1997 Harley-Davidson Softail Problems, Complaints & Recalls
- Compared with other Softail years
- Not enough data 13th of 17 for complaints
- Safety recalls
- 1 recall: check your VIN
- NHTSA crash rating
- Not rated
Owners have filed 1 complaint with NHTSA about the 1997 Harley-Davidson Softail. That ranks 13th out of 17 Softail model years for complaints. The most reported problem area is wheels (1 complaints, 100%). There is 1 safety recall covering this model year.
- 1owner complaints
- 1safety recalls
- 0NHTSA investigations
- 0complaints mentioning a crash
Complaints are unverified owner reports and are not adjusted for sales volume.
Most common 1997 Harley-Davidson Softail problems
Complaints grouped by the part of the car owners reported, with the median mileage when the problem happened.
| Problem area | Complaints | Share | Median miles | Owners mention most | Typical repair cost |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wheels | 1 | 100% | — | — | — |
One complaint can list several problem areas, so shares can add up to more than 100%.
1997 Harley-Davidson Softail recalls (1)
Tap a recall to see the problem, the risk and the fix.
Fuel system, gasoline:fuel injection system
Problem: The effects of reformulated gasoline along with certain usage of the fuel supply valve affects the supply of gasoline to the carburetor. This condition requires two factors: (1) the use of reformulated fuels containing mbte and (2) starting the motorcycle with the fuel valve handle in the off position.
Risk: This condition can cause the fuel flow to be unpredictable thus causing the engine to shut down increasing the risk of a motorcycle accident.
Fix: Dealers the replace the diaphragm in the fuel valve.
To see whether a specific car still has an open recall, enter its VIN on NHTSA's official recall lookup. You can also decode a VIN here.
Recent owner reports
Short excerpts of the latest complaints filed with NHTSA, with personal details removed. Full reports can be searched on NHTSA.gov.
At 40-45 mph front tire went flat. Rim had split, causing the tube to get pinched.
Other Harley-Davidson Softail years
← 1996 Softail · 1998 Softail →
| Year | Complaints | Recalls |
|---|---|---|
| 2013 Softail | 1 | 0 |
| 2012 Softail | 3 | 1 |
| 2011 Softail | 3 | 1 |
| 2010 Softail | 1 | 0 |
| 2008 Softail | 1 | 0 |
| 2007 Softail | 2 | 1 |
| 2005 Softail | 4 | 2 |
| 2004 Softail | 4 | 1 |
| 2003 Softail | 7 | 0 |
| 2002 Softail | 4 | 0 |
| 2001 Softail | 2 | 0 |
| 2000 Softail | 7 | 0 |
| 1999 Softail | 0 | 1 |
| 1998 Softail | 3 | 1 |
| 1997 | 1 | 1 |
| 1996 Softail | 3 | 1 |
| 1995 Softail | 3 | 1 |
See all Harley-Davidson Softail problems by year, every Harley-Davidson model, or the Harley-Davidson VIN decoder.
Similar Harley-Davidson models
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Frequently asked questions
What are the most common problems with the 1997 Harley-Davidson Softail?
Owners most often report wheels problems. The top one, wheels, accounts for 1 complaint.
Was there a recall on the 1997 Harley-Davidson Softail?
Yes, 1 safety recall. Enter your VIN at NHTSA.gov to check whether the repairs were done on your car.
Was the 1997 Harley-Davidson Softail a good year?
Complaint data can't fully answer that, because counts aren't adjusted for sales. Compared with other Softail model years, the 1997 has too little data to compare. Always get a pre-purchase inspection and check the VIN for open recalls.