NHTSA vehicle safety data

2004 Buell XB12S Recalls & Complaints

The 2004 Buell XB12S has 1 NHTSA recall campaign and 7 owner complaints on file as of November 3, 2026. Recall repairs are usually free at an authorized Buell dealer.

NHTSA recall and complaint data for the 2004 Buell XB12S. Recall data is refreshed daily from NHTSA.

2004 Buell XB12S owner complaints

Owners have filed 7 complaints with NHTSA about the 2004 Buell XB12S, describing incidents dated March 1, 2004 to May 26, 2007.

Most-cited components

Exterior Lighting 5 complaints
Electrical System 2 complaints

Newest complaints

ODI #10191922 · Filed May 29, 2007
2004 BUELL XB12R. POOR LIGHTING DUE TO DETERIORATION OF INSIDE REFLECTOR. *TR
ODI #10183299 · Filed February 22, 2007
HEADLIGHTS BECOME DIMMER AND DIMMER, BULBS OK, CHROME FINISH ON INSIDE OF HEADLIGHT HOUSINGS COMES OFF SO BULBS DO NOT REFLECT MAKING NIGHT DRIVING DANGEROUS. BUELL CHAT SITES CONFIRM OTHERS WITH XBR MODELS HAVING SAME FAILURES. *JB
ODI #10183164 · Filed February 21, 2007
HEADLIGHT ON BUELL MOTORCYCLES "R" MODELS (2004 TO CURRENT YEAR) DEGRADES OVER TIME. THE REFLECTIVE COATING MATERIAL IN THE HEADLIGHT HOUSING DEGRADES AND TURNS TO POWDER AND CAUSES THE HEADLIGHT TO BE UN-USEFUL. THE DEGRADE IS CAUSE BY HEAT FROM THE HEADLIGHT. FAILURE ISN'T CORRECTED AS OF TODAY…

Read all 7 complaints

BUELL/HORN WIRING

NHTSA #03V494000 · Electrical System — Horn · NHTSA notice

Reported December 2, 2003 · BUELL MOTORCYCLE CO.

Potentially affected: 581 vehicles

Buell campaign 0828 · Owners notified December 23, 2003 · Vehicles built June 23, 2003 – August 27, 2003 (per NHTSA)

Defect description

ON CERTAIN MOTORCYCLES, THE WIRE THAT PROVIDES POWER TO THE HORN, DUE TO MISROUTING, CAN BECOME FRAYED FROM CONTACT WITH THE HORN BRACKET MOUNTING BOLT. AS A RESULT, THE HORN WIRE MAY BECOME EXPOSED, AND WHEN THE HORN BUTTON IS PUSHED, EITHER THE HORN CIRCUIT FUSE OR THE KEY SWITCH FUSE CAN BLOW.

Safety consequence

IF THE KEY SWITCH FUSE BLOWS, THE VEHICLE CAN STALL, WHICH COULD RESULT IN A CRASH. IF THE HORN FUSE BLOWS, THERE WILL BE A LOSS OF POWER TO THE HORN AND REAR BRAKE LIGHT.

Manufacturer remedy

DEALERS WILL INSPECT AND CORRECT THE WIRE ROUTING, IF NECESSARY. OWNER NOTIFICATION BEGAN ON DECEMBER 23, 2003. OWNERS SHOULD CONTACT BUELL AT 1-414-342-4680.

Notes

CUSTOMERS CAN ALSO CONTACT THE NATIONAL HIGHWAY TRAFFIC SAFETY ADMINISTRATION'S AUTO SAFETY HOTLINE AT 1-888-DASH-2-DOT (1-888-327-4236).

try.vin has no NCAP crash-test rating on file for the 2004 Buell XB12S. NHTSA rates some vehicles by body style — pickups by cab, vans by roof height — so check nhtsa.gov/ratings.

7 owner complaints have been filed with NHTSA for the 2004 Buell XB12S.

Exterior Lighting

ODI #10191922

Incident: May 26, 2007 · Filed: May 29, 2007

2004 BUELL XB12R. POOR LIGHTING DUE TO DETERIORATION OF INSIDE REFLECTOR. *TR

Exterior Lighting

ODI #10183299

Incident: November 23, 2006 · Filed: February 22, 2007

HEADLIGHTS BECOME DIMMER AND DIMMER, BULBS OK, CHROME FINISH ON INSIDE OF HEADLIGHT HOUSINGS COMES OFF SO BULBS DO NOT REFLECT MAKING NIGHT DRIVING DANGEROUS. BUELL CHAT SITES CONFIRM OTHERS WITH XBR MODELS HAVING SAME FAILURES. *JB

Exterior Lighting

ODI #10183164

Incident: April 10, 2005 · Filed: February 21, 2007

HEADLIGHT ON BUELL MOTORCYCLES "R" MODELS (2004 TO CURRENT YEAR) DEGRADES OVER TIME. THE REFLECTIVE COATING MATERIAL IN THE HEADLIGHT HOUSING DEGRADES AND TURNS TO POWDER AND CAUSES THE HEADLIGHT TO BE UN-USEFUL. THE DEGRADE IS CAUSE BY HEAT FROM THE HEADLIGHT. FAILURE ISN'T CORRECTED AS OF TODAY. *JB

Exterior Lighting

ODI #10182845

Incident: November 18, 2005 · Filed: February 17, 2007

THE COATING ON THE INSIDE OF MY HEADLIGHT HOUSING IS FALLING OFF, DRASTICALLY DECREASING LIGHT OUTPUT. I HAD THEM REPLACED UNDER WARRANTY ONCE FOR THIS ON 11/18/05, WITH 23870 MILES ON THE BIKE. I AM NOW HARDLY ABLE TO SEE AT NIGHT AGAIN AND I AM SURE THAT PEOPLE CAN'T SEE ME AS WELL EITHER. *JB

Exterior Lighting

ODI #10177963

Incident: January 5, 2007 · Filed: January 6, 2007

SILVER COATING ON HEADLIGHTS DETERIORATES RAPIDLY CAUSING POOR ILLUMINATION AND UNSAFE NIGHT TIME DRIVING AND REDUCING THE MOTORCYCLES VISIBILITY DURING THE DAY. I AM SURE THE LIGHT OUTPUT IS FAR BELOW DOT STANDARDS VEHICLE IS AN XB12R FIREBOLT, NOT AN XB12S. THE XB12R WAS NOT LISTED AS AN OPTION. *JB

Electrical System

ODI #10163064

Incident: July 19, 2006 · Filed: July 21, 2006

WHILE RIDING MY 2004 BUELL XB12S MOTORCYCLE THOUGH THE ASM AMERICA, INC. PARKING LOT (3440 EAST UNIVERSITY DRIVE PHOENIX AZ 85034) AT APPROXIMATELY 11:00 AM THE ON 07-19-06 THE FOLLOWING OCCURRED. THE MOTORCYCLE LOST ALL POWER AND I COASTED TO A STOP INTO A PARKING SPOT: 1.RIDING THROUGH THE PARKING LOT AT ABOUT 5-10 MPH. 2.THE MOTORCYCLE ENGINE STOPPED RUNNING. 3.THE MOTORCYCLE ELECTRICAL SYSTEM COMPLETELY FAILED AS IF THE MOTORCYCLE HAS BEEN TURNED OFF INCLUDING LOSS OF HORN, TURN SIGNALS, BRAKE LIGHTS, LICENSE PLATE LIGHT, REAR TAIL LIGHT, HEAD LIGHT, INSTRUMENT LIGHTS, WARNING LIGHTS, SPEEDOMETER AND TACHOMETER. 4.IF I HAD BEEN MERGING ONTO THE FREEWAY AT NIGHT I PROBABLY WOULD HAVE BEEN KILLED AS I WOULD HAVE HAD NO WAY TO SIGNAL I WAS LEAVING THE HIGHWAY! THE DEALER IS STILL INVESTIGATING WHY THE VEHICLE STOPPED RUNNING.

Electrical System

ODI #10060544

Incident: March 1, 2004 · Filed: March 5, 2004

I AM REPORTING A POTENTIALLY HAZARDOUS PROBLEM WITH MY 2004 BUELL XB12S MOTORCYCLE. I HAVE OBSERVED THIS SAME SITUATION ON ALL SIMILAR BIKES THAT I HAVE LOOKED AT. UNDER THE SEAT, THE ECM CABLE HARNESS RESTS AGAINST THE NEGATIVE BATTERY TERMINAL AND THERE ARE SIGNS OF ABRASION FROM VIBRATION.*AK

Other Buell XB12S model years

Check your 2004 Buell XB12S VIN

Not every recall applies to every VIN in a given year. Enter the 17-character VIN from your Buell XB12S at nhtsa.gov/recalls to see whether your specific vehicle has an unrepaired recall.

Check a Buell VIN