 13TH WEEK OF 2006). MOUNTED NEW BY DEALER 10/12/2006. METZELER CLAIMS THE TIRES ARE FAILING IF UNDER INFLATED BY 5 LBS OR LESS. I KEPT A MAINT LOG OF WEEKLY AIR PRESSURES, THE TIRE SLOWLY STARTS LOOSING AIR EACH WEEK UNTIL THE TREAD SEPARATES ON THE FINAL WEEK BEFORE FAILURE (LOST 10 LBS OF AIR SUNDAY TO SUNDAY THE WEEK BE… Look up ODI 10243063 at NHTSA ↗	0Unavailable No examples available for this selection.	00.0% No examples available for this selection.	00.0% No examples available for this selection.	133.3% ODI 11424584 I felt the tail end of the Harley begin to lose traction and began to slow to pull off the highway onto the shoulder. The tire separated completely from the rim which cause me to lose all control of the steering. There are multiple instances - including 5 fatalities and 22 injuries on record - of the same Dunlop D402 tire I had on my Harley. No warnings whatsoever. Look up ODI 11424584 at NHTSA ↗
Electrical System	00.0% No examples available for this selection.	00.0% No examples available for this selection.	00.0% No examples available for this selection.	0Unavailable No examples available for this selection.	00.0% No examples available for this selection.	00.0% No examples available for this selection.	266.7% ODI 10201081 · 18,243 mi ELECTRICAL SHORT IN THE CLUTCH CABLE. WHILE ATTEMPTING TO START THE MOTORCYCLE IT CLICKS AS IF IT WAS A DIEING BATTERY. THE CLUTCH CABLE GETS HOT, IF THE CLUTCH CABLE IS MOVED SPARKS ARE GENERATED AT THE CONNECTION POINT BETWEEN THE CABLE AND THE CLUTCH HANDLE. CHECKING THE BATTERY SHOWS THAT IT IS FULLY CHARGED WITH 12.3 VDC. THIS IS THE SECOND INCIDENT CONERNING THE EXACT SAME PROBLEM. THE FIRST INCIDENT WAS IN MARCH 2007. THE SECOND INCIDENT WAS YESTERDAY 8/28/07. Look up ODI 10201081 at NHTSA ↗
Service Brakes, Hydraulic	00.0% No examples available for this selection.	00.0% No examples available for this selection.	150.0% ODI 567360 THE MOTORCYCLE'S FRONT BRAKE FAILED AND WAS REPAIRED SIX TIMES INCLUDING REPLACING MASTER CYLINDER BUT THE PROBLEM COULD NOT BE CORRECTED. *YH Look up ODI 567360 at NHTSA ↗	0Unavailable No examples available for this selection.	133.3% ODI 10326236 · 43,000 mi HARLEY DAVIDSON 2003 FLHRI TOURING MOTORCYCLE. NOTICED FLUID ALONG FRAME NEAR FLOORBOARD MOUNT FOR SOMETIME, WAS NOT SURE WERE IT WAS COMING FROM. ON A RIDE AND BRAKE PETAL WENT ALL THE WAY DOWN, REAR BRAKE FAILURE. BROUGHT BIKE HOME. I REMOVED THE EAR BRAKE LINE TO FIND IT HAD BEEN RUBBING AGAINST THE FRAME. HARLEY PUT A THIN PLASTIC SLEEVE IN THE AREA OF THE FRAME WHERE FLOORBOARD MOUNT IS. THE PROBLEM WAS LINE IS ROUTED AGAINST THIS AREA AND RUBBED RIGHT THROUGH METAL BRAKE LINE. BROUGHT TO AMERICAN HARLEY IN LEOMINSTER MASS. GOT NEW LINE AN… Look up ODI 10326236 at NHTSA ↗	00.0% No examples available for this selection.	00.0% No examples available for this selection.
Wheels	00.0% No examples available for this selection.	00.0% No examples available for this selection.	00.0% No examples available for this selection.	0Unavailable No examples available for this selection.	00.0% No examples available for this selection.	2100.0% ODI 10290961 · 39,000 mi A REAR WHEEL FAILURE HAPPENED TO MY WIFE AND ME ON JULY 10, 2009 ON US 20 ABOUT 10 MILES EAST OF AINSWORTH, NE. IT WAS ABOUT 6 PM AND WE WERE EASTBOUND TRAVELING AT 65 MPH WITH THE CRUISE CONTROL ON WHEN THE BACK END STARTED TO GYRATE, A LITTLE BECOMING A LOT WITHIN A SECOND OR TWO. THE BACK END OF THE BIKE STARTED COMING AROUND TO THE RIGHT ALMOST IMMEDIATELY AS IF IN A SKID ON ICE ALL THE TIME GYRATING BACK N? FORTH. THIS HAPPENED JUST AS THE HIGH WAY HAD A TURN TO THE RIGHT TO IT AND THERE WAS NO WAY I COULD MAKE THE CURVE AND STAY UPRIGHT. … Look up ODI 10290961 at NHTSA ↗	00.0% No examples available for this selection.
Electrical System:Ignition	00.0% No examples available for this selection.	00.0% No examples available for this selection.	00.0% No examples available for this selection.	0Unavailable No examples available for this selection.	00.0% No examples available for this selection.	00.0% No examples available for this selection.	133.3% ODI 10201081 · 18,243 mi ELECTRICAL SHORT IN THE CLUTCH CABLE. WHILE ATTEMPTING TO START THE MOTORCYCLE IT CLICKS AS IF IT WAS A DIEING BATTERY. THE CLUTCH CABLE GETS HOT, IF THE CLUTCH CABLE IS MOVED SPARKS ARE GENERATED AT THE CONNECTION POINT BETWEEN THE CABLE AND THE CLUTCH HANDLE. CHECKING THE BATTERY SHOWS THAT IT IS FULLY CHARGED WITH 12.3 VDC. THIS IS THE SECOND INCIDENT CONERNING THE EXACT SAME PROBLEM. THE FIRST INCIDENT WAS IN MARCH 2007. THE SECOND INCIDENT WAS YESTERDAY 8/28/07. Look up ODI 10201081 at NHTSA ↗
Electrical System:Starter Assembly	00.0% No examples available for this selection.	00.0% No examples available for this selection.	00.0% No examples available for this selection.	0Unavailable No examples available for this selection.	00.0% No examples available for this selection.	00.0% No examples available for this selection.	133.3% ODI 10201081 · 18,243 mi ELECTRICAL SHORT IN THE CLUTCH CABLE. WHILE ATTEMPTING TO START THE MOTORCYCLE IT CLICKS AS IF IT WAS A DIEING BATTERY. THE CLUTCH CABLE GETS HOT, IF THE CLUTCH CABLE IS MOVED SPARKS ARE GENERATED AT THE CONNECTION POINT BETWEEN THE CABLE AND THE CLUTCH HANDLE. CHECKING THE BATTERY SHOWS THAT IT IS FULLY CHARGED WITH 12.3 VDC. THIS IS THE SECOND INCIDENT CONERNING THE EXACT SAME PROBLEM. THE FIRST INCIDENT WAS IN MARCH 2007. THE SECOND INCIDENT WAS YESTERDAY 8/28/07. Look up ODI 10201081 at NHTSA ↗
Electrical System:Wiring	00.0% No examples available for this selection.	00.0% No examples available for this selection.	00.0% No examples available for this selection.	0Unavailable No examples available for this selection.	00.0% No examples available for this selection.	00.0% No examples available for this selection.	133.3% ODI 10201081 · 18,243 mi ELECTRICAL SHORT IN THE CLUTCH CABLE. WHILE ATTEMPTING TO START THE MOTORCYCLE IT CLICKS AS IF IT WAS A DIEING BATTERY. THE CLUTCH CABLE GETS HOT, IF THE CLUTCH CABLE IS MOVED SPARKS ARE GENERATED AT THE CONNECTION POINT BETWEEN THE CABLE AND THE CLUTCH HANDLE. CHECKING THE BATTERY SHOWS THAT IT IS FULLY CHARGED WITH 12.3 VDC. THIS IS THE SECOND INCIDENT CONERNING THE EXACT SAME PROBLEM. THE FIRST INCIDENT WAS IN MARCH 2007. THE SECOND INCIDENT WAS YESTERDAY 8/28/07. Look up ODI 10201081 at NHTSA ↗
Fuel System, Gasoline	00.0% No examples available for this selection.	1100.0% ODI 10230510 · 49,563 mi MAJOR FUEL LEAK FROM QUICK CONNECT CHECK VALVE ADAPTOR ON FUEL TANK AT THE FUEL HOSE CONNECTION. MANUFACTURER SUGGESTION FOR REPAIR IS TO REPLACE CHECK VALVE AND FUEL HOSES, 2 EACH. *TR Look up ODI 10230510 at NHTSA ↗	00.0% No examples available for this selection.	0Unavailable No examples available for this selection.	00.0% No examples available for this selection.	00.0% No examples available for this selection.	00.0% No examples available for this selection.

Darker cells indicate a larger share of submitted complaints. Components overlap. This measures complaint composition, not failure probability.

Failure mileage by component

Median and middle 50% of usable owner-reported mileages. Ranges require at least five records.

Component failure mileage distribution
Component	Mileage range (25th–75th percentile)	Median	Usable records	Examples
Service Brakes, Hydraulic	Too few reports for a range	43,000 mi	1 (sparse)	ODI 10326236 · 43,000 mi HARLEY DAVIDSON 2003 FLHRI TOURING MOTORCYCLE. NOTICED FLUID ALONG FRAME NEAR FLOORBOARD MOUNT FOR SOMETIME, WAS NOT SURE WERE IT WAS COMING FROM. ON A RIDE AND BRAKE PETAL WENT ALL THE WAY DOWN, REAR BRAKE FAILURE. BROUGHT BIKE HOME. I REMOVED THE EAR BRAKE LINE TO FIND IT HAD BEEN RUBBING AGAINST THE FRAME. HARLEY PUT A THIN PLASTIC SLEEVE IN THE AREA OF THE FRAME WHERE FLOORBOARD MOUNT IS. THE PROBLEM WAS LINE IS ROUTED AGAINST THIS AREA AND RUBBED RIGHT THROUGH METAL BRAKE LINE. BROUGHT TO AMERICAN HARLEY IN LEOMINSTER MASS. GOT NEW LINE AN… Look up ODI 10326236 at NHTSA ↗
Steering: Steering Wheel/Handle Bar	Too few reports for a range	2,837 mi	1 (sparse)	ODI 10106351 · 2,837 mi TRAVELING ALONG ON MY 2003 HARLEY DAVIDSON ROAD KING MOTOR CYCLE, LET OFF ON THE GAS AND IMMEDIATLY WENT INTO A SPEED WOBBLE. I LOST CONTROL AND CRASHED. *JB Look up ODI 10106351 at NHTSA ↗

Complaint and recall timeline

Explore monthly filing activity alongside recall announcements. Up to ten years of monthly history is available.

ComponentPeriod

Solid line: filed complaints. Dashed amber lines: recall announcement dates for this vehicle selection; markers include all recall components. The latest month is partial. Temporal proximity does not establish causation.

Monthly counts, recall campaigns and complaint examples

Monthly complaint and recall timeline
Month	Complaints	Campaigns announced	Examples
2024-11	0	None	No examples available for this selection.
2024-12	0	None	No examples available for this selection.
2025-01	0	None	No examples available for this selection.
2025-02	0	None	No examples available for this selection.
2025-03	0	None	No examples available for this selection.
2025-04	0	None	No examples available for this selection.
2025-05	0	None	No examples available for this selection.
2025-06	0	None	No examples available for this selection.
2025-07	0	None	No examples available for this selection.
2025-08	0	None	No examples available for this selection.
2025-09	0	None	No examples available for this selection.
2025-10	0	None	No examples available for this selection.
2025-11	0	None	No examples available for this selection.
2025-12	0	None	No examples available for this selection.
2026-01	0	None	No examples available for this selection.
2026-02	1	None	ODI 11717375 It has been over 90 days, and dealership has not submitted the transfer paperwork for my vehicle that I’ve purchased Look up ODI 11717375 at NHTSA ↗
2026-03	0	None	No examples available for this selection.
2026-04	0	None	No examples available for this selection.
2026-05	0	None	No examples available for this selection.
2026-06	0	None	No examples available for this selection.
2026-07	0	None	No examples available for this selection.
2026-08	0	None	No examples available for this selection.
2026-09	0	None	No examples available for this selection.
2026-10 (partial)	0	None	No examples available for this selection.

Emerging complaint spikes

Complete months in the latest six months with at least 10 complaints, at least twice the preceding 12-month average, and at least three square-root deviations above that average.

This is a descriptive screening rule, not a statistical defect finding. Publicity and reporting changes can increase submissions.

No complete months meet the spike thresholds for this selection.

Equal-age model-year comparison

Model-wide cumulative reports during the first three or five calendar years, starting with the model year (age 0). Only fully elapsed windows are compared.

Observation windowFirst model yearSecond model year

2005: 0 complaints · 2006: 1 complaints

Equal observation windows
Model year	Through age 0	Through age 1	Through age 2
2005	0	0	0
2006	0	1	1

Date coverage across each selected cohort

Date basis for all complaints in selected model years
Year	Incident dates used	Filing date fallbacks	Excluded dates
2005	2	0	0
2006	3	0	0

Incident date is preferred when valid and no later than filing; otherwise filing date is used. Model year approximates age. Equal observation time does not adjust for sales, distance driven or reporting delays. One complaint linked to multiple model years can appear in each cohort.

Components reported together

Each cell counts unique complaints naming both components. Open a nonzero cell for examples.

Component co-occurrence matrix
Component	Service Brakes, Hydraulic	Steering: Steering Wheel/Handle Bar	Unknown Or Other
Service Brakes, Hydraulic	—	0	0
Steering: Steering Wheel/Handle Bar	0	—	0
Unknown Or Other	0	0	—

Co-reporting does not establish that one component caused another concern.

Recurring narrative patterns

Specific keyword mentions beyond broad component labels. Matching includes negations and comparisons and does not confirm a diagnosis.

Search patterns

1 patterns with matching reports.

Brake response concerns

1 mentions · 33.3% of complaints

Median mileage: 43,000 mi (1 usable records).

ODI 10326236 · 43,000 mi

Look up ODI 10326236 at NHTSA ↗

Matching rule