2002 Harley-Davidson Harley Davidson: common problems

Owners of the 2002 Harley-Davidson Harley Davidson filed 8 complaints with NHTSA, most often about engine and cooling and visibility. Details by component below, with sources.

Key figures

Owner complaints: 8

What fails most often

1 Engine and cooling 38% of all complaints
2 Visibility 25% of all complaints
3 Electrical system 13% of all complaints
4 Powertrain 13% of all complaints
5 Wheels 13% of all complaints

Circle size and colour show each component’s share of NHTSA complaints. Schematic only, not a drawing of the exact model.

Engine and cooling: 3 complaints (38% of all).
Visibility: 2 complaints (25% of all).
Electrical system: 1 complaints (13% of all).
Powertrain: 1 complaints (13% of all).
Wheels: 1 complaints (13% of all).

Components owners complain about

Component	Owner complaints	involving a crash	Technical service bulletins (TSB)
Engine and cooling	3	0	0
Visibility	2	0	0
Electrical system	1	0	0
Powertrain	1	0	0
Wheels	1	0	0

What owners report

Short excerpts of NHTSA complaints in the original wording. These are owner statements not verified by NHTSA; personal data removed.

Motorcycle stalls intermittently while driving. Motorcycle will be taken to the dealer for determination of the problem. Harley davidson v-rod 2002.
Engine and cooling · 2003-08-25 · NHTSA complaint #10034549
Vehicle (motorcycle) electrical system failure resulted in loss of engine power during rush hour traffic on washington beltway. Coasted onto shoulder without incident. Harley davidson 02 dyna superglide with 9,000 miles (vin [xxx]). Information redacted pursuant to the freedom of information act (foia), 5 u.s.c.
Electrical system · 2003-06-03 · NHTSA complaint #10020995
The solid wheels cause the motorcycle to lose stability when passed by a larger vehicle (model/fatboy). Scc
Wheels · 2003-03-04 · NHTSA complaint #10009058
Consumer states that when at a stop the exhaust pipe will glow red and this can cause injuries to the consumer. Dealer notified. Mr
Engine and cooling · 2002-10-18 · NHTSA complaint #8021144
Mirrors break at the bend near the base. Mirror could injure the rider causing an accident. A flying mirror could present a hazard to nearby traffic. I am a member of an internet owners forum and the mirror stem failure is a common occurrence on the sportster 883 and 1200 custom models.
Visibility · 2002-09-20 · NHTSA complaint #767129
Left side mirror broke from stem hitting consumer. Manufacturer has been notified. Please provide additional information.
Visibility · 2002-08-27 · NHTSA complaint #8017378
Engine coughs back through intake causing motorcycle to stop unexpectedly.
Engine and cooling · 2002-08-09 · NHTSA complaint #765272

When owners complained

NHTSA complaints by filing year. The peak shows at what age the problems show up most.

20025
20033

Comparison

By complaint count this model year ranks 11,896 of 36,656 model years in the NHTSA data (top 32% most complained about).

On average one model year of the Harley Davidson has 7 complaints (19 years in the data). This year has 8, above average.

What to check before buying

Engine and cooling. Radiator and fan after a frontal hit, coolant level and condition, overheating.
Visibility. Wipers, mirrors, defrosters, cracked glass.
Electrical system. Scan all modules, test the battery and alternator, inspect connectors near the impact zone.
Powertrain. Shift quality under load, harsh shifts, transmission codes, CV joints.

Other years of this model

Questions and answers

What are the most common problems with the 2002 Harley-Davidson Harley Davidson?

Owner complaints to NHTSA most often mention: engine and cooling, visibility, electrical system. Total complaints: 8. The most frequent symptoms in complaint texts: stalls while driving (13%).

How many service bulletins (TSB) were issued for the 2002 Harley-Davidson Harley Davidson?

NHTSA lists 0 manufacturer service bulletins for this year. A bulletin tells dealers how to diagnose or fix a known issue; it is not a recall.

Should I buy a 2002 Harley-Davidson Harley Davidson from a US auction?

Owner complaints describe defects, not crash damage. Before bidding, check the components listed above and review the lot photos: VinWind builds a report of visible and hidden damage by VIN.

Other 2002 models

Read also

Sources: public NHTSA data (USA): service bulletins and owner complaints; YouTube: links to videos credited to their authors. Complaints are owner statements not verified by NHTSA, and describe defects rather than crash damage. Data updated 2026-11-05.