vehicle signal
U.S. public vehicle records

2018 Harley-Davidson FLHTKL: complaints, problems and recalls

Explore the records behind recurring owner reports.

Key facts

2 owner complaints analyzed

2 distinct recall campaigns

8,750 mi median reported failure mileage

Scope: 2018 model year. Data snapshot: . 2 complaints include usable failure mileage.

Owner-reported patterns

Most common problems

Electrical System is the most frequently named component, appearing in 2 of 2 complaints (100.0%). A complaint can name multiple components.

Recurring terms in complaint narratives
TopicMatching reportsShare of complaints
Engine operation150.0%

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
2
Component breakdown data
CategoryCount
Electrical System2

Electrical System: 2

Reported problems by failure mileage

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

Under 25,000
2
25,000 to 49,999
0
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 25,0002
25,000 to 49,9990
50,000 to 74,9990
75,000 to 99,9990
100,000 to 149,9990
150,000 and above0

Under 25,000: 2; 25,000 to 49,999: 0; 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 (2). 0 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.

2020
2
Complaints over time data
CategoryCount
20202

2020: 2

Pattern summary

Electrical System leads the component reports. Engine operation 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 11319802 · 2020-03-31 (March 31, 2020)

CLUTCH SAFETY SWITCH FAILED AFTER WARRANTY WAS UP. CANNOT START MOTORCYCLE IN GEAR. THIS IS A COMMON PROBLEM AND COULD CAUSE DEATH AND OR INJURY NOT BEING ABLE TO RESTART MOTORCYCLE IN TRAFFIC

Owner-reported narrative. 4,500 miles reported. Look up ODI 11319802 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 11323088 · 2020-05-03 (May 3, 2020)

CLUTCH SWITCH NOT WORKING THIS CAUSES NOT BEING ABLE TO START THE ENGINE IN GEAR WITH THE CLUTCH DISENGAGED, IF THE ENGINE IS STALLED THE MOTORCYCLE HAS TO BE PUT IN NEUTRAL TO BE RESTARTED THIS CAUSES A SERIOUS SAFETY ISSUE WHEN IN HEAVY TRAFFIC. THIS A KNOWN PROBLEM SINCE 2014.

Owner-reported narrative. 13,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 11323088 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.

18V734000 · Power Train:Clutch Assembly

Reported: 2018-10-18 (October 18, 2018)

Harley-Davidson Motor Company (Harley-Davidson) is recalling certain 2017-2018 Police Road King (FLHP), Road King (FLHR), Road King Special (FLHRXS), Electra Glide Ultra Classic (FLHTCU), Ultra Limited (FLHTK), Ultra Limited Low (FLHTKL), Ultra Limited Shrine (FLHTK SHRINE), Police Electra Glide (FLHTP), Street Glide (FLHX), Street Glide Special (FLHXS), Road Glide Ultra (FLTRU), Road Glide (FLTRX), Road Glide Special (FLTRXS), Freewheeler (FLRT), Tri Glide Ultra (FLHTCUTG), CVO Limited (FLHTKSE) and CVO Street Glide (FLHXSE) motorcycles, 2017 Softail Slim S (FLSS), Fat Boy S (FLSTFBS) and CVO Pro Street Breakout (FXSE) motorcycles, 2018 115th Anniversary Ultra Limited (FLHTK ANV), 115th Anniversary Street Glide (FLHX ANV), 115th Anniversary Street Glide Special (FLHXS ANX), 115th Anniversary Tri Glide Ultra (FLHTCUTG ANV), 115th Anniversary CVO Limited (FLHTKSE ANV) and CVO Road Glide (FLTRXSE) motorcycles. The secondary clutch actuator cylinder may leak fluid internally and the clutch master cylinder may lose the ability to generate enough lift to disengage the clutch.

Consequence: If the clutch cannot be disengaged it can result in a loss of control, increasing the risk of a crash.

Remedy: Harley-Davidson will notify owners, and dealers will install a new secondary clutch actuator piston assembly, free of charge. The recall began November 5, 2018. Owners may contact Harley-Davidson customer service at 1-800-258-2464. Harley-Davidson's number for this recall is 0173.

NHTSA campaign record ↗
19V574000 · Visibility

Reported: 2019-08-05 (August 5, 2019)

Harley-Davidson Motor Company (Harley-Davidson) is recalling certain Touring and CVO Touring motorcycles, including 2017-2019 FLHTCU, FLHTCUL, FLHTK ANV, FLHTKL, FLTRU, FLHTK, and 2016-2019 FLHTKSE, FLHTKSE ANV, and FLTRUSE models equipped with a Harley-Davidson Detachable Tour-Pak Luggage Conversion Kit (Part numbers 53000291, 53000291A, and 53000567). The kit did not include replacement rear red reflectors for the ones that are eliminated by installing this kit. As such, these motorcycles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) number 108, "Lamps, Reflective Devices, and Associated Equipment."

Consequence: Without the rear red reflectors, the motorcycle has reduced visibility to other drivers, increasing the risk of a crash.

Remedy: Harley-Davidson has notified owners, and dealers will install the replacement reflectors, free of charge. The recall began August 19, 2019. Owners may contact Harley-Davidson customer service at 1-800-258-2464. Harley-Davidson's number for this recall is 0629.

NHTSA campaign record ↗