NHTSA lists 40 complaints for the 2000 Indian Chief, 3 of them mention a crash and 1 mention a fire. 3 complaints mention an injury, with 4 injuries and 0 deaths reported.
Data build 2026-10-07.
NHTSA lists this vehicle as INDIAN CHIEF.
At a glance
Complaints
40
With crash
3
With fire
1
With injury (complaints)
3
Injuries
4
Deaths
0
Recalls
4
Do not drive recalls
0
Park outside recalls
0
Recall potential units (maximum)
7,947
Investigations
2
Open investigations
0
Manufacturer communications
6
Complaints per 100k sold unavailable. No sales source is available for this record.
Where the complaints are
Top systems
System
Complaints
Share of this vehicle's complaints
SUSPENSION
11
27.5%
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING
6
15.0%
EXTERIOR LIGHTING
5
12.5%
STEERING
5
12.5%
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
4
10.0%
SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC
4
10.0%
STRUCTURE
4
10.0%
EQUIPMENT
2
5.0%
POWER TRAIN
2
5.0%
UNKNOWN OR OTHER
2
5.0%
Top subsystems
System
Subsystem
Complaints
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING
ENGINE
6
STEERING
STEERING WHEEL/HANDLE BAR
5
SUSPENSION
REAR
5
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
ALTERNATOR/GENERATOR/REGULATOR
2
EXTERIOR LIGHTING
HEADLIGHTS
2
POWER TRAIN
MANUAL TRANSMISSION
2
STRUCTURE
BODY
2
SUSPENSION
FRONT
2
VISIBILITY
WINDSHIELD
2
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
12V/24V/48V BATTERY
1
One complaint can name several systems, so shares can add to more than 100 percent.
Model-generated complaint tags: This model year has not been tagged.
Defect: 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.
Consequence: 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: 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.
Defect: 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.
Consequence: THIS CONDITION CAN POTENTIALLY CAUSE THE REGULATOR TO CATCH ON FIRE.
Remedy: 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.
Defect: ON CERTAIN MOTORCYCLES, THE HANDLE BAR RISER TOP CLAMP COULD ALLOW EXCESSIVE MOVEMENT OF THE HANDLE BARS.
Consequence: LOSS OF CONTROL OF THE MOTORCYCLE COULD OCCUR, INCREASING THE RISK OF A CRASH.
Remedy: 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.
Defect: 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.
Consequence: THIS COULD RESULT IN THE COLLAPSE OF THE REAR SUSPENSION, INCREASING THE RISK OF A CRASH.
Remedy: 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.
Do not drive: No. Park outside: No.
Investigations
2 investigations; 0 open.
PE02037
Opened: 2002-03-26. Closed: 2002-05-24.
HANDLEBAR LOOSENING
ODI OPENED THIS INVESTIGATION AFTER RECEIVING ONE OWNER COMPLAINT REGARDING TWO INSTANCES OF HANDLEBAR LOOSENING ON A 2000 INDIAN CHIEF MODEL MOTORCYCLE.THIS WAS OCCURRING BECAUSE THE HANDLEBAR RISER CLAMP MATERIAL WAS TWW SOFT RESULTING IN INSUFFICIENT CLAMPING FORCE NECESSARY TO FULLY SECURE THE HANDLEBAR IN CERTAIN FORESEEABLE MANEUVERS.INDIAN IS RECALLING THE SUBJECT VEHICLES TO REPLACE THE IN
SIX MANUFACTURER INCIDENTS OF BROKEN REAR SUSPENSION SHOCK ABSORBER MOUNTING BRACKETS AND FORTY-TWO OF BROKEN SHOCK BOLTS.THE ORIGINAL SWAY-AWAY REAR SHOCK ABSORBERS (IDENTIFIED BY A BLACK HOUSING) ARE NOT ADEQUATE FOR THE SUBJECT BIKES' GVWR.SHOCK BOTTOMING (I.E., COIL BIND) CONSEQUENTLY OCCURS AT THE UPPER RANGE OF THE MACHINE'S WEIGHT CARRYING CAPACITY AND THE RESULTING LOADS BREAK THE SHOCK MO
Date: 2022-02-14. Type: Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions. Systems: ELECTRICAL SYSTEM, EQUIPMENT.
Best practices for gauges, speedometers, and tachometers providing information regarding how to clean and maintain. The version has been translated into French.
10189626
Date: 2021-03-15. Type: Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions. Systems: EQUIPMENT.
EFFECTIVE IMMEDIATELY: STOP SALE on affected motorcycle(s) identified in your inventory until further notice.
10030025
Date: 2009-07-22. Type: Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions. Systems: SUSPENSION.
INDIAN MOTORCYCLE: THE REAR SHOCK ABSORBER ON THE MOTORCYCLE CAN BE ADJUSTED FOR THE WEIGHT THE MOTORCYCLE IS CARRYING. TO ADJUST THE SHOCK ABSORBER SPRING, YOU WILL NEED AN APPROPRIATE SPANNER WRENCH. NO MODEL OR MODEL YEARS LISTED. *PE
10030026
Date: 2009-07-22. Type: Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions. Systems: EQUIPMENT, POWER TRAIN.
INDIAN MOTORCYCLE: TRANSMISSION OIL LEVEL CHECK. MODEL AND MODEL YEARS NOT LISTED. *PE
10030064
Date: 2009-07-01. Type: Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions. Systems: ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING, EQUIPMENT.
INDIAN MOTORCYCLE: ENGINE OIL LEVEL CHECK. NO MODEL OR MODEL YEARS LISTED. *PE
10001068
Date: 2003-01-30. Type: Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions. Systems: STRUCTURE.
DAMPER KIT FOR REAR FENDER. *TT
Notes on this record
Complaints from the API and bulk file are merged and deduplicated by ODI number; the API alone misses records.
System and subsystem counts are numbers of distinct complaints, recalls or communications that name them. One record can name several systems, so shares across systems can add to more than 100 percent; a single share never exceeds 100 percent.
Recalls are counted once per campaign, investigations once per action and manufacturer communications once per NHTSA id, even when NHTSA lists several model names for the same record.
A sales denominator is a calendar-year proxy, not the population of vehicles still in use. Rates are copied from verified pipeline output.