2015 Harley-Davidson XG500
Problems, recalls and owner-reported issues
Fuel/propulsion system is the leading concern among 11 owner complaints filed for this model year. This is the highest complaint count among 3 XG500 model years with reports.
Of the 2015 reports, 3 involved a crash. 3 people were injured.
What owners report most often
Recalls and investigations
Fuel system, gasoline, delivery, fuel pumpJul 29, 2015
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.
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.
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.
Campaign 15V474000 on NHTSA.gov
Exterior lightingApr 13, 2015
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."
If the motorcycle is missing the rear reflector it can reduce the vehicle's visibility to other drivers, increasing the risk of a crash.
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.
Campaign 15V217000 on NHTSA.gov
Fuel system, gasoline, storage, tank assembly, filler pipe and capSep 5, 2014
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.
If the fuel cap doesn't properly seal, fuel may leak, increasing the risk of a vehicle fire.
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.
Campaign 14V536000 on NHTSA.gov
Representative owner complaints: vehicle speed control
5 reports, newest first. Show all
Vehicle speed control, Fuel/propulsion system, Jun 12, 2017, crash
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 REPAIRS, SO THERE IS NO EXPLANATION FOR WHY IT TOOK SO LONG TO REPAIR, BUT THEY ASKED ME MULTIPLE TIMES HOW, OR WHY I THOUGHT THE ACCIDENT HAPPENED. THEY NEVER MENTIONED ANYTHING TO ME ABOUT THE UNEXPECTED ACCELERATION ISSUES WITH THIS BIKE, BUT IN HINDSIGHT I BELIEVE THEY KNEW FROM THE QUESTIONS THEY ASKED. THE BIKE ALSO HAD A SPEED WOBBLE AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS PRIOR TO THIS INCIDENT WHICH WAS WITNESSED BY OTHERS, DIRECTLY PRIOR TO THE ACCIDENT, THAT THEY SAID WOULD NOT BE COVERED BY WARRANTY BECAUSE OF THE ACCIDENT, EVEN THOUGH I REPORTED IT TO THEM BEFORE THE RIDE, AND WAS SCHEDULED TO LEAVE THE BIKE WITH THEM AFTERWARDS TO INVESTIGATE; THIS DISAPPEARED, AFTER THE MONTHS IN SERVICE DEPARTMENT, THEY SAID THEY COULD NOT REPLICATE IT. A FEW MONTHS LATER I WENT OUT FOR A RIDE WITH A FRIEND, I WAS MAKING AN UPHILL RIGHT HAND TURN OUT OF A PARKING LOT DRIVEWAY, WITH FULL TANK OF GAS, WHEN THE BIKE HESITATED AND THEN SUDDENLY WENT TO FULL ACCELERATION, AGAIN I HIT THE CURB AND CAME OFF. THE SECOND TIME I REALIZED THE ISSUE WAS WITH THE BIKE AND BEGAN INVESTIGATING AND FOUND THAT OTHERS WERE EXPERIENCING THE SAME PROBLEM.
Vehicle speed control, Other or unspecified, Engine, Jul 31, 2015
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. ON JULY 18, 2015, THE BIKE JUMPED WHILE TAKING A TURN FROM ONE STREET ONTO ANOTHER, STARTLING ME AND CAUSING ME TO VEER FROM MY LANE AND LEFT OF CENTER, NEARLY TAKING ME OFF THE ROAD AS IT CONTINUED TO JUMP AND SPUTTER. I CORRECTED MY POSITION AND MARKED IT UP TO THE BIKE STILL NEEDING TO BE "BROKEN IN". JULY 31, 2015 - WHILE NORMAL SHIFTING AND INCREASING SPEEDS TO MATCH THE SPEED LIMIT, MY BIKE ACCELERATED TO A OF 40MPH BEFORE JUMPING, THE ENGINE LIGHT BRIEFLY FLICKERING ON AND THEN OFF A FEW TIMES, AND LOSING THROTTLE POWER. I TURNED THE BIKE OFF AND CHECKED THE CLUTCH, OIL, AND INDICATORS BEFORE RESTARTING, REVVING THE ENGINE AND REENTERING THE ROADWAY. THE ENGINE LIGHT DID NOT COME BACK ON PRIOR TO REENTERING. ONCE ON THE ROAD AND BACK UP TO 40MPH, THE BIKE JUMPED AGAIN, ENGINE LIGHT FLICKERED OF AND ON 4 TIMES AND REMAINED OFF. RETURN TRIP WAS SIMILAR.
Vehicle speed control, Fuel/propulsion system, Jul 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 THAN 2 GALLONS IN. LEAVING 1.5 GALLONS OF UNUSED GAS IN THE TANK. THERE ARE MANY OTHERS EXPERIENCING THIS ISSUE WITH THE EXACT SAME SYMPTOMS, AND IT IS REPRODUCIBLE. SO FAR, MY DEALER HAS SAID THEY HAVE NO KNOWN ISSUES WITH THE BIKE, AND THE RESPONSE FROM HARLEY SEEMS TO BE MIXED AS TO WHAT THEY WILL DO ABOUT IT, OR EVEN ACKNOWLEDGE IF THERE IS AN ISSUE. NOTE: THE FUEL LIGHT ALSO NEVER COMES ON, PROBABLY BECAUSE THERE IS OVER 1 GALLON OF GAS IN THE TANK AT ALL TIMES. THIS ISSUE IS INCREDIBLY FRUSTRATING NOT ONLY BECAUSE IT ESSENTIALLY REDUCES THE RANGE OF THE BIKE BECAUSE THE ONLY FIX IS TO KEEP IT FILLED ABOVE A CERTAIN LEVEL, BUT IT IS VERY UNSAFE. I HAVE HAD THIS HAPPEN TO ME ON AT LEAST 5 SEPARATE INCIDENTS, AND USUALLY ITS WHEN PULLING OUT INTO TRAFFIC. I HAVE BEEN LUCKY TO NOT FALL OFF THE BIKE DUE TO THE SUDDEN DECELERATION AND ACCELERATION, AND TO NOT CAUSE A MAJOR TRAFFIC ACCIDENT DUE TO COMING TO A SUDDEN STOP IN TRAFFIC. *TR
Vehicle speed control, Fuel/propulsion system, Apr 18, 2015, crash
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
Vehicle speed control, Fuel/propulsion system, Dec 11, 2014, crash
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