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U.S. public vehicle records

2014 Harley-Davidson FLHXS problems and owner complaints

Explore the records behind recurring owner reports.

Key facts

17 owner complaints analyzed

5 distinct recall campaigns

7,500 mi median reported failure mileage

Scope: 2014 model year. Data snapshot: . 16 complaints include usable failure mileage.

Owner-reported patterns

Most common problems

Service Brakes is the most frequently named component, appearing in 4 of 17 complaints (23.5%). A complaint can name multiple components.

Recurring terms in complaint narratives
TopicMatching reportsShare of complaints
Braking behavior529.4%
Fuel system concerns317.6%
Transmission and shifting15.9%
Engine operation15.9%

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
4
Engine
2
Equipment
2
Exterior Lighting
2
Power Train
2
Unknown Or Other
2
Vehicle Speed Control
2
Electrical System
1
Component breakdown data
CategoryCount
Service Brakes4
Engine2
Equipment2
Exterior Lighting2
Power Train2
Unknown Or Other2
Vehicle Speed Control2
Electrical System1

Service Brakes: 4; Engine: 2; Equipment: 2; Exterior Lighting: 2; Power Train: 2; Unknown Or Other: 2; Vehicle Speed Control: 2; Electrical System: 1

Reported problems by failure mileage

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

Under 25,000
15
25,000 to 49,999
1
50,000 to 74,999
0
75,000 to 99,999
0
100,000 to 149,999
0
150,000 and above
0
Reported problems by failure mileage data
CategoryCount
Under 25,00015
25,000 to 49,9991
50,000 to 74,9990
75,000 to 99,9990
100,000 to 149,9990
150,000 and above0

Under 25,000: 15; 25,000 to 49,999: 1; 50,000 to 74,999: 0; 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 (15). 1 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.

2014
3
2015
4
2016
3
2017
3
2018
2
2019
1
2020
1
Complaints over time data
CategoryCount
20143
20154
20163
20173
20182
20191
20201

2014: 3; 2015: 4; 2016: 3; 2017: 3; 2018: 2; 2019: 1; 2020: 1

Pattern summary

Service Brakes leads the component reports. Braking behavior appears in 5 complaint narratives. Fuel system concerns appears in 3 complaint narratives. Transmission and shifting appears in 1 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 10621286 · 2014-08-11 (August 11, 2014)

I THOUGHT I WAS FLASHING MY BRAKE LIGHTS TO WARN DRIVERS BEHIND ME THAT I WAS SLOWING DOWN TO MAKE A TURN..I NOTICED THAT THE DRIVER BEHIND ME WAS NOT SLOWING DOWN!! I DECIDED TO NOT MAKE THAT TURN AND KEPT GOING TO PREVENT ME FROM GETTING HIT. PULLED OVER TO CHECK MY BRAKE LIGHTS. I FOUND THAT THEY DO NOT ACTIVATE UNTIL THERE IS SIGNIFICANT PRESSURE APPLIED TO THE FRONT BRAKE LEVER. THE BRAKE LIGHTS SHOULD BE ILLUMINATED AS SOON AS THE BRAKE LEVER IS PULLED BEFORE THE BRAKE PADS CONTACT THE ROTOR! WHEN COMING TO A NORMAL STOP, I STOP AND LOOK …

Owner-reported narrative. 1,100 miles reported. Look up ODI 10621286 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10816751 · 2015-12-29 (December 29, 2015)

WHILE RIDING THE BIKE AT HIGHWAY SPEED THE CRUISE CONTROL FAILED TO DISENGAGE WHEN APPLYING FRONT BRAKE. THIS IS AN INTERMITTENT PROBLEM AND DEALS WITH THE SWITCH HOUSING ON THE HANDLEBARS WHERE THE FRONT BRAKE LEVER IS ATTACHED. WHEN GOOGLED OTHER BIKE OWNERS ARE HAVING THE SAME PROBLEM AND HARLEY DOES NOT WANT TO FIX UNDER WARRANTY UNLESS THEY CAN DUPLICATE AT THE TIME IT IS BROUGHT TO SHOP. THIS NEEDS TO BE INVESTIGATED FOR THIS POSE A SERIOUS RISK TO RIDER AND OTHERS.

Owner-reported narrative. 20,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10816751 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10908420 · 2016-09-21 (September 21, 2016)

2014 HARLEY DAVIDSON FLHXS FRONT SPARK WIRE RUBBING ON GAS TANK AND WEARING OFF THE INSULATION OF THE WIRE. PROBABLE CAUSE OF ERRATIC BEHAVIOR AND STALLING WHILE DRIVING.

Owner-reported narrative. 40,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10908420 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10967851 · 2017-03-22 (March 22, 2017)

THE SPARK PLUG WIRE IN WEARING BY RUBBING AGAINST SOMETHING. I'VE SEEN THIS ON EVERY 2014 HARLEY DAVIDSON TOURING BIKE I'VE SEEN INCLUDING MINE. IT HASN'T WORN THROUGH YET BUT IT WILL SOONER OR LATER AND WHEN IT DOES IT WILL ARCH TO THE GAS TANK. I DIDN'T HEAR ABOUT THE PROBLEM UNTIL MY BIKE WAS OUT OF WARRANTY. HD IS REPLACING THOSE THAT ARE UNDER WARRANTY SO THEY KNOW ABOUT THE PROBLEM.

Owner-reported narrative. 12,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10967851 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10945406 · 2017-01-15 (January 15, 2017)

DURING A RIDE ON JANUARY 9, 2016, I EXPERIENCED A FAILURE OF THE SHIFTING MECHANISM ON MY 2014 HARLEY STREET GLIDE. THE SHIFTER WOULD MOVE FREELY AND WOULD NOT ENGAGE THE TRANSMISSION. I WAS UNABLE TO DOWNSHIFT OR UPSHIFT AND WAS STUCK IN SECOND GEAR. I TOOK THE MOTORCYCLE TO THE HOUSE OF THUNDER HARLEY DAVIDSON MORGAN HILL, CA DEALERSHIP AND THEY TOLD ME THAT THE SHIFTER SHAFT SPLINES HAD STRIPPED AND THUS THEY REPLACED THE SHAFT UNDER WARRANTY AT 7,849 MILES. ON JANUARY 14, 2017, I WAS RIDING AND EXPERIENCED THE IDENTICAL CATASTROPHIC FAILU…

Owner-reported narrative. 9,581 miles reported. Look up ODI 10945406 at NHTSA ↗