← New search

2003 HARLEY-DAVIDSON XL1200C

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

Other model years Selected year
Compare all XL1200C 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: 3 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.

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

3 reports
4,100 miles · Oct 2, 2007
Fuel System, Gasoline

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 HARLEY DAVIDSON XL1200C. THE FUEL TANK WAS RUSTED FROM THE INSIDE AND CREATED A HOLE. AS A RESULT, FUEL LEAKED ALL OVER THE ENGINE. HE TOOK THE VEHICLE TO THE REPAIR SHOP AND THE MECHANIC STATED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS TOO OLD TO BE COVERED UNDER WARRANTY. THE CONTACT WOULD BE RESPONSIBLE FOR THE REPA…

Read full complaint

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 HARLEY DAVIDSON XL1200C. THE FUEL TANK WAS RUSTED FROM THE INSIDE AND CREATED A HOLE. AS A RESULT, FUEL LEAKED ALL OVER THE ENGINE. HE TOOK THE VEHICLE TO THE REPAIR SHOP AND THE MECHANIC STATED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS TOO OLD TO BE COVERED UNDER WARRANTY. THE CONTACT WOULD BE RESPONSIBLE FOR THE REPAIRS. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGES WERE 4,100.

NHTSA ODI #10204714

15,460 miles · May 16, 2006
Visibility

WHILE RIDING MY MOTORCYCLE (2003 HARLEY DAVIDSON XL1200C) MY LEFT MIRROR BROKE OFF AND SINCE THE LEFT TURN SIGNAL IS ATTACHED TO MIRROR CAUSED THE LIGHT TO BREAK AND HAD TO HOLD IT FROM DAMAGING THE GAS TANK. I WAS APROX. 15 MILES FROM HOME AND THIS MADE THE RIDE QUITE DANGEROUS HAVING TO HOLD THE LIGHT AS WELL AS USE THE CLUTCH…

Read full complaint

WHILE RIDING MY MOTORCYCLE (2003 HARLEY DAVIDSON XL1200C) MY LEFT MIRROR BROKE OFF AND SINCE THE LEFT TURN SIGNAL IS ATTACHED TO MIRROR CAUSED THE LIGHT TO BREAK AND HAD TO HOLD IT FROM DAMAGING THE GAS TANK. I WAS APROX. 15 MILES FROM HOME AND THIS MADE THE RIDE QUITE DANGEROUS HAVING TO HOLD THE LIGHT AS WELL AS USE THE CLUTCH. *NM

NHTSA ODI #10157670

1 miles · Nov 3, 2005
Engine And Engine CoolingVisibility

THE MIRRORS VIBRATE SO YOU CANNOT SEE ANYTHING BEHIND YOU. WHEN YOU CHANGE LANES OR PASS, YOU MUST TURN AROUND TO CHECK TRAFFIC. THE ENGINE BLOWS OIL FROM THE AIR CLEANER ONTO THE REAR TIRE AND DRIVE BELT AT HIGHWAY SPEED. *JB

NHTSA ODI #10141615

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.