NHTSA vehicle safety data

2002 Harley-Davidson 1200 Custom Sportster Recalls & Complaints

The 2002 Harley-Davidson 1200 Custom Sportster has 1 NHTSA recall campaign and 2 owner complaints on file as of November 3, 2026. Recall repairs are usually free at an authorized Harley-Davidson dealer.

NHTSA recall and complaint data for the 2002 Harley-Davidson 1200 Custom Sportster. Recall data is refreshed daily from NHTSA.

2002 Harley-Davidson 1200 Custom Sportster owner complaints

Owners have filed 2 complaints with NHTSA about the 2002 Harley-Davidson 1200 Custom Sportster, describing incidents dated June 10, 2005 to March 13, 2010.

Most-cited components

Exterior Lighting 2 complaints

Newest complaints

ODI #10332134 · Filed May 25, 2010
EXCESSIVE AND INFERIOR DESIGN OF THE HEADLIGHT BRACKET ON 2002 XL1200 SPORTSTER CAUSE THE INTERNAL BULB TO VIBRATE LOOSE AND GO OUT WHILE RIDING AT NIGHT NEARLY CAUSING A FATAL CRASH AS MULTIPLE VEHICLES PULLED OUT DIRECTLY IN FRONT OF ME BEFORE I REALIZED THAT I WAS NO LONGER VISIBLE TO OTHER…
ODI #10125747 · Filed June 19, 2005
STOCK HEADLIGHT WAS FITTED WITH MANUFACTURER'S OPTIONAL HEADLIGHT TRIM RING. SHORTLY AFTER PURCHASE IN JUNE 2002. EXCESSIVE HEADLIGHT MOVEMENT/VIBRATION WAS NOTICED ON 6/10/2005. UPON CLOSER INSPECTION, I FOUND THE MOUNTING BRACKET ATTACHED TO THE HEADLIGHT BUCKET WAS CRACKED 9/10TH'S ACROSS. I RODE…

Read all 2 complaints

HARLEY DAVIDSON/MIRROR

NHTSA #03V058000 · Visibility — Rearview Mirrors/Devices — Exterior · NHTSA notice

Reported February 21, 2003 · HARLEY-DAVIDSON MOTOR COMPANY

Potentially affected: 11,952 vehicles

Harley-Davidson campaign 0108 · Owners notified April 17, 2003 · Vehicles built July 1, 2001 – June 30, 2002 (per NHTSA) · Recall influenced by NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation

Defect description

ON CERTAIN MOTORCYCLES, THE MIRROR STEM COULD FRACTURE ALLOWING THE MIRROR TO FALL.

Safety consequence

THIS CONDITION CAN OCCUR WITHOUT WARNING AND PRESENT AN UNREASONABLE RISK OF CRASH, INJURY, OR DEATH.

Manufacturer remedy

DEALERS WILL REPLACE THE MIRRORS. OWNER NOTIFICATION BEGAN APRIL 17, 2003. OWNERS WHO TAKE THEIR VEHICLES TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER ON AN AGREED UPON SERVICE DATE AND DO NOT RECEIVE THE FREE REMEDY WITHIN A REASONABLE TIME SHOULD CONTACT HARLEY-DAVIDSON AT 1-414-342-4680.

Notes

HARLEY-DAVIDSON RECALL NO. 0108.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 2002 Harley-Davidson 1200 Custom Sportster. NHTSA rates some vehicles by body style — pickups by cab, vans by roof height — so check nhtsa.gov/ratings.

2 owner complaints have been filed with NHTSA for the 2002 Harley-Davidson 1200 Custom Sportster.

Exterior Lighting

ODI #10332134

Incident: March 13, 2010 · Filed: May 25, 2010

EXCESSIVE AND INFERIOR DESIGN OF THE HEADLIGHT BRACKET ON 2002 XL1200 SPORTSTER CAUSE THE INTERNAL BULB TO VIBRATE LOOSE AND GO OUT WHILE RIDING AT NIGHT NEARLY CAUSING A FATAL CRASH AS MULTIPLE VEHICLES PULLED OUT DIRECTLY IN FRONT OF ME BEFORE I REALIZED THAT I WAS NO LONGER VISIBLE TO OTHER VEHICLES. I TOOK IT TO THE DEALER AND THEY INFORMED ME THAT THE BRACKET WAS CRACKED. I ASKED ABOUT OTHER OPTIONS AS I FEEL THIS PART IS INADEQUATE AND THEY TOLD ME THAT HARLEY UPGRADED THE PART. THAT MEANS THAT HARLEY IS AWARE THAT THERE IS A PROBLEM WITH THIS PART. I FEEL THIS IS A MAJOR SAFETY ISSUE AND SHOULD HAVE BEEN ADDRESSED BY HARLEY DAVIDISON. *TR

Exterior Lighting

ODI #10125747

Incident: June 10, 2005 · Filed: June 19, 2005

STOCK HEADLIGHT WAS FITTED WITH MANUFACTURER'S OPTIONAL HEADLIGHT TRIM RING. SHORTLY AFTER PURCHASE IN JUNE 2002. EXCESSIVE HEADLIGHT MOVEMENT/VIBRATION WAS NOTICED ON 6/10/2005. UPON CLOSER INSPECTION, I FOUND THE MOUNTING BRACKET ATTACHED TO THE HEADLIGHT BUCKET WAS CRACKED 9/10TH'S ACROSS. I RODE IT VERY GINGERLY TO THE DEALER,POINTED THIS OUT, AND LEFT THE BIKE THERE FOR REPAIRS. HAD THIS FAILED, ESPECIALLY DURING NIGHT RIDING, IT WOULD HAVE POSED AN UNREASONABLE RISK OF ACCIDENT. IT IS AWAITING A NEW PART. I WILL BE ASKING FOR THE ORIGINAL PART UPON PICKUP FROM DEALER.

Check your 2002 Harley-Davidson 1200 Custom Sportster VIN

Not every recall applies to every VIN in a given year. Enter the 17-character VIN from your Harley-Davidson 1200 Custom Sportster at nhtsa.gov/recalls to see whether your specific vehicle has an unrepaired recall.

Check a Harley-Davidson VIN