2012 Harley-Davidson FLSTFB: complaints, problems and recalls
Explore the records behind recurring owner reports.
Key facts
5 owner complaints analyzed
0 distinct recall campaigns
2,308 mi median reported failure mileage
Scope: 2012 model year. Data snapshot: . 4 complaints include usable failure mileage.
This selection has limited data. It remains available for lookup but is excluded from search indexing.
Most common problems
Service Brakes is the most frequently named component, appearing in 3 of 5 complaints (60.0%). A complaint can name multiple components.
| Topic | Matching reports | Share of complaints |
|---|---|---|
| Braking behavior | 4 | 80.0% |
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.
| Category | Count |
|---|---|
| Service Brakes | 3 |
| Exterior Lighting | 1 |
| Vehicle Speed Control | 1 |
Service Brakes: 3; Exterior Lighting: 1; Vehicle Speed Control: 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 | 4 |
| 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: 4; 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 (4). 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.
| Category | Count |
|---|---|
| 2012 | 1 |
| 2013 | 1 |
| 2018 | 2 |
| 2022 | 1 |
2012: 1; 2013: 1; 2018: 2; 2022: 1
Pattern summary
Service Brakes leads the component reports. Braking behavior appears in 4 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 10470799 · 2012-08-15 (August 15, 2012)
I'VE PURCHASED A 2012 H. D. FAT BOY. AFTER 1200 MILES, I'VE NOTICED THAT THE THROTTLE CABLES CONSTANTLY CONTACT AGAINST THE NACELLE AND CAUSE CABLE CHAFE AND NACELLE DAMAGE. I DID MU OWN INVESTIGATION AND FOUND OUT THAT THE SAME PROBLEM EXISTS AMONG ALL SOFT TAIL MODELS. I CONTACTED HARLEY DAVIDSON AND THEY HAVE REFUSE TO FIX THE PROBLEM. IF NOT FIXED COULD RESULT IN SAFETY, CAUSING THROTTLE TO LOCK AT HIGH SPEED. *TR
Owner-reported narrative. 1,200 miles reported. Look up ODI 10470799 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10508979 · 2013-04-21 (April 21, 2013)
WHEN THIS MOTORCYCLE WAS NEW, AFTER SITTING IN MY GARAGE FOR A COUPLE OF DAYS THE FRONT BRAKE LEVER WOULD GO ALL THE WAY TO THE HANDLEBARS. I COULD PUMP IT UP AND IT WOULD BE OK UNTIL IT SET FOR A COUPLE OF DAYS, NO BRAKE FLUID WAS LEAKING OUT. TOOK IT TO THE DEALER AND I DON'T KNOW WHAT ALL THEY DID BUT THE PROBLEM WAS STILL THERE. TODAY I ROLLED IT OUT OF THE GARAGE, @ 3851 MILES, AND PUMPED THE LEVER. ON THE SECOND PULL, THE BOLT INTO THE MASTER CYLINDER, WITH A BANJO FITTING, BLEW OUT AND BRAKE FLUID SPRAYED ALL OVER AND, OBVIOUSLY, NO BRAK…
Owner-reported narrative. 200 miles reported. Look up ODI 10508979 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 11101536 · 2018-06-12 (June 12, 2018)
I PURCHASED A NEW 2012 HARLEY DAVIDSON AT A HARLEY DAVIDSON DEALERSHIP IN CORITH, TX. SOON AFTER FOUND THAT THE ABS LIGHT WAS COMING ON. I HAD TAKEN IT BACK TO THEM TO HAVE THEM CHECK IT. STILL HAD ISSUES AND HAD THEM LOOK AGAIN. I'VE HAD ISSUES WITH IT SINCE. ALSO TOOK IT TO HARLEY DAVIDSON DEALERSHIP IN SHERMAN, TX. THEY HAD IT FOR ABOUT TWO WEEKS. THEY SAID THEY REPLACED A WIRE. STILL HAVING ISSUES TOLD THEM ABOUT IT SEVERAL TIMES. LITTLE OVER A WEEK AGO I HAD A WRECK IN A TURN BECAUSE MY BACK TIRE KEPT LOCKING UP AND SKIDDING. I HAD A FRIEN…
Owner-reported narrative. 4,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 11101536 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 11115399 · 2018-08-02 (August 2, 2018)
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 HARLEY-DAVIDSON FLSTFB. WHILE THE MOTORCYCLE WAS AT THE DEALER (M & S HARLEY-DAVIDSON, 160 FALLING SPRING ROAD, CHAMBERSBURG, PA 17202, [phone removed]) FOR ROUTINE BRAKE FLUID REPLACEMENT MAINTENANCE, THE CONTACT WAS INFORMED THAT THE FRONT MASTER CYLINDER NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE DEALER FURTHER STATED THAT THE BRAKE FLUID WAS CONTAMINATED, AND THE MASTER CYLINDER HAD MOISTURE AND CORROSION. THE FRONT MASTER CYLINDER WAS REPLACED. THE CONTACT EXPLAINED THAT THE MOTORCYCLE WAS KEPT IN A GARAGE WITH A DEHUMIDIFIER A…
Owner-reported narrative. 3,416 miles reported. Look up ODI 11115399 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 11462154 · 2022-04-25 (April 25, 2022)
MY BRAKE LIGHT SWITCH DOESN'T WORK ON THE FOOT BRAKE AND IT STAYS ON, ON THE HAND BRAKE. I HEARD THAT THERE WAS A RECALL FOR THIS ON HARLEYS.
Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 11462154 at NHTSA ↗
Recall history
0 distinct campaigns affect this selection. Announcement dates below are different from vehicle model years. A campaign may cover multiple years.
No recall campaigns are recorded in this snapshot.