Motorcycle, gasoline, built in United States. Owner complaints on file from Dec 15, 2011 to Mar 26, 2018.
Owner complaints about this model year, by the year they were filed with NHTSA.
Owner complaints by component. Hover or focus a bar for the crash, fire, injury or death count.
Check a specific vehicle by VIN on NHTSA's site: a campaign may cover only part of a model year's production.
The full text of every complaint filed with NHTSA about this model year, newest first. Complaints are filed by owners and are not verified by NHTSA; NHTSA removes personal details before publishing.
12 complaints on file, page 1 of 1.
MY REAR BRAKES STOPPED WORKING WHILE IN MOTION. THE REAR BRAKE PEDAL BECAME ROCK SOLID & WOULD NOT DEPRESS. THE BRAKE FLUID WAS CHECKED & FOUND TO HAVE PLENTY IN THE RESERVOIR. I HAD A HARLEY DAVIDSON TECHNICIAN ANALYZE IT & WAS TOLD THAT THE ABS UNIT HAS GONE BAD, I WAS ALSO TOLD THAT THERE WAS A RECALL ON THIS ABS UNIT FOR HARLEY DAVIDSON MOTORCYCLES BUT ONLY THROUGH YEARS 2011. HOWEVER, I BOUGHT MY MOTORCYCLE ON 09-11-11 SO HAVE TO WONDER WHETHER MY MOTORCYCLE WOULD BE COVERED. THIS SAME TECHNICIAN SAYS HE HAS HAD TO REMEDY THIS DANGEROUS ISSUE FOR SEVERAL CUSTOMERS, OWNING MOTORCYCLES MANUFACTURED PAST 2011. I WAS ALSO TOLD THAT THE SITUATION CAN BECOME EVEN MORE DANGEROUS (IT THE RIDER IS UNAWARE OF THE PROBLEM), IF THEY ARE TO PRESS THE PEDAL VERY HARD, THE REAR BRAKE COULD POSSIBLY ENGAGE & NOT RELEASE. I HAVE FULFILLED MY SCHEDULED MAINTENANCE PER THE MANUAL. FLUSHING THE ABS SYSTEM WAS NOT A REQUIREMENT IN THE REGULAR MAINTENANCE REQUIREMENTS. THIS SEEMS TO BE AN ONGOING DANGEROUS, DEFECTIVE PROBLEM THAT HARLEY DAVIDSON SHOULD REVIEW & EXTEND THE YEARS THAT NEED TO BE RECALLED.
NHTSA complaint 11081197I WAS RIDING NORMAL SPEED OF ABOUT 60 MPH AND WENT INTO VERY DANGEROUS WOBBLE/ WEAVE. I LET GO OF THROTTLE AND LAYED MY BODY WEIGHT OVER THE TANK AND WAS ABLE TO SLOW TO A STOP. CHECKED AND FOUND ALL SPOKES ON REAR WHEEL WERE DEAD AND LOOSE. BIKE ONLY HAS 1800 MILES ON IT. I HAVE SEEN TONS OF FORUMS ONLINE ALL COMPLAINING ABOUT THIS VERY ISSUE AND YET HARLEY HAS NOT MADE THIS A LEGIT RECALL OR KNOWN PROBLEM... SOMEONE WITH LITTLE RIDING SKILL WILL WIND UP BEING KILLED FROM THIS ISSUE. UNTIL IT BECOMES A KNOWN PROBLEM PEOPLE ARE SELLING THEIR FAULTY RIMS ON EBAY AFTER BYING NEW ONES AS WELL. *TR
NHTSA complaint 10705868BOUGHT NEW 2012 FLSTC H-D IN FEBRUARY 2011. TOOK THE BIKE IN FOR THE FIRST 1,000 MILE SERVICE. WHEN I PICKED THE BIKE UP IT WAS NOTED ON THE SERVICE TICKET THAT ALL SPOKES WHERE LOOSE ON THE FRONT AND REAR WHEELS. NOW HAVE 7700 MILES ON THE BIKE AND TOOK IT IN FOR NEW REAR TIRE.[ HAVE NOTICED JUST IN THE WEEK BEFORE HANDLING A LITTLE DIFFERENT] WHEN THE DEALER WAS INSTALLING THE NEW TIRE THEY CALLED ME INTO THE WORK AREA TO SHOW ME THERE WAS A WOBBLE IN THE REAR WHEEL. I THOUGHT THIS WAS NOT A PROBLEM BECAUSE I HAD BOUGHT THE EXTENDED WARRANTY. AFTER CHECKING THE FACTORY WARRANTY HAD GONE OUT ON APRIL 5TH,2014 AND THE SELLING DEALERSHIP DID NOT INCLUDE THE WHEEL AND TIRE WARRANTY IN THE EXTENDED WARRANTY.[ ALL THIS IS HAPPENING ON 05/06/2014] THE DEALER COULD NOT WARRANTY THE WHEEL AND RECOMMENDED THAT I PUT A TUBELESS MAG WHEEL ON THE BIKE BECAUSE H-D HAS A PROBLEM WITH THE SPOKE WHEELS ON THE FLSTC MODELS. AND I WOULD BE BACK WITH THE SAME PROBLEM IF I PUT THE SPOKE WHEEL BACK ON. THEY EVEN HAD NEW BIKES COME IN WITH THE SAME PROBLEM STRAIGHT FROM THE H-D FACTORY. SO $790.00 PLUS LABOR LATER! YOU WOULD THINK WITH THE DEALERSHIPS INFORMING THE H-D FACTORY ABOUT THIS THAT BIG H-D WOULD STAND UP AND TAKE CARE OF THE CUSTOMER WITH THIS PROBLEM AND FIX THEIR BIKES AND FIX THE PROBLEM AT THE FACTORY!! *TR
NHTSA complaint 10587891TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 HARLEY-DAVIDSON HERITAGE MOTORCYCLE(N/A). THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE TRAVELING 65 MPH, THE VEHICLE SHOOK VIOLENTLY. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER WHERE IT WAS DETERMINED THAT THE REAR WHEEL SPOKES WERE LOOSE. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS CONTACTED ABOUT THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 3,000. UPDATED 9/23/13 *CN
NHTSA complaint 10522885TRAVELING ON AN INTERSTATE AT APPROX. 65 MPH, BIKE DEVELOPED AN UNSTABLE CONDITION THAT FELT SIMILAR TO RIDING ON AN UNDER INFLATED REAR TIRE. VISUAL INSPECTION FOUND EXTREMELY LOOSE SPOKES ON THE REAR WHEEL RIM RESULTING IN THE TIRE TRAVELING AT A DIFFERENT AXIS THAN THE HUB WHEN UNDER LOAD. RETURNED BIKE TO THE DEALER AND WAS TOLD THAT IT WAS A KNOWN PROBLEM WITH THE 2012 HERITAGE SOFT TAIL BIKES AND THEY HAD A PREVIOUS INSTANCE OF THE SAME CONDITION. CURRENTLY AWAITING RETURN OF THE BIKE AFTER WARRANTY REPAIR. *TR
NHTSA complaint 10513595WHILE RIDING ON THE HIGHWAY THE FRONT WHEEL BEGAN TO WOBBLE EXCESSIVELY, CAUSING LOSS OF CONTROL OF THE MOTORCYCLE. NO ACCIDENT OCCURED, BUT THE MOTORCYCLE WAS DANGEROUSLY DIFFICULT TO HANDLE, THE WHOLE BIKE WOBBLING UNCONTROLLABLY. STEERING WAS ALSO COMPROMISED. SLOWLY PROCEEDED TO HARLEY DAVIDSON DEALER AND WAS INFORMED THAT THIS HAD OCCURED WITH THIS MOTORCYCLE AND THAT IT WAS A "SPOKE LOOSENING" PROBLEM THAT THEY WERE AWARE OF WITH THIS PARTICULAR MODEL AND YEAR. *TR
NHTSA complaint 10470098I ENTERED INTERSTATE 12 AND BEGAN TO ACCELERATE. MY RECENTLY PURCHASED USED (2800 MILES) HERITAGE CLASSIC DEVELOPED A SEVERE WOBBLE AT AROUND 60 MPH. THE WOBBLE WORSENED AND IT BECAME DIFFICULT TO STAY ON THE MOTORCYCLE. I ROLLED OFF THROTTLE AND ALLOWED THE MOTORCYCLE TO SLOW ON IT'S OWN WITHOUT BREAKING. THE WOBBLE SUBSIDED AND I WAS ABLE TO GET THE BIKE TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD. THIS HAD HAPPENED TWICE EARLIER IN THE DAY, BUT THIS WOBBLE EVENT WAS MUCH MORE SEVERE. I TOOK THE BIKE TO THE HARLEY DEALERSHIP IN SLIDELL, LA. AND WAS TOLD THE SPOKES ON THE BACK RIM WERE LOOSE AND THIS WAS A KNOWN ISSUE WITH 2012 HERITAGE CLASSICS. THE MOTORCYCLE HAD APPROX. 3200 MILES ON IT AT THE TIME OF THIS EVENT AND ROAD CONDITIONS WERE DRY AND SMOOTH. RESEARCHING THIS ON THE INTERNET, I DID FIND THIS TYPE OF EVENT IS WELL KNOWN ON THIS VEHICLE. THIS TIME, I WAS ABLE TO STAY ON THE BIKE, ALBEIT WITH GREAT DIFFICULTY, AND WAS NOT INJURED. THE WOBBLE WAS SEVERE ENOUGH IT COULD EASILY HAVE TURNED OUT MUCH DIFFERENT. I AM LUCKY. A WITNESS WHO WAS BEHIND ME STOPPED TO SEE IF I WAS OKAY AND STATED, "THAT LOOKED LIKE A WILD RIDE." I DON'T WANT TO EXPERIENCE THIS AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS AGAIN. SPOKES WERE TIGHTENED AND NO FURTHER WOBBLE DEVELOPED TODAY. THOUGH NOT NEW TO RIDING, I HAD PURCHASED THIS VEHICLE USED FROM MIKE BRUNO'S HARLEY DAVIDSON IN SLIDELL 4 DAYS PREVIOUS TO THE EVENT AND TOOK POSSESSION OF THE MOTORCYCLE 3 DAYS PRIOR TO THE EVENT. THOUGH I NOTICED A LOOSENESS IN THE REAR END WHEN I FIRST RODE THE BIKE, I ASSUMED IT WAS JUST A NEW BIKE WITH A NEW FEEL. I WAS WRONG, ALMOST PAINFULLY SO. I WOULD LIKE TO SAY THE DEALERSHIP WAS VERY RESPONSIVE AND CONCERNED. ACTION SHOULD BE TAKEN TO CORRECT THIS ISSUE TO PREVENT INJURY AND POSSIBLE DEATH OF THE RIDER. *TR
NHTSA complaint 10468117THE SECOND TIME I RODE MY BRAND NEW 2012 HARLEY DAVIDSON HERITAGE SOFTAIL, THE KICKSTAND WAS LOWERED AND INEXPLICABLY BROKE OFF THE MOTORCYCLE CAUSING IT TO FALL OVER WHILE I WAS ASTRIDE THE VEHICLE. THIS CAUSED OVER $3500 IN DAMAGES AND INJURY TO MY ELBOW. HARLEY DAVIDSON COMPANY HAS BEEN EXTREMELY UNRESPONSIVE REGARDING THIS INCIDENT AND IT HAS BEEN NECESSARY TO HIRE AN ATTORNEY TO REMEDY THIS SITUATION. THE HD COMPANY INSTRUCTED ME TO TURN A CLAIM INTO MY INSURANCE COMPANY WHICH I RELUCTANTLY DID AS I FELT HD SHOULD BE RESPONSIBLE FOR ALL REPAIRS. AFTER AN INDEPENDENT REPAIR SHOP HAD ORDERED PARTS (THAT CANNOT BE RETURNED), HD THEN STATED THEY WOULD TAKE CARE OF ALL REPAIRS BUT ONLY IF THE REPAIRS WERE DONE AT AN HD DEALER. THEY HAVE NOT SAID WHAT REPAIRS THEY WOULD PERFORM. IN THE MEANTIME, THIS MOTORCYCLE HAS BEEN SITTING IN A SHOP WAITING FOR HD TO INSPECT IT AND PRESENT THEIR FINDINGS FOR ALMOST 2 MONTHS. WHEN ASKED TO SEND THE HD ENGINEER'S REPAIRS LIST AND THE ESTIMATE FROM THE LOCAL HD DEALER TO MY ATTORNEY, HD ORIGINALLY STATED THEY WOULD, THEN STATED THEY HAD ONLY THE ESTIMATE SENT BY THE INDEPENDENT SHOP. THE HD INSPECTOR FOUND ADDITIONAL DAMAGES (ALLUDED TO IN A COMMUNICATION BETWEEN THE HD CONTACT PERSON AND MY ATTORNEY) BUT AS OF THIS MORNING, HD STATES THEY DO NOT HAVE A REPORT WRITTEN BY THEIR INSPECTOR-WHICH, FRANKLY, SEEMS HIGHLY UNLIKELY AND COULD INCLUDE REPAIRS TO THE VEHICLE INVOLVING SAFETY ISSUES. *JS
NHTSA complaint 10458315AT 900 MILES THERE WAS A NOTICEABLE INSTABILITY IN THE TRACKING OF THE WHEELS AT ALL SPEEDS WITH MORE ?WOBBLE? DURING DECELERATIONS AND BRAKING HD DEALER INSTRUCTED ME TO PARK THE MOTORCYCLE AND THEY WOULD RETRIEVE IT THE REAR WHEEL SPOKES WERE LOOSE CAUSING THE AT-RISK CONDITION INFORMALLY I WAS INFORMED IT WAS A KNOW ISSUE AND HD HAS A PROGRAM FOR REMEDIATION THE REAR WHEEL WAS REPLACED; NO OTHER DEFECTS WERE FOUND. *TR
NHTSA complaint 10457471THE FIRST INCIDENT STARTED AS A WOBBLE ON DECELERATION. THE VEHICLE WAS PARKED UNTIL THE DAY OF THE APPOINTMENT AT THE DEALERSHIP. WHILE TAKING THE VEHICLE IN THE DECELERATION WOBBLES CONTINUED AND ESCALATED TO A PRONOUNCED WOBBLE IN THE 65-70 MPH RANGE. PROBLEM WAS DETERMINED TO BE LOOSE SPOKES IN THE REAR WHEEL. *KB
NHTSA complaint 10446693PULLING ONTO THE ROADWAY I HEARD A HISS THEN A POP AND SAW SOMETHING FLY IN FRONT OF THE HEADLIGHT. FURTHER EXAMINATION REVEALED THAT ONE OF THE PASSING LAMPS HAD BLOWN OUT INTERNALLY
NHTSA complaint 104466922012 HARLEY DAVIDSON FLSTC MOTORCYCLE. CONSUMER WRITES IN REGARDS TO A SLIGHT WOBBLE WHEN COMING TO A STOP. *TGW THE CONSUMER STATED THE WOBBLE SOON BECAME NOTICEABLE ALL THE TIME AT ANY SPEED. THE CONSUMER RETURNED TO THE DEALER WHO DIAGNOSED THE PROBLEM AS A LOOSE REAR WHEEL SPOKE. *JB
NHTSA complaint 10440691Technical service bulletins and other notices the manufacturer sent to dealers. A bulletin is not a recall.