AI Damage2002 Harley-Davidson Ultra Classic: common problems
Owners of the 2002 Harley-Davidson Ultra Classic filed 9 complaints with NHTSA, most often about electrical system and wheels. Details by component below, with sources.
Key figures
- Owner complaints
- 9
- involving a crash
- 2
What fails most often
- 1 Electrical system 44% of all complaints
- 2 Wheels 22% of all complaints
- 3 Engine and cooling 11% of all complaints
- 4 Structure 11% of all complaints
- 5 Tires 11% of all complaints
- Electrical system: 4 complaints (44% of all).
- Wheels: 2 complaints (22% of all), 2 of them with a crash reported by the owner.
- Engine and cooling: 1 complaints (11% of all).
- Structure: 1 complaints (11% of all).
- Tires: 1 complaints (11% of all).
Symptoms owners describe
How many of the 9 NHTSA complaints mention each symptom (automatic count from complaint text; one complaint can mention several).
Components owners complain about
| Component | Owner complaints | involving a crash | Technical service bulletins (TSB) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Electrical system | 4 | 0 | 0 |
| Wheels | 2 | 2 | 0 |
| Engine and cooling | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Structure | 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.
Tl contact owns a 2002 harley davidson ultra classic. While driving 70 mph, the rear wheel began to wobble. The driver lost control of the vehicle when he attempted to decelerate and drove into a ditch. He fell off the vehicle and was transported to the hospital.
Rear wheel was bent causing it to wobble. I did not feel it while riding motorcycle. Two differant times I had people pull up beside me at stop lights informing me of the wheel wobble. I ride solo all the time so I do not know how long this had been bent.
Tl* the contact owns a 2008 harley davidson ultra (n/a) equipped with michelin commander 2 tires, size: 140/90/b16. The contact stated that he noticed cracks within the tread of the rear tire. The contact notified the manufacturer and they advised that he should purchase a replacement tire. The tire was replaced.
The contact stated that while driving various speeds over 20 mph, the entire instrument panel lost power and the vehicle stalled. The vehicle was towed to an authorized dealer where they test drove the vehicle but were unable to find the failure.
Tl contact owns a 2009 (na) harley davidson ultra classic motorcycle. The contact stated that the bolt on the passenger floor was failing and separating from the vehicle. The floorboard has only one bolt. The vehicle will be taken to the dealer for the third time regarding this issue.
The consumer was traveling about 65 mph when the motorcycle stalled. The consumer tried to restart the motorcycle but was unsuccessful. The consumer had the motorcycle towed to the dealer for inspection. The mechanic informed the consumer that the problem could not be duplicated. Please fill in additional information.
On april 23, 2004 consumer received nhtsa recall letter regarding circuit breaker. Dealership still does not have the parts available to conduct recall repairs.
A circuit breaker trips and the motorcycle shuts down . It has been discovered that a fuse replacement prevents this from happening. However, manufacturer claims that if consumer doesn't use a circuit breaker it will void the warranty.
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 11,366 of 36,656 model years in the NHTSA data (top 31% most complained about).
On average one model year of the Ultra Classic has 6 complaints (6 years in the data). This year has 9, above average.
What to check before buying
- Electrical system. Scan all modules, test the battery and alternator, inspect connectors near the impact zone.
- Wheels. Wheel runout, cracks, signs of a wheel strike.
- Engine and cooling. Radiator and fan after a frontal hit, coolant level and condition, overheating.
- 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 Ultra Classic?
Owner complaints to NHTSA most often mention: electrical system, wheels, engine and cooling. Total complaints: 9. The most frequent symptoms in complaint texts: stalls while driving (22%), loss of power / limp mode (11%).
How many service bulletins (TSB) were issued for the 2002 Harley-Davidson Ultra Classic?
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 Ultra Classic 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.