U.S. public vehicle records

2008 Harley-Davidson FLHRC: complaints, problems and recalls

Explore the records behind recurring owner reports.

Key facts

12 owner complaints analyzed

2 distinct recall campaigns

17,749 mi median reported failure mileage

Scope: 2008 model year. Data snapshot: 2026-09-12 (September 12, 2026). 11 complaints include usable failure mileage.

Owner-reported patterns

Most common problems

Electrical System is the most frequently named component, appearing in 2 of 12 complaints (16.7%). A complaint can name multiple components.

Recurring terms in complaint narratives
Topic	Matching reports	Share of complaints
Braking behavior	4	33.3%
Engine operation	1	8.3%
Electrical and battery issues	1	8.3%
Steering behavior	1	8.3%

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.

Electrical System

Power Train

Service Brakes

Steering

Vehicle Speed Control

Engine And Engine Cooling:Engine

Fuel System, Gasoline

Unknown Or Other

Electrical System: 2; Power Train: 2; Service Brakes: 2; Steering: 2; Vehicle Speed Control: 2; Engine And Engine Cooling:Engine: 1; Fuel System, Gasoline: 1; Unknown Or Other: 1

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: 7; 25,000 to 49,999: 4; 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 (7). 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.

2008

2010

2013

2015

2017

2018

2020

2008: 1; 2010: 4; 2013: 2; 2015: 2; 2017: 1; 2018: 1; 2020: 1

Pattern summary

Electrical System leads the component reports. Braking behavior appears in 4 complaint narratives. Engine operation appears in 1 complaint narratives. Electrical and battery issues 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.

Examples from the source records

Examples provide context, not a representative sample or a verified diagnosis.

Owner report 10244352 · 2008-10-04 (October 4, 2008)

I RECEIVED A RECALL NOTICE FROM HARLEY DAVIDSON THE END OF JULY 08 AND AS OF NOW OCT, I AM STILL UNABLE TO HAVE THE RECALL CORRECTED. I LEFT MY NAME AND TELEPHONE AT THE SHOP IN TACOMA, WA TO SET UP AN APPOINTMENT AS SOON AS PARTS ARE AVAILABLE AND AM STILL WAITING. THE RECALL SAYS THE ENGINE STALL COULD CAUSE INJURY OR DEATH. INSTEAD OF HAVING LEGAL DISCLAIMERS, CORRECTIVE ACTION IS NEEDED TO LIMIT FURTHER LOSS. *TR

Owner-reported narrative. 150 miles reported. Look up ODI 10244352 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10339611 · 2010-06-22 (June 22, 2010)

MY 2008 HARLEY DAVIDSON ROAD KING CLASSIC WITH CRUISE CONTROL PULLS TO THE LEFT WHEN HANDS ARE TAKEN OFF THE HANDLE BARS. THE BIKE ONLY HAS 3400 MILES ON IT AND WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER THE FIRST MONTH I HAD IT FOR THIS PROBLEM. NO FIX FOUND AND NOW THEY HAVE HAD IT FOR 6 WEEKS WITH NO FIX. IF YOU HAVE TO TAKE YOUR HANDS OFF THE BARS FOR A SECOND TO ADJUST YOUR HELMET, GLASSES OR REMOVE A BUG THAT GETS IN YOUR EYE THE BIKE STARTS TO PULL TO THE LEFT AND YOU HAVE TO LEAN VERY FAR TO THE RIGHT TO KEEP IT GOING STRAIGHT. THIS IS A VERY LETHAL P…

Owner-reported narrative. 500 miles reported. Look up ODI 10339611 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10339675 · 2010-06-23 (June 23, 2010)

MY HARLEY DAVIDSON 2008 ROAD KING CHECK ENGINE LIGHT KEEPS COMING ON AND HARLEY DAVIDSON CAN'T SEEN TO OFFER A SOLUTION. THE ERROR CODE IS PO577 AND HAS SOMETHING TO DO WITH THE CRUISE CONTROL. I'VE HAD IT IN 3 TIMES WITH THE SAME RESULTS. NO FIXES. IN TO THE DEALER TWICE UNDER WARRANTY ONE TIME AFTER THAT. *TR

Owner-reported narrative. 6,545 miles reported. Look up ODI 10339675 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10343268 · 2010-07-14 (July 14, 2010)

OUR 2008 HARLEY DAVIDSON ROAD KING CLASSIC WITH CRUISE CONTROL AND ABS PULLS TO THE LEFT IF CONSTANT PRESSURE IS NOT APPLIED TO THE HANDLEBARS. IF YOU TAKE YOUR HANDS OFF THE BARS IT WILL PROMPTLY CROSS THE CENTER LINE AND WOULD BE HEADING INTO ONCOMING TRAFFIC. WE MADE THE DEALER AWARE OF THIS SHORTLY AFTER PURCHASE. WE HAVE CONTINUED TO POINT IT OUT TO THEM AND HAVE QUESTIONED THE SAFETY OF THE MACHINE. WE WERE ASSURED THAT ALL OF THEIR BIKES WILL GO A LITTLE TO THE LEFT OR A LITTLE TO THE RIGHT, IT IS NORMAL. "THAT IS JUST HOW THEY ARE MADE"…

Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10343268 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10361532 · 2010-10-21 (October 21, 2010)

2008 HARLEY-DAVIDSON ROADKING TAKEN TO THE SHOP FOR EXCESSIVE VIBRATION. AT 10,000 MILES, THE COMPENSATOR SPROCKET ON THIS MOTORCYCLE DISINTEGRATED AND REPLACED BY THE DEALER UNDER WARRANTY.. THIS SPROCKET IS CONNECTED TO THE MAIN SHAFT THIS INCIDENT WAS DIAGNOSED AS A LOOSE ENGINE MOUNT AT FIRST. THE DEALER TIGHTENED IT, BUT IT DID NOT CORRECT THE PROBLEM. I TOOK IT BACK AND THEY CLAIMED IT WAS THE COMPENSATOR SPROCKET. REPLACED IT AND VIBRATION WAS NOT CORRECTED. THEY TORE IT BACK DOWN AND FOUND THAT THERE WAS EXCESSIVE RUNOUT ON THE …

Owner-reported narrative. 25,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10361532 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10509345 · 2013-04-23 (April 23, 2013)

WHILE TRAVELING ON THE BELTWAY AT 60 MILES AN HOUR MY MOTORCYCLE WENT INTO A LIMP MODE. SPEED DROPPED TO 15 MILES AN HOUR QUICKLY AND WOULD NOT GO ABOVE 15 MPH. THIS HAS HAPPENED TO ME SEVERAL TIMES. RECENTLY TOOK THE BIKE TO THE DEALER AND THEY REPLACED A SENSOR IN THE HANDLE BAR. THIS DID NOT FIX THE PROBLEM, HAVE TO TAKE THE BIKE BACK TO THE DEALER AGAIN DUE TO THE SAME RECURRING PROBLEM. WHEN THIS OCCURS IT IS VERY SCARY. NOT SURE IF ANYONE HAS BEEN INJURED OR DIED AS A RESULT OF THIS PROBLEM (WHAT I EXPERIENCED IT WILL ONLY BE A MATT…

Owner-reported narrative. 5,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10509345 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10526088 · 2013-07-22 (July 22, 2013)

WHILE DRIVING AT A SPEED OF 60 MPH, I ENCOUNTERED A HORSE DRAWN CARRIAGE ON THE SIDE OF THE ROAD. I APPLIED MY FOOT OPERATED REAR BRAKE FIRST AND FOUND THAT THE CRUISE CONTROL WOULD NOT DISENGAGE. ONLY AFTER I APPLIED MY FRONT HAND BRAKE COULD I GET THE CRUISE CONTROL TO DISENGAGE. THIS IS A VERY DANGEROUS SITUATION THAT COULD HAVE LEAD TO SERIOUS RIDER/PASSENGER INJURY. *TR

Owner-reported narrative. 17,749 miles reported. Look up ODI 10526088 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10690884 · 2015-02-26 (February 26, 2015)

THE GEAR SHIFT AND HEAL-TOE SHIFT LEVERS FELL OFF THE MOTORCYCLE WHILE TRAVELING ON AN INTERSTATE HIGHWAY AT A SPEED OF ABOUT 75 MPH, LEAVING NO MECHANISM FOR CHANGING GEARS. I HAVE RECEIVED ANECDOTAL INFORMATION FROM MANY OTHER RIDERS OF HARLEY DAVIDSON MOTORCYCLES THAT THE LOSS OF THE HEAL-TOE SHIFT LEVERS IS A FREQUENT OCCURRENCE, AND THEY ARE FORCED TO REPLACE THE SHIFT LEVERS WITH ACCESSORIES FROM INDEPENDENT PARTS MANUFACTURERS. I HAVE WITNESSED MANY SUCH AFTER-MARKET MODIFICATIONS DURING MY TRAVELS.

Owner-reported narrative. 30,345 miles reported. Look up ODI 10690884 at NHTSA ↗

Recall history

2 distinct campaigns affect this selection. Announcement dates below are different from vehicle model years. A campaign may cover multiple years.

08V357000 · Fuel System, Gasoline:Storage:Tank Assembly:Filler Pipe And Cap

Reported: 2008-07-30 (July 30, 2008)

HARLEY DAVIDSON IS RECALLING 47,579 MY 2008 FLHP, FLHPE, FLHR, FLHRC, FLHRSE4, FLHT, FLHTC, FLHTCU, FLHTCUSE3, FLHTP, FLHX, AND FLTR MOTORCYCLES. THESE MOTORCYCLES MAY EXPERIENCE A CRACKING OF THE FUEL FILTER SHELL LEADING TO LOSS OF FUEL PRESSURE. THIS LOSS OF FUEL PRESSURE CAN CAUSE DIMINISHED PERFORMANCE AND, IN SOME CASES, MAY CAUSE AN ENGINE STALL OR A NO-START CONDITION.

Consequence: THIS CONDITION COULD LEAD TO A CRASH WHICH COULD CAUSE INJURY OR DEATH TO THE RIDER.

Remedy: DEALERS WILL REPLACE THE FUEL FILTER SHELL FREE OF CHARGE. THE RECALL BEGAN ON JULY 31, 2008. OWNERS MAY CONTACT HARLEY DAVIDSON AT 1-414-343-4056.

NHTSA campaign record ↗

18V076000 · Service Brakes, Hydraulic:Antilock/Traction Control/Electronic Limited Slip | Service Brakes, Hydraulic:Fluid

Reported: 2018-01-29 (January 29, 2018)

Harley-Davidson Motor Company (Harley-Davidson) is recalling all 2008-2011 Touring, CVO Touring and VSRC motorcycles equipped with anti-lock brakes (ABS), including Road King (FLHR), Road King Police (EFI) (FLHP), Road King Police (EFI) (FLHPE), Electra Glide Standard Police (EFI) (FLHTP), Electra Glide Classic (EFI) (FLHTC), Electra Glide Ultra Classic (EFI) (FLHTCU) and Street Glide (EFI) (FLHX), 2008 VROD (VRSCAWA), CVO Road King 4 (FLHRSE4), Night Rod (VRSCDA), CVO Ultra Classic 3 (FLHTCUSE3), Night Rod Special (VRSCDXA), 2008-2010 Road King Classic (EFI) (FLHRC), 2008-2009 Road Glide (EFI) (FLTR) and Electra Glide Standard (EFI) (FLHT), 2009-2010 V-Rod (VRSCAW), 2009 CVO Ultra Classic (FLHTCUSE4) and CVO Road Glide 3 (FLTRSE3), 2009-2011 Night Rod Special (VRSCDX) and V-Rod Muscle (VRSCF), 2010 CVO Ultra Classic 5 (FLHTCUSE5) and CVO Street Glide (FLHXSE), 2010-2011 Electra Glide Ultra Limited (FLHTK) and Road Glide Custom (FLTRX), 2011 Road Glide Ultra 103 (FLTRU103), Street Glide 103 (FLHX103), Road King Classic 103 (FLHRC103), CVO Ultra Classic 6 (FLHTCUSE6), CVO Road Glide Ultra (FLTRUSE), Road Glide Custom 103 (FLTRX103), and CVO Street Glide 2 (FLHXSE2) motorcycles. Deposits may form on components within the brake system if the DOT 4 brake fluid is not replaced for a prolonged period of time beyond the 2-year maintenance schedule specified in the Owners Manual.

Consequence: These deposits may cause a valve within the ABS Hydraulic Control Unit to stick, reducing braking ability and increasing the risk of a crash.

Remedy: Harley-Davidson will notify owners, and dealers will flush the entire brake system with new Platinum Label DOT 4 brake fluid, free of charge. The recall began on February 14, 2018. Owners may contact Harley-Davidson customer service at 1-800-258-2464. Harley-Davidson's number for this recall is 0171.

NHTSA campaign record ↗