U.S. public vehicle records

Harley-Davidson FLHTC problems and owner complaints

Explore the records behind recurring owner reports.

Key facts

85 owner complaints analyzed

11 distinct recall campaigns

20,000 mi median reported failure mileage

Scope: 1983 to 2013 model years. Data snapshot: 2026-09-12 (September 12, 2026). 62 complaints include usable failure mileage.

Owner-reported patterns

Most common problems

Service Brakes is the most frequently named component, appearing in 20 of 85 complaints (23.5%). A complaint can name multiple components.

Recurring terms in complaint narratives
Topic	Matching reports	Share of complaints
Braking behavior	24	28.2%
Electrical and battery issues	7	8.2%
Transmission and shifting	6	7.1%
Engine operation	3	3.5%
Steering behavior	1	1.2%
Fuel system concerns	1	1.2%

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.

Service Brakes

Electrical System

Power Train

Engine And Engine Cooling

Vehicle Speed Control

Fuel/Propulsion System

Power Train:Manual Transmission

Wheels

Service Brakes: 20; Electrical System: 9; Power Train: 8; Engine And Engine Cooling: 6; Vehicle Speed Control: 6; Fuel/Propulsion System: 4; Power Train:Manual Transmission: 4; Wheels: 4

Reported problems by failure mileage

Complaint counts in mileage bands. These are not failure rates per vehicle or mile.

Under 25,000

25,000 to 49,999

50,000 to 74,999

75,000 to 99,999

100,000 to 149,999

150,000 and above

Under 25,000: 35; 25,000 to 49,999: 21; 50,000 to 74,999: 6; 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 (35). 23 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.

1995

1996

2000

2001

2002

2003

2005

2006

2007

2008

2009

2010

2011

2012

2013

2014

2015

2016

2017

2018

2019

2020

2022

2023

1995: 1; 1996: 1; 2000: 3; 2001: 6; 2002: 1; 2003: 2; 2005: 3; 2006: 3; 2007: 4; 2008: 5; 2009: 3; 2010: 3; 2011: 2; 2012: 2; 2013: 8; 2014: 8; 2015: 3; 2016: 7; 2017: 9; 2018: 4; 2019: 2; 2020: 1; 2022: 3; 2023: 1

Pattern summary

Service Brakes leads the component reports. Braking behavior appears in 24 complaint narratives. Electrical and battery issues appears in 7 complaint narratives. Transmission and shifting appears in 6 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 893406 · 2001-08-03 (August 3, 2001)

WHILE RIDING MOTORCYCLE, NOTICED OIL SPILLING OUT OVER FLOOR BOARD AND BRAKES. CONTACTED DEALERSHIP, INFORMED CONSUMER OF A POSSIBLE CRACKED ENGINE. THE PROBLEM HAPPENED 3 YEARS AGO, BUT NO REPAIRS WERE EVER DONE.*AK

Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 893406 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 745948 · 2001-05-26 (May 26, 2001)

FRONT BRAKES STARTED SQUELING AT THE FIRST DAY OF OWNERSHIP. HAS BEEN REPORTED WITH NO RESPONSE.*AK

Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 745948 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10041566 · 2003-10-09 (October 9, 2003)

RUNNING LIGHTS (HEADLIGHT, TAIL LIGHT, ETC.) FAIL DUE TO FRONT FENDER TIP LIGHT WIRING RUBBING ON FRONT TIRE, CAUSING FUSE TO BLOW BECAUSE OF BARE WIRES GROUNDING OUT. THERE WAS A RECALL DONE ON THIS BIKE BEFORE I PICKED IT UP AT THE DEALERS WHEN IT WAS NEW. THIS QUICK FIX THAT HARLEY DAVIDSON HAS DONE FOR THEIR RECALL DOES NOT WORK. I HAVE TALKED TO OTHER OWNERS OF 2001 AND 2002 FLHT AND FLHTC MODELS WHO HAVE HAD THE RECALLS DONE AND HAVE HAD THE SAME PROBLEM. I TALKED WITH THE DEALER AND DECIDED NOT TO HAVE THEM FIX THIS PROBLEM. I INSTE…

Owner-reported narrative. 3,600 miles reported. Look up ODI 10041566 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10502754 · 2013-03-14 (March 14, 2013)

BIKE WENT INTO LIMP MODE CAUSING THE BIKE TO SUDDENLY SHUT DOWN TO ABOUT 15 MPH. CAUSE WAS FRETTING OF THROTTLE BODY WIRING CONNECTOR PINS. FACTORY HAS KNOWN OF PROBLEM AND HAS A TCB OUT ON ISSUE. THIS IS VERY DANGEROUS WHEN RIDING ON HIGHWAYS. COMPANY NEED TO HAVE RECALL BUT THEY WON'T. *TR

Owner-reported narrative. 14,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10502754 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 985097 · 1996-06-21 (June 21, 1996)

THE TRANSMISSION DIP STICK BROKE, CAUSING THE REAR WHEEL TO LOCK UP ON THE MOTORCYCLE WHEN DRIVING. *AK

Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 985097 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10171014 · 2006-10-16 (October 16, 2006)

2007 HD,FLHTC EXPERIENCING TRANSMISSION WHINE IN 5TH GEAR VERY LOUD ,AND CLANKING NOISE AT ALL TIMES FROM 5TH GEAR AND SIXTH GEAR. HD CUSTOMER SERVICE WAS NO HELP NOR DEALER ALTHOUGH MANY OTHER NEW OWNERS EXPERIENCING EXACT CONDITIONS. DEALER AND FACTORY SAY ITS NORMAL. OTHERS HAVE NO SYMPTOMS. NO FAILURE OR ACCIDENTS YET. VERY LOUD NOISE FROM A TRANSMISSIONS IS NOT NORMAL. HARLEY DAVIDSON HAS A PROBLEM AND IT NEEDS TO FIXED ASAP. I RIDE 15000 MILES A YEAR AND DO NOT -TRUST THIS NEW MOTORCYCLE TO PERFORM ITS MISSION OF TOURING. THIS BIKE HAS VE…

Owner-reported narrative. 15 miles reported. Look up ODI 10171014 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 750005 · 2001-08-07 (August 7, 2001)

THE GAS GAUGE DROPS NORMALLY FROM "FULL" TO APPROX. '1/2 FULL', THEN IN NO CONSISTENT MANNER (TIME OR MILEAGE WISE)...IT DROPS TO 'EMPTY'. THIS CAUSES THE DRIVER TO HAVE NO RELIABILITY ON THE FUEL SYSTEM AND HE/SHE MAY END UP STRANDED IN A REMOTE AREA OR STALL IN TRAFFIC. THIS IS DUE TO FUEL GAUGE INACCURACY. THIS PROBLEM HAS BEEN NOTED TO HARLEY, BY MULTIPLE FLH (AND OTHER FLH MODEL) OWNERS. THANKS. *AK

Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 750005 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 765816 · 2002-08-18 (August 18, 2002)

COMPONENT 1 -CRUISE CONTROL ACCELERATES UNEXPECTEDLY WITHOUT OPERATOR IMPUT.. DEALER HAS INSPECTED AND CANNOT FIND CAUSE, PROBLEM CONTINUES. COMPONENT 2 - ENGINE COUGHS WHEN ACCELERATING FROM LOW SPEED AND CAUSES VEHICLE TO STALL, COULD CAUSE MINOR TO MAJOR ACCIDENT DEPENDING ON SITUATION. DEALER HAS INSPECTED AND CANNOT FIND CAUSE, PROBLEM CONTINUES.*AK

Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 765816 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 11120559 · 2018-08-16 (August 16, 2018)

ON 7/16/2018, I WAS DRIVING THE SUBJECT VEHICLE IN THE MOUNTAINS OF CENTRAL COLORADO ON HWY 50 JUST EAST OF GUNNISON, COLORADO GOING THROUGH MONARCH PASS. THE WEATHER WAS CLEAR THAT THE ROD WAS DRY. I WAS FULLY AWAKE AND SOBER (DO NOT DRINK). AT APPROXIMATELY 6:00 PM, AS I SLOWED MY APPROACHED TO THE TURN AT MONARCH PASS, MY VEHICLE STEERING BEGAN TO GYRATE FROM SIDE TO SIDE AT APPROXIMATELY 25 -30 MPH AS I SLOWED TO TAKE A CURVE. THE GYRATION CAUSED ME TO LOSE CONTROL OF THE MOTORCYCLE. I WAS THROWN FROM THE MOTORCYCLE INTO THE SIDING AREA OF…

Owner-reported narrative. 6,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 11120559 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 886175 · 2001-04-18 (April 18, 2001)

MOTORCYCLE WAS LIGHTLY TIED DOWN BY HANDLE BARS WHEN CONSUMER NOTICED IT WAS LOOSE, AND SAW THAT HANDLE BARS WERE PULLED DOWN INTO GAS TANK. TRIPLE CLAMP THAT HELD HANDLES TO FRONT FORKS WERE LOOSE.*AK

Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 886175 at NHTSA ↗

Compare model years

Recalls by model year

All campaigns in the snapshot affecting each model year, including recalls announced years later.

From yearThrough year

Recall campaigns

Shared campaigns appear once in each affected model year.

1997

1998

1999