Indian Chieftain Recalls & Complaints by Model Year
NHTSA lists 11 safety recalls and 15 owner complaints across 8 model years of the Indian Chieftain (2014–2024). The most-complained-about year is 2014.
Pick your Indian Chieftain model year
| Model year | Recalls | Complaints |
|---|---|---|
| 2024 Indian Chieftain | 2 | 0 |
| 2023 Indian Chieftain | 1 | 0 |
| 2019 Indian Chieftain | 3 | 3 |
| 2018 Indian Chieftain | 4 | 1 |
| 2017 Indian Chieftain | 3 | 2 |
| 2016 Indian Chieftain | 4 | 1 |
| 2015 Indian Chieftain | 4 | 2 |
| 2014 Indian Chieftain | 4 | 6 |
What Indian Chieftain owners complain about
Across all model years, owners have filed 15 complaints with NHTSA. The 2014 model year has the most, with 6.
All Indian Chieftain recalls (11)
Every NHTSA safety campaign that lists a Indian Chieftain, most recent first, with the model years each one covers.
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Suspension: rear
Indian Motorcycle Company (Indian) is recalling certain 2024 Chieftain, Challenger, Pursuit, Roadmaster, and Springfield motorcycles. Please refer to the recall report for a complete list of model names. The rear suspension pushrod may buckle under load.
Remedy: Dealers will replace the rear suspension pushrod, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed August 22, 2024. Owners may contact Indian customer service at 1-877-204-3697. Indian's number for this recall is…
Model years: 2024
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Crank/camshaft position sensor (engine and engine cooling)
Indian Motorcycle Company (Indian) is recalling certain 2023 Chieftain Elite, 2023-2024 Chieftain Dark Horse, Chieftain Dark Horse Icon, Chieftain Limited, Chieftain, Roadmaster Limited, Roadmaster Dark Horse, Roadmaster, Springfield, Springfield Dark Horse, and 2024 Roadmaster Elite motorcycles. The crankshaft position sensor may have…
Remedy: Dealers will inspect and reroute, or replace the crankshaft position sensor as necessary, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed December 22, 2023. Owners may contact Indian customer service at…
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Software (exterior lighting) and headlights (exterior lighting)
Indian Motorcycle Company (Indian) is recalling certain 2014 Chief, 2015 Chief Classic, 2014-2018 Chieftain, 2015-2020 Chief Vintage, 2016-2018 Chieftain Darkhorse, 2016-2020 Springfield, 2017-2018 Chieftain Limited, and 2018-2019 Chieftain Classic motorcycles. The electrical connection for the Vehicle Control Module (VCM) may fail,…
Remedy: Dealers will inspect and replace the electrical connection and VCM, as necessary. Dealers will update the VCM software, as necessary. All repairs will be performed free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed…
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Fuses and circuit breakers (electrical system)
Indian Motorcycle Company (Indian) is recalling certain 2019 Chieftain, Vintage, Roadmaster, Dark Horse, Springfield, and FTR1200 motorcycles. A 10A circuit breaker may be defective, tripping unexpectedly and causing a sudden loss of power and an engine stall.
Remedy: Indian will notify owners and provide a new 10A circuit breaker and installation instructions. Owners may choose to have the part installed at a dealership, free of charge. The recall began January 22, 2020. Owners may…
Model years: 2019
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Electrical system and manual transmission (power train)
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.
Remedy: 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.
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Tail lights (exterior lighting)
Indian Motorcycle Company (Indian) is recalling certain 2019 Chieftain motorcycles. The tail lights may be too bright, exceeding the maximum light output allowed. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) number 108, "Lamps, Reflective Devices, and Associated Equipment."
Remedy: Indian will notify owners, and dealers will update the engine control module software to correct the rear tail light's intensity, free of charge. The recall began September 18, 2019. Owners may contact Indian customer…
Model years: 2019
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Exterior lighting
Indian Motorcycle Company (Indian) is recalling certain 2014 Chief and Chieftain motorcycles. Due to a problem within the Vehicle Control Module (VCM), all of the front lights, including the headlight, may go out while riding.
Remedy: Indian will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the Vehicle Control Module (VCM) connector and update the VCM software. If the VCM connector is damaged, a new connector and VCM will be installed, free of charge.…
Model years: 2014
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Electrical system
Indian Motorcycle Company (Indian) is recalling certain 2018 Indian Chief, Chief Classic, Chief Dark Horse, Chief Vintage, Chieftain, Chieftain Classic, Chieftain Dark Horse, Chieftain Elite, Chieftain Limited, Springfield, Springfield Dark Horse, Roadmaster, Roadmaster Elite, Roadmaster Icon, and Roadmaster Classic motorcycles.…
Remedy: Indian will notify owners, and dealers will replace the right hand combination switch, free of charge. Owners may contact Indian customer service at 1-877-204-3697. Indian's number for this recall is I-18-04.
Model years: 2018
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Headlights (exterior lighting)
Indian Motorcycles Company (Indian) is recalling certain 2017-2018 Chief, Chief Classic, Chief Dark Horse, Chief Vintage, Chieftain, Chieftain Classic, Cheiftain Dark Horse, Chieftain Elite, Chieftain Limited, Springfield, and Springfield Dark Horse motorcycles. These motorcycles may be equipped with a European-market, not US-market,…
Remedy: Indian will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the motorcycle and replace any incorrect headlight assembly, free of charge. The recall began on December 6, 2017. Owners may contact Indian customer service at…
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Ignition (electrical system) and exhaust system (engine and engine cooling)
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…
Remedy: 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…
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Master cylinder (service brakes)
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…
Remedy: 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.…
Other Indian models
- Chief70 complaints
- Scout40 complaints
- Roadmaster21 complaints
- Chief Vintage13 complaints
- Spirit12 complaints
- Scout Bobber10 complaints
- Challenger Dark Horse9 complaints
- Chieftain Dark Horse7 complaints
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.