IllustrationTL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 HARLEY DAVIDSON ELECTRA GLIDE. WHILE DRIVING 70 MPH, THE ENGINE SHUT OFF AND ALL ELECTRICAL POWER WAS LOST. THE FAILURE OCCURRED WITHOUT WARNING. THE VEHICLE RESTARTED AND HAS NOT YET BEEN DIAGNOSED. THE PURCHASE DATE WAS UNKNOWN. THE CURRENT MILEAGE IS 25,500 AND FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 25,000.
2003 HARLEY-DAVIDSON Electra Glide
Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations
Limited comparison data
There is not enough comparable history to draw a useful model-year comparison.
About this comparison →How this year compares
Owner complaints by model year
Compare all Electra Glide years →Counts vary with age, sales and reporting. They are not failure rates.
What owners reported most
Tap a category to read its complaints. One report may name several components.
When problems were reported
Mileage at the reported incident
Limited mileage data: 9 of 13 reports include usable mileage. There isn’t enough coverage to show a useful chart.
NHTSA’s mileage field refers to the reported incident, not necessarily the filing date. This shows report counts, not the likelihood of a failure.
What to inspect
Issues worth paying extra attention to based on owner reports.
- Electrical System. Review the 8 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Engine And Engine Cooling. Review the 2 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Power Train. Review the 1 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.
0 crash reports0 fire reports0 injury reports
What owners actually said
13 reportsDT: WITHOUT WARNING THE MOTORCYCLE LOST POWER. THE HEADLIGHTS AND ALL ELECTRICAL COMPONENTS MALFUNCTIONED. DEALER HAS MOTORCYCLE NOW AND CANNOT ANYTHING WRONG WITH IT. MANUFACTURER IS WAITING TO SEE WHAT THE DEALER SAYS.*AK
MY 2003 HARLEY DAVIDSON CLASSIC MOTORCYCLE INTERMINTELY SHUTS DOWN WHILE IAM RIDING IT.IT HAS DONE THIS OVER THE PAST YEAR. IWAS ALMOST INVOLVED IN TWO ACCIDENTS DUE TO THIS CONDITION. HARLEY REPLACED THE MAIN BREAKER,HOWEVER THE BIKE STILL SHUTS DOWN TOTALLY WHILE RIDING.WHEN THIS HAPPNES IT IS AS IF THE IGNATION WAS SHUT DOWN …
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MY 2003 HARLEY DAVIDSON CLASSIC MOTORCYCLE INTERMINTELY SHUTS DOWN WHILE IAM RIDING IT.IT HAS DONE THIS OVER THE PAST YEAR. IWAS ALMOST INVOLVED IN TWO ACCIDENTS DUE TO THIS CONDITION. HARLEY REPLACED THE MAIN BREAKER,HOWEVER THE BIKE STILL SHUTS DOWN TOTALLY WHILE RIDING.WHEN THIS HAPPNES IT IS AS IF THE IGNATION WAS SHUT DOWN OR THE BATTERY SUDDENLY REMOVED EVERYTHING DIES. I HAD IT INTO A HARLEY DEALER A COUPLE OF WEEKS AGO AND THEY COULDNT FIND THE PROBLEM, IT HAPPENED AGAIN AND AGAIN I ALMOST WAS INVOLVED IN AN ACCIDENT . THE MOTORCLCLE IS IN THE HARLEY SHOP AGAIN, AND THEY ARE COMMUNICATING WITH THE FACTORY TO TRY AND RECTIFY THE PROBLEM.NOTE IAM A POLICE OFFICER IN FLORIDA AND BELEIVE ME IAM NOT EXAGERATING THE PROBLEM. IT IS A GRAVE SAFETY CONCEARN,TWO OF THE INCIDENTS HAPPNED AT NIGHT AND IWAS LEFT IN THE MIDDLE OF MOVING TRAFFIC W/OUT LIGHTS OR ENGINE POWER. THANK YOU.*AK
CONSUMER RECEIVED A RECALL NOTICE(0302 - REPLACEMENT OF A FUSE AMP) BUT THERE WERE NOT PARTS AVAILABLE. SERVICE MANGER MIKE DILLINGER. *NM
MY HARLEY DAVIDSON 2003 ULTRA GLIDE CLASSIC WILL SHUT DOWN WITHOUT WARNING.*AK
WHILE DRIVING ON FLAT SURFACES THE MOTORCYCLE VEERS LEFT. IF YOU REMOVE YOUR HANDS FROM THE HANDLEBARS THE BIKE WILL CROSS THE CENTERLINE OF THE ROAD. THE DEALER SAID THIS WAS A NORMAL CONDITION. PROBLEM IS ONGOING SINCE NEW. *LA
WHILE DRIVING AT 40 MPH THE SHIFT LEVER FELL OFF WHILE SHIFTING GEARS. THE DRIVER HAD THE MOTORCYCLE TOWED TO THE DEALER, AND MECHANIC NOTICED THAT THE SHIFT LEVER CLAMP NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. *AK
MY 03 HARLEY DAVIDSON ULTRA CLASSIC ELECTRAGLIDE EXPERIENCED TOTAL ELECTRICAL FAILURE AT 60 MPH. TOWED TO DEALER WHO COULD FIND NOTHING WRONG; THEY CALLED HARLEY WHO ARE SENDING A 40AMP FUSE ASSEMBLE TO REPLACE THE MAIN CIRCUIT BREAKER WHICH IS DEFECTIVE. THERE ARE NUMEROUS INTERNET POSTINGS REGARDING THIS DEFECT THAT HARLEY N…
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MY 03 HARLEY DAVIDSON ULTRA CLASSIC ELECTRAGLIDE EXPERIENCED TOTAL ELECTRICAL FAILURE AT 60 MPH. TOWED TO DEALER WHO COULD FIND NOTHING WRONG; THEY CALLED HARLEY WHO ARE SENDING A 40AMP FUSE ASSEMBLE TO REPLACE THE MAIN CIRCUIT BREAKER WHICH IS DEFECTIVE. THERE ARE NUMEROUS INTERNET POSTINGS REGARDING THIS DEFECT THAT HARLEY NEEDS TO RECALL. IN 04 ALL NEW HARLEY MODELS HAVE THE FUSE AND NOT THE CIRCUIT BREAKER. *AK
I RIDE A 2003 HARLEY DAVIDSON CLASSIC (FLHTCI). TO THIS DATE I HAVE ENCOUNTERED 8 OCCURENCES WHERE THE BIKE SHUTS OFF WHILE STARTING OUT IN FIRST GEAR. THE LATEST HAPPENED IN MILWAUKEE AT THE 100TH. MY WIFE WAS ON THE BACK, TO FOLLOW A GROUP OF OUR FRIENDS ONTO A 2 LANE HIGHWAY, IT IS WHERE THE BIKE STALLED AND QUIT. IN MY CASE …
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I RIDE A 2003 HARLEY DAVIDSON CLASSIC (FLHTCI). TO THIS DATE I HAVE ENCOUNTERED 8 OCCURENCES WHERE THE BIKE SHUTS OFF WHILE STARTING OUT IN FIRST GEAR. THE LATEST HAPPENED IN MILWAUKEE AT THE 100TH. MY WIFE WAS ON THE BACK, TO FOLLOW A GROUP OF OUR FRIENDS ONTO A 2 LANE HIGHWAY, IT IS WHERE THE BIKE STALLED AND QUIT. IN MY CASE I STILL HAVE DASH LIGHTS. I CYCLE THE IGNITION AND CUT OFF SWITCH AND PROCEED TO START THE BIKE. ON THE WAY HOME ON SEPT. 3, I DECIDED TO PHONE HARLEY CUSTOMER SERVICE. THEY HAVEN'T HEARD OF ANYTHING LIKE THAT HAPPENING. I WAS TOLD TO TAKE THE BIKE TO MY DEALER WHERE THEY COULD CALL THE TECHNICIANS AND HELP FIND THE PROBLEM. HARLEY HAS TOLD ME THAT IF I HEARD OF ANYONE WITH A SIMILAR PROBLEM, HAVE HIM OR HER CALL THE CUSTOMER SERVICE LINE IN MILWAUKEE. THE NUMBER IS TOLL FREE, AND IT'S ON THEIR WEB SITE. IN THIS CASE, I'M AFRAID TO HAVE A PASSENGER ON THE BIKE WITH THE FEAR THAT THE BIKE WILL QUIT IN A MAJOR INTERSECTION, WHICH COULD CAUSE SERIOUS INJURY. *LA
MY HARLEY DAVIDSON ULTRA CLASSIC MOTORCYCLE COMPLETELY SHUT DOWN (ENGINE & ELECTRONICS) WHILE RIDING IN TRAFFIC. SOMETIMES AT 30 MPH, SOMETIMES AT UP TO 60 MPH REGARDLESS OF WHAT GEAR I WAS IN.
Official recalls
0No recalls in this snapshot.
Model-level recall history does not show whether a particular VIN is affected or has received a repair. Check a VIN with NHTSA ↗
NHTSA investigations
1PE03055 · Motorcycle Stalling
Opened Dec 4, 2003 · Closed Mar 19, 2004
Status: closed (inferred from source dates) · Electrical System:wiring:fuses And Circuit Breakers
ODI OPENED THIS INVESTIGATION AFTER RECEIVING COMPLAINTS FROM OWNERS OF MY 2003 FLH-SERIES HARLEYS ALLEGING SUDDEN ENGINE SHUTDOWN DUE TO TRIPPING OF THE MAIN ELECTRICAL CIRCUIT BREAKER FOR NO APPARENT REASON.SUBSEQUENTLY, HARLEY-DAVIDSON NOTIFIED THE AGENCY THAT IT WAS RECALLING THE SUBJECT MOTORCYCLES TO REPLACE THE MAIN CIRCUIT BREAKER IN SUBJECT VEHICLES.