NHTSA vehicle safety data

2003 Harley-Davidson Vrsca Recalls & Complaints

The 2003 Harley-Davidson Vrsca has 1 NHTSA recall campaign and 9 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 2003 Harley-Davidson Vrsca. Recall data is refreshed daily from NHTSA.

2003 Harley-Davidson Vrsca owner complaints

Owners have filed 9 complaints with NHTSA about the 2003 Harley-Davidson Vrsca, describing incidents dated May 10, 2006 to June 6, 2018.

Most-cited components

Fuel/Propulsion System 6 complaints
Electrical System 1 complaint
Service Brakes 1 complaint
Structure 1 complaint
Wheels 1 complaint

Of the 9 complaints on file, 1 reports a crash; across all 9 complaints, owners report 1 injury (owner-reported, not verified by NHTSA).

Newest complaints

ODI #11100329 · Filed June 7, 2018
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 HARLEY-DAVIDSON VRSCA. WHILE DRIVING 20 MPH, THE CONTACT ATTEMPTED TO SHIFT INTO SECOND GEAR AND A PORTION OF THE STRUCTURE NEAR THE ENGINE BECAME DISLODGED AND DETACHED FROM THE VEHICLE. THE DRIVER PULLED OFF THE ROAD AND PUSHED THE VEHICLE TO A FRIEND'S HOUSE NEARBY…
ODI #10883833 · Filed July 10, 2016
THE FRONT BRAKES LOCKED WHEN I STOPPED AT A STOP SIGN. I FELL OVER AND BROKE 3 RIBS. I SENT MY BIKE TO THE HD DEALERSHIP WHERE THEY FIXED THE DAMAGE TO MY BIKE. THE TECHNICIAN TEST DROVE MY BIKE AND THE SAME THING HAPPENED TO HIM. THE DEALERSHIP SAID HE WAS GOING ABOUT 25 MPH WENT THE FRONT BRAKES…
ODI #10882915 · Filed July 6, 2016
A FUEL SYSTEM FAILURE CAUSED JERKING AND EXCESSIVE GAS CONSUMPTION. MOTORCYCLE DIES FREQUENTLY AND IS IMPOSSIBLE TO SAFELY RIDE. THIS IS A COMMON PROBLEM THAT HARLEY DAVIDSON HAS ISSUED A TECHNICAL BULLETIN FOR, BUT LIKE MANY OTHERS MY PARTICULAR MODEL FALLS OUTSIDE OF THE COVERED ASSEMBLED DATES.

Read all 9 complaints

AFTERMARKET LED TURN SIGNAL MOUNTING KITS

NHTSA #09E007000 · Exterior Lighting — Turn Signal · NHTSA notice

Reported February 19, 2009 · HARLEY-DAVIDSON MOTOR COMPANY

Potentially affected: 97 vehicles

Harley-Davidson campaign 0138 · Owners notified March 26, 2009

Defect description

HARLEY-DAVIDSON IS RECALLING 97 LED TURN SIGNAL MOUNTING KITS, P/NOS. 69951-08 (BLACK) AND 69593-08 (CHROME), FOR INSTALLATION ON MY 2002 THROUGH 2009 VRSC MODEL MOTORCYCLES (EXCLUDING VRSCF MODEL). DUE TO THE DESIGN OF THE MOUNTING BRACKET, P/NO. 70497-08, WHICH SECURES THE LED TURN SIGNAL CONTROLLER TO THE MOTORCYCLE FRAME, THE CONTROLLER MAY COME IN CONTACT WITH THE OIL FILTER.

Safety consequence

OVER TIME, THIS CONTACT CAN LEAD TO A HOLE IN THE OIL FILTER AND ALLOW EXCESSIVE OIL TO GET ON THE REAR TIRE, CAUSING A LOSS OF TRACTION, POSSIBLY LEADING TO A CRASH AND POTENTIAL INJURY OR DEATH.

Manufacturer remedy

HARLEY-DAVIDSON WILL NOTIFY OWNERS AND WILL REMOVE AND REPLACE THE EXISTING BRACKET WITH A NEW BRACKET, P/NO. 70497-08A, FREE OF CHARGE. THE RECALL BEGAN ON MARCH 26, 2009. OWNERS MAY CONTACT HARLEY-DAVIDSON AT 1-414-342-4680.

Notes

HARLEY-DAVIDSON'S RECALL NO. 0138.OWNERS MAY ALSO CONTACT THE NATIONAL HIGHWAY TRAFFIC SAFETY ADMINISTRATION'S VEHICLE SAFETY HOTLINE AT 1-888-327-4236 (TTY 1-800-424-9153), OR GO TO <A HREF=HTTP://WWW.SAFERCAR.GOV>HTTP://WWW.SAFERCAR.GOV</A> .

try.vin has no NCAP crash-test rating on file for the 2003 Harley-Davidson Vrsca. NHTSA rates some vehicles by body style — pickups by cab, vans by roof height — so check nhtsa.gov/ratings.

9 owner complaints have been filed with NHTSA for the 2003 Harley-Davidson Vrsca.

Structure

ODI #11100329

Incident: June 6, 2018 · Filed: June 7, 2018

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 HARLEY-DAVIDSON VRSCA. WHILE DRIVING 20 MPH, THE CONTACT ATTEMPTED TO SHIFT INTO SECOND GEAR AND A PORTION OF THE STRUCTURE NEAR THE ENGINE BECAME DISLODGED AND DETACHED FROM THE VEHICLE. THE DRIVER PULLED OFF THE ROAD AND PUSHED THE VEHICLE TO A FRIEND'S HOUSE NEARBY. THE MANUFACTURER AND DEALER WERE NOT CONTACTED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 40,000.

Service Brakes

ODI #10883833

Crash 1 injury

Incident: February 26, 2016 · Filed: July 10, 2016

THE FRONT BRAKES LOCKED WHEN I STOPPED AT A STOP SIGN. I FELL OVER AND BROKE 3 RIBS. I SENT MY BIKE TO THE HD DEALERSHIP WHERE THEY FIXED THE DAMAGE TO MY BIKE. THE TECHNICIAN TEST DROVE MY BIKE AND THE SAME THING HAPPENED TO HIM. THE DEALERSHIP SAID HE WAS GOING ABOUT 25 MPH WENT THE FRONT BRAKES LOCKED ON HIM. HD HAD MY BIKE FOR 5 MONTHS. ALL THEY DID WAS CHARGE ME FOR A WHOLE NEW FRONT BRAKE SYSTEM. I TOLD THEM THIS WAS NOT NORMAL AND THEY SAID THERE WAS NOTHING THEY COULD DO AND COULDN'T FIND THE PROBLEM SO I HAD TO PAY FOR A NEW FRONT BRAKE SYSTEM. I HAVE PICS OF THE DAMAGE, BUT IT'S JUST DAMAGE FROM FALLING OVER. I DID AN INSURANCE CLAIM SO I HAVE THAT DOCUMENTATION AS WELL.

Fuel/Propulsion System

ODI #10882915

Incident: May 29, 2016 · Filed: July 6, 2016

A FUEL SYSTEM FAILURE CAUSED JERKING AND EXCESSIVE GAS CONSUMPTION. MOTORCYCLE DIES FREQUENTLY AND IS IMPOSSIBLE TO SAFELY RIDE. THIS IS A COMMON PROBLEM THAT HARLEY DAVIDSON HAS ISSUED A TECHNICAL BULLETIN FOR, BUT LIKE MANY OTHERS MY PARTICULAR MODEL FALLS OUTSIDE OF THE COVERED ASSEMBLED DATES.

Fuel System, Other

ODI #10452270

Incident: January 3, 2012 · Filed: March 19, 2012

FUEL GAUGE DROPS TO EMPTY ONCE IT GETS TO 3/4 FULL. *JS

Fuel System, Gasoline

ODI #10367849

Incident: December 2, 2009 · Filed: November 25, 2010

FUEL GAUGE ON MY 2003 HARLEY DAVIDSON V-ROD IS NOT ACCURATE. THE GAUGE WILL DISPLAY FULL WHEN IN FACT THE BIKE IS EMPTY. AFTER FILLING THE BIKE THE GAUGE WILL READ ?? (ANYWHERE). THERE IS NO RHYME OR REASON WITH THE FAILURE. I HAVE TAKEN IT AND HAVE HAD IT SERVICE, UNDER WARRANTY, "2" TIMES AND EACH TIME IT BREAKS WITHIN A MONTH OR TWO. THIS PROBLEM IS WIDESPREAD WITH THIS MODEL HARLEY DAVIDSON AND THE VEHICLE MANUFACTURE REFUSES TO ADDRESS THE ISSUE. *TR

Fuel System, Gasoline

ODI #10356063

Incident: June 8, 2007 · Filed: September 17, 2010

I PURCHASED A 2003 100TH ANNIVERSARY HARLEY DAVIDSON VRSCA (VROD) AND THE GAS GAUGE INCORRECTLY REPORTS LEVEL (LESS MILES TO EMPTY THAN ACTUALLY CAPABLE). AFTER SEARCHING THE INTERNET AND VROD GAS GAUGE IS A COMMON ISSUE. BECAUSE OF THIS ISSUE, I CAN NOT DETERMINE WHEN THE GAS TANK IS LOW AND REQUIRING FUEL. I REPORTED THE ISSUE TO MY LOCAL HD DEALER AND THEY WERE OF NO HELP. VERY FRUSTRATING AND DISAPPOINTING FOR AN AMERICAN COMPANY. *TR

Fuel System, Gasoline; Electrical System

ODI #10349419

Incident: June 15, 2009 · Filed: August 15, 2010

I HAVE A 2003 HARLEY VROD. THE FUEL GAUGE DOES NOT WORK PROPERLY. IT HAS BEEN LIKE THAT FOR A YEAR. I STILL NEED TO GET IT FIXED. *TR

Fuel System, Gasoline

ODI #10250858

Incident: September 1, 2008 · Filed: December 5, 2008

1) NORMAL DRIVING UNDER PARTIAL THROTTLE (PARTIAL ENGINE LOAD) 2) ENGINE HESITATES, STUTTERS AND LOSES POWER (SINCE THIS IS A 2-WHEELED MOTORCYCLE, THE BIKE BECOMES UNSTABLE AND POTENTIALLY DANGEROUS WHEN THIS OCCURS IN A CORNER, LUCKILY I COULD CONTROL THE VEHICLE EACH TIME THIS HAPPENED, BUT MORE INEXPERIENCED RIDERS MIGHT LOOSE CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE) 3) THERE IS A TSB FOR THIS PROBLEM "FUEL MODULE FLANGE REPLACEMENT PRODUCT PROGRAM" M-1141A ISSUED ON OCTOBER30, 2003. SINCE THIS IS A POTENTIALLY DANGEROUS CONDITION, AND LOOSING CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE CAN EASILY RESULT FROM THIS PROBLEM, THIS SHOULD HAVE BEEN COVERED BY E MANDATORY RECALL, NOT A TECHNICAL SERVICE BULLETIN. A SEARCH ON THE INTERNET PROVES THAT THIS IS A VERY WIDE-SPREAD ISSUE CAN EASILY TAKE OVER 5 YEARS TO OCCUR, SINCE MOTORCYCLES ARE OFTEN RIDDEN VERY LITTLE FOR PLEASURE PURPOSES ONLY. *TR

Wheels

ODI #10157264

Incident: May 10, 2006 · Filed: May 11, 2006

I WAS TRAVELING AT 30-MPH WHEN A SIDE WIND BLOWING AT APPROXIMATELY 20 TO 30 MPH BLEW ME AND THE MOTORCYCLE ACROSS MULTIPLE LANES INTO THE CURB. GIVEN MY EXPERIENCE I WAS ABLE TO KEEP THE MOTORCYCLE UPRIGHT AND RODE THE CURB FOR ABOUT 20-FT UNTIL I COULD GET OFF THE MOTORCYCLE. PARKED AND CHECKED FOR DAMAGES. THE CONCRETE CURB GROUND THE FRAME DOWN AND ALSO TORE THE RADIATOR SHROUD AND EXHAUST PIPES. WAS EXTREMELY LUCKY NOT HAVE BEEN BLOWN OVER AND INJURED. VROD IS TO LIGHT FOR THE SOLID WHEELS THAT CATCH WIND LIKE A SAIL. *JB

Other Harley-Davidson Vrsca model years

Check your 2003 Harley-Davidson Vrsca VIN

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

Check a Harley-Davidson VIN