2002 Indian Spirit Problems, Complaints & Recalls

Source: NHTSA · Updated Sep 30, 2003 · 5 owner complaints analyzed

Compared with other Spirit years
Not enough data 1st of 5 for complaints
NHTSA crash rating
Not rated

Owners have filed 5 complaints with NHTSA about the 2002 Indian Spirit. That is the most of any Spirit model year in the database (5 years). The most reported problem area is exterior lighting (3 complaints, 60%), typically at around 6,750 miles. There are 7 safety recalls covering this model year. NHTSA has opened 2 defect investigations involving it.

Complaints are unverified owner reports and are not adjusted for sales volume.

Compare with another car

Most common 2002 Indian Spirit problems

Complaints grouped by the part of the car owners reported, with the median mileage when the problem happened.

Exterior Lighting3 · ~6,750 mi
Fuel System, Gasoline1
Power Train1 · ~1,500 mi
Structure1
Problem areaComplaintsShareMedian milesOwners mention mostTypical repair cost
Exterior Lighting360%6,750——
Fuel System, Gasoline120%———
Power Train120%1,500——
Structure120%———

One complaint can list several problem areas, so shares can add up to more than 100%.

Complaints by year received

Peak: 2003, with 4 complaints
2002: 1200212003: 420034

n = 5 complaints · Source: NHTSA

2002 Indian Spirit recalls (7)

Tap a recall to see the problem, the risk and the fix.

StructureAug 4, 2003 · NHTSA campaign 03V286000 · 6,570 vehicles

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:headlightsJul 22, 2003 · NHTSA campaign 03V258000 · 6,173 vehicles

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:deliveryApr 4, 2003 · NHTSA campaign 03V130000 · 1,643 vehicles

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:windshieldNov 15, 2002 · NHTSA campaign 02V311000 · 5,464 vehicles

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:rearJul 8, 2002 · NHTSA campaign 02V180000 · 590 vehicles

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 assemblyMar 21, 2002 · NHTSA campaign 02V083000 · 907 vehicles

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 assemblyFeb 5, 2002 · NHTSA campaign 02V038000 · 146 vehicles

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.

Received recal 03v286000 concerning fender mount, and recall 03v258000 concerning head light bracket breakage. Dealer refused to honor the recalls.*ak

Structure · received Sep 30, 2003 · NHTSA complaint 10041964

Consumer received recall 03v130000 notice in april concerning fuel tank vent tube defect in april 2003. Dealer did not have the parts available, and consumer did not receive a call to verify when the parts would become available.*ak

Fuel System, Gasoline · received Sep 9, 2003 · NHTSA complaint 10038537

Vehicle transmission is continuously failing. Transmission was replaced once, problem still exists.*ak

Power Train · received Jun 16, 2003 · NHTSA complaint 10024072

Consumer notice a crack in both 90 degree bends of headlight bracket, where it connects to the front of the vehicle. Consumer feels this is unsafe. *nlm

Exterior Lighting · received May 2, 2003 · NHTSA complaint 10016919

Consumer notice a crack in the headlight bracket, where it connects to the front of the vehicle. Consumer feels this is unsafe, cause if the headlight bracket had fallen off while driving, could of resulted in an accident. Please provide more details. Ts

Exterior Lighting · received Dec 31, 2002 · NHTSA complaint 10001705

Other Indian Spirit years

← 2001 Spirit · 2003 Spirit →

YearComplaintsRecalls
2003 Spirit34
200257
2001 Spirit44
2000 Spirit01
1999 Spirit01

See all Indian Spirit problems by year, every Indian model, or the VIN decoder.

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Frequently asked questions

What are the most common problems with the 2002 Indian Spirit?

Owners most often report exterior lighting, fuel system, gasoline, power train problems. The top one, exterior lighting, accounts for 3 complaints.

Was there a recall on the 2002 Indian Spirit?

Yes, 7 safety recalls. Enter your VIN at NHTSA.gov to check whether the repairs were done on your car.

Was the 2002 Indian Spirit a good year?

Complaint data can't fully answer that, because counts aren't adjusted for sales. Compared with other Spirit model years, the 2002 has too little data to compare. Always get a pre-purchase inspection and check the VIN for open recalls.