2002 Indian Scout Problems, Complaints & Recalls
- Compared with other Scout years
- Not enough data 3rd of 14 for complaints
- Safety recalls
- 7 recalls: check your VIN
- NHTSA crash rating
- Not rated
Owners have filed 6 complaints with NHTSA about the 2002 Indian Scout. That ranks 3rd out of 14 Scout model years for complaints. The most reported problem area is exterior lighting (5 complaints, 83%), typically at around 6,300 miles. Complaints mention 1 crash. There are 7 safety recalls covering this model year. NHTSA has opened 2 defect investigations involving it.
- 6owner complaints
- 7safety recalls
- 2NHTSA investigations
- 1complaints mentioning a crash
Complaints are unverified owner reports and are not adjusted for sales volume.
Most common 2002 Indian Scout 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Exterior Lighting | 5 | 83% | 6,300 | — | — |
| Fuel System, Gasoline | 2 | 33% | — | — | — |
| Service Brakes, Hydraulic | 2 | 33% | 5,800 | — | — |
| Structure | 2 | 33% | — | — | — |
| Power Train | 1 | 17% | — | — | — |
| Suspension | 1 | 17% | 5,800 | — | — |
One complaint can list several problem areas, so shares can add up to more than 100%.
Complaints by year received
2002 Indian Scout recalls (7)
Tap a recall to see the problem, the risk and the fix.
Structure
Problem: On certain motorcycles, the weld attaching the fender mount to the front fork may crack and break.
Risk: This could cause the fender mount to fail resulting in the fender coming into contact with the wheel, resulting in the rider to lose control of the motorcycle, increasing the risk of a crash.
Fix: Dealers will bolt a bracket onto each front fork. This bracket will hold the fender mount in place even if the weld fails. Owner notification is expected to begin during august 2003. Owners should contact indian at 1-888-899-2997.
Exterior lighting:headlights
Problem: On certain motorcycles, the bracket used to support the teardrop headlight can crack, causing the bracket to break and the light to slip out of position or fall off.
Risk: This could cause a loss of visibility to the driver, increasing the risk of a crash.
Fix: Dealers will install a new bracket. Owner notification is expected to begin during august 2003. Owners should contact imc at 1-888-899-2997.
Fuel system, gasoline:delivery
Problem: On certain motorcycles, due to the positioning of the gas tank vent tube, the vent tube can become clogged with debris, particularly in wet weather. Vent tube clogging can cause interruption of fuel flow to the carburetor, causing the engine to stop. A clogged vent tube may also cause pressure to build up in the gas tank and push a small amount of gas out of the fuel filler cap seal.
Risk: Fuel leakage in the present of an ignition source can result in a fire.
Fix: Dealers will replace the current vent tube with a longer tube repositioned to prevent clogging. Owner notification began april 28, 2003. Owners who take their vehicles to an authorized dealer on an agreed upon service date and do not receive the free remedy within a reasonable time should contact indian motorcycle at 1-888-899-2997.
Visibility:windshield
Problem: On certain motorcycles, the fasteners that bolt the windshield to the mounting clamps can break, causing the windshield to come partially or completely off the bike.
Risk: If this happens while the motorcycle is in use, the rider could be injured by the windshield.
Fix: Dealers will replace the windshields. Owner notification began january 16, 2003. Owners who take their vehicles to an authorized dealer on an agreed upon service date and do not receive the free remedy within a reasonable time should contact indian motorcycle at 1-888-899-2997.
Suspension:rear
Problem: On certain motorcycles, the rear axles are made of a material with a lower than desirable yield strength.
Risk: Under repeated heavy loads, the rear axle could deform causing excessive wear in the rear wheel bearings potentially leading to overheating and seizing of the bearings, increasing the risk of a crash.
Fix: Dealers will replace the rear axles on these motorcycles. Owner notification began august 16, 2002. Owners who take their vehicles to an authorized dealer on an agreed upon service date and do not receive the free remedy within a reasonable time should contact indian at 1-408-846-7228.
Fuel system, gasoline:storage:tank assembly
Problem: On certain motorcycles, fractures can occur on either the left or right fuel tank at the top of the joint where the bracket is welded to the tank back plate.
Risk: Fuel can escape from the tank, increasing the risk of a fire.
Fix: Dealers will replace the gas tanks with tanks that have a redesigned mounting bracket. Owner notification began march 19, 2002. Owners who take their vehicles to an authorized dealer on an agreed upon service date and do not receive the free remedy within a reasonable time should contact indian motorcycle at 1-408-846-7228.
Fuel system, gasoline:storage:tank assembly
Problem: Some motorcycles may have a gas tank venting system that became clogged during production.
Risk: This clogging prevents the venting system from allowing pressure to escape from the gas tank, which could result in gas flowing back into the carburetor and possibly spilling onto the ground.
Fix: All motorcycles have been inspected and, if necessary, corrected. This campaign is 100% completed.
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
- Headlight separates (PE03024) — opened Jun 4, 2003, closed Aug 11, 2003, led to recall 03V258000.
- Rear suspension collapse (PE01039) — opened Nov 21, 2001, closed Apr 30, 2002, led to recall 02V124000.
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 2002 indian scout motorcycle. While driving at speeds of 45 mph the front exterior headlight mounting bracket fell from the motorcycle. The motorcycle was taken to an independent service shop where the headlight assembly was welded back onto the motorcycle at the owner's…
The consumer went to a indian dealership to take care of recalls for the headlamp and gasoline but the dealership would not honor the recalls due to the fact that indian motorcycle was going out of business. *ak the front fender had the potential to fall. *scc *jb *jb
Consumer received recall letters 03v286000 and 03v258000 from indian motorcycles. Dealer refused to honor these recalls. Manufacturer filed bankruptcy.*ak
Dealership was refusing to honor recall 03v258000 concerning headlight bracket breaking. Dealership stated that they didn't perform any indian motorcycle recall repairs. *ak
Problems with engine failure and gas tank vent tube. *mr 05/15/03 motorcycle was taken to the dealer to have gas tank vent tube recall performed. The mechanic overlooked the motorcycle and stated it was fine. 05/24/03 engine failed in the rain at highway speed on a busy interstate-motorcycle at 60…
Other Indian Scout years
| Year | Complaints | Recalls |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 Scout | 4 | 1 |
| 2023 Scout | 1 | 0 |
| 2022 Scout | 1 | 1 |
| 2021 Scout | 1 | 1 |
| 2019 Scout | 0 | 2 |
| 2018 Scout | 2 | 1 |
| 2017 Scout | 0 | 1 |
| 2016 Scout | 6 | 0 |
| 2015 Scout | 8 | 1 |
| 2003 Scout | 2 | 4 |
| 2002 | 6 | 7 |
| 2001 Scout | 9 | 7 |
| 2000 Scout | 0 | 1 |
| 1999 Scout | 0 | 1 |
See all Indian Scout problems by year, every Indian model, or the VIN decoder.
Similar Indian models
Embed this 2002 Indian Scout badge on your site
Copy this code into your blog or forum post. It shows live complaint and recall counts and links back here.
Frequently asked questions
What are the most common problems with the 2002 Indian Scout?
Owners most often report exterior lighting, fuel system, gasoline, service brakes, hydraulic problems. The top one, exterior lighting, accounts for 5 complaints.
Was there a recall on the 2002 Indian Scout?
Yes, 7 safety recalls. Enter your VIN at NHTSA.gov to check whether the repairs were done on your car.
Was the 2002 Indian Scout a good year?
Complaint data can't fully answer that, because counts aren't adjusted for sales. Compared with other Scout model years, the 2002 has too little data to compare. Always get a pre-purchase inspection and check the VIN for open recalls.