2003 Harley-Davidson Sportster Problems, Complaints & Recalls
- Compared with other Sportster years
- Not enough data 2nd of 11 for complaints
- Safety recalls
- None on file
- NHTSA crash rating
- Not rated
Owners have filed 8 complaints with NHTSA about the 2003 Harley-Davidson Sportster. That ranks 2nd out of 11 Sportster model years for complaints. The most reported problem area is engine and engine cooling (3 complaints, 38%), typically at around 2,142 miles. There are no safety recalls on file for this model year. NHTSA has opened 1 defect investigation involving it.
- 8owner complaints
- 0safety recalls
- 1NHTSA investigations
- 0complaints mentioning a crash
Complaints are unverified owner reports and are not adjusted for sales volume.
Most common 2003 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Engine and Engine Cooling | 3 | 38% | 2,142 | — | — |
| Structure | 2 | 25% | 2,321 | — | — |
| Visibility | 2 | 25% | 2,055 | — | — |
| Service Brakes, Hydraulic | 1 | 13% | — | — | — |
| Steering | 1 | 13% | 2,142 | — | — |
| Vehicle Speed Control | 1 | 13% | 750 | — | — |
One complaint can list several problem areas, so shares can add up to more than 100%.
Complaints by year received
2003 Harley-Davidson Sportster recalls (0)
No safety recalls are on file for the 2003 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.
Tl*the contact owns a 2003 harley davidson sportster sport. The frame bracket that holds the speedometer failed due to metal fatigue. The dealer replaced the part but it failed again after 2,500 miles. The part was replaced a third time and has failed again. The # of cylinders was unknown. The…
Speedometer-tachometer bracket breaks from excessive engine vibration through mounting bolt holes causing gauge assembly to fall off while riding. Unit hangs by the wires & interferes with the steering forks & control of vehicle. Also excessive engine vibration as deemed normal by the manufacturer…
Ok, my complaint is on a 2003 harley davidson 1200 custom sportster. The front headlight has fallen off due to the bolt shearing from vibration and so has the rear view mirror on the left side. Harley has replaced the engine at about 1300 miles, stating that it had an unsafe vibration. The engine…
While riding speedometer does not register the correct rate of speed. When this occurs consumer has to reach down and turn the vehicle off while still riding, and turn it back on again before the speedometer will show the correct the rate of speed. Vehicle had been at repair shop four times for…
Left rearview mirror stem broke and mirror fell off. Third time a mirror on the same side has broke off of my 2003 harley davidson 1200 custom sportster. The mirrors are factory and are long stemmed.*ak
Other Harley-Davidson Sportster years
← 2002 Sportster · 2005 Sportster →
| Year | Complaints | Recalls |
|---|---|---|
| 2008 Sportster | 2 | 0 |
| 2007 Sportster | 1 | 0 |
| 2005 Sportster | 4 | 1 |
| 2003 | 8 | 0 |
| 2002 Sportster | 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 2003 Harley-Davidson Sportster?
Owners most often report engine and engine cooling, structure, visibility problems. The top one, engine and engine cooling, accounts for 3 complaints.
Was there a recall on the 2003 Harley-Davidson Sportster?
No safety recalls are on file for this model year.
Was the 2003 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 2003 has too little data to compare. Always get a pre-purchase inspection and check the VIN for open recalls.