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1998 Harley-Davidson SoftailProblems, recalls & complaints

NHTSA has logged 3 owner complaints about the 1998 Harley-Davidson Softail, most often about the service brakes, hydraulic. It is covered by 1 safety recall.

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CarFlaw IndexNot enough dataHigher is better (0–100)
Safety recalls1Free fix at dealersOwner complaints32 with a crash, fire or injuryTop problem1Service brakes, hydraulic

Source: NHTSA complaints, recalls, investigations and manufacturer recall reports, through May 14, 2002. Updated daily.

Complaints by system

Where the 1998 Harley-Davidson Softail has problems

3 complaints grouped by the system owners reported.

Box size = number of complaints naming that system. Darker = larger share. One complaint can name more than one system.
Complaints by system
SystemComplaintsCrash, fire or injury
Service brakes, hydraulic10
Steering10
Suspension11

Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation. Complaints are submitted by the public and are not verified by NHTSA.

1 recall

1998 Harley-Davidson Softail recalls and how many were fixed

Each ring shows the share of affected cars repaired, from the manufacturer’s latest quarterly report to NHTSA. Recall repairs are free at authorized dealers.

–no report yet

Service brakes, hydraulic: pedals and linkages

Recall 97V-227 · Dec 15, 1997 · 2,012 vehicles

Risk. THIS CONDITION CAN ALLOW THE LEVER HUB TO SEPARATE FROM THE MASTER CYLINDER LEVER WHICH WOULD AFFECT REAR BRAKE PERFORMANCE.

Problem, fix and repair progress →

Recalls apply to specific cars. To see whether a recall is still open on yours, enter the 17-character VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls or with Harley-Davidson.

Best & worst years

1998 vs. every other Softail year

Bars show complaints per model year. Colors show the CarFlaw verdict: complaints weighted for crashes, fires and injuries, adjusted for years on the road and compared with the Softail median. How we score

'95'96'97'98'99'00'01'02'03'04'05'07'08'10'11'12'13
  • Avoid
  • Caution
  • Solid
  • Best
  • Not rated
In owners' words

What Softail owners report

Recent service brakes, hydraulic complaints filed with NHTSA, shortened. Personal details are removed.

THE DESIGN OF THE BRAKE PEDAL IS TOO SHORT AND INTERFERES WITH APPLYING THE BRAKES WHILE FOOT IS RESTING ON THE FLOORBOARD. FOOT BECOMES TRAPPED BETWEEN THE FLOORBOARD AND THE BRAKE PEDAL. THIS IS THE HERITAGE SOFTAIL MOTORCYCLE. OWNER HAS NOTIFIED THE MANUFACTURER ABOUT THE PROBLEM. *AK
Complaint 833451 · Feb 18, 1999

Own a 1998 Softail?

Decode your VIN to see the recalls for your exact car, then confirm open recalls with NHTSA.