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2003 Mid-West Choppers Motorcycle Recalls & Complaints

1

open safety recall on record

Serious

5 owner complaints filed · Severity Index 1.40 · updated 2026-08-07

The recalls

Serious04V108000

Suspension:Rear

THE PIVOT BOLT COULD BEND AND POSSIBLY FRACTURE, AFFECTING REAR WHEEL ALIGNMENT AND THE DRIVER'S ABILITY TO CONTROL THE MOTORCYCLE, WHICH COULD RESULT IN A CRASH.

Remedy & full details

DEALERS WILL WELD A LARGER PIVOT BOLT SPACER TO THE FRAME. OWNER NOTIFICATION BEGAN APRIL 13, 2004. OWNERS SHOULD CONTACT MID-WEST AT 1-309-342-7433 OR WWW.MIDWESTCHOPPERS.COM.

CERTAIN MOTORCYCLES ARE EQUIPPED WITH A "FLOATING" 1" DIAMETER SWING ARM PIVOT BOLT SPACER.

Complaint volume

5 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

2Crashes
1Fires
0Injuries
0Deaths

Across 5 complaints. Severity Index 1.40.

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

Suspension · Rear2 · 40%Exterior Lighting · Headl…2 · 40%Equipment1 · 20%
  1. Suspension:Rear — 2 reports
  2. Exterior Lighting:Headlights — 2 reports
  3. Equipment — 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

2003

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.