2009 Indian Chief Roadmaster Problems, Complaints & Recalls
- Compared with other Chief Roadmaster years
- Not enough data 2nd of 2 for complaints
- Safety recalls
- 3 recalls: check your VIN
- NHTSA crash rating
- Not rated
Owners have filed 1 complaint with NHTSA about the 2009 Indian Chief Roadmaster. That ranks 2nd out of 2 Chief Roadmaster model years for complaints. The most reported problem area is steering (1 complaints, 100%), typically at around 8,700 miles. Complaints mention 1 crash, 1 injury. There are 3 safety recalls covering this model year.
- 1owner complaints
- 3safety recalls
- 0NHTSA investigations
- 1complaints mentioning a crash
Complaints are unverified owner reports and are not adjusted for sales volume.
Most common 2009 Indian Chief Roadmaster 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 | 100% | 8,700 | — | — |
| Structure | 1 | 100% | 8,700 | — | — |
One complaint can list several problem areas, so shares can add up to more than 100%.
2009 Indian Chief Roadmaster recalls (3)
Tap a recall to see the problem, the risk and the fix.
Wheels:rim
Problem: Indian Motorcycle Company (Indian) is recalling certain model year 2009 Deluxe and Standard, 2009-2011 Roadmaster, 2009-2013 Vintage, 2010 Bomber, 2010-2013 Classic and Dark Horse, 2011 Blackhawk Dark and Blackhawk motorcycles. The rear rim may crack and cause a loss of air pressure.
Risk: The cracked rim can lead to a flat rear tire, which could cause the rider to lose control, increasing the risk of a vehicle crash.
Fix: Indian will notify owners, and dealers will replace the rear rim, free of charge. Indian mailed an interim letter to owners in September 2013. Parts are now available. A second notice was sent to owners during April 2014. Owners may contact Indian at 1-888-704-5290.
Exterior lighting:headlights:switch
Problem: Polaris is recalling certain model year 2009-2011 indian motorcycles for the body control module (bcm) which can cause the headlight to turn off in some circumstances. If the headlight switch is slowly moved from one position to another (high beam to low beam or low beam to high beam), both beams may be on momentarily and the bcm interprets this as an overload condition.
Risk: The bcm turns off the headlight until the next time that the key is turned on. The unexpected loss of headlight function could impair a driver's visibility, increasing the risk of a crash.
Fix: Dealers will replace the bcm free of charge. The safety recall began on august 4, 2011. Owners may contact polaris at 1-651-408-7579.
Structure:motorcycle:kickstand/center stand
Problem: Polaris is recalling certain model year 2009-2011 indian motorcycles for failing to conform to the requirements of federal motor vehicle safety standard no. 123, "motorcycle controls and displays." the side stand may not fold rearward and upward if it contacts the ground when the motorcycle is moving forward.
Risk: If the stand does not fold rearward and upward while the motorcycle moves forward, the driver's ability to control the motorcycle could be affected, increasing the risk of a crash.
Fix: Dealers will replace the side stand free of charge. The safety recall began on august 4, 2011. Owners may contact indian at 651-408-7579.
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.
Weld failure on the fork stops on a 2009 indian motorcycle. Caused the motorcycle to lose control on numerous occasions and resulted in a rider losing control and crashing the motorcycle. The weld on the fork down tube that prevents the handle bars from turning too far broke off and caused a rider…
Other Indian Chief Roadmaster years
| Year | Complaints | Recalls |
|---|---|---|
| 2019 Chief Roadmaster | 3 | 0 |
| 2009 | 1 | 3 |
See all Indian Chief Roadmaster problems by year, every Indian model, or the VIN decoder.
Similar Indian models
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Frequently asked questions
What are the most common problems with the 2009 Indian Chief Roadmaster?
Owners most often report steering, structure problems. The top one, steering, accounts for 1 complaint.
Was there a recall on the 2009 Indian Chief Roadmaster?
Yes, 3 safety recalls. Enter your VIN at NHTSA.gov to check whether the repairs were done on your car.
Was the 2009 Indian Chief Roadmaster a good year?
Complaint data can't fully answer that, because counts aren't adjusted for sales. Compared with other Chief Roadmaster model years, the 2009 has too little data to compare. Always get a pre-purchase inspection and check the VIN for open recalls.