AI Damage2003 Harley-Davidson Softail: common problems
Owners of the 2003 Harley-Davidson Softail filed 7 complaints with NHTSA, most often about fuel system and structure. Details by component below, with sources.
Key figures
- Owner complaints
- 7
- involving a crash
- 1
What fails most often
- 1 Fuel system 43% of all complaints
- 2 Structure 29% of all complaints
- 3 Engine 14% of all complaints
- 4 Equipment 14% of all complaints
- 5 Tires 14% of all complaints
- Fuel system: 3 complaints (43% of all), 1 of them with a crash reported by the owner.
- Structure: 2 complaints (29% of all).
- Engine: 1 complaints (14% of all).
- Equipment: 1 complaints (14% of all).
- Tires: 1 complaints (14% of all).
Components owners complain about
| Component | Owner complaints | involving a crash | Technical service bulletins (TSB) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Fuel system | 3 | 1 | 0 |
| Structure | 2 | 0 | 0 |
| Engine | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Equipment | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Tires | 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.
Upon hitting the ground, the bike burst into flames. This is very unusual as the speed was low, the impact was not severe (my brother ended up with a severely sprained ankle), but the bike was totaled. I believe there is cause for concern. The bike is a fuel injected twin cam 88 engine.
Tl* the contact owns a 2003 harley davidson soft tale deuce motorcycle. While examining the vehicle, the contact noticed that the fuel line was causing friction to the inner fuel tank and bore several holes in the fuel line. The vehicle was taken to the dealer where the fuel lines were replaced.
Most of the harley davidson motorcycles have the passenger footrest right beside or overtop of the exhaust. This has caused me to actually burn through my protective boots I wear.
4 tires were replaced within 1,000 miles due to tires being out of round.
Problems with frame on 2003 sundance softail. The dealer/manufacturer stated that the frame was not aligned properly and would not track on the highway. The frame was taken to an uninterested third party and placed on a laser frame machine. The results supported the dealer/manufacturer evaluation.
When getting off of back of harley davidson my leg got caught on the license plate and tore my leg open. Went to er where I had to have stitches on the inside of the wound and on the outside. Very painful! Placement of license plate holder is not safe.
Gasoline leak from fuel line on harley-davidson fwsti 2003.
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 12,538 of 36,656 model years in the NHTSA data (top 34% most complained about).
On average one model year of the Softail has 3 complaints (16 years in the data). This year has 7, above average.
What to check before buying
- Fuel system. Fuel smell, leaks, rough running, fuel-system codes.
- Structure. Rails, pillars, panel gaps, signs of pulling or welding.
- Engine. Cold start, unusual noises, oil leaks and engine codes.
- Tires. Tire age by DOT code, bulges, wear pattern.
Other years of this model
Questions and answers
What are the most common problems with the 2003 Harley-Davidson Softail?
Owner complaints to NHTSA most often mention: fuel system, structure, engine. Total complaints: 7. The most frequent symptoms in complaint texts: smoke, burning smell, fire (14%).
How many service bulletins (TSB) were issued for the 2003 Harley-Davidson Softail?
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 2003 Harley-Davidson Softail 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 2003 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.