AI Damage2002 Harley-Davidson Road King: common problems
Owners of the 2002 Harley-Davidson Road King filed 6 complaints with NHTSA, most often about electrical system and fuel system. Details by component below, with sources.
Key figures
- Owner complaints
- 6
What fails most often
- 1 Electrical system 33% of all complaints
- 2 Fuel system 17% of all complaints
- 3 Seats 17% of all complaints
- 4 Structure 17% of all complaints
- 5 Wheels 17% of all complaints
- Electrical system: 2 complaints (33% of all).
- Fuel system: 1 complaints (17% of all).
- Seats: 1 complaints (17% of all).
- Structure: 1 complaints (17% of all).
- Wheels: 1 complaints (17% of all).
Components owners complain about
| Component | Owner complaints | involving a crash | Technical service bulletins (TSB) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Electrical system | 2 | 0 | 0 |
| Fuel system | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Seats | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Structure | 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.
I have a 2002 harley davidson road king. When I ordered the bike I had them install a passenger back rest. The bike is 10 years old 48974 miles. My passenger and I were riding down the street and the back rest support snapped and broke on one side. The break is just above a weld.
Tl contact owns a 2002 harley davidson road king. While driving 35 mph, the seal fractured in the quick disc, which connects the fuel line from the gas tank to the fuel injector manifold. The failure caused fuel to spray over everything, including the contact's pants leg, exhaust, and engine block.
The malfunction resulted in a total loss of power which nearly caused a collision.
Re: 2002 harley davidson flhri several times, during high speed (> 55mph) turns("sweepers") I have felt a rear wheel woble. According to internet boards and independant shops, this is a common problem. There have even been aftermarket products that address this problem.
Dt: the contact owns a 2002 harley davidson road king. He received a recall notice last year . He located the dealer service department and they told him they did not have any parts available at that time, and did not anticipate of getting any parts.
My 2002 road king flhri intermittently looses all power while in use just as described in 04v-134. There is no warning and no apparent cause and there may be hundreds of mile between occurrences or minutes. I reported this during my last maintenance visit and it has occurred twice since.
When owners complained
NHTSA complaints by filing year. The peak shows at what age the problems show up most.
Comparison
By complaint count this model year ranks 13,278 of 36,656 model years in the NHTSA data (top 36% most complained about).
On average one model year of the Road King has 5 complaints (7 years in the data). This year has 6, above average.
What to check before buying
- Electrical system. Scan all modules, test the battery and alternator, inspect connectors near the impact zone.
- Fuel system. Fuel smell, leaks, rough running, fuel-system codes.
- Seats. Occupant sensor, power adjustment, seat mounts.
- Structure. Rails, pillars, panel gaps, signs of pulling or welding.
Other years of this model
Questions and answers
What are the most common problems with the 2002 Harley-Davidson Road King?
Owner complaints to NHTSA most often mention: electrical system, fuel system, seats. Total complaints: 6. The most frequent symptoms in complaint texts: loss of power / limp mode (17%).
How many service bulletins (TSB) were issued for the 2002 Harley-Davidson Road King?
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 Road King 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.