- 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
2017 Indian Roadmaster Problems, complaints & recalls
Owners have filed 9 complaints about the 2017 Indian Roadmaster with NHTSA, most often about the electrical system (6) and the transmission & drivetrain (2). It is covered by 3 recalls, the latest in October 2019 for the electrical system. For comparison, the 2016 has 4 and the 2018 has 2.
NHTSA data checked
DMore problems than a typical Roadmaster year, for its age
#212 most complained-about 2017 vehicle
- Complaints
- 9
- Recalls
- 3
- Crashes
- 0
- Fires
- 0
- Injuries
- 0
- Deaths
- 0
Most common 2017 Indian Roadmaster problems
Share of all 9 complaints. One complaint can name more than one area. Tap an area for its complaints and recalls.
2017 Indian Roadmaster recalls 3
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.
What owners say
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9 complaints about the 2017 Indian Roadmaster
Newest first, as filed with NHTSA by owners.
My motorcycle went in a couple of years ago for a check because it would show neutral but be in gear and vice versa. The dealer cleaned the contacts and pins. It was fine for a bit and now at 55K miles it's back to doing the same thing. It will show neutral and I'm on the highway doing 65 mph. The. Third gear and I'm stopped with the clutch out. The dealer is now saying we have to pay for this to be checked during routine servicing? 1.8 hours at $165.00 and hour? That's bs. They know the problem are the pins...
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and springs but they, the dealer, won't change them. Because parts, to me, are $130 then $$300 in labor. They're making a huge profit of their mistake. I've included a photo of the parts for the repair and the inflated prices for them.
The clutch switch has failed open. If the engine stalls while in traffic, the rider is required to shift the transmission into neutral before the engine will restart. This could be a dangerous situation depending on what terrane the bike and rider are on. The normal operation for restart of the engine in a stall situation is to simply pull the clutch lever in and hit the start button. The starter should engage regardless of where the gear selector is as long as the clutch lever is pulled in. When researching this problem on YouTube and the Indian Motorcycle Forum, it is wide spread.
I just had my recall replaced 3 TIMES because it was reading neutral in 6th gear and dropping me out of cruise AND NEVER start while in neutral ever
Tl* the contact owns a 2017 indian roadmaster. The contact received notification of nhtsa campaign number: 19v776000 (electrical system, power train) however, the parts to do the repair was not yet available. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. An unknown dealer was contacted and confirmed that parts were not yet available. The manufacturer was made aware of the issue. The contact had not experienced a failure. Vin tool confirms parts not available.
Tl* the contact owns a 2017 polaris indian road master. The contact stated that there was an issue with the infotainment system. The touchscreen was not functioning properly, which affected the gps system, radio, vehicle status, and tire pressure readings. Indian motorcycle of libertyville (416 n milwaukee ave, libertyville, il 60048, (847) 984-2542) submitted a goodwill warranty claim to the manufacturer since the warranty had expired. The request was denied by the manufacturer. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The failure mileage was 10,000.
Lors de forte pluie , le moteur tourne sur un seul cylindre et cale parfois.
The clutch cable rubs the dash causing damage to the dash and cable in time the cable could brake and loose control by not being able to stop
2017 Buick roadmaster. Consumer writes in regards to various safety issues on vehicle. *Ld the consumer stated there were safety defects concerning un ece regulation 10/ car 1ces-002,part 15/fcc rules and car license exempt rss 210,pn: 9925933, and dealership and recall issues. *Js
Polaris case # 4018942. On february 3, 2017 at about 5:00 ' 5:30pm est, my 2017 indian roadmaster (the 'bike') returned three computer errors and failed to start while I was parked in a parking lot located at 4260 peachtree rd ne in brookhaven, ga. The information center on the bike directed me to 'contact dealer' (the 'incident'). At the time of the incident, the bike had 837 miles on it. I contacted dealer as instructed, who referred me to dealer's service department partner ("service"). Service instructed me...
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that there were known issues with the engine control module ('ecm') and main wiring harness ('main harness') disconnect through vibration, but such issues are repaired ostensibly by a nylon zip-tie as a temporary solution awaiting manufacturer actions. The ecm has no positive latching component on it to secure the main harness to the ecm and thus maintain a solid connection. The main harness vibrates loose over time, in my case 837 miles, from the ecm and thus kills the bike, just as I experienced. Dealer reported that my incident is one of at least two that have occurred with the ecm and main harness on a brand-new chieftain and my roadmaster (dop 12/2/2016), since on or about october, 2016; dealer having sold about 20 motorcycles since october, 2016. That is a failure rate of 10% from dealer alone over a roughly 1/3 of a year. It is noteworthy that the bike is completely powered off when the main harness disconnects from the ecm: the engine dies, no turn signals function, no emergency flashers, no headlights or taillights. I happened to be in a parking lot at the time of occurrence. However, were this to happen at speed on a freeway, or on a two-lane highway on which there is no shoulder, a frequent occurrence in this part of georgia, such failure could have more dire consequences. In my view, lives are at risk.
Indian Roadmaster: every year compared
All Roadmaster years2017 Indian Roadmaster vs rivals
| Vehicle | Complaints | Recalls | Grade | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2017 Indian Roadmaster | 9 | 3 | D | |
| 2017 Indian Chieftain | 2 | 3 | B | Compare |
| 2017 Indian Chief | 2 | 2 | C | Compare |
| 2017 Indian Springfield | 1 | 4 | C | Compare |
| 2017 Indian Chieftan | 1 | 1 | D | Compare |
| 2017 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 2017 Indian Roadmaster
Does the 2017 Indian Roadmaster have any recalls?
Yes - NHTSA lists 3 recalls for the 2017 Indian Roadmaster: electrical system (October 2019); rear compartment / trunk (January 2018); fuel system, gasoline (December 2016). 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 2017 Indian Roadmaster?
By the complaints owners filed with NHTSA, the most common problem areas are the electrical system (6), transmission & drivetrain (2), fuel system (1).
How many complaints has the 2017 Indian Roadmaster had?
9 complaints have been filed with NHTSA, the first on February 28, 2017 and the latest on June 3, 2023. Of these, 0 describe a crash and 0 a fire, and together they report 0 injuries and 0 deaths.
Is the 2017 Indian Roadmaster a reliable vehicle?
Its Safety Index is 26 out of 100 (grade D: 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 2017 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