2003 Honda VTX1300 problems & reliability
35 owner complaints filed with NHTSA for the 2003 Honda VTX1300. Last verified Aug 7, 2026. Complaints are unverified reports submitted by owners to the federal Office of Defects Investigation.
Each complaint is counted once (by NHTSA case number), even when it names several vehicles.
Most reported problems
| Component | Complaints | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Steering → | 12 | 34% |
| Suspension → | 11 | 31% |
| Vehicle Speed Control | 5 | 14% |
| Tires | 4 | 11% |
| Wheels | 3 | 9% |
| Electrical System | 1 | 3% |
| Electronic Stability Control | 1 | 3% |
| Engine and Engine Cooling | 1 | 3% |
| Power Train | 1 | 3% |
| Unknown | 1 | 3% |
Component groups as classified by NHTSA. A complaint can name more than one component, so shares may sum to more than 100%.
Common symptoms owners describe
Keyword analysis of complaint narratives; one complaint can describe several symptoms.
Complaints by incident year
What owners report
“Bad wobble in steering/bearing between 30 and 50 mph. When this is going on in a curve you nearly loose control it convulsive wobble grows. Not hard to find numerous complaints about this condition even on these bikes right from the dealer. *tr”
Steering · filed Jul 31, 2012
“I own a 2003 honda vtx1300s motorcycle. This bike is shaft drive. While riding through town the swing arm separated from the rear wheel do to the spot welds braking on the drive shaft side of the motorcycle. This caused the bike to twist wildly do to the rear wheel only being supported on one side of the swing arm…”
Power Train · filed Jun 10, 2008
“Rear flange bearing in vtx 1300 came apart, looked at bearing while changing rear tire. Replace 2004 and 2003 vtx s bearing while changing rear tire. Replace bearing # 91052-kz4-j21. *tr”
Suspension · filed Jun 8, 2008
Verbatim excerpts from complaints filed with NHTSA. Reports are not independently verified.
Technical service bulletins
7 manufacturer communications (TSBs, service campaigns, warranty extensions) are on file with NHTSA for the 2003 Honda VTX1300.
Dealer message - On Monday, June 23, 2014, American Honda announced three recalls for various 2001-11 Honda models. As of August 4, 2014, affected VINs have been identified, and VIN status inquiry has been updated.
DLR MSG - Honda · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Aug 6, 2014
Dealer message - On Monday, June 23, 2014, American Honda announced three recalls for various 2001-11 Honda models. As of July 23, 2014, affected VINs have been identified, and service bulletins 14-040, Safety Recall…
DLR MSG - Stop S · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Jul 23, 2014
Load carrying capacity reduced label for all honda vehicles. *pe
08-040 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued May 31, 2008
Honda: warranty extension-vehicle warranty mileage. Class action lawsuit alleging that the odometers on certain 2002-2006 honda models were overstating mileage. Federal court provided final approval of settlement on…
SB-06-085 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued May 9, 2008
Cooling fan ground. Honda the wrench. *tt
11012005 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Nov 1, 2005
Don't straight edge it when performing periodic valve inspection. *jb
07012004 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Jul 1, 2004
Trippy trip switch. Honda. The wrench. *tt
01012004 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Jan 1, 2004
TSBs are repair guidance manufacturers send to dealers — they are not recalls and repairs are not automatically free. Full documents are available on NHTSA’s site.
Safety recalls
No NHTSA recall campaigns name the 2003 Honda VTX1300 in our current data. Recalls may apply only to certain VIN ranges — always confirm with a VIN check.
Check whether your specific vehicle is affected
Recall campaigns often cover only certain VIN ranges. Enter your VIN on the official NHTSA site to confirm whether your vehicle is included and whether the repair is still open.
Check VIN on NHTSA →Buying a used 2003 Honda VTX1300?
- · Decode the seller’s VIN with our free VIN decoder to confirm the exact year, engine and trim.
- · Check for unrepaired recalls by VIN on NHTSA’s official lookup — recall repairs are free.