Harley-Davidson · NHTSA safety record

2015 Harley-Davidson XG500

Every safety complaint, recall and defect investigation the US government holds on this vehicle.

Complaints

Crashes

Fires

Injuries

Deaths

Owners of the 2015 Harley-Davidson XG500 have filed 11 safety complaints with NHTSA between September 2014 and May 2019. The most complained-about system is the fuel and propulsion system, named in 9 of them (82%). The typical failure was reported at 348 miles, the median across the 10 complaints that gave an odometer reading.

NHTSA has issued 3 recalls covering this vehicle.

Recalls (3)

FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:DELIVERY:FUEL PUMP

15V474000 · July 29, 2015

The defect: Harley-Davidson Motor Company (Harley-Davidson) is recalling certain model year 2015 XG500 motorcycles manufactured January 20, 2014, to July 7, 2015, and XG750 motorcycles manufactured May 12, 2014, to July 7, 2015. The fuel pump modules on these motorcycles have a poor seal at the fuel pump inlet.
The risk: If there is a poor seal at the fuel pump inlet it can cause interruption to the fuel supply, possibly causing a brief hesitation with the abrupt restoration of power. This abrupt restoration of power can lead to loss of control, increasing the risk of a crash.
The remedy: Harley-Davidson will notify owners, and dealers will install a new fuel pump assembly, free of charge. The recall began on August 21, 2015. Owners may contact Harley-Davidson customer service at 1-414-343-4056. Harley-Davidson's number for this recall is 0167.

Harley-Davidson Motor Company · up to 10,594 vehicles across all model years covered

EXTERIOR LIGHTING

15V217000 · April 13, 2015

The defect: Harley-Davidson Motor Company (Harley-Davidson) is recalling certain model year 2015 XG500 motorcycles manufactured January 28, 2014, to March 9, 2015, and 2015 XG750 motorcycles manufactured May 12, 2014, to March 9, 2015. The affected motorcycles may have been manufactured without a rear reflector assembly. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) number 108, "Lamps, Reflective Devices, and Associated Equipment."
The risk: If the motorcycle is missing the rear reflector it can reduce the vehicle's visibility to other drivers, increasing the risk of a crash.
The remedy: Harley-Davidson will notify owners, and dealers will install a rear reflector assembly, free of charge. The recall began on April 29, 2015. Owners may contact Harley-Davidson customer service at 1-800-258-2464. Harley-Davidson's number for this recall is 0620.

Harley-Davidson Motor Company · up to 8,904 vehicles across all model years covered

FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:STORAGE:TANK ASSEMBLY:FILLER PIPE AND CAP

14V536000 · September 5, 2014

The defect: Harley-Davidson Motor Company (Harley-Davidson) is recalling certain model year 2015 XG500 and XG750 motorcycles manufactured June 11, 2014, to August 14, 2014. The fuel tank filler neck may be insufficiently flat, preventing the fuel cap from sealing properly.
The risk: If the fuel cap doesn't properly seal, fuel may leak, increasing the risk of a vehicle fire.
The remedy: Harley-Davidson will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the motorcycle and test to see if fuel can leak from under the fuel cap. Any motorcycle that leaks fuel from under the fuel cap will have its gas tanked replaced, free of charge. The recall began in late September 2014. Owners may contact Harley-Davidson customer service at 1-800-258-2464. Harley-Davidson's number for this recall is 0161.

Harley-Davidson Motor Company · up to 867 vehicles across all model years covered

Defect investigations (1)

An investigation means NHTSA has decided a pattern is worth examining. A preliminary evaluation is often closed with no action; an engineering analysis is the stage that usually precedes a recall.

Inconsistent Throttle Response

PE15015

Closed preliminary evaluation · opened April 20, 2015 · closed August 18, 2015 · led to recall 15V474000

the gasoline fuel system

This investigation was opened on April 20, 2015 to investigate reports of inconsistent throttle control on all MY 2015 HD XG750 and XG500 motorcycles.At the time, ODI had 14 consumer complaints and no crashes reported.At the time of closing this investigation ODI has 51 reports (6 of which allege a crash occurred). In addition to requesting information from Harley-Davidson (HD), ODI interviewed complainants and dealer service/parts department personnel.ODI staff also test rode one of the crash bikes to experience the alleged condition first-hand.At low fuel levels (typically below .8 gallon), the engine may stumble and/or stall when fuel flow from the pump to engine is interrupted.This is due to a poor seal at the fuel pump inlet. Ultimately, HD decided to recall (15V-474) the affected motorcycles (MY 2015 XG500 and XG750 produced 1-20-14 through 6-24-15) to install a new fuel pump assembly.With the recall, our information request is moot and this PE is closed.

What owners report

Complaints naming each system. One complaint can name several, so these add up to more than 11.

FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM 9 82%

VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL 5 45%

POWER TRAIN 2 18%

UNKNOWN OR OTHER 2 18%

ENGINE 1 9%

When the complaints arrived

By the year NHTSA received them, which is not the year the failures happened. They peaked in 2015 at 5.

2014 to 2019

In owners' own words

Quoted from NHTSA's complaint file. These are unverified accounts by the people who filed them, not findings of fault.

VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL Filed December 11, 2014

1 injured · crash · 94 miles

VEHICLE LURCHES FORWARD UNCONTROLLABLY. THROTTLE RESPONSE IS EXTREMELY ERRATIC. THIS CAUSED INEXPERIENCED RIDER TO LOSE CONTROL AT A LOW SPEED AND WAS THROWN FROM VEHICLE AS IT WENT OUT OF CONTROL ONTO THE SIDEWALK. FUEL TANK WAS NEARLY FULL. CONTINUED RIDING EXHIBITED EXTREMELY ERRATIC THROTTLE CONTROL. VEHICLE IS VERY UNPREDICTABLE. *TR

NHTSA complaint 10663574. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.

FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM Filed June 12, 2017

1 injured · crash · 50 miles

FIRST ACCIDENT WAS AT A TRAFFIC LIGHT INTERSECTION, WITH LOW FUEL, BUT NO FUEL LIGHT YET. ACCELERATING ON SLIGHT UPHILL LEFT TURN, FROM STOP AT LIGHT. WENT FROM 1ST TO 2ND, WAS LEAVING THE CURVE WHEN I HIT A POT HOLE. THE BIKE LAGGED SLIGHTLY, THEN ACCELERATED SUDDENLY I WAS UNABLE TO AVOID HITTING THE CURB AND CRASHED. BEING A NEW RIDER I ASSUMED THAT THE POT HOLE HAD CAUSED ME TO ROLL ON THE THROTTLE, WHICH IS VERY RESPONSIVE, AND PUT THIS INCIDENT DOWN TO RIDER ERROR. IT WAS A SANCTIONED CLUB RIDE, SO REPORTS WERE FILED WITH THE DEALERSHIP. THE BIKE SPENT ABOUT 4 MONTHS AT HARLEY DAVIDSON OF BALTIMORE SERVICE DEPARTMENT, FOR WHAT WAS MOSTLY COSMETIC DAMAGE, AND I WAS PAYING CASH FOR

NHTSA complaint 10994411, quoted in part. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.

FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM Filed September 3, 2014

1 injured · 550 miles

UPON ACCELERATION FROM A STOP, THE 2015 HARLEY DAVIDSON STREET 500 AND 750 (XG500 AND XG750) MODELS LOSE FUEL PRESSURE WHEN THE FUEL TANK IS UNDER APPROXIMATELY 1/2 CAPACITY. THE PROBLEM IS EXACERBATED WHEN ACCELERATING UP HILLS. UPON LOSS OF FUEL PRESSURE, THE MOTORCYCLE VIOLENTLY THRUSTS THE RIDER FORWARD, AND WHEN THE FUEL PRESSURE RECOVERS, THE RIDER IS UNEXPECTEDLY THRUST BACKWARDS, RESULTING IN A POSSIBLE LOSS OF CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE AT BEST. IN MY CASE, MY NECK WAS STRAINED. MULTIPLE CASES ON THIS PROBLEM HAVE BEEN REPORTED TO H-D, AND THEY SAY THEY ARE INVESTIGATING. THERE IS NO SOLUTION YET, HOWEVER. *TR

NHTSA complaint 10630357. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.

FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM Filed April 18, 2015

crash · 145 miles

MOTORCYCLE WILL BOG DOWN AND THEN SURGE WITHOUT WARNING IF THERE IS ABOUT 1/3 OF A TANK LEFT. LOW FUEL INDICATOR NEVER COMES ON BEFORE IT HAPPENS AND IT'S WORSE WHEN DRIVING ON HILLS OR WHILE BANKING IN TURNS. LAST NIGHT WAS THE THIRD TIME THIS HAS HAPPENED TO ME AS I WAS COMING UP THE HILL AND TURNING IN TO MY DRIVEWAY THE MOTORCYCLE BOGGED DOWN, AND BEFORE I COULD COMPLETELY ROLL OFF THE THROTTLE IT ACCELERATED AND PUSHED THE REAR WHEEL OUT CAUSING ME TO LAY MY BIKE DOWN. *TR

NHTSA complaint 10706441. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.

POWER TRAIN Filed May 7, 2019

3,000 miles

THIS IS THE THIRD TIME MY BIKE HAS BEEN IN THE SHOP SINCE AUGUST 2019. ON MAY 8, 2019, IT HAS BEEN BACK IN THE SHOP FOR SIX WEEK. THE FIRST TIME IT BROKE DOWN IN WAS IN THE SHOP FOR 6 WEEKS. I'M BEING TOLD THE OUTPUT SHAFT IS BEING REDESIGNED. WHEN YOU'RE GOING THOUGHT THE GEARS THE OUTPUT SHAFT BREAKS. YOU DON'T EVEN GET THOUGH THE 6 GEARS. THEN BIKE LOSES ALL POWER TRAIN ONCE THE OUTPUT SHALL. THIS IS VERY DANGEROUS WHEN YOU ARE IN TRAFFIC. YOU HAVE TO FIND A SAFE PLACE TO COAST TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD. THIS IS THE THIRD TIME IT'S BEEN IN THE FOR THE SAME THING. FIRST TIME AUGUST 27, 2018. SECOND TIME OCTOBER 24, 2018. TOOK MY BIKE IN FOR THEM TO CHECK THE OUTPUT SHAFT AND BOLT. THIRD

NHTSA complaint 11206113, quoted in part. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.

UNKNOWN OR OTHER Filed September 26, 2015

8,700 miles

I BROUGHT MY XG500 TO A HARLEY DAVIDSON DEALER TO FIX A RECALL ON THE FUEL PUMP. AFTER AN ESTIMATED 100 MILES, THE BIKE SUDDENLY LOST ALL POWER TO THE BACK WHEEL WHILE I WAS DRIVING ON THE HIGHWAY AT ABOUT 65MPH. THE THROTTLE WOULD REV UP THE ENGINE, BUT IT WASN'T MAKING ME MOVE. THIS PUT ME IN A VERY UNSAFE PREDICAMENT AND I HAD TO ROLL ACROSS LANES OF TRAFFIC WHILE DECELERATING.

NHTSA complaint 10777821. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.

VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL Filed July 31, 2015

32 miles

JULY 3, 2015 - IT STALLED TWICE WHILE SITTING COMPLETELY STOPPED AT STOP SIGNS WITH THE CLUTCH FULLY PULLED IN. IT IDLED LOW AND THEN COMPLETELY DIED. RESTARTING THE BIKE, I WAS ABLE TO GET IT MOVING WITH QUITE A BIT OF LEAPING AND LAGGING AND THE ENGINE SPUTTERING. ONCE UP AND THROUGH 1ST AND 2ND GEAR (SPUTTERING LIKE IF WAS MISSING FUEL) IT SEEMED TO SUDDENLY ENGAGE AND WAS OK. I COMPENSATED FOR THE LAGGING, BUT IT KEPT JUMPING AS IF SUDDENLY CATCHING WITHOUT PRESSURE ON THE THROTTLE INCREASING. IT DID THIS MOSTLY AT LOWER SPEEDS AT FIRST, BUT ALSO LEAPS WHEN AT HIGHER SPEEDS (45-55MPH) ON RURAL ROADS - AGAIN, JUMPING INTO THE HIGHER SPEED SUDDENLY AND WITHOUT AN INCREASE ON THE THROTTLE.

NHTSA complaint 10745446, quoted in part. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.

FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM Filed July 8, 2015

2,450 miles

I PREVIOUSLY FILED A REPORT ABOUT MY MOTORCYCLE STALLING AND SURGING ON 4/18 WHICH RESULTED IN A CRASH IN WET WEATHER. MY LOCAL DEALERSHIP BROUGHT MY BIKE IN AND HAD IT FOR A WEEK WHILE WAITING FOR A NEW FUEL PUMP. I AM ON MY SECOND FUEL PUMP. THE EXACT SAME SYMPTOMS AS BEFORE BUT A COMPLETELY NEW FUEL PUMP. I WAS ALMOST HIT WHILE TAKING OFF SLOWLY FROM A LIGHT WHEN THE BIKE SURGED AND THE CAR BEHIND ME EXPECTED ME TO CONTINUE MOVING THROUGH THE INTERSECTION. THIS IS MY ONLY VEHICLE AND I AM FINANCIALLY TIED INTO IT AND IT IS UNSAFE TO RIDE. MY FUEL LIGHT DOES NOT COME ON AND IT ACTS AS IF THERE IS NO FUEL. IT HAS A 3.3 GALLON TANK AND I HAVE NEVER BEEN ABLE TO PUT MORE THAN 2.5 GALLONS IN

NHTSA complaint 10732830, quoted in part. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.

FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM Filed July 7, 2015

LIKE MANY OTHERS, SINCE DAY 1 MY HARLEY STREET 500 HAS BEEN EXPERIENCING A "LAG AND LEAP" ISSUE. THE FIRST DAY I HAD MY BIKE I EXPERIENCED AN ISSUE WHERE WHEN STARTING FROM A STOP, OR MAKING A TURN AT LOW SPEEDS, THE BIKE WOULD STALL LIKE IT WAS OUT OF GAS, AND THEN SUDDENLY ACCELERATE AGAIN, ALMOST THROWING ME OFF THE BACK OF THE BIKE. I BROUGHT MY BIKE TO THE DEALER, THEY TOLD ME I WAS LOW ON GAS, FILLED ME UP AND SENT ME ALONG MY WAY. HOWEVER, THE ISSUE HAS CONTINUED TO HAPPEN EVERY SINGLE TIME (IT IS 100% REPRODUCIBLE) THE BIKE TRAVELS FOR ROUGHLY 100 MILES AFTER FILLING (3.5 GALLON TANK WITH ADVERTISED ~60MPG). WHEN I FILL UP (THE ONLY REMEDY TO THE ISSUE), I CAN USUALLY NEVER GET MORE

NHTSA complaint 10732410, quoted in part. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.

Compare

Other 2015 Harley-Davidson models

XG750 79 FLHTK 10

Every Harley-Davidson on this site — 32 vehicles, 96 recall campaigns and 0 open investigation s.

If this is your car and a dealer keeps failing to fix it, your state's lemon law may require the manufacturer to replace it or buy it back. What each state asks for , read from the statutes.

Where these numbers come from

Complaints: NHTSA's ODI complaint file , published August 20, 2026. One complaint is one ODI number, which is how NHTSA counts them.
Recalls: NHTSA's recall campaign API , most recent campaign filed August 12, 2026.
Investigations: NHTSA's ODI investigation file , published 2026-08-19.

A complaint is one owner's account and has not been verified by NHTSA or by us. A vehicle with more complaints is not necessarily worse: models that sold in larger numbers collect more of them. How this is counted.

Compiled and maintained by guarledes
Independent developer and analyst