2011 Harley-Davidson SOFTAIL: complaints, problems and recalls
Explore the records behind recurring owner reports.
Key facts
3 owner complaints analyzed
1 distinct recall campaigns
2,500 mi median reported failure mileage
Scope: 2011 model year. Data snapshot: . 3 complaints include usable failure mileage.
This selection has limited data. It remains available for lookup but is excluded from search indexing.
Most common problems
Engine is the most frequently named component, appearing in 1 of 3 complaints (33.3%). A complaint can name multiple components.
| Topic | Matching reports | Share of complaints |
|---|---|---|
| Engine operation | 2 | 66.7% |
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 |
|---|---|
| Engine | 1 |
| Engine And Engine Cooling | 1 |
| Exterior Lighting | 1 |
Engine: 1; Engine And Engine Cooling: 1; Exterior Lighting: 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 | 2 |
| 25,000 to 49,999 | 0 |
| 50,000 to 74,999 | 1 |
| 75,000 to 99,999 | 0 |
| 100,000 to 149,999 | 0 |
| 150,000 and above | 0 |
Under 25,000: 2; 25,000 to 49,999: 0; 50,000 to 74,999: 1; 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.
| Category | Count |
|---|---|
| 2011 | 2 |
| 2013 | 1 |
2011: 2; 2013: 1
Pattern summary
Engine leads the component reports. Engine operation 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.
Examples from the source records
Examples provide context, not a representative sample or a verified diagnosis.
Owner report 10406965 · 2011-06-15 (June 15, 2011)
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2011 HARLEY DAVIDSON SOFTAIL DELUXE. THE CONTACT STATED WHILE DRIVING VARIOUS SPEEDS, THE VEHICLE SUDDENLY STALLED. THE CONTACT WAS ABLE TO RESTART THE VEHICLE AND DRIVE IT TO A DEALER WHO ADVISED HIM THAT THEY WERE UNABLE TO DIAGNOSE THE FAILURE, BUT IT COULD HAVE BEEN CAUSED BY THE MOTOR. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE AND OFFERED NO ASSISTANCE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 2,500.
Owner-reported narrative. 2,500 miles reported. Look up ODI 10406965 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10434962 · 2011-11-09 (November 9, 2011)
REAR RUNNING LIGHTS RANDOMLY, REPEATEDLY GOING OUT -- THEY'VE BEEN REPLACED AT LEAST ONE PER MONTH. THE BIKE IS CURRENTLY ON ITS FOURTH NEW BULB. OTHERS HAVE NOTED THAT THEY'RE HAVING THE SAME ISSUE. *TR
Owner-reported narrative. 500 miles reported. Look up ODI 10434962 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10556613 · 2013-12-19 (December 19, 2013)
TL - THE CONTACT OWNS A 2011 HARLEY DAVIDSON SOFT TAIL DELUXE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 75 MPH, THE CHECK ENGINE WARNING LIGHT ILLUMINATED AS THE VEHICLE STALLED. THE CONTACT MENTIONED THAT THE HEADLIGHTS WERE FLASHING INDEPENDENTLY. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO A DEALER WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE BODY CONTROL MODULE NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE AND STATED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS NOT INCLUDED IN NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER 11V037000 (ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING ). THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REP…
Owner-reported narrative. 53,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10556613 at NHTSA ↗
Recall history
1 distinct campaigns affect this selection. Announcement dates below are different from vehicle model years. A campaign may cover multiple years.
11V037000 · Engine And Engine Cooling:Engine
Reported: 2011-01-31 (January 31, 2011)
HARLEY-DAVIDSON IS RECALLING CERTAIN MODEL YEAR 2011 SOFTAIL MOTORCYCLES MANUFACTURED FROM JUNE 7, 2010 THROUGH OCTOBER 8, 2010. THE BODY CONTROL MODULES (BCM) INSTALLED ON THESE MOTORCYCLES (PART NUMBERS 69991-11 AND 69993-11) HAVE A CASE THAT MAY NOT HAVE BEEN PROPERLY SEALED DURING PRODUCTION. AN IMPROPER SEAL MAY ALLOW WATER INTRUSION INTO THE BCM WHICH MAY CAUSE ENGINE STALL.
Consequence: AN ENGINE STALL WHILE IN TRAFFIC CAN RESULT IN A CRASH, WHICH COULD LEAD TO INJURY OR DEATH TO THE RIDER.
Remedy: HARLEY-DAVIDSON WILL NOTIFY OWNERS AND DEALERS WILL REPLACE THE BCM FREE OF CHARGE. THE SAFETY RECALL BEGAN ON FEBRUARY 21, 2011. OWNERS MAY CONTACT HARLEY-DAVIDSON AT 1-414-343-4056.
NHTSA campaign record ↗