2023 HARLEY-DAVIDSON RA1250S Complaints and Recall Information
The 2023 HARLEY-DAVIDSON RA1250S has 5 complaints and 0 recalls filed with NHTSA. Owners most frequently report issues related to fuel pump failure, often accompanied by screeching noises and decreasing battery voltage. Several complaints describe sudden engine shutdowns linked to this problem, posing safety risks during highway travel.
Common Issues- Fuel pump noise. Intermittent screeching noise from the fuel pump starts around 10,000 miles and worsens over time until constant at startup and during operation.
- Fuel pump failure. Fuel pump failures reported as sudden and abrupt, leading to engine shutdown and limp mode activation, raising safety concerns when riding at highway speeds.
- Fuel pump contamination. Black material suspected to be oxidized aluminum clogs the fuel pump screen, linked to the uncoated factory fuel tank.
- Battery voltage drop. Decreasing battery voltage correlates with worsening fuel pump condition and eventual failure.
- Delayed repairs. Backordered parts caused prolonged downtime for repairs, sometimes lasting two weeks or more.
- Factory tank defect. Improper factory coating of the fuel tank contributes to premature fuel pump failure due to chemical reactions with ethanol fuel.
- Repeated issues across model years. Similar fuel pump problems reported for 2021 through 2023 models, with Harley-Davidson addressing the tank coating issue starting in 2024.
- Safety risks. Several owners reported near collisions and loss of control resulting from sudden engine shutdowns caused by fuel pump malfunction.
- Warranty repairs. Dealers replaced fuel pumps under warranty, but the potential for future failures remains due to the underlying tank issue.
2023 HARLEY-DAVIDSON RA1250S Summary
2023
Model Year
5
Total Complaints
0
Total Recalls
0
Vehicles Affected
Recalls
No recalls found.
Complaints
2023 HARLEY-DAVIDSON RA1250S
ID: 2091331UNKNOWN OR OTHER
Fuel pump failure caused by improper factory fuel tank coating that leads to sudden and abrupt fuel pump failures. Harley fixed the issue in 2024 by coating the fuel tank, but 2021-2023 Pan America’s have repeated and frequent sudden fuel pump failures that can cause the bike to shut down, even when travelling at highway speeds.
2023 HARLEY-DAVIDSON RA1250S
ID: 2091330ENGINE
Fuel pump failure caused by improper factory fuel tank coating that leads to sudden and abrupt fuel pump failures. Harley fixed the issue in 2024 by coating the fuel tank, but 2021-2023 Pan America’s have repeated and frequent sudden fuel pump failures that can cause the bike to shut down, even when travelling at highway speeds.
2023 HARLEY-DAVIDSON RA1250S
ID: 2091329FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM
Fuel pump failure caused by improper factory fuel tank coating that leads to sudden and abrupt fuel pump failures. Harley fixed the issue in 2024 by coating the fuel tank, but 2021-2023 Pan America’s have repeated and frequent sudden fuel pump failures that can cause the bike to shut down, even when travelling at highway speeds.
2023 HARLEY-DAVIDSON RA1250S
ID: 2080780FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM
MY 2021 Harley Pan America died on the side of the ALCAN hiway 200 miles out of Fairbanks in June 2023, was able to restart, Fairbanks dealer diagnosed faulty fuel pump, no pump available before departure date so left for home in Washington state. 150 miles from home it went in to limp mode in heavy traffic narrowly avoided collision to get out of traffic. Limp mode to purchasing dealer at 40 mph. Diagnosed faulty fuel pump, couldn't fix for 2 weeks due to backordered parts. Traded the 2021 for a (current) 2023 Pan America because of pump, reliability issues. Now the 2023 making same screeching noises as 2021 did prior to failure. Reading online forums pump failure caused by ethanol fuel reacting with the aluminum fuel tank causing pump failure. I narrowly escaped collision on the 2021. Would seem this is a safety issue with unanticipated engine failure
2023 HARLEY-DAVIDSON RA1250S
ID: 2059392FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM
Starting at 10,000 miles the fuel pump started making intermittent screeching noise that progressively got worse till it was constant on startup and running at 15,000 miles. Fuel pump screen appears to have been clogged with black material which may have been oxidized aluminum from the uncoated factory tank. Pump was replaced by dealer under warranty but chance of future failures remain. Failure of fuel pump could result in loss of vehicle control on the highway. Other than noise from the pump the only other indicator was a decrease in battery voltage noted over time. As the pump got worse battery voltage decreased.