2008 Harley-Davidson Sportster Problems, Complaints & Recalls
- Compared with other Sportster years
- Not enough data 9th of 11 for complaints
- Safety recalls
- None on file
- NHTSA crash rating
- Not rated
Owners have filed 2 complaints with NHTSA about the 2008 Harley-Davidson Sportster. That ranks 9th out of 11 Sportster model years for complaints. The most reported problem area is steering (1 complaints, 50%), typically at around 9,000 miles. There are no safety recalls on file for this model year.
- 2owner complaints
- 0safety recalls
- 0NHTSA investigations
- 0complaints mentioning a crash
Complaints are unverified owner reports and are not adjusted for sales volume.
Most common 2008 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Steering | 1 | 50% | 9,000 | — | — |
| Wheels | 1 | 50% | 8,500 | — | — |
One complaint can list several problem areas, so shares can add up to more than 100%.
2008 Harley-Davidson Sportster recalls (0)
No safety recalls are on file for the 2008 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.
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 2008 harley davidson sportster motorcycle. The contact was driving 40 mph when a noise emitted from the front fender. The contact noticed the steering column had struck the frame of the vehicle. The vehicle was hard to steer when the failure occurred. The vehicle was not…
2008 harley-davidson xl1200c motorcycle rear wheel bearing failed while riding resulting in extensive rear wheel damage and a near-accident. Rider was able to maintain control of the motorcycle. The motorcycle had 8,500 miles on it and was 1-year out of dealer warranty. Extended waranty on the…
Other Harley-Davidson Sportster years
| Year | Complaints | Recalls |
|---|---|---|
| 2008 | 2 | 0 |
| 2007 Sportster | 1 | 0 |
| 2005 Sportster | 4 | 1 |
| 2003 Sportster | 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 2008 Harley-Davidson Sportster?
Owners most often report steering, wheels problems. The top one, steering, accounts for 1 complaint.
Was there a recall on the 2008 Harley-Davidson Sportster?
No safety recalls are on file for this model year.
Was the 2008 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 2008 has too little data to compare. Always get a pre-purchase inspection and check the VIN for open recalls.