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2014 Indian ChieftainProblems, recalls & complaints

NHTSA has logged 6 owner complaints about the 2014 Indian Chieftain, most often about the power train. It is covered by 4 safety recalls, and for recall 22V-635 the manufacturer reports only 38% of affected cars repaired.

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CarFlaw IndexNot enough dataHigher is better (0–100)
Safety recalls4Lowest repair rate 38%Owner complaints60 with a crash, fire or injuryTypical failure mileage13kPower train, median miles

Source: NHTSA complaints, recalls, investigations and manufacturer recall reports, through June 7, 2024. Updated daily.

Complaints by system

Where the 2014 Indian Chieftain has problems

6 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
Power train30
Exterior lighting20
Electrical system10
Engine10
Vehicle speed control10

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

4 recalls

2014 Indian Chieftain 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.

38%repaired · 2024 Q2

Exterior lighting: headlights

Recall 22V-635 · Aug 19, 2022 · 28,689 vehicles · 10,933 repaired

Risk. The loss of lighting can reduce visibility, increasing the risk of crash.

Problem, fix and repair progress →

64%repaired · 2022 Q1

Electrical system

Recall 19V-776 · Oct 29, 2019 · 52,745 vehicles · 33,738 repaired

Risk. If the transmission is not in neutral when the motorcycle is started, the motorcycle may move unexpectedly, increasing the risk of a crash.

Problem, fix and repair progress →

52%repaired · 2022 Q1

Exterior lighting

Recall 19V-339 · May 1, 2019 · 6,487 vehicles · 3,369 repaired

Risk. The loss of lighting can reduce visibility, increasing the risk of crash.

Problem, fix and repair progress →

100%repaired · 2018 Q1

Electrical system: ignition

Recall 16V-446 · Jun 17, 2016 · 18,383 vehicles · 18,312 repaired

Risk. Elevated exhaust temperatures may result in an increased risk of fire.

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 Indian.

Best & worst years

2014 vs. every other Chieftain 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 Chieftain median. How we score

'14'15'16'17'18'19'23'24
  • Avoid
  • Caution
  • Solid
  • Best
  • Not rated
In owners' words

What Chieftain owners report

Recent power train complaints filed with NHTSA, shortened. Personal details are removed.

CLUTCH CABLES APPEARS TO FAILING AT WHAT MAY BE CONSIDERED A HIGH RATE. LOSS OF CLUTCH COULD LEAD TO RIDER BEING UNABLE TO OPERATE THE MOTORCYCLE SAFELY. MY PARTICULAR MOTORCYCLE IN UNAFFECTED BY THIS BUT I'M SEEING REPORTS ON VARIOUS WEB SITES THAT IS IT IS OCCURRING AT A HIGH FREQUENCY.
Complaint 11354908 · Sep 14, 2020
GEAR INDICATOR DOES NOT ALWAYS SHOW CORRECT GEAR THAT YOU ARE IN. WHEN BIKE IS IN NEUTRAL INDICATOR IN SHOWING 2 ND GEAR. INDICATOR WAS SHOWING NEUTRAL SO I HIT THE STARTED SWITCH, IT WAS IN FIRST GEAR, DIDN'T HAVE MAY HANDS ON THE HANDLE BARS, BIKE STARTED AND TOOK OFF, ABOUT THREW ME OFF. READING…
Complaint 11120608 · Aug 17, 2018 · 24,000 miles
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2014 INDIAN CHIEFTAIN MOTORCYCLE. WHILE DRIVING 30 MPH, THE GEAR LEVER FAILED TO SHIFT PAST FIRST GEAR UNTIL THE SPEED DECREASED TO 5 MPH. THE CONTACT MENTIONED THAT THE FAILURE ONLY OCCURRED IN COLD TEMPERATURES. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A DEALER. THE TECHNICIAN DIAGNOSED…
Complaint 10650668 · Oct 28, 2014 · 1,800 miles

Own a 2014 Chieftain?

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