Harley-Davidson Vrsca Problems by Model Year
NHTSA recorded 29 consumer complaints across the 3 model years of the Harley-Davidson Vrsca (2002–2006) that have at least 5 complaints. 2002 has the most, with 13. Across all years, the part named most often is fuel system (19 mentions). Pick a model year below to see its parts, mileage, recalls and service bulletins.
All Vrsca model years
Years with fewer than 5 complaints are not listed. The score compares years of the same model, allowing for the era and for how long each year has collected complaints: 50 is a typical year, lower means fewer complaints. It is not adjusted for sales volume.
| Year | Complaints | Median mi | Recalls | TSBs | Score (50 = typical) | Trend |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006 | 7 | 5,021 | 0 | 4 | — | Not enough data |
| 2003 | 9 | 4,700 | 0 | 3 | — | Not enough data |
| 2002 | 13 | 5,800 | 0 | 3 | — | Not enough data |
Parts named most often, all years
Counts add up complaint mentions across the listed years. A complaint can name several parts.
- Fuel system19 56%
- Electrical system6 18%
- Brakes5 15%
- Wheels2 5.9%
- Tires1 2.9%
- Body and structure1 2.9%
Example complaints
One per model year, chosen for length and detail. Personal details are removed. They are consumer reports, not findings.
2002: “The fuel gage indicated 1/2 tank, I stopped and filled the fuel tank. When the fuel tank was filled and I was riding away I saw the needle now indicated the tank was empty. After riding foe some 20 miles the gage needle gradually began to rise to 3/4 full then drop then rise to 7/8 full. This has happened now every time I have filled the tank. The forums are full of others who experience the same thing without any satisfaction from the manufacture. …”
NHTSA complaint #10510468, filed 2013-05, 5,514 miles2006: “I was attempting to reduce speed to turn into a gas station and rear brakes failed to function. Rear brake pedal is mushy & my motorcycle does not have functioning rear brakes. This is the second occurrence of this incident I've had with this bike (first time was in 2010). In 2010, as I was approaching a stop sign I had a sudden catastrophic loss of rear brakes and nearly suffered a collosion. After an initial diagnosis & repair by a dealership, my brakes again failed as I was stopping at a red light & was nearly t-boned. …”
NHTSA complaint #10725300, filed 2015-06, 13,000 miles2003: “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.”
NHTSA complaint #10367849, filed 2010-11, 9,881 milesOther Harley-Davidson models
263 complaintsHarley-Davidson Flhx
174 complaintsHarley-Davidson Flhtk
147 complaintsHarley-Davidson Flhtcui
100 complaintsHarley-Davidson XG750
85 complaintsHarley-Davidson Harley Davidson
84 complaintsHarley-Davidson Flhtc
82 complaintsHarley-Davidson Flhtcutg
76 complaints
About this data. Data from NHTSA (ODI) complaints, recalls, TSBs and investigations, updated Oct 27, 2026. Complaints are unverified consumer reports and may be duplicated or inaccurate. Methodology