2003 Harley-Davidson VRSCA: complaints, problems and recalls
Explore the records behind recurring owner reports.
Key facts
9 owner complaints analyzed
0 distinct recall campaigns
4,700 mi median reported failure mileage
Scope: 2003 model year. Data snapshot: . 8 complaints include usable failure mileage.
This selection has limited data. It remains available for lookup but is excluded from search indexing.
Most common problems
Fuel System, Gasoline is the most frequently named component, appearing in 4 of 9 complaints (44.4%). A complaint can name multiple components.
| Topic | Matching reports | Share of complaints |
|---|---|---|
| Transmission and shifting | 1 | 11.1% |
| Braking behavior | 1 | 11.1% |
| Fuel system concerns | 1 | 11.1% |
Topic matches use published keyword rules. They describe mentions, including negations or comparisons, and do not confirm a diagnosis. Read the matching rules.
Component breakdown
Number of unique complaints naming each component. Top eight shown.
| Category | Count |
|---|---|
| Fuel System, Gasoline | 4 |
| Electrical System | 1 |
| Fuel System, Other:Storage:Fuel Gauge System | 1 |
| Fuel/Propulsion System | 1 |
| Service Brakes | 1 |
| Structure:Body | 1 |
| Wheels | 1 |
Fuel System, Gasoline: 4; Electrical System: 1; Fuel System, Other:Storage:Fuel Gauge System: 1; Fuel/Propulsion System: 1; Service Brakes: 1; Structure:Body: 1; Wheels: 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 | 7 |
| 25,000 to 49,999 | 1 |
| 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: 7; 25,000 to 49,999: 1; 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 (7). 1 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 |
|---|---|
| 2006 | 1 |
| 2008 | 1 |
| 2010 | 3 |
| 2012 | 1 |
| 2016 | 2 |
| 2018 | 1 |
2006: 1; 2008: 1; 2010: 3; 2012: 1; 2016: 2; 2018: 1
Pattern summary
Fuel System, Gasoline leads the component reports. Transmission and shifting appears in 1 complaint narratives. Braking behavior appears in 1 complaint narratives. Fuel system concerns appears in 1 complaint narratives. 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 10157264 · 2006-05-11 (May 11, 2006)
I WAS TRAVELING AT 30-MPH WHEN A SIDE WIND BLOWING AT APPROXIMATELY 20 TO 30 MPH BLEW ME AND THE MOTORCYCLE ACROSS MULTIPLE LANES INTO THE CURB. GIVEN MY EXPERIENCE I WAS ABLE TO KEEP THE MOTORCYCLE UPRIGHT AND RODE THE CURB FOR ABOUT 20-FT UNTIL I COULD GET OFF THE MOTORCYCLE. PARKED AND CHECKED FOR DAMAGES. THE CONCRETE CURB GROUND THE FRAME DOWN AND ALSO TORE THE RADIATOR SHROUD AND EXHAUST PIPES. WAS EXTREMELY LUCKY NOT HAVE BEEN BLOWN OVER AND INJURED. VROD IS TO LIGHT FOR THE SOLID WHEELS THAT CATCH WIND LIKE A SAIL. *JB
Owner-reported narrative. 2,892 miles reported. Look up ODI 10157264 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10250858 · 2008-12-05 (December 5, 2008)
1) NORMAL DRIVING UNDER PARTIAL THROTTLE (PARTIAL ENGINE LOAD) 2) ENGINE HESITATES, STUTTERS AND LOSES POWER (SINCE THIS IS A 2-WHEELED MOTORCYCLE, THE BIKE BECOMES UNSTABLE AND POTENTIALLY DANGEROUS WHEN THIS OCCURS IN A CORNER, LUCKILY I COULD CONTROL THE VEHICLE EACH TIME THIS HAPPENED, BUT MORE INEXPERIENCED RIDERS MIGHT LOOSE CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE) 3) THERE IS A TSB FOR THIS PROBLEM "FUEL MODULE FLANGE REPLACEMENT PRODUCT PROGRAM" M-1141A ISSUED ON OCTOBER30, 2003. SINCE THIS IS A POTENTIALLY DANGEROUS CONDITION, AND LOOSING CONTROL …
Owner-reported narrative. 1,990 miles reported. Look up ODI 10250858 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10349419 · 2010-08-15 (August 15, 2010)
I HAVE A 2003 HARLEY VROD. THE FUEL GAUGE DOES NOT WORK PROPERLY. IT HAS BEEN LIKE THAT FOR A YEAR. I STILL NEED TO GET IT FIXED. *TR
Owner-reported narrative. 5,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10349419 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10356063 · 2010-09-17 (September 17, 2010)
I PURCHASED A 2003 100TH ANNIVERSARY HARLEY DAVIDSON VRSCA (VROD) AND THE GAS GAUGE INCORRECTLY REPORTS LEVEL (LESS MILES TO EMPTY THAN ACTUALLY CAPABLE). AFTER SEARCHING THE INTERNET AND VROD GAS GAUGE IS A COMMON ISSUE. BECAUSE OF THIS ISSUE, I CAN NOT DETERMINE WHEN THE GAS TANK IS LOW AND REQUIRING FUEL. I REPORTED THE ISSUE TO MY LOCAL HD DEALER AND THEY WERE OF NO HELP. VERY FRUSTRATING AND DISAPPOINTING FOR AN AMERICAN COMPANY. *TR
Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10356063 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10367849 · 2010-11-25 (November 25, 2010)
FUEL GAUGE ON MY 2003 HARLEY DAVIDSON V-ROD IS NOT ACCURATE. THE GAUGE WILL DISPLAY FULL WHEN IN FACT THE BIKE IS EMPTY. AFTER FILLING THE BIKE THE GAUGE WILL READ ?? (ANYWHERE). THERE IS NO RHYME OR REASON WITH THE FAILURE. I HAVE TAKEN IT AND HAVE HAD IT SERVICE, UNDER WARRANTY, "2" TIMES AND EACH TIME IT BREAKS WITHIN A MONTH OR TWO. THIS PROBLEM IS WIDESPREAD WITH THIS MODEL HARLEY DAVIDSON AND THE VEHICLE MANUFACTURE REFUSES TO ADDRESS THE ISSUE. *TR
Owner-reported narrative. 9,881 miles reported. Look up ODI 10367849 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10452270 · 2012-03-19 (March 19, 2012)
FUEL GAUGE DROPS TO EMPTY ONCE IT GETS TO 3/4 FULL. *JS
Owner-reported narrative. 21,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10452270 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10882915 · 2016-07-06 (July 6, 2016)
A FUEL SYSTEM FAILURE CAUSED JERKING AND EXCESSIVE GAS CONSUMPTION. MOTORCYCLE DIES FREQUENTLY AND IS IMPOSSIBLE TO SAFELY RIDE. THIS IS A COMMON PROBLEM THAT HARLEY DAVIDSON HAS ISSUED A TECHNICAL BULLETIN FOR, BUT LIKE MANY OTHERS MY PARTICULAR MODEL FALLS OUTSIDE OF THE COVERED ASSEMBLED DATES.
Owner-reported narrative. 4,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10882915 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10883833 · 2016-07-10 (July 10, 2016)
THE FRONT BRAKES LOCKED WHEN I STOPPED AT A STOP SIGN. I FELL OVER AND BROKE 3 RIBS. I SENT MY BIKE TO THE HD DEALERSHIP WHERE THEY FIXED THE DAMAGE TO MY BIKE. THE TECHNICIAN TEST DROVE MY BIKE AND THE SAME THING HAPPENED TO HIM. THE DEALERSHIP SAID HE WAS GOING ABOUT 25 MPH WENT THE FRONT BRAKES LOCKED ON HIM. HD HAD MY BIKE FOR 5 MONTHS. ALL THEY DID WAS CHARGE ME FOR A WHOLE NEW FRONT BRAKE SYSTEM. I TOLD THEM THIS WAS NOT NORMAL AND THEY SAID THERE WAS NOTHING THEY COULD DO AND COULDN'T FIND THE PROBLEM SO I HAD TO PAY FOR A NEW FRON…
Owner-reported narrative. 4,400 miles reported. Look up ODI 10883833 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.