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2000 Indian Chief Recalls & Complaints

4

open safety recalls on record

Critical

52 owner complaints filed · Severity Index 0.54 · updated 2026-08-07

The recalls

Critical03V039000

Electrical System:Alternator/Generator/Regulator

THIS CONDITION CAN POTENTIALLY CAUSE THE REGULATOR TO CATCH ON FIRE.

Remedy & full details

DEALERS WILL INSPECT THE MOTORCYCLE AND, IF NECESSARY, REPLACE THE REGULATOR. OWNER NOTIFICATION BEGAN FEBRUARY 14, 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.

ON CERTAIN MOTORCYCLES EQUIPPED WITH COMPUFIRE BRAND SERIES TYPE VOLTAGE REGULATORS, IF DAMAGED, THE VOLTAGE REGULATOR CAN BECOME STUCK IN AN OPEN MODE THAT ALLOWS BATTERY VOLTAGE TO FLOW BACK THROUGH THE REGULATOR.

Serious02V144000

Steering: Steering Wheel/Handle Bar

LOSS OF CONTROL OF THE MOTORCYCLE COULD OCCUR, raises the risk of A CRASH.

Remedy & full details

DEALERS WILL FIT THE MOTORCYCLES WITH A NEW RISER TOP CLAMP. OWNER NOTIFICATION BEGAN MAY 31, 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.

ON CERTAIN MOTORCYCLES, THE HANDLE BAR RISER TOP CLAMP COULD ALLOW EXCESSIVE MOVEMENT OF THE HANDLE BARS.

Serious03V191000

Visibility:Windshield

BROKEN MOUNTING BOLTS COULD LEAD TO THE WINDSHIELD COMING LOOSE AND EVEN FALLING OFF THE BIKE, POTENTIALLY STRIKING THE RIDER OR OTHERWISE CAUSING THE RIDER TO LOSE CONTROL OF THE MOTORCYCLE AND CRASH.

Remedy & full details

DEALERS WILL REPLACE THE BRACKETS AND BOLTS ON THE WINDSHIELD. OWNER NOTIFICATION BEGAN MAY 30, 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.

CERTAIN WINDSHIELDS THAT WERE SOLD AS STANDARD EQUIPMENT ON THESE MOTORCYCLES OR SOLD AS ACCESSORIES FOR ALL OTHER CHIEF MODELS MAY HAVE DEFECTIVE BRACKETS. THE BRACKETS THAT ATTACH THE WINDSHIELD TO THE MOTORCYCLE ARE FORMED SUCH THAT THE MOUNTING BOLTS ARE NOT FLUSH WITH THE BRACKET. THIS COULD PLACE EXCESSIVE STRESS ON THE BOLTS CAUSING THEM TO BREAK.

Serious02V124000

Suspension:Rear

THIS COULD RESULT IN THE COLLAPSE OF THE REAR SUSPENSION, raises the risk of A CRASH.

Remedy & full details

DEALERS WILL INSPECT THE REAR SHOCK ABSORBERS AND REPLACE THEM IF NECESSARY. OWNER NOTIFICATION IS EXPECTED TO BEGIN DURING MAY 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.

ON CERTAIN MOTORCYCLES EQUIPPED WITH REAR SHOCK ABSORBERS MADE BY SWAY-A-WAY, THE BOLTS THAT MOUNT THE REAR SHOCK ABSORBERS TO THE SWING ARM COULD BREAK.

Complaint volume

52 this model-year 8 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

3Crashes
2Fires
4Injuries
0Deaths

Across 52 complaints. Severity Index 0.54.

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

Steering · Steering Whee…5 · 10%Engine And Engine Cooling…4 · 8%Suspension4 · 8%Suspension · Rear4 · 8%Service Brakes, Hydraulic3 · 6%Structure2 · 4%Engine And Engine Cooling…2 · 4%Unknown Or Other2 · 4%
  1. Steering: Steering Wheel/Handle Bar — 5 reports
  2. Engine And Engine Cooling:Engine:Gasoline — 4 reports
  3. Suspension — 4 reports
  4. Suspension:Rear — 4 reports
  5. Service Brakes, Hydraulic — 3 reports
  6. Structure — 2 reports
  7. Engine And Engine Cooling:Engine — 2 reports
  8. Unknown Or Other — 2 reports
  9. Power Train:Manual Transmission — 2 reports
  10. Electrical System:Alternator/Generator/Regulator — 2 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 (4) · 2000 · 2001 (2) · 2002 (4) · 2003 (2) · 2015 (1) · 2017 (2) · 2022 (2)

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.