Harley-Davidson FLSTF problems and owner complaints
Explore the records behind recurring owner reports.
Key facts
34 owner complaints analyzed
4 distinct recall campaigns
5,700 mi median reported failure mileage
Scope: 1989 to 2011 model years. Data snapshot: . 22 complaints include usable failure mileage.
Most common problems
Wheels is the most frequently named component, appearing in 8 of 34 complaints (23.5%). A complaint can name multiple components.
| Topic | Matching reports | Share of complaints |
|---|---|---|
| Engine operation | 3 | 8.8% |
| Electrical and battery issues | 2 | 5.9% |
| Steering behavior | 2 | 5.9% |
| Fuel system concerns | 2 | 5.9% |
| Transmission and shifting | 1 | 2.9% |
| Braking behavior | 1 | 2.9% |
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.
| Category | Count |
|---|---|
| Wheels | 8 |
| Suspension:Front | 5 |
| Engine And Engine Cooling:Engine | 4 |
| Unknown Or Other | 4 |
| Power Train | 3 |
| Structure | 3 |
| Engine And Engine Cooling | 2 |
| Electrical System:Ignition:Switch | 1 |
Wheels: 8; Suspension:Front: 5; Engine And Engine Cooling:Engine: 4; Unknown Or Other: 4; Power Train: 3; Structure: 3; Engine And Engine Cooling: 2; Electrical System:Ignition:Switch: 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 | 18 |
| 25,000 to 49,999 | 2 |
| 50,000 to 74,999 | 2 |
| 75,000 to 99,999 | 0 |
| 100,000 to 149,999 | 0 |
| 150,000 and above | 0 |
Under 25,000: 18; 25,000 to 49,999: 2; 50,000 to 74,999: 2; 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 (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 | 2 |
| 2001 | 1 |
| 2002 | 4 |
| 2003 | 2 |
| 2004 | 1 |
| 2005 | 1 |
| 2006 | 2 |
| 2007 | 3 |
| 2008 | 2 |
| 2009 | 4 |
| 2010 | 2 |
| 2011 | 4 |
| 2012 | 1 |
| 2014 | 1 |
| 2015 | 1 |
| 2016 | 1 |
| 2017 | 1 |
| 2018 | 1 |
2000: 2; 2001: 1; 2002: 4; 2003: 2; 2004: 1; 2005: 1; 2006: 2; 2007: 3; 2008: 2; 2009: 4; 2010: 2; 2011: 4; 2012: 1; 2014: 1; 2015: 1; 2016: 1; 2017: 1; 2018: 1
Pattern summary
Wheels leads the component reports. Engine operation appears in 3 complaint narratives. Electrical and battery issues appears in 2 complaint narratives. Steering behavior 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 10042479 · 2003-10-07 (October 7, 2003)
VEHICLE STALLED WHILE DRIVING AT ANY SPEED WITHOUT WARNING. DEALERSHIP SERVICED THE VEHICLE 4 TIMES, BUT WAS UNABLE TO LOCATE THE CAUSE OF THE STALLING. ALSO, AT 5,000 MILES VEHICLE HAD A GAS LEAK. THE SOURCE OR CAUSE OF THE LEAK WAS UNDETERMINED.*AK
Owner-reported narrative. 5,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10042479 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10169916 · 2006-10-04 (October 4, 2006)
1.ENGINE MISSING FAILURE WAS ON DELIVERY OF NEW MOTORCYCLE. 2. MOTORCYCLE WOULD BACKFIRE AND STALL AT ALMOST EVERY START & STOP INCLUDING TRYING TO ENTER TRAFFIC. BACKFIRED, STALLED AND DIED IN COLDER WEATHER, STALLED AT EACH STOP. 3. THE MOTORCYCLE WAS AND HAS BEEN IN AND OUT OF SHOP SINCE 1 OR 2 DAYS AFTER PURCHASE UNTIL NOW,STILL NO REPAIR HAS BEEN COMPLETED,IT EVEN BACKFIRED WHEN I PICKED IT UP IN AUGUST 06. WE'VE BEEN FIGHTING WITH BARNETT HARLEY DAVIDSON OF EL PASO SINCE DAY AFTER PURCHAS. FIVE PAGES OF DEFECTS AND ONLY ONE HAS BEEN …
Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10169916 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10295758 · 2009-12-15 (December 15, 2009)
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2007 HARLEY-DAVIDSON FLSTF. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 40 MPH, THE IGNITION SWITCH BEGAN TO SMOKE ALONG WITH SPARKS. THE SWITCH WAS LOCATED ON TOP OF THE FUEL TANK. THE ENGINE STALLED AND THEN ALL OF THE LIGHTS TURNED OFF. HE WAS ABLE TO SAFELY PULL TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD. HE THEN TURNED THE CONSOLE OFF. HOWEVER, THE MOTORCYCLE AND THE ON-SWITCH HAD COMPLETELY BURNED. HE CHANGED THE WIRING AND WAS ABLE TO DRIVE TO HIS HOME. HE HAD NOT CONTACTED THE DEALER OR THE MANUFACTURER TO-DATE. THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGES WE…
Owner-reported narrative. 46,009 miles reported. Look up ODI 10295758 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10705156 · 2015-04-12 (April 12, 2015)
BIKE WOULD BACK KICK. FIGURED IT WAS A BAD BATTERY. CHANGED BATTERY AND WAS STILL DOING IT TALKED TO ANOTHER HARLEY OWNER AND HE SAID TO CHECK UNDER THE PRIMARY CASE AND DID SO AND THE COMPENSATED SPROCKET THAT WAS LOOSE CAUSING THE BACK KICKING OF MOTOR WHICH HAD CAUSED PRIMARY CHAIN TO TIGHTEN PUTTING EXTRA STRAIN ON BEARINGS ON LEFT SIDE OF MOTOR CAUSING A HOWLING NOISE CALLED BIKE SHOP ABOUT THE INCIDENT AND WAS INFORMED THAT SEVERAL BIKES IN THE 2000'S MODELS HAVE HAD THESE ISSUES WAS TOLD THAT POSSIBLY CAUSE AN ACCIDENT IF THE NUT WAS TO …
Owner-reported narrative. 50,705 miles reported. Look up ODI 10705156 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10253131 · 2008-12-29 (December 29, 2008)
ON MY 2007 HARLEY-DAVIDSON FATBOY, THE FRONT AXLE TILTS/LEANS TO THE RIGHT SIDE OF THE BIKE. THIS HAS DONE TWO THINGS. FIRST, IT HAS REDUCED THE AMOUNT OF TREAD THAT IS AVAILABLE FOR MAKING RIGHT HAND TURNS. SECONDLY, AND MOST IMPORTANTLY IT IS WEARING ONLY ON THE RIGHT SIDE OF THE TIRE. THE TIRE WEAR TO ONE SIDE COMBINED WITH LESS TREAD AVAILABLE DUE TO THIS FLAWED DESIGN HAS PRESENTED A SERIOUS SAFETY ISSUE WITH REGARD TO GRIP GOING AROUND CORNERS. IT FIRST BEGAN WITH A MINOR CRASH THAT INVOLVED MYSELF, THIS BIKE, AND THE PAVEMENT. A CAR P…
Owner-reported narrative. 10,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10253131 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10381929 · 2011-02-06 (February 6, 2011)
WHEN LOOSING MY GRIP ON THE HANDLE BAR, AT APPROXIMATELY 35 MPH, THE FRONT END WOBBLES. IF I TAKE ONE HAND OFF THE GRIP AT A STEADY SPEED THE FRONT END WOBBLES MORE. I ALSO NOTICE THE WOBBLE IS WORSE ON DECELERATION. I CAN FEEL THE FRONT END AT 30 - 55 MPH AND THE LONGER I LET LOOSE MY GRIP THE QUICKER AND MORE DRASTIC THE WOBBLE BECOMES. I HAVE CHECKED THE FRONT WHEEL BEARINGS AND THE STEERING HEAD BEARINGS ARE TIGHT. I HAVE ALSO REPLACED THE FRONT TIRE WITH ANOTHER DUNLOP TIRE. THE WOBBLE ISN'T VERY NOTICEABLE WITH BOTH HANDS TIGHTLY ON THE H…
Owner-reported narrative. 19,958 miles reported. Look up ODI 10381929 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 557745 · 2000-11-20 (November 20, 2000)
THE FUEL SUPPLY VALVE IN THE LEFT FUEL TANK LEAKED FUEL ONTO THE REAR CYLINDER OF COOLED ENGINE, CONSUMER REPLACED VALVE BUT AFTER ABOUT 900 MILES THE REPLACEMENT LEAKED. NLM
Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 557745 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10437679 · 2011-11-29 (November 29, 2011)
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2010 HARLEY DAVIDSON FAT BOY MOTORCYCLE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT AFTER STOPPING AND SHIFTING THE CLUTCH, THE CLUTCH FRACTURED. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHERE THEY ADVISED HIM THAT THE CLUTCH CABLE NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT CONTACTED. THE FAILURE AND THE CURRENT MILEAGES WERE APPROXIMATELY 2,200. THE VIN WAS UNAVAILABLE.
Owner-reported narrative. 2,200 miles reported. Look up ODI 10437679 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 |
|---|---|
| 1998 | 0 |
| 1999 | 1 |
| 2000 | 0 |
| 2001 | 0 |
| 2002 | 1 |
| 2003 | 1 |
| 2004 | 1 |
| 2005 | 1 |
| 2006 | 0 |
| 2007 | 1 |
| 2008 | 0 |
| 2009 | 0 |
| 2010 | 0 |
| 2011 | 0 |
1998: 0; 1999: 1; 2000: 0; 2001: 0; 2002: 1; 2003: 1; 2004: 1; 2005: 1; 2006: 0; 2007: 1; 2008: 0; 2009: 0; 2010: 0; 2011: 0