1998 Harley-Davidson Softail Problems, Complaints & Recalls
- Compared with other Softail years
- Not enough data 6th of 17 for complaints
- Safety recalls
- 1 recall: check your VIN
- NHTSA crash rating
- Not rated
Owners have filed 3 complaints with NHTSA about the 1998 Harley-Davidson Softail. That ranks 6th out of 17 Softail model years for complaints. The most reported problem area is service brakes, hydraulic (1 complaints, 33%). Complaints mention 1 crash, 1 injury. There is 1 safety recall covering this model year.
- 3owner complaints
- 1safety recalls
- 0NHTSA investigations
- 1complaints mentioning a crash
Complaints are unverified owner reports and are not adjusted for sales volume.
Most common 1998 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Service Brakes, Hydraulic | 1 | 33% | — | — | — |
| Steering | 1 | 33% | — | — | — |
| Suspension | 1 | 33% | — | — | — |
One complaint can list several problem areas, so shares can add up to more than 100%.
Complaints by year received
1998 Harley-Davidson Softail recalls (1)
Tap a recall to see the problem, the risk and the fix.
Service brakes, hydraulic:pedals and linkages
Problem: Vehicle description: motorcycles. The rear brake pedal assembly may have an inadequate weld.
Risk: This condition can allow the lever hub to separate from the master cylinder lever which would affect rear brake performance.
Fix: Dealers will perform the recall service on these vehicles.
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.
When turning handle bars from side to side handles will hit fuel tank on either side of cycle. Fuel tank gets dented. Dealer stated it was a known defect, and there was nothing he could do to remedy the problem.*ak
The design of the brake pedal is too short and interferes with applying the brakes while foot is resting on the floorboard. Foot becomes trapped between the floorboard and the brake pedal. This is the heritage softail motorcycle. Owner has notified the manufacturer about the problem. *ak
While driving the motorcycle speed 20-25 mph, front tires started to shake, front end started to jerk, the road curved left, motorcycle kept pulling to the right, hit a curb, frontal impact and lost control, dealer contacted ,and claimed officer, island cycle did repairs, and ny harley davidson…
Other Harley-Davidson Softail years
← 1997 Softail · 1999 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 | 3 | 1 |
| 1997 Softail | 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 1998 Harley-Davidson Softail?
Owners most often report service brakes, hydraulic, steering, suspension problems. The top one, service brakes, hydraulic, accounts for 1 complaint.
Was there a recall on the 1998 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 1998 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 1998 has too little data to compare. Always get a pre-purchase inspection and check the VIN for open recalls.