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1979 Harley-Davidson 1000 Recalls, Complaints & Specs

4 safety recalls list the 1979 Harley-Davidson 1000. Check your own VIN below.

4
safety recalls
0
owner complaints to NHTSA

4 safety recalls for the 1979 Harley-Davidson 1000

Most recent first. Recall repairs are free at any authorised dealer. Click a recall for the full defect, consequence and remedy text.

  1. Pedals and linkages (service brakes)

    NHTSA 79V167000 Reported 27,546 vehicles potentially affected HARLEY-DAVIDSON MOTOR CO.

    Because the rear brake pedal is made of aluminum castings it could break at the pedal arm or clamping hole.

    Remedy: The dealer will inspect and, if necessary, replace the rear brake pedal without charge.

  2. Master cylinder (service brakes)

    NHTSA 79V169000 Reported 21,970 vehicles potentially affected HARLEY-DAVIDSON MOTOR CO.

    The rear brake master cylinder plastic piston employs a non-specified material which may allow excessive water absorption. As a result, the plastic piston might stick in the master cylinder piston bore and cause brake drag.

    Remedy: Dealer will replace rear brake master cylinder pistons without charge to owner.

  3. Pedals and linkages (service brakes)

    NHTSA 79V115000 Reported 635 vehicles potentially affected HARLEY-DAVIDSON MOTOR CO.

    The rear brake free travel adjusting bolt and nut installed during vehicle assembly may have been incorrectly tightened. This could cause the brake pedal to become jammed during brake operation.

    Remedy: Dealer will inspect and, if necessary, adjust and tighten the jamnuts.

  4. Master cylinder (service brakes)

    NHTSA 79V100000 Reported 370 vehicles potentially affected HARLEY-DAVIDSON MOTOR CO.

    Certain vehicles may have been equipped with front brake master cylinders which have fissures in the cylinder bodies. This would allow brake fluid leakage through the fissured section.

    Remedy: Dealer will replace defective front brake master cylinders without charge to owners.

No owner complaints on file

NHTSA has no owner complaints on file for the 1979 Harley-Davidson 1000. For context, the average model year in NHTSA's database has dozens; a zero can mean a reliable vehicle, a rare one, or both.

Compare Harley-Davidson 1000 model years

Recall and complaint counts for every Harley-Davidson 1000 model year in NHTSA's database.

Model yearRecallsComplaints
1975 Harley-Davidson 100010
1976 Harley-Davidson 100010
1977 Harley-Davidson 100020
1978 Harley-Davidson 100020
1979 Harley-Davidson 100040

Checking a specific 1979 Harley-Davidson 1000

How do I know if my 1979 Harley-Davidson 1000 has an open recall?

Enter your 17-character VIN above. The VIN is on the driver's side dashboard (visible through the windshield), the driver's door jamb sticker, and your registration or insurance card. The check runs against NHTSA's live database and tells you which campaigns list your vehicle. 4 campaigns currently list the 1979 Harley-Davidson 1000; your car may already have been repaired under some of them.

Is the recall repair free?

Yes. Under federal law, manufacturers must fix safety recalls at no charge for vehicles up to 15 years old from the date of sale to the first owner. Contact any authorised Harley-Davidson dealer with your VIN and the NHTSA campaign number (for example 79V100000).

What is the difference between a recall and a complaint?

A recall is a safety campaign filed by the manufacturer or ordered by NHTSA, with a defined defect and remedy. A complaint is a report an owner sent to NHTSA; it is not verified, but patterns of complaints are what trigger NHTSA investigations and, eventually, recalls.

Other Harley-Davidson models

Source: NHTSA recall and complaint databases and EPA fuel economy data, October 2026. Complaint counts are owner reports to NHTSA, not verified defects. Recall counts are safety campaigns that list this model year; whether a particular car was already repaired depends on its VIN. How this data is compiled.