Harley-Davidson FLHT problems and owner complaints
Explore the records behind recurring owner reports.
Key facts
44 owner complaints analyzed
9 distinct recall campaigns
22,000 mi median reported failure mileage
Scope: 1994 to 2022 model years. Data snapshot: . 32 complaints include usable failure mileage.
Most common problems
Service Brakes is the most frequently named component, appearing in 6 of 44 complaints (13.6%). A complaint can name multiple components.
| Topic | Matching reports | Share of complaints |
|---|---|---|
| Braking behavior | 8 | 18.2% |
| Transmission and shifting | 2 | 4.5% |
| Electrical and battery issues | 2 | 4.5% |
| Engine operation | 1 | 2.3% |
| Steering behavior | 1 | 2.3% |
| Fuel system concerns | 1 | 2.3% |
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 |
|---|---|
| Service Brakes | 6 |
| Engine And Engine Cooling:Engine | 5 |
| Unknown Or Other | 4 |
| Power Train | 3 |
| Suspension | 3 |
| Wheels | 3 |
| Service Brakes, Hydraulic:Foundation Components:Disc:Pads | 2 |
| Steering | 2 |
Service Brakes: 6; Engine And Engine Cooling:Engine: 5; Unknown Or Other: 4; Power Train: 3; Suspension: 3; Wheels: 3; Service Brakes, Hydraulic:Foundation Components:Disc:Pads: 2; Steering: 2
Reported problems by failure mileage
Complaint counts in mileage bands. These are not failure rates per vehicle or mile.
| Category | Count |
|---|---|
| Under 25,000 | 18 |
| 25,000 to 49,999 | 11 |
| 50,000 to 74,999 | 2 |
| 75,000 to 99,999 | 1 |
| 100,000 to 149,999 | 0 |
| 150,000 and above | 0 |
Under 25,000: 18; 25,000 to 49,999: 11; 50,000 to 74,999: 2; 75,000 to 99,999: 1; 100,000 to 149,999: 0; 150,000 and above: 0
Under 25,000 miles has the most reports with usable mileage (18). 12 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 | 4 |
| 2001 | 4 |
| 2002 | 2 |
| 2003 | 1 |
| 2004 | 1 |
| 2005 | 2 |
| 2007 | 5 |
| 2008 | 1 |
| 2009 | 2 |
| 2010 | 1 |
| 2011 | 2 |
| 2012 | 5 |
| 2013 | 2 |
| 2015 | 1 |
| 2016 | 4 |
| 2018 | 3 |
| 2020 | 3 |
| 2022 | 1 |
2000: 4; 2001: 4; 2002: 2; 2003: 1; 2004: 1; 2005: 2; 2007: 5; 2008: 1; 2009: 2; 2010: 1; 2011: 2; 2012: 5; 2013: 2; 2015: 1; 2016: 4; 2018: 3; 2020: 3; 2022: 1
Pattern summary
Service Brakes leads the component reports. Braking behavior appears in 8 complaint narratives. Transmission and shifting appears in 2 complaint narratives. Electrical and battery issues 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 10110149 · 2005-02-08 (February 8, 2005)
FRONT BRAKES MAKING A SWOOSH TYPE NOISE WHEN BRAKES ARE NOT APPLIED. FRONT AND REAR BRAKE PADS HAVE BEEN REPLACED 3 TIMES WITHIN 15000 MILES. REAR TIRE HAS HAD TO BE REPLACED 3 TIMES IN 15000 MILES DUE TO WEAR. WAS TOLD BY 3 HARLEY DAVIDON DEALERS THIS WAS COMMON DUE TO WEIGHT OF MOTORCYCLE. *AK
Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10110149 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 745950 · 2001-05-26 (May 26, 2001)
FRONT BRAKES STARTED SQUELLING AT THE FIRST DAY OF OWNERSHIP. HAS BEEN REPORTED WITH NO RESPONSE. RETURNED TO DEALER TWO TIMES. REFUSED TO REPAIR SAID THEY HAVE TRIED TO REPAIR IN PAST WITH NO SUCCESS.
Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 745950 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10205402 · 2007-10-11 (October 11, 2007)
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2007 HARLEY DAVIDSON FLHT. WHILE DRIVING 55 MPH, THE CONTACT HEARD A NOISE THAT GREW LOUDER AS THE VEHICLE BECAME WARMER. THE OIL WAS CHANGED TO SYNTHETIC AND REPLACED WITH A HEAVIER OIL, BUT THIS DID NOT CORRECT THE FAILURE. THE DEALER STATED THAT THE NOISE WAS NORMAL. THE MANUFACTURE REPLACED A RUBBER IN THE 2008 TRANSMISSION TO CORRECT THE NOISE, HOWEVER, THEY WILL NOT ASSIST WITH THE 2007 MODELS. THEY STATED THAT THE REPAIR WOULD BE AT THE CONTACT'S EXPENSE AT THE COST OF $300. THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 57,000 AND …
Owner-reported narrative. 400 miles reported. Look up ODI 10205402 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10520806 · 2013-06-20 (June 20, 2013)
GROWLING NOISE FROM A BAD BEARING IN PRIMARY. HAD BIKE AT A HARLEY SHOP WHERE BIKE WAS PURCHASED TO BE INSPECTED FOR COMPLAINT. FOUND PRIMARY BEARING FAILED. NO OTHER FAILURE. WAS TOLD FAILURE NO FAULT OF OWNER. CONTACTED HARLEY DAVIDSON AND RECEIVED A REFERENCE NUMBER FOR TRACKING. HARLEY HAS A ISSUE WITH BEARINGS, BOTH IN PRIMARY AND TRANSMISSION. NEITHER HARLEY MANUFACTURING OR LOCAL DISTRICT REPRESENTATIVE SEEMS TO BE CONCERNED ABOUT FAILURE. DEALER IS LIMITED TO A FACTORY REPAIR FOR THERE IS NO ALTERNATE BEARING FOR REPAIR. SHOP REPAIRED …
Owner-reported narrative. 24,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10520806 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10293298 · 2009-11-23 (November 23, 2009)
2003 HARLEY-DAVIDSON FLHT ELECTRA GLIDE STANDARD. MY MOTORCYCLE EXPERIENCED A COMPLETE AND TOTAL FAILURE OF ALL ELECTRICAL SYSTEMS TO INCLUDE AN UNCOMMANDED ENGINE FAILURE AT FREEWAY SPEEDS OF APPROXIMATELY 65 MPH AT THE TIME OF THE EVENT. H-D HAS A FAULTY DESIGN THAT DOES NOT PERMIT THE ADEQUATE COOLING OF A 50 AMP SELF RESETTING CIRCUIT BREAKER LOCATED ADJACENT TO THE BATTERY LOCATED SLIGHT AFT AND ABOVE THE AFT CYLINDER AND CYLINDER EXHAUST EXPOSED TO EXTREME HEATING AND INADEQUATE COOLING. RIDER HAS NO INSTRUMENTATION TO SHOW IMPENDING EL…
Owner-reported narrative. 32,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10293298 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10816173 · 2015-12-24 (December 24, 2015)
OVER A PERIOD OF TIME THE STARTER HAS BEEN GIVING ME ISSUE, I TRIED A NEW BATTERY IT HELPED FOR A WHILE. I NOTICED THEN THAT WHEN IT WAS HOT THE ISSUE WAS WORSE. AFTER HOURS OF RESEARCH I GUESS THEY STAT ITS A KNOWN ISSUE ON TH 2007-08 HARLEY-DAVIDSON TOURING BIKES, JUST A FEW- NOT ALL BUT THE SCREAMING EAGLE UPGRADE IS 400.00 PLUS BUCKS TO REPAIR-HELP WITH THESE COSLTLY REPAIRS WOULD BE NICE. 42,000 MILES ON THE BIKE.ON ONE FORUM A GUY HAD HIS BIKE LOCK UP ON HIM RIDING! I GUESS I HAVE BEEN LUCKY..
Owner-reported narrative. 37,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10816173 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10021505 · 2003-06-12 (June 12, 2003)
HARLEY-DAVIDSON 2002 FLHT FUEL TANK QUALITY PROBLEM LEADING TO SAFETY RISK OF FIRE AND VEHICLE STALLING EXPOSING OPERATORS AND/OR PASSENGERS TO PERSONAL DEATH OR PERMANENT DISABLEMENT. FUEL TANKS HAS A SIGNIFICANT RUST CHARACTERISTIC ALLOWING CONTAMINATES TO ENTER INTO THE MOTORCYCLES FUEL SYSTEM CAUSING A CARBURETOR OVERFLOW CONDITION RELEASING RAW FUEL ONTO THE MOTORCYCLE SURFACES LEADING TO FIRE RISK AND ENGINE STALL DURING OPERATION. I HAVE HAD YEARS OF PERSONAL EXPERIENCE WITH OTHER MODELS OF HARLEY-DAVIDSON MOTOR CYCLES WHICH HAVE NEV…
Owner-reported narrative. 1,200 miles reported. Look up ODI 10021505 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 11340763 · 2020-07-21 (July 21, 2020)
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2019 HARLEY DAVIDSON FLHT MOTORCYCLE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THAT THE MOTORCYCLE SWING ARM WAS FACTORY TWISTED AND THE FRAME WAS OUT OF ALIGNMENT. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE MOTORCYCLE DRIFTED TO THE LEFT WHILE RIDING. ADDITIONALLY, THE STEERING NECK AND STEERING HEAD WERE NOT IN ALIGNMENT WITH THE BACKBONE OF THE FRAME. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE FRAME WAS NOT CENTERED. THE MOTOR CYCLE WAS TAKEN TO NEW ORLEANS HARLEY DAVIDSON (6015 AIRLINE DRIVE METAIRIE LA, 70003, [phone removed] FOR INSPECTION. THE CONTACT WAS INFOR…
Owner-reported narrative. 850 miles reported. Look up ODI 11340763 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 |
|---|---|
| 2006 | 0 |
| 2007 | 0 |
| 2008 | 2 |
| 2009 | 3 |
| 2010 | 2 |
| 2019 | 0 |
| 2020 | 1 |
| 2021 | 1 |
| 2022 | 1 |
2006: 0; 2007: 0; 2008: 2; 2009: 3; 2010: 2; 2019: 0; 2020: 1; 2021: 1; 2022: 1