2004 Buell XB12R: complaints, problems and recalls
Explore the records behind recurring owner reports.
Key facts
7 owner complaints analyzed
0 distinct recall campaigns
20,000 mi median reported failure mileage
Scope: 2004 model year. Data snapshot: . 5 complaints include usable failure mileage.
This selection has limited data. It remains available for lookup but is excluded from search indexing.
Most common problems
Exterior Lighting:Headlights is the most frequently named component, appearing in 6 of 7 complaints (85.7%). A complaint can name multiple components.
Component breakdown
Number of unique complaints naming each component. Top eight shown.
| Category | Count |
|---|---|
| Exterior Lighting:Headlights | 6 |
| Exterior Lighting | 1 |
| Exterior Lighting:Headlights:Concealment Devices | 1 |
Exterior Lighting:Headlights: 6; Exterior Lighting: 1; Exterior Lighting:Headlights:Concealment Devices: 1
Reported problems by failure mileage
Complaint counts in mileage bands. These are not failure rates per vehicle or mile.
| Category | Count |
|---|---|
| Under 25,000 | 3 |
| 25,000 to 49,999 | 2 |
| 50,000 to 74,999 | 0 |
| 75,000 to 99,999 | 0 |
| 100,000 to 149,999 | 0 |
| 150,000 and above | 0 |
Under 25,000: 3; 25,000 to 49,999: 2; 50,000 to 74,999: 0; 75,000 to 99,999: 0; 100,000 to 149,999: 0; 150,000 and above: 0
Under 25,000 miles has the most reports with usable mileage (3). 2 complaints have missing, zero or invalid mileage.
Complaints over time
Year the complaint was filed, not the vehicle model year or incident year. The snapshot year is partial.
| Category | Count |
|---|---|
| 2007 | 6 |
| 2008 | 1 |
2007: 6; 2008: 1
Pattern summary
Exterior Lighting:Headlights leads the component reports. Use these patterns to inspect individual reports and prepare questions for a mechanic.
Calculated from recorded counts. An AI narrative has not been published for this selection.
Examples from the source records
Examples provide context, not a representative sample or a verified diagnosis.
Owner report 10181965 · 2007-02-08 (February 8, 2007)
THE HEAD LAMPS ON MY 2004 BUELL XB12R HAVE NEEDED REPLACEMENT BECAUSE THE REFLECTIVE COATING ON THE LAMP REFLECTOR, DEGRADE TO THE POINT THAT LIGHT OUTPUT BECOME DANGEROUSLY LOW FOR NIGHT DRIVING. THE MOTORCYCLE HAS A TWO HEADLIGHT SYSTEM. ONE LAMP IS USED FOR LOW BEAM THE OTHER FOR HIGH BEAM. THE LOW BEAM LAMP HAS BEEN REPLACED TWICE SINCE THE BIKE WAS PURCHASED NEW IN AUG 2004. THE HIGH BEAM LAMP HAS BEEN REPLACED ONCE IN THE SAME TIME FRAME. I EXPECTED TO HAVE TO CONTINUE ANNUAL REPLACEMENT OF THE LAMP ASSEMBLIES BECAUSE OF THIS PROBLEM…
Owner-reported narrative. 25,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10181965 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10183298 · 2007-02-22 (February 22, 2007)
ON THE BUELL MOTORCYCLE XB9R AND XB12R THE HEADLIGHTS BECOME NON FUNCTIONAL AFTER ABOUT 1 YR OF USAGE. THE HEADLIGHT HOUSING REFLECTIVE MATERIAL TURNS TO POWDER DUE TO THE NATURAL HEAT FROM THE HEADLIGHT. *JB
Owner-reported narrative. 5,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10183298 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10183309 · 2007-02-23 (February 23, 2007)
THE HEAD LAMPS ON MY 2004 BUELL XB12R ARE IN NEED OF REPLACEMENT DUE TO DEGRADATION OF THE REFLECTIVE COATING ON THE LAMP REFLECTOR. THE REFLECTOR IS ACTUALLY RUBBING OFF, REDUCING THE OUTPUT OF THE LIGHT TO A POINT DANGEROUSLY INEFFECTIVE FOR NIGHT DRIVING. THIS AFFECTS BOTH THE LOW AND HIGH BEAM ASSEMBLIES. THIS SEEMS TO BE A MANUFACTURING DEFECT, LEADING TO A POTENTIALITY DANGEROUS SITUATION WHILE RIDING AT NIGHT. *JB
Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10183309 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10183366 · 2007-02-23 (February 23, 2007)
THE REFLECTIVE SURFACE ON THE HEAD LAMPS ON MY 2004 BUELL XB12R FIREBOLT HAVE DEGRADED TO THE POINT THAT THE LAMPS HAD TO BE REPLACED. *NM
Owner-reported narrative. 25,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10183366 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10183368 · 2007-02-23 (February 23, 2007)
INADEQUATE/UNSAFE LIGHTING. *NM
Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10183368 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10191976 · 2007-05-29 (May 29, 2007)
HEADLIGHTS REFLECTIVE COATING FAILING. LIGHTS BECOMING TOO WEAK TO SEE AT NIGHT. PLEASE NOTE- MODEL IS XB12R, NOT AVAILABLE ON YOUR LIST, CLOSEST AVAILABLE WAS XB12S, HEADLIGHTS NOT THE SAME ON THESE TWO MODELS. *TR
Owner-reported narrative. 7,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10191976 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10227073 · 2008-05-08 (May 8, 2008)
LOW BEAM HEADLIGHT REFLECTOR LENS DETERIORATES IN JUST OVER ONE YEAR. NOT THE LENS ITSELF BUT THE REFLECTIVE MATERIAL. *TR
Owner-reported narrative. 20,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10227073 at NHTSA ↗
Recall history
0 distinct campaigns affect this selection. Announcement dates below are different from vehicle model years. A campaign may cover multiple years.
No recall campaigns are recorded in this snapshot.