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2008 Harley-Davidson Fxdwg Recalls & Complaints

1

open safety recall on record

Serious

13 owner complaints filed · Severity Index 0.77 · updated 2026-08-07

The recalls

Serious07V535000

Engine And Engine Cooling:Exhaust System:Manifold/Header/Muffler/Tail Pipe

IF CONTACT OCCURS WHILE RIDING, IT COULD CAUSE LOSS OF CONTROL OF THE MOTORCYCLE, LEADING TO INJURY OR DEATH.

Remedy & full details

DEALERS WILL INSTALL THE HEAT SHIELDS TO THE MUFFLERS FREE OF CHARGE. THE RECALL BEGAN ON NOVEMBER 26, 2007. OWNERS MAY CONTACT HARLEY DAVIDSON AT 1-414-343-4056.

ON CERTAIN MOTORCYCLES BUILT AND SHIPPED TO CALIFORNIA, THE CATALYTIC MUFFLER PROTECTIVE HEAT SHIELD WAS NOT INSTALLED. THIS CONDITION COULD ALLOW DIRECT CONTACT WITH THIS MUFFLER AND CAUSE INJURY.

Complaint volume

13 this model-year 9 median, same year

Volume alone is not a fault rate — popular vehicles attract more reports. Read it next to the severity mix below.

What owners reported happened

1Crashes
0Fires
2Injuries
0Deaths

Across 13 complaints. Severity Index 0.77.

Severity Index weights each complaint's reported outcome (death ×10, injury ×4, fire ×3, crash ×2) and divides by total complaints. It measures how severe reports are, not how often faults occur.

What owners report most

Fuel System, Gasoline8 · 62%Service Brakes, Hydraulic2 · 15%Equipment · Motorcycle · …1 · 8%Engine And Engine Cooling…1 · 8%Fuel System, Other1 · 8%
  1. Fuel System, Gasoline — 8 reports
  2. Service Brakes, Hydraulic — 2 reports
  3. Equipment:Motorcycle:Helmets — 1 reports
  4. Engine And Engine Cooling:Engine — 1 reports
  5. Fuel System, Other — 1 reports

What to do

  1. Find your 17-character VIN on the driver's door jamb or the base of the windscreen.
  2. Check it against NHTSA's official lookup at nhtsa.gov/recalls — the authoritative record for your exact car.
  3. Book the repair with any franchised dealer. Safety recall work is free, with no time limit and regardless of who owns the car now.

Other model years

1999 (2) · 2001 · 2002 (1) · 2003 (1) · 2007 (1) · 2008 · 2010 · 2012

Numbers in brackets are open recall campaigns for that year.

Questions

Does an open recall mean the car is unsafe to drive?

Not usually. NHTSA issues a "do not drive" or "park outside" advisory when a defect is dangerous enough to keep you out of the car — those are flagged Critical above. Everything else should be repaired promptly but is not an immediate stop-driving order.

Do I pay for recall repairs?

No. Federal law requires the manufacturer to fix a safety recall free of charge, including parts and labour, whether or not you are the original owner.

Why are there complaints but no recalls?

Complaints are unverified reports filed by owners. They can prompt an investigation, but many never become recalls — either the fault isn't safety-related or it isn't widespread.