- The problem
- Indian Motorcycle Company (Indian) is recalling certain 2014-2019 Chief, Chieftain, Roadmaster, and Springfield motorcycles. The gear position switch contacts may oxidize, causing the gear position display to inaccurately show that the motorcycle is in neutral when it is actually in gear.
- The risk
- If the transmission is not in neutral when the motorcycle is started, the motorcycle may move unexpectedly, increasing the risk of a crash.
- The fix
- Dealers will replace the switch free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed April 16, 2020. Owners may contact Indian customer service at 1-877-204-3697. Indian's number for this recall is I-19-03.
Vehicle safety record
2016 Indian Roadmaster Problems, complaints & recalls
Owners have filed 4 complaints about the 2016 Indian Roadmaster with NHTSA, most often about the electrical system (3) and the engine & cooling (1). Those complaints describe 1 crash. It is covered by 5 recalls, the latest in October 2019 for the electrical system. For comparison, the 2015 has 3 and the 2017 has 9.
NHTSA data checked
FFar more problems than a typical Roadmaster year, for its age
#269 most complained-about 2016 vehicle
- Complaints
- 4
- Recalls
- 5
- Crashes
- 1
- Fires
- 0
- Injuries
- 0
- Deaths
- 0
Most common 2016 Indian Roadmaster problems
Share of all 4 complaints. One complaint can name more than one area. Tap an area for its complaints and recalls.
2016 Indian Roadmaster recalls 5
Recall repairs are free. Your dealer fixes them whether or not you bought the car there - check your VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls to see if yours is done. What to do
- The problem
- Indian Motorcycle Company (Indian) is recalling certain 2015-2017 Roadmaster motorcycles. Water may enter the trunk wiring harness, potentially causing the brake light to remain illuminated even when the brakes are not applied.
- The risk
- If the brake light remains illuminated when the brakes are not applied, a vehicle behind the motorcycle may not know when the motorcycle is actually slowing, increasing the risk of a crash.
- The fix
- Indian will notify owners, and dealers will replace the trunk wiring harness with an updated harness that contains sealing plugs in the connectors, free of charge. The recall began on January 30, 2018. Owners may contact Indian customer service at 1-877-204-3697. Indian's number for this recall is I-18-01.
- The problem
- Indian Motorcycle Company (Indian) is recalling certain model year 2014-2017 Chief Classic, Chief Dark Horse, Vintage, Chieftan, Chieftan Dark Horse, Springfield and Roadmaster motorcycles manufactured April 15, 2013, to July 15, 2016. In the affected motorcycles, the fuel rail may contact other components and result in a fuel leak.
- The risk
- A fuel leak in the presence of an ignition source increases the risk of a fire.
- The fix
- Indian will notify owners, and dealers will install a bracket that will limit movement of the fuel rail, free of charge. The recall began on December 12, 2016. Owners may contact Indian customer service at 1-877-204-3697. Indian's number for this recall is I-16-03.
- The problem
- Indian Motorcycle Company (Indian) is recalling certain model year 2014-2016 Chief Classic, Dark Horse, Chieftain, Roadmaster, Vintage, Springfield, and Chieftain Dark Horse motorcycles manufactured April 15, 2013, to June 16, 2015. In the event of an engine misfire, unburned fuel may pass through parts of the exhaust system, raising the exhaust temperatures.
- The risk
- Elevated exhaust temperatures may result in an increased risk of fire.
- The fix
- Indian will notify owners, and dealers will update the engine control module (ECM) software, free of charge. The recall began July 2016. Owners may contact Indian customer service at 1-877-204-3697. Indian's number for this recall is I-16-02.
- The problem
- Indian Motorcycle Company (Indian) is recalling certain model year 2015-2016 Chief Classic, Chief Vintage, Chieftain, Roadmaster, and 2016 Dark Horse motorcycles manufactured January 2, 2015, to October 23, 2015. Due to a problem with the rear brake master cylinder, the motorcycles may have a reduction in, or a complete loss of, rear brake power.
- The risk
- A full or partial loss of rear braking power may lengthen the distance needed to slow or stop the motorcycle, increasing the risk of a crash.
- The fix
- Indian will notify owners, and dealers will replace the rear brake master cylinder piston assembly, free of charge. The recall began on November 5, 2015. Owners may contact Indian customer service at 1-877-204-3697. Indian's number for this recall is I-15-04.
What owners say
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4 complaints about the 2016 Indian Roadmaster
Newest first, as filed with NHTSA by owners.
Backlights on instrument cluster went out. I can no longer see my speedometer, tachometer, or fuel guage on my hour ride home from work which is always in the dark. The backlights are nonservicable which makes no sense to me. I feel like this is dangerous not being able to tell how fast you are going, and the way people drive these days, you can't use them to pace yourself. I also feel that being stranded on the side of the road because you ran out of gas is not the safest place to be for a motorcyclists, but I...
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think that not knowing how fast you are going is the most dangerous. Making certain lights nonserviceable is a poor idea. It sure is an expensive motorcycle that I am afraid to ride now because I can't see everything I need to see in order to operate it safely.
NHTSA Campaign Number: 19V776000 Your website says that the issue is repaired with my vehicle, which it has not been. Yes I have taken it to not only one, but two different dealers to have the issue resolved multiple times. The issue still continues and Indian Motorcycles, in my belief, refuses to fix the problem at hand under the recall. To the point where they have said it is no longer the gear positioning switch. And it has now started costing me money while they toss parts at it with hopes it'll repair the...
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issue. I can't afford to pay $1,000 plus each time I take it somewhere to have this recall repaired. This is a serious safety issue. Not only the possibility of the motorcycle being started while parked, but it also disengaged cruise control while being used. These motorcycles rapidly lose forward momentum when the throttle isn't applied creating a risk of being rear ended and or run over on the interstate while the operator is trying to investigate the loss of throttle.
Tl* the contact owns a 2016 indian roadmaster. The contact received notification of nhtsa campaign number: 16v877000 (fuel system, gasoline); however, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. The contact stated that the manufacturer exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The manufacturer was not made aware of the issue. The contact had not experienced a failure. Vin tool confirms parts not available.
Tl* the contact owns a 2016 indian roadmaster. While driving 2 mph, the vehicle tipped over. At the time of the issue, the cut off switch did not function and the engine continued to run. As a result, the contact's vehicle was propelled into another vehicle. The vehicle was not towed. A police report was not filed and there were no injuries. The dealer diagnosed that the failure was due to a calibration issue. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 3,300.
Indian Roadmaster: every year compared
All Roadmaster years2016 Indian Roadmaster vs rivals
| Vehicle | Complaints | Recalls | Grade | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2016 Indian Roadmaster | 4 | 5 | F | |
| 2016 Indian Scout | 6 | 1 | C | Compare |
| 2016 Indian Chief Dark Horse | 4 | 1 | D | Compare |
| 2016 Indian Springfield | 3 | 3 | C | Compare |
| 2016 Indian Chieftain | 1 | 4 | C | Compare |
| 2016 Indian Chief Vintage | 1 | 2 | C | Compare |
More sales usually means more complaints, so compare similar vehicles of the same year. The grade compares each vehicle with its own model's other years.
Questions about the 2016 Indian Roadmaster
Does the 2016 Indian Roadmaster have any recalls?
Yes - NHTSA lists 5 recalls for the 2016 Indian Roadmaster: electrical system (October 2019); rear compartment / trunk (January 2018); fuel system, gasoline (December 2016); exhaust system (June 2016) and more. Recall repairs are free at any authorized dealer. Enter your VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls to see whether yours has been fixed.
What are the most common problems with the 2016 Indian Roadmaster?
By the complaints owners filed with NHTSA, the most common problem areas are the electrical system (3), engine & cooling (1), fuel system (1).
How many complaints has the 2016 Indian Roadmaster had?
4 complaints have been filed with NHTSA, the first on October 26, 2016 and the latest on February 24, 2024. Of these, 1 describe a crash and 0 a fire, and together they report 0 injuries and 0 deaths.
Is the 2016 Indian Roadmaster a reliable vehicle?
Its Safety Index is 22 out of 100 (grade F: far more problems than a typical Indian Roadmaster year, for its age). The index weighs complaints, crashes, fires, injuries, deaths and recalls against how long the vehicle has been on the road, compared with the same model's other years. It is not a measure of every repair - read the complaints and owner experiences, and have any used vehicle inspected before you buy.
Which Indian Roadmaster years have the most complaints?
2017 (9), 2016 (4), 2015 (3). See every Indian Roadmaster year compared.
What should I do if my 2016 Indian Roadmaster has a problem?
If it is a safety problem, stop driving it if it is unsafe and contact your dealer. Report it to NHTSA at nhtsa.gov/report-a-safety-problem - enough reports start investigations and recalls - and share your experience here so other owners know what to look for.
Source: U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) complaints and recalls, checked . Complaints are owners' own reports and are not verified. How we use the data