2002 Harley-Davidson Sportster Problems, Complaints & Recalls
- Compared with other Sportster years
- Not enough data 3rd of 11 for complaints
- Safety recalls
- None on file
- NHTSA crash rating
- Not rated
Owners have filed 6 complaints with NHTSA about the 2002 Harley-Davidson Sportster. That ranks 3rd out of 11 Sportster model years for complaints. The most reported problem area is visibility (3 complaints, 50%). Complaints mention 1 injury. There are no safety recalls on file for this model year. NHTSA has opened 1 defect investigation involving it.
- 6owner complaints
- 0safety recalls
- 1NHTSA investigations
- 0complaints mentioning a crash
Complaints are unverified owner reports and are not adjusted for sales volume.
Most common 2002 Harley-Davidson Sportster 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Visibility | 3 | 50% | — | — | — |
| Engine and Engine Cooling | 2 | 33% | 3,682 | — | — |
| Fuel System, Gasoline | 1 | 17% | — | — | — |
| Power Train | 1 | 17% | 6,000 | — | — |
One complaint can list several problem areas, so shares can add up to more than 100%.
Complaints by year received
2002 Harley-Davidson Sportster recalls (0)
No safety recalls are on file for the 2002 Harley-Davidson Sportster.
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.
NHTSA defect investigations
- Rear view mirror stem failures (PE02083) — opened Nov 12, 2002, closed Feb 26, 2003, led to recall 03V058000.
Recent owner reports
Short excerpts of the latest complaints filed with NHTSA, with personal details removed. Full reports can be searched on NHTSA.gov.
Dt: the contact stated the rear upper valve cover leaked. The dealership replaced the front and rear upper valve covers. Since the valves were replaced the problem has not returned. *ak updated 1/4/2006 - the rear rocker box cover leaked. The front and rear box cover were replaced. The gaskets were…
After motorcycle has been ridden for 30-45 minutes shift lever becomes almost unusable if motorcycle has been left to idle of is turned off, after a few minutes of moving up and down it can be used. Very dangerous if i can not shift into appropriate gear. *ak
Left hand mirror will fly off while traveling on highway. Dealership is aware of problem.*ak
Custom 1200, mirrors on vehicle are very high stemmed, vibration will not allow rider to see traffic behind him when changing lanes. Dealer stated there was nothing he could do.*ak *slc
Custom 1200, at 65 mph, left mirror snapped off and hit consumer in the face. Consumer suffered facial injuries.*ak jlg
Other Harley-Davidson Sportster years
← 2001 Sportster · 2003 Sportster →
| Year | Complaints | Recalls |
|---|---|---|
| 2008 Sportster | 2 | 0 |
| 2007 Sportster | 1 | 0 |
| 2005 Sportster | 4 | 1 |
| 2003 Sportster | 8 | 0 |
| 2002 | 6 | 0 |
| 2001 Sportster | 6 | 0 |
| 2000 Sportster | 9 | 0 |
| 1999 Sportster | 6 | 1 |
| 1998 Sportster | 6 | 0 |
| 1997 Sportster | 1 | 0 |
| 1996 Sportster | 6 | 1 |
See all Harley-Davidson Sportster 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 2002 Harley-Davidson Sportster?
Owners most often report visibility, engine and engine cooling, fuel system, gasoline problems. The top one, visibility, accounts for 3 complaints.
Was there a recall on the 2002 Harley-Davidson Sportster?
No safety recalls are on file for this model year.
Was the 2002 Harley-Davidson Sportster a good year?
Complaint data can't fully answer that, because counts aren't adjusted for sales. Compared with other Sportster model years, the 2002 has too little data to compare. Always get a pre-purchase inspection and check the VIN for open recalls.