NHTSA vehicle safety data

2003 Harley-Davidson XL883HUG Recalls & Complaints

The 2003 Harley-Davidson XL883HUG has 1 NHTSA recall campaign and 3 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 XL883HUG. Recall data is refreshed daily from NHTSA.

2003 Harley-Davidson XL883HUG owner complaints

Owners have filed 3 complaints with NHTSA about the 2003 Harley-Davidson XL883HUG, describing incidents dated July 29, 2002 to February 11, 2003.

Most-cited components

Engine 1 complaint
Suspension 1 complaint
Vehicle Speed Control 1 complaint

Of the 3 complaints on file, 1 reports a crash; across all 3 complaints, owners report 1 injury (owner-reported, not verified by NHTSA).

Newest complaints

ODI #10086425 · Filed August 8, 2004
2002 HARLEY DAVIDSON 883 SPORTSTER. USED WITH 1600 MILES. PURCHASED AT SACRAMENTO HARLEY DAVIDSON ON 2-7-03. RIDING ON 2-11-03 WHEN ACCELERATOR STUCK. LOST CONTROL, RODE GUARD RAIL, TRIED TO SLOW BIKE, FELL FROM BIKE, BIKE CONTINUED SEVERAL YARDS OVER WIRE FENCE AND UP A HILL. LATER APPEARS THAT…
ODI #8016012 · Filed August 12, 2002
WHILE DRIVING VEHICLE WILL DRIFT TO THE RIGHT EVEN WHEN THE CONSUMER CAN HAVE HANDLE BARS POINTING STRAIGHT. CONTACTED DEALER,AND THE DEALER WAS NOT WILLING TO DO ANYTHING.*AK
ODI #568191 · Filed November 8, 2002
WHILE IN MOTION, THE CUSTOMER STATES THE MOTORCYCLE KEPT DYING. IT WOULD RESTART AND THEN DIE AGAIN WITH NO SPARKS. *JG

Read all 3 complaints

HARLEY-DAVIDSON/TAIL LIGHT BULB

NHTSA #04V218000 · Exterior Lighting — Tail Lights · NHTSA notice

Reported May 7, 2004 · HARLEY-DAVIDSON MOTOR COMPANY

Potentially affected: 31,070 vehicles

Harley-Davidson campaign 0114 · Owners notified June 3, 2004 · Vehicles built June 4, 2003 – August 22, 2003 (per NHTSA)

Defect description

ON CERTAIN DYNA, XL, AND TOURING MOTORCYCLES, THE TAIL LIGHT BULB CAN FALL OUT OF THE SOCKET.

Safety consequence

THE TAIL LIGHT AND THE BRAKE LIGHT BECOME INOPERATIVE, WHICH COULD LEAD TO A CRASH.

Manufacturer remedy

DEALERS WILL REPLACE THE BULBS. OWNER NOTIFICATION BEGAN ON JUNE 3, 2004. OWNERS SHOULD CONTACT HARLEY-DAVIDSON 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 2003 Harley-Davidson XL883HUG. NHTSA rates some vehicles by body style — pickups by cab, vans by roof height — so check nhtsa.gov/ratings.

3 owner complaints have been filed with NHTSA for the 2003 Harley-Davidson XL883HUG.

Vehicle Speed Control

ODI #10086425

Crash 1 injury

Incident: February 11, 2003 · Filed: August 8, 2004

2002 HARLEY DAVIDSON 883 SPORTSTER. USED WITH 1600 MILES. PURCHASED AT SACRAMENTO HARLEY DAVIDSON ON 2-7-03. RIDING ON 2-11-03 WHEN ACCELERATOR STUCK. LOST CONTROL, RODE GUARD RAIL, TRIED TO SLOW BIKE, FELL FROM BIKE, BIKE CONTINUED SEVERAL YARDS OVER WIRE FENCE AND UP A HILL. LATER APPEARS THAT SIEVES HOLDING THROTTLE CABLES INTO HOUSING PERIODICALLY SLIP OUT AND PINCH CABLES, NOT ALLOWING THROTTLE HANDLE TO RETURN TO NEUTRAL POSITION. BECAUSE OF SURROUNDING CIRCUMSTANCES, STATE FARM PURSUED HARLEY DAVIDSON FOR RESTITUTION OF DAMAGES AT WHICH TIME HARLEY DAVIDSON SETTLED FOR A PARTIAL AMOUNT. I AM STILL SEEKING COUNCIL. NO ONE IS WILLING TO INVESTIGATE FURTHER, NOR WILL ANYONE HANDLE MY CASE FOR FEAR OF "GETTING A REPUTATION". ARE THEY ALL AFRAID OF HARLEY DAVIDSONS REPUTATION? I AM CONVINCED THAT THIS BIKE IS FAULTY. I WAS ORDERED TO KEEP THE BIKE IN ITS AFTER COLLISION STATE TILL THE ISSUE IS RESOLVED OR UNTILL THE 2 YEAR STATUTE HAS PASSED. I AM AT A LOSS OF WHAT TO DO NEXT. THE BIKE WAS UNDER WARRANTY AT THE TIME, BUT BECAUSE OF THE REQUEST, I WAS UNABLE TO TAKE ADVANTAGE OF IT. SACRAMENTO HARLEY DAVIDSON IS UNWILLING TO PROVIDE PROOF OF PRE-PURCHASE SAFETY INSPECTION OR ANY OTHER RECORDS THAT PERTAIN TO THE BIKE. I CANNOT EVEN GET IT FIXED AND NO ONE WILL LOOK AT IT WITHOUT A HEFTY FEE. I WAS SEVERLY INJURED IN THE CRASH. I FRACTURED MY L-4 VERTEBRAE AND RUPTURED A DISC. I ALSO BROKE MY LEFT COLLAR BONE AND HAD MASSIVE ROAD RASH ON MY BACK, ARMS AND LEGS. I WAS IN A MAJOR TRAUMA CENTER HOSPITAL IN OUR AREA FOR 6 DAYS. I WAS FORTUNATE TO RETURN TO MY JOB AFTER 7 MONTHS WITHOUT LIMITATIONS PER SEY. I AM AN EMT-PARAMEDIC AND I FEEL THAT EVENTUALLY THINGS WILL CATCH UP WITH ME, AS MY JOB IS VERY PHYSICALLY DEMANDING. I STILL HAVE A MODERATE AMOUNT OF INTERMITTENT PAIN THAT I WILL HAVE THE REST OF MY LIFE. THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME. I LOOK FORWARD TO HOPEFULLY HEARING FROM YOU SOON. *AK

Suspension

ODI #8016012

Incident: July 29, 2002 · Filed: August 12, 2002

WHILE DRIVING VEHICLE WILL DRIFT TO THE RIGHT EVEN WHEN THE CONSUMER CAN HAVE HANDLE BARS POINTING STRAIGHT. CONTACTED DEALER,AND THE DEALER WAS NOT WILLING TO DO ANYTHING.*AK

Engine and Engine Cooling

ODI #568191

Filed: November 8, 2002

WHILE IN MOTION, THE CUSTOMER STATES THE MOTORCYCLE KEPT DYING. IT WOULD RESTART AND THEN DIE AGAIN WITH NO SPARKS. *JG

Check your 2003 Harley-Davidson XL883HUG VIN

Not every recall applies to every VIN in a given year. Enter the 17-character VIN from your Harley-Davidson XL883HUG at nhtsa.gov/recalls to see whether your specific vehicle has an unrepaired recall.

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