Indian Spirit problems & recalls

Problem: On certain motorcycles, the weld attaching the fender mount to the front fork may crack and break.

Risk: This could cause the fender mount to fail resulting in the fender coming into contact with the wheel, resulting in the rider to lose control of the motorcycle, increasing the risk of a crash.

Fix: Dealers will bolt a bracket onto each front fork. this bracket will hold the fender mount in place even if the weld fails. owner notification is expected to begin during august 2003. owners should contact indian at 1-888-899-2997.

Problem: On certain motorcycles, the bracket used to support the teardrop headlight can crack, causing the bracket to break and the light to slip out of position or fall off.

Risk: This could cause a loss of visibility to the driver, increasing the risk of a crash.

Fix: Dealers will install a new bracket. owner notification is expected to begin during august 2003. owners should contact imc at 1-888-899-2997.

Problem: On certain motorcycles, due to the positioning of the gas tank vent tube, the vent tube can become clogged with debris, particularly in wet weather. vent tube clogging can cause interruption of fuel flow to the carburetor, causing the engine to stop. a clogged vent tube may also cause pressure to build up in the gas tank and push a small amount of gas out of the fuel filler cap seal.

Risk: Fuel leakage in the present of an ignition source can result in a fire.

Fix: Dealers will replace the current vent tube with a longer tube repositioned to prevent clogging. owner notification began april 28, 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.

Problem: 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.

Risk: This condition can potentially cause the regulator to catch on fire.

Fix: 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.

Problem: On certain motorcycles, the fasteners that bolt the windshield to the mounting clamps can break, causing the windshield to come partially or completely off the bike.

Risk: If this happens while the motorcycle is in use, the rider could be injured by the windshield.

Fix: Dealers will replace the windshields. owner notification began january 16, 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.

Problem: On certain motorcycles, the rear axles are made of a material with a lower than desirable yield strength.

Risk: Under repeated heavy loads, the rear axle could deform causing excessive wear in the rear wheel bearings potentially leading to overheating and seizing of the bearings, increasing the risk of a crash.

Fix: Dealers will replace the rear axles on these motorcycles. owner notification began august 16, 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.

Problem: On certain motorcycles, the pinch bolts that clamp the front forks to the axle may be 1/4" bolts or 5/16" bolts made of stainless steel. in both cases, these bolts may not be of sufficient strength over time to clamp the front fork to the axle tightly enough to prevent axle rotation.

Risk: If the axle is allowed to rotate, the axle could come out of the right front fork, collapsing the front end, increasing the risk of a crash.

Fix: dealers will inspect the front forks to determine whether the pinch bolts are 1/4" or 5/16" bolts made of stainless steel. if the forks are clamped with 1/4" bolts, the dealer will replace the forks with forks designed with 5/16" bolts. if the forks are clamped with 5/16" stainless steel pinch bolts, the dealer will replace the bolts with 5/16" bolts made of zinc plated steel. owner notifica

Problem: On certain motorcycles, fractures can occur on either the left or right fuel tank at the top of the joint where the bracket is welded to the tank back plate.

Risk: Fuel can escape from the tank, increasing the risk of a fire.

Fix: Dealers will replace the gas tanks with tanks that have a redesigned mounting bracket. owner notification began march 19, 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.

Problem: Some motorcycles may have a gas tank venting system that became clogged during production.

Risk: This clogging prevents the venting system from allowing pressure to escape from the gas tank, which could result in gas flowing back into the carburetor and possibly spilling onto the ground.

Fix: All motorcycles have been inspected and, if necessary, corrected. this campaign is 100% completed.