Harley-Davidson FLHRCI problems and owner complaints
Explore the records behind recurring owner reports.
Key facts
29 owner complaints analyzed
2 distinct recall campaigns
8,629 mi median reported failure mileage
Scope: 1999 to 2006 model years. Data snapshot: . 18 complaints include usable failure mileage.
This selection has limited data. It remains available for lookup but is excluded from search indexing.
Most common problems
Engine And Engine Cooling:Engine is the most frequently named component, appearing in 4 of 29 complaints (13.8%). A complaint can name multiple components.
| Topic | Matching reports | Share of complaints |
|---|---|---|
| Braking behavior | 5 | 17.2% |
| Fuel system concerns | 4 | 13.8% |
| Transmission and shifting | 2 | 6.9% |
| Engine operation | 2 | 6.9% |
| Electrical and battery issues | 1 | 3.4% |
Topic matches use published keyword rules. They describe mentions, including negations or comparisons, and do not confirm a diagnosis. Read the matching rules.
Component breakdown
Number of unique complaints naming each component. Top eight shown.
| Category | Count |
|---|---|
| Engine And Engine Cooling:Engine | 4 |
| Engine And Engine Cooling:Engine:Gasoline | 3 |
| Service Brakes, Hydraulic | 3 |
| Electrical System | 2 |
| Fuel System, Gasoline | 2 |
| Wheels | 2 |
| Electrical System:Alternator/Generator/Regulator | 1 |
| Electrical System:Horn | 1 |
Engine And Engine Cooling:Engine: 4; Engine And Engine Cooling:Engine:Gasoline: 3; Service Brakes, Hydraulic: 3; Electrical System: 2; Fuel System, Gasoline: 2; Wheels: 2; Electrical System:Alternator/Generator/Regulator: 1; Electrical System:Horn: 1
Reported problems by failure mileage
Complaint counts in mileage bands. These are not failure rates per vehicle or mile.
| Category | Count |
|---|---|
| Under 25,000 | 13 |
| 25,000 to 49,999 | 2 |
| 50,000 to 74,999 | 3 |
| 75,000 to 99,999 | 0 |
| 100,000 to 149,999 | 0 |
| 150,000 and above | 0 |
Under 25,000: 13; 25,000 to 49,999: 2; 50,000 to 74,999: 3; 75,000 to 99,999: 0; 100,000 to 149,999: 0; 150,000 and above: 0
Under 25,000 miles has the most reports with usable mileage (13). 11 complaints have missing, zero or invalid mileage.
Complaints over time
Year the complaint was filed, not the vehicle model year or incident year. The snapshot year is partial.
| Category | Count |
|---|---|
| 2000 | 2 |
| 2001 | 2 |
| 2002 | 2 |
| 2004 | 5 |
| 2005 | 1 |
| 2006 | 6 |
| 2007 | 1 |
| 2008 | 2 |
| 2009 | 2 |
| 2010 | 2 |
| 2011 | 1 |
| 2013 | 1 |
| 2014 | 1 |
| 2018 | 1 |
2000: 2; 2001: 2; 2002: 2; 2004: 5; 2005: 1; 2006: 6; 2007: 1; 2008: 2; 2009: 2; 2010: 2; 2011: 1; 2013: 1; 2014: 1; 2018: 1
Pattern summary
Engine And Engine Cooling:Engine leads the component reports. Braking behavior appears in 5 complaint narratives. Fuel system concerns appears in 4 complaint narratives. Transmission and shifting appears in 2 complaint narratives. Use these patterns to inspect individual reports and prepare questions for a mechanic.
Calculated from recorded counts. An AI narrative has not been published for this selection.
Complaint evidence
Examples provide context, not a representative sample or a verified diagnosis.
Owner report 10064240 · 2004-03-31 (March 31, 2004)
BACKGROUND ON M/C FIRST OWNER: UNKNOWN SECOND OWNER: BOUGHT BIKE WITH 7750 MILES ON IT / REPLACED BRAKES ONCE / HAS NO KNOWLEDGE OF BIKE BEING IN AN ACCIDENT THIRD OWNER: MYSELF / THOUGHT I NEEDED REAR BRAKE PADS. *AK I'M HAVING TROUBLE WITH MY BRAKES ON A 1999 FLHRC-I VIN # [XXX] HARLEY DAVIDSON M/C. IT SEEMS TO BE THAT THE REAR BRAKE MASTER CYLINDER MOUNTING BRACKET WAS WELDED IN SUCH A WAY THAT IT CAUSES THE CLEVIS END TO PITCH DOWN FAR ENOUGH TO PUT THE PUSH ROD WAY OUT OF LINE CAUCUSING IT TO STRIKE THE PUSH ROD WASHER. THIS ACTION KEE…
Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10064240 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10171284 · 2006-10-18 (October 18, 2006)
REAR BRAKE FAILURE, RIDING IN HIGH ALTITUDES. ON SEVERAL OCCASIONS AFTER RIDING THIS MOTORCYCLE 500+ MILES A DAY, AND TRAVELING THROUGH MOUNTAINS, THE REAR BRAKE WILL SUDDENLY NOT WORK, THE PEDAL JUST DROPS TO THE FLOORBOARD. AFTER SITTING FOR ABOUT 2 MIN. BRAKE OPERATION RETURNS TO NORMAL. I RETURNED THE BIKE TO 2 DIFFERENT HARLEY DEALERS IN MI. WHERE I LIVE. BOTH COULD NOT VERIFY THE PROBLEM AND NOTHING WAS DONE. I WROTE A LETTER TO HARLEY EXPLAINING THE PROBLEM AND THE DEALERS LACK OF CONCERN. ( I AM A PROFESSIONAL MECHANIC IN A CHRYSLER, JE…
Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10171284 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10416873 · 2011-08-03 (August 3, 2011)
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 HARLEY DAVIDSON FLHRCI. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 5 MPH ATTEMPTING TO PARK, THE CONTACT NOTICED FUEL LEAKING FROM THE BOTTOM OF THE FUEL TANK. THE CONTACT PERFORMED THE REPAIR WHICH CONSISTED OF REPLACING THE QUICK CONNECT COUPLING. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 6,800.
Owner-reported narrative. 6,800 miles reported. Look up ODI 10416873 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 764211 · 2002-07-14 (July 14, 2002)
WIRING HARNESS FAILURE TO FRONT FUEL INJECTOR. FAILED AT 660 MILES, 4432 MILES, AND AGAIN AT 5630 MILES. FAILURE SHUTS DOWN FRONT CYLINDER CAUSING CYCLE TO RUN ON ONE CYLINDER AND BACKFIRE WHILE OBTAINING MAXIMUM SPEED OF 20 - 25 MPH.*AK
Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 764211 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10227389 · 2008-05-11 (May 11, 2008)
AFTER STORAGE MY HARLEY WAS HARD STARTING. AFTER SOME FRESH GAS THE BIKE BEGAN TO RUN. MAYBE A MONTH AFTER THIS GAS BEGAN SQUIRTING OUT OF THE TANK WHERE THE FUEL LINE AND THE RETURN LINE ARE ATTACHED. I SHUT DOWN THE ENGINE, CLEANED UP THE GAS AND REPEATED THE STARTUP. SAME THING. AS THE BIKE WAS JUST STARTED I DID NOT GET GASOLINE ON ME, ONLY ON THE ENGINE, TRANSMISSION AND RUNNING BOARD. THE ENGINE WAS COOL, I SHUT IT DOWN WITHOUT INCIDENT. I DISCUSSED WITH DEALER AND READ HARLEY MANUAL. THEY SPECULATED THAT SOMETHING WAS IN THE TA…
Owner-reported narrative. 2,200 miles reported. Look up ODI 10227389 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10551654 · 2013-11-10 (November 10, 2013)
MY 02 ROAD KING CLASSIC. WHEN DOING A TRANSMISSION SERVICE I FOUND TRANSMISSION FLUID ALL FILLED WITH METAL SHAVINGS AND THE FLUID CONTAMINATED WITH METAL PIECES OF VARIOUS SIZES. PARTS OF THE TRANSMISSION DIPSTICK AS LARGE AS ONE AND ONE FOURTH INCHES LONG IN THE FLUID. THE DIPSTICK HAD BROKEN OFF, IT APPEARS THIS METAL IS NOT DESIGNED TO HOLD UP TO THE APPLICATION. I HAVE FEAR THAT IF OTHERS ARE NOT NOTIFIED OF THIS FAILURE COULD HAVE A TRANSMISSION FAILURE CAUSING AN ACCIDENT, THAT COULD END IN A DEATH. *TR
Owner-reported narrative. 65,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10551654 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10164971 · 2006-08-08 (August 8, 2006)
ON 7/19/2006 I PURCHASED ON NEW 2007 HARLEY DAVIDSON ROAD KING CLASSIC.. IT WAS DELIVERED ON JULY 20TH. ON AUGUST 5TH, WITH ABOUT 275 MILES ON THE ODOMETER, THE MOTORCYCLE COMPLETELY STALLED WHILE DRIVING WITH A PASSENGER IN TRAFFIC ON AN ARTERIAL ROADWAY. WE MANAGED TO PULL OVER TO THE CURB LANE. I CHECKED THE GAS TANK, WHICH WAS 2/3 FULL. I THEN SWITCHED OFF THE RUN SWITCH AND THE IGNITION SWITCH, TURNED THEM BACK ON AND RESTARTED THE VEHICLE. AFTER ABOUT TWO MILES, THE ENGINE DIED AGAIN. I FOLLOWED THE SAME SEQUENCE AND THE BIKE RESTARTE…
Owner-reported narrative. 275 miles reported. Look up ODI 10164971 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 11097298 · 2018-05-22 (May 22, 2018)
MOTORCYCLE HESITATES, SPUTTERS, STALLS WHEN ACCELERATING USUALLY WHEN ITS COLD. I FOUND A SERVICE BULLETIN M-1185 FROM HARLEY DAVIDSON. I CALLED THEIR CUSTOMER CARE REF #3378245, TOLD ME TO DROP IT OFF AT A DEALERSHIP. THEN DEALERSHIP SAID HD DENIED REPLACEMENT OF THE UPDATED / MOD FUEL INJECTORS. THE BIKE HAS 5K MILES ON IT.
Owner-reported narrative. 5,020 miles reported. Look up ODI 11097298 at NHTSA ↗
Recalls by model year
All campaigns in the snapshot affecting each model year, including recalls announced years later.
Recall campaigns
Shared campaigns appear once in each affected model year.
| Category | Count |
|---|---|
| 1999 | 1 |
| 2000 | 0 |
| 2001 | 0 |
| 2002 | 0 |
| 2003 | 1 |
| 2005 | 0 |
| 2006 | 0 |
1999: 1; 2000: 0; 2001: 0; 2002: 0; 2003: 1; 2005: 0; 2006: 0