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2003 HARLEY-DAVIDSON Fxdwg

Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations

Limited comparison data

There is not enough comparable history to draw a useful model-year comparison.

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How this year compares

Owner complaints by model year

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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: 2 of 3 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.

  • Fuel System, Gasoline. Review the 2 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
  • Engine. Review the 1 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

Fuel System, Gasoline complaints

2 reports
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8,240 miles · Jan 25, 2005
Fuel System, Gasoline

THIS IS A MODIFICATION TO COMPLAINT 10107892 WHICH HAD THE WRONG PHONE NUMBER. MY 2003 HARLEY FXDWG WAS RIDDEN TO ORANGE COUNTY HARLEY DAVIDSON AND SAT IN THE SUN FOR 1 HOUR. THE TEMP WAS 64-70. I HAD HALF A TANK OF GAS, WHICH WAS CHEVRON 91 OCT. GETTING BACK ONTO THE 405 FREEWAY AT 70 MPH THE BIKE FELT AS IF IT LACKED POWER. A…

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THIS IS A MODIFICATION TO COMPLAINT 10107892 WHICH HAD THE WRONG PHONE NUMBER. MY 2003 HARLEY FXDWG WAS RIDDEN TO ORANGE COUNTY HARLEY DAVIDSON AND SAT IN THE SUN FOR 1 HOUR. THE TEMP WAS 64-70. I HAD HALF A TANK OF GAS, WHICH WAS CHEVRON 91 OCT. GETTING BACK ONTO THE 405 FREEWAY AT 70 MPH THE BIKE FELT AS IF IT LACKED POWER. AFTER 30 SEC THE BIKE STARTED SPUTTERING AS IF IT WAS NOT GETTING ENOUGH GAS OR WAS VAPOR LOCKING CAUSING ME TO LOSE SPEED AND POWER. THIS SPUTTERING CONTINUED FOR 3-4 MILES, AFTER WHICH I COMPLETELY BACKED OFF THE THROTTLE AND JUST BARELY OPENED IT, WHICH AFTER APPROXIMATELY. 30 SEC THE BIKE REGAINED FULL POWER (GOT THE GAS IT NEEDED) AND I HAD NO MORE TROUBLE. THIS IS THE THIRD TIME THIS HAS HAPPENED. THE FIRST TIME, APRIL 04 THE BIKE COMPLETELY STOPPED RUNNING 5-6 TIMES ON THE FREEWAY BUT STARTED AGAIN ON THE SIDE OF THE ROAD. THE SECOND TIME JULY 2004 THE BIKE SPUTTERED AND BACK FIRED. THE CAUSE ALWAYS SEEMS TO BE THE SAME, THE BIKE SITS IN THE SUN 1-2 HOURS AND THEN ACCELERATING ONTO THE FREEWAY AT A HIGH SPEED THE BIKE DOES NOT GET ENOUGH GAS AND LOSES POWER. WESTMINISTER HARLEY DAVIDSON IN CA HAS TALKED WITH THE FACTORY AND TRIED TWICE TO FIX THIS PROBLEM. I CONSIDER THIS LOSS OF POWER AT FREEWAY SPEEDS A SAFETY ISSUE WHICH COULD LEAD TO A CRASH OR DEATH. *NM

NHTSA ODI #10107893

8,240 miles · Jan 25, 2005
Fuel System, Gasoline

MY 2003 HARLEY FXDWG WAS RIDDEN TO ORANGE COUNTY HARLEY AND SAT IN THE SUN FOR 1 HOUR. THE TEMP WAS 64-70 AND I HAD HALF A TANK OF GAS, WHICH WAS CHEVRON 91 OCT. GETTING BACK ONTO THE 405 FREEWAY AT 70 MPH THE BIKE FELT AS IF IT LACKED POWER. AFTER 30 SEC THE BIKE STARTED SPUTTERING AS IF IT WASN'T GETTING ENOUGH GAS OR WAS V…

Read full complaint

MY 2003 HARLEY FXDWG WAS RIDDEN TO ORANGE COUNTY HARLEY AND SAT IN THE SUN FOR 1 HOUR. THE TEMP WAS 64-70 AND I HAD HALF A TANK OF GAS, WHICH WAS CHEVRON 91 OCT. GETTING BACK ONTO THE 405 FREEWAY AT 70 MPH THE BIKE FELT AS IF IT LACKED POWER. AFTER 30 SEC THE BIKE STARTED SPUTTERING AS IF IT WASN'T GETTING ENOUGH GAS OR WAS VAPOR LOCKING CAUSING ME TO LOSE SPEED AND POWER. THIS SPUTTERING CONTINUED FOR 3-4 MILES. I FINALLY COMPLETELY BACKED OF THE THROTTLE AND JUST BARELY OPENED IT, WHERE AS AFTER ABOUT 30 SEC THE BIKE REGAINED FULL POWER (GOT GAS IT NEEDED) AND I HAD NO MORE TROUBLE. THIS IS THE THIRD TIME THIS HAS HAPPENED. THE FIRST TIME, APRIL 04 THE BIKE COMPLETELY STOPPED RUNNING 5-6 TIMES ON THE FREEWAY BUT STARTED AGAIN ON THE SIDE OF THE FREEWAY. THE SECOND TIME JULY 2004 THE BIKE SPUTTERED AND BACK FIRED. THE CAUSE ALWAYS SEEMS TO BE THE SAME, IT SITS IN THE SUN 1-2 HOURS AND THEN ACCELERATING ONTO THE FREEWAY AT A HIGH SPEED THE BIKE DOES NOT GET ENOUGH GAS AND LOSES POWER. WESTMINISTER HARLEY DAVIDSON IN CA HAS TALKED WITH THE FACTORY AND TRIED TWICE ALREADY TO FIX IT. I CONSIDER THIS LOSS OF POWER AT FREEWAY SPEEDS A SAFETY ISSUE WHICH COULD LEAD TO A CRASH OR DEATH. *NM

NHTSA ODI #10107892

Official recalls

1

04V218000 · Exterior Lighting:tail Lights

May 7, 2004

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

Consequence & remedy

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

Remedy: DEALERS WILL REPLACE THE BULBS. OWNER NOTIFICATION BEGAN ON JUNE 3, 2004. OWNERS SHOULD CONTACT HARLEY-DAVIDSON AT 1-414-342-4680.

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

0

No exact-year investigations in this snapshot.