Indian 2019 Chieftain Motorcycles: Bright Tail Lights Risk Crash
Indian is recalling 2019 Chieftain motorcycles with overly bright tail lights that could cause crashes by confusing other drivers. Owners must contact Indian for free software update by September 18, 2019.
Use caution until it’s fixed
Due to increased brightness, other drivers may have difficulties discerning the brake light from the tail light, and thus may be unaware that the motorcycle is braking, thereby increasing the risk of a crash.
What happened, in plain English
Indian is recalling 2019 Chieftain motorcycles because their tail lights are too bright, which might cause other drivers to miss braking signals and crash. This affects owners who bought the model between specific dates. Read more at govinfonow.com/recall/1223993-indian-2019-chieftain-motorcycles-bright-tail-lights-risk-crash.
Source Summary by GovInfoNow · govinfonow.com/recall/1223993-indian-2019-chieftain-motorcycles-bright-tail-lights-risk-crash · Updated October 5, 2026 · Official notice: NHTSA #19V638000
Cite this page
“Indian 2019 Chieftain Motorcycles: Bright Tail Lights Risk Crash.” GovInfoNow, updated October 5, 2026. https://govinfonow.com/recall/1223993-indian-2019-chieftain-motorcycles-bright-tail-lights-risk-crash. Based on NHTSA recall #19V638000 (https://www.nhtsa.gov/recalls?nhtsaId=19V638000).
Why it’s dangerous
The tail lights are brighter than allowed, making it hard for other drivers to see the brake light clearly. This could lead to crashes because drivers might not realize the motorcycle is slowing down.
Who’s affected
Owners of 2019 Indian Chieftain motorcycles are affected. Riders and other drivers are at risk if the tail lights cause confusion during braking.
How to tell if you have this one
Check for 2019 Indian Chieftain motorcycles. The recall started September 18, 2019, and applies to specific models with overly bright tail lights.
- Brand
Indian- Category
Vehicle
What to do — step by step
Contact Indian Customer Service
Call 1-877-204-3697 to get the free software update for your motorcycle's engine control module.
What NHTSA says to do
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 service at 1-877-204-3697. Indian's number for this recall is I-19-04.
How this recall unfolded
Recall timeline
2 dated steps over 20 days.
- NHTSA received the defect report
- Recall began
Dates from the agency record only; steps without a date are left out.
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Where this comes from
The facts (hazard, remedy, dates, manufacturer) are pulled from the official NHTSA recall record. The plain-language summary and step-by-step checklist are written by GovInfoNow to make the official notice easier to act on — they don’t replace it.
- Official source: NHTSA Recall #19V638000 (August 29, 2019)
- Plain-language summary written by qwen3:4b on October 5, 2026, from the official record above. Not reviewed by a person — if it conflicts with the NHTSA notice, the notice is correct. Report an error on this page.
- GovInfoNow is an independent service and is not a government agency. We republish official NHTSA recall data; we don’t issue, amend or administer recalls.