Recalls, owner-reported complaints, investigations and safety data
Data refreshed
Our database contains 8 NHTSA owner-reported complaints for the 1999 Harley-Davidson Flhr, most frequently naming the engine, suspension and body & structure categories. 1 safety recall has been issued covering this model year; and 3 manufacturer communications are on file.
Complaints are reports submitted by owners and drivers to NHTSA. They are not verified and do not establish that a defect exists.
When owners filed reports about this model year
| Month | Complaints filed | Cumulative |
|---|---|---|
| Jun 1998 | 1 | 1 |
| Feb 1999 | 1 | 2 |
| Oct 1999 | 1 | 3 |
| Sep 2000 | 1 | 4 |
| Nov 2000 | 1 | 5 |
| May 2001 | 1 | 6 |
| Apr 2006 | 1 | 7 |
| Aug 2014 | 1 | 8 |
Complaints grouped by the component NHTSA recorded
Percentages are of component mentions. A single complaint can name more than one component, so these do not sum to the total complaint count.
1 campaign cover this model year
Recalls apply to specific vehicles, not to every vehicle of a model year. Check your VIN with NHTSA or your manufacturer's dealer to confirm whether a recall affects your vehicle.
Check a VIN on NHTSA.govENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:GASOLINE
Reports submitted to NHTSA, shown in the owner's own words
I TOOK MY BIKE HARLEY DAVIDSON ROAD KING IN TO THE SHOP FOR A FLAT TIRE. THE MECHANIC SHOWED ME MY SWING HAD ARM BROKEN LITERALLY INTO TWO PIECES. HE INFORMED THAT HARLEY QUIT MAKING THIS PARTICULAR SWING DUE THE HIGH RATE OF FAILURE! THIS IS HIGHLY CONCERNING, AS THIS IS THE PIECE THAT HOLDS THE REAR WHEEL TO THE MOTORCYCLE STRAIGHT WHEN THE TORQUE OF THE MOTOR IS TRANSFERRED TO THE REAR WHEEL. I COULD ISSUE A LOT OF HIGH TECH PHYSICS HERE, BUT SIMPLY PUT IF THE REAR WHEEL OF MOTORCYCLE IS ALLOWED TO TURN, OR WORSE TWIST, THIS WOULD BE A LIFE THREATENING ISSUE, OR AT VERY LEAST SEVERE INJURY ISSUE. I HAVE SEEN SOME COMPLAINTS TO THIS VERY AGENCY RANGING BACK TO 1999, THIS IS NOW 2014, AND THE ISSUE IS WIDELY KNOW BY MOST OF THE HARLEY DAVIDSON TOURING WORLD. THE MANUFACTURER IS STILL SIMPLY OFFERING THAT THE SWING ARM HAS BEEN DISCONTINUED, AND THERE AS AN AFTERMARKET FIX TO UPGRADE THE SWING ARM TO THE ONE THEY CURRENTLY USE. SO EVEN WITHOUT CATASTROPHIC FAILURE, ONCE THE PROBLEM IS FOUND THERE QUITE A FINANCIAL INVESTMENT TO FIX A KNOWN FAULTY DRIVE TRAIN ISSUE! THIS WHAT I THOUGHT THIS AGENCY WAS HERE TO HELP PREVENT FORM MANUFACTURERS, ACCIDENTS, AND WILLFUL NEGLIGENCE OF SERIOUS ISSUES. *TR
I AM THE ORIGINAL OWNER OF A 1999 HARLEY ROAD KING/FL FAMILY CYCLE. I HAVE HAD THE REAR FORK SWING ARM BREAK AT THE AXLE THROUGH HOLE SLOT ALMOST PUTTING ME IN THE BUSHES. THE SWING ARM IS MADE OF 1/8X1X2 INCH RECTANGULAR STRUCTURAL TUBING WITH THE SIDE WALL(2") SLOTTED SO THAT LITTLE STRUCTURAL INTEGRITY REMAINS. IN ADDITION:1. THE VEHICLE POWER PLANT HAD INCREASE HORSEPOWER THAT YEAR AND NO MODIFICATION TO THE STRUCTURE. 2. THE SHOCK ABSORBER BOTTOM MOUNT IS TO THE REAR OF THE SLOT SO THAT IT CANTILEVERS EACH TIME THE SHOCK RETRACTS/EXTENDS AND IN ADDITION THE BELT ADJUSTER IS AT THE AXLE POINT AND MADE OF ROUND TUBING INSIDE THE SWING ARM ACTING AS A FULCRUM POINT. THIS LEADS TO TORTIONAL AND TORQUE LOADS EXCEEDING THE STRUCTURAL INTEGRITY/STRENGTH ODF THAT SECTION. IN PREVIOUS YEARS THE SWING ARM WAS ROUND WITH A CASTING END AND THE SHOCK MOUNT FORWARD OF THE "FULCRUM" AXLE POINT. IN LATER YEARS THE SWING ARM WAS CHANGED GAIN DUE TO I BELIEVE EXCESSIVE FAILURES. I ASKED HARLEY TO ASSIST REPEATEDLY IN THE REPLACEMENT OF A CYCLE WITH ONLY 30K MILES. THEY REFUSED AND WOULD NOT FORWARD REQUESTS UP THE LINE OR TO THE ENGINEERING DEPT. AND REFUSED TO ALLOW ME TO REQUEST ANY RELATED RECALL OR SERVICE BULLETIN REGARDING THIS. IT IS A POOR DESIGN, DUE TO THE CUTAWAY OF THE SIDE WALL AND THE LOCATION OF THE SHOCK MOUNT, WHICH EXPONENTIALLY INCREASES THE LOAD PLACED AT THE SHOCK POINT ACCORDING TO PASSENGER WEIGHT, ACCELERATION AND TERRAIN. IF THEY HAVE CHANGED IT , WHY? *NM
REAR CAM BEARING FAILED CREATING LOD GRINDING NOISE. SHUT DOWN ENGINE AND GAVE TO DEALER.CAM BEARING REPLACED WITH SAME TYPE OF ROLLER BEARING NOT UPDATED VERSION .NOW AT 14500 MILES ENGINE IS BEGINING TO MAKE SAME NOISE AGAIN.NOTIFIED HARLEY DEALER I WAS TOLD THAT A EXTENDED WARRANTY ON MOTOR HAS BEEN ISSUED .BUT THE BEARING WILL ONLY BE REPLACED WITH THE UPDATED NEEDLE BEARING AFTER TOTAL FAILURE OF THE OLD STYLE BEARING. HARLEY HAS ISSUED A SERVICE KIT #24984-99 TOREPLACE THE DEFECTIVE BEARINGS. BUT THEY ONLY WILL DO THIS AFTER THE MOTOR HAS LITERALLY BLOWN UP. PART OF THE SERVICE KIT IS TO FLUSH ALL METAL OUT OF THE MOTOR AFTER THE OLD STYLE BEARING HAS FAILED.WHAT HARLEY-DAVIDSON NEEDS TO DO IS REPLACE ALL THE DEFECTIVE BEARINGS THAT THEY KNOW ARE OUT IN THE FIELD!
1999 HARLEY DAVIDSON 88 CUBIC INCH TWIN CAM ENGINES HAVE A KNOWN PROBLEM WITH CAM BEARINGS. MANY OF THE BEARINGS ARE FAILING CAUSING THE ENGINE TO SEIZE, DIE OR STALL CAUSING A HAZARD TO THE RIDER AND PASSENGER. HARLEY DAVIDSON IS AWARE OF THIS PROBLEM AND HAS AN UPDATE KIT OF PARTS AVAILABLE TO DEALERS TO FIX THE PROBLEM. THEY ARE REFUSING TO TAKE ANY ACTION UNTIL THE ENGINE ACTUALLY FAILS. I BELIEVE THERE SHOULD BE A RECALL TO REPAIR THE KNOWN DEFECTS WITHIN THIS ENGINE. I CONTACTED HARLEY DAVIDSON CUSTOMER SERVICE DEPARTMENT ON 11/7/00 AND WAS TOLD WHEN MY ENGINE FAILS THEY WILL ADDRESS THE PROBLEM. I LIVE IN HELENA MONTANA AND THERE IS LARGE PORTIONS OF THIS STATE WHERE THERE IS NO ASISTANCE AVAILABLE SHOULD THE ENGINE SEIZE. I BELIEVE H-D SHOULD UPGRADE THE DEFECTIVE ENGINES BEFORE THEY FAIL.*AK
ORIGINAL EQUIPMENT IE. (FACTORY CAMS AND CAM BEARINGS) REPLACED WITH STAGE 1 PERFORMANCE CAMS AND NEW BEARING SETS AT APPROX. 10,000 MILES THROUGH THE ORIGINAL DEALERSHIP.
FRONT TIRE (DUNLOP ELITE) IS UNSTABLE; CAUSING FRONT TIRE TO WOOBLE WHILE DRIVING AT HIGHWAY SPEED OF 70-75 MPH. DEALER NOTIFIED AND REPLACE TIRES. MAKING A REPORT TO NHTSA ON THIS MATTER. *AK
WHILE DRIVING ABOUT 20 MPH ENGINE CAM BOLT SHEARED OFF, CAUSING SUDDEN ENGINE SIEGE. THE BOLT HAS BEEN REPLACED BY THE DEALERSHIP. *AK
PASHANGER FLOOR BOARDS ARE DESIGNED TO EXTEND BEYOND THE CRASH BARS WHEN THE BIKE IS LAID ON ITS SIDE. THE BIKE FELLOVER AND THE FLOOR BOARD FOLDED AND THE WEIGHT OF THE BIKE BROKE THE RIDER'S ANKLE.
A bulletin sent by a manufacturer to its dealers. Not a recall, and repairs are not necessarily free.
POWER TRAIN
TECH ARTICLE TA0023: TA0023: Crankshaft Rod Bearing. Purpose: Technicians have been falsely identifying connecting rod bearings as failed due to a perception of resistance as the rods are rotated. The clearance of the Twin Cam and Milwaukee-Eight® crank pin bearings are maintained to a very tight range. This optimizes performance and maintains low mechanical noise in operation. The connecting rod bore can also distort slightly in operation due to stress relaxation. As a result, bearing clearance decreases due to the contact zone broadening and the load being distributed over more rollers. The combination of a bore being slightly out of round and reduced bearing clearance can result in varying degrees of resistance through the range of motion. Axial clearance is also tightly controlled for proper alignment. For these reasons, zones of resistance can be found when the connecting rods are rotated by hand through their range of motion. Resistance during rod motion, by itself, is not an indication of a performance or durability concern.
ENGINE; EQUIPMENT
THIS DOCUMENT WILL OUTLINE INSPECTION AND MEASUREMENT PROCEDURES FOR GEROTOR STYLE OIL PUMPS. IT PROVIDES INSPECTION PROCEDURES ONLY WITHOUT SPECIFICATIONS.
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE
TWIN CAM OIL PRESSURE SENDER: WHEN INSTALLING USER 90 DEGREE CROWS FOOT WRENCH.. *TT
Manufacturers file copies of the bulletins they send to dealers with NHTSA. These often describe diagnostic or repair procedures for a known condition. They are not recalls: repairs described in a bulletin are usually only free if the vehicle is still under warranty or the manufacturer has extended coverage.
Complaint and recall counts across every year of this model
| Year | Complaints | Recalls | Investigations | Issue Index |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2022 | 0 | 1 | 0 | — |
| 2021 | 0 | 1 | 0 | — |
| 2020 | 1 | 1 | 0 | — |
| 2019 | 2 | 0 | 0 | — |
| 2018 | 5 | 1 | 0 | — |
| 2017 | 3 | 2 | 0 | — |
| 2016 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — |
| 2015 | 2 | 1 | 0 | — |
| 2014 | 3 | 2 | 0 | — |
| 2013 | 2 | 0 | 0 | — |
| 2012 | 2 | 1 | 0 | — |
| 2011 | 9 | 2 | 1 | — |
| 2010 | 3 | 3 | 1 | — |
| 2009 | 10 | 3 | 1 | 51.8 |
| 2008 | 14 | 2 | 2 | 54.0 |
| 2007 | 4 | 0 | 0 | — |
| 2006 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — |
| 2005 | 2 | 0 | 0 | — |
| 2004 | 1 | 0 | 0 | — |
| 2003 | 3 | 1 | 0 | — |
| 2002 | 2 | 1 | 0 | — |
| 2001 | 4 | 1 | 0 | — |
| 2000 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — |
| 1999Viewing | 8 | 1 | 0 | — |
| 1997 | 1 | 0 | 0 | — |
| 1995 | 6 | 0 | 0 | — |
Higher-selling and older vehicles accumulate more reports. Counts are not failure rates and are not directly comparable between vehicles that sold in very different numbers. Older model years have had longer for reports to accumulate.