2008 Harley-Davidson Flhx Owner Complaints

after Harley Davidson performed the recall, the brakes are now lock up due to deposits in brake hydraulic control unit making the motorcycle unsafe to ride. they are stating this is not part of the recall, in the first paragraph of the recall it states that that is the problem that happens from the defective brake fluid. This is exactly why the recall is out there, they had me using defective brake fluid for 10 years before they release the new fluid in February of 2018. This a complete band aid fix from a manufacture if i have ever seen one.

NHTSA ID

11728727

Incident

Mar 26, 2026

I hit my brakes and I felt the abs system kick in and after I let off the brakes the next time I attempted to use the rear brake the pedal was extremely hard to push and I had no braking power on the rear of the motorcycle.

NHTSA ID

11502301

Incident

Nov 24, 2022

Motorcycle goes in to limp mode . No throttle response

NHTSA ID

11430821

Incident

Aug 28, 2021

ABS Module failed causing loss of all brakes on motorcycle. Brakes were working. Brought cycle to Harley Dealer for brake fluid flush as part of recall. Upon mechanic using Digitech to perform service it caused ABS module to fail. Because of failure motorcycle was left with zero brakes. Had to pay out of pocket for new ABS module. Due to design of module when it fails it causes brakes not to function leaving rider and other motorists at risk. I had to pay $641.61 out of pocket to remedy this failure that Harley Davidson was aware of.

NHTSA ID

11423726

Incident

Jul 6, 2021

WHILE RIDING ON THE FREEWAY AT 65 MPH THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON AND THE BIKE WENT INTO A 'LIMP' MODE ALL OF A SUDDEN AND WOULD NOT GO OVER 15-20 MPH. HAD TO CUT ACROSS TRAFFIC WITHOUT GETTING HIT TO GET TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD. TURNED OFF BIKE AND IT RESET WAS ABLE TO MAKE IT HOME. RESEARCHED PROBLEM ON LINE AND HAVE SEEMS SIMILAR PROBLEMS WITH THIS YEAR AND IT'S BEING TRACED BAD PINS USED IN SOME OF THE CONNECTORS DURING THIS TIME.

NHTSA ID

11361012

Incident

Sep 10, 2020

Mileage

31,000 mi

WHEN RIDING THE THROTTLE GOES INTO LIMP MODE. ON THE FREEWAY WHILE CHANGING LANES LOST MY THROTTLE IN FRONT OF CARS GOING 75 MPH THIS IS VERY DANGEROUS!

NHTSA ID

11355181

Incident

Sep 9, 2020

Mileage

52,000 mi

REAR PEDAL BECAME TO HARD TO PRESS ABS MODULE FAIL WHILE IN MOTION ON THE HIGHWAY

NHTSA ID

11203164

Incident

Apr 23, 2019

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 HARLEY-DAVIDSON FLHX. THE CONTACT RECEIVED A RECALL NOTICE FOR NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 18V076000(SERVICE BRAKES). THE MOTORCYCLE WAS TAKEN TO REDDING HARLEY-DAVIDSON (1268 TWINVIEW BLVD, REDDING, CA 96003) FOR SERVICE. AFTER THE RECALL SERVICE WAS PERFORMED, THE MECHANIC INDICATED THAT THE ABS INDICATOR REMAINED ILLUMINATED. THE CONTACT STATED THAT NO INDICATORS WERE ILLUMINATED PRIOR TO HAVING THE VEHICLE REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 68,000.

NHTSA ID

11075274

Incident

Feb 24, 2018

Mileage

68,000 mi

RIDING MY FLHX THE OTHER DAY AND BIKE STARTED MAKING NOISE FROM MY PRIMARY AND I PULLED OVER AND CHECKED NOISE AND COMFIRMED IT WAS COMING FROM THE LEFT SIDE(PRIMARY). MADE IT HOME SAFE; WASN'T FAR FROM HOME. TOOK OFF THE PRIMARY COVER AND CHECKED OVER THE INNER PRIMARY COMPONENTS. THE COMPENSATOR AND ADJUSTER WERE BAD. DID SOME RESEARCH AND FOUND THAT THE AUTO-ADJUSTED CHAIN TENSIONER TIGHTENS SO BAD OVER TIME THAT IT RATCHETS ALL THE SPROKET PARTS DOWN SO BAD THAT IT STARTES TO CREATE WEAR ON COMPONENTS SO BAD THAT PARTS CAN BREAK LOOSE, LOCK UP, AND THE COMPONENTS IN MY YEAR FLHX ARE SEVERLY UNDER RATED. THIS COMPENSATOR WASN'T SUPPOSED TO BE USED FOR ANYTHING BIGGER THAN AN 80 CUBIC INCH MOTOR; MY BIKE CAME STOCK WITH A 96 CUBIC INCH MOTOR. FLHX IS PAST ANY WARRANTY, BUT THIS IS AN INCREASING PROBLEM THAT HARLEY SHOULD BE HELD ACCOUNTABLE FOR AND BE MADE TO CORRECT IT. REPAIR IS GOING TO COST OVER $1000.00 FOR REPAIR FOR SOMETHING THAT SHOULD HAVE BEEN MADE RIGHT IN THE FIRST PLACE, ESPECIALLY FOR A MOTORCYCLE THAT IS SO POPULAR AND VASTLY SOLD ACCROSSED THE COUNTRY. IF THESE PARTS WERE TO LOCK UP WHILE RIDING, IT COULD CAUSE SEVER INJURY OR DEATH TO RIDER AND ANYONE AROUND THE BIKE DURING THE TIME.

NHTSA ID

11022936

Incident

Sep 10, 2017

Mileage

25,000 mi

2008 HARLEY DAVIDSON ANTI LOCK BRAKE FAILURE INVESTIGATION-- UNABLE TO STOP SAFELY WHEN ANTI LOCK BRAKES FAILED TO WORK PROPERLY. BRAKES WERE APPLIED MC SKIDDED AND LOST CONTROL AND I WAS EJECTED FROM THE MC. MC SUSTAINED ROLL OVER DAMAGE WHICH CONSISTED OF BROKEN FORKS, BROKEN FRONT FAIRING, BROKEN FRONT WINDSCREEN, SCRATCHES TO THE LEFT SIDE, BROKEN LEFT SADDLEBAG, AND DENTS TO THE CRASH BAR RIDER SUSTAINED MULTIPLE BROKEN BONES AND LACERATIONS.

NHTSA ID

10886283

Incident

Apr 2, 2016

Mileage

24,000 mi

AFTER APPROX 15 MIN OF RIDING, THE BRAKE PEDAL FOR THE REAR BRAKE WILL DEPRESS ALL THE WAY DOWN AND THERE WILL BE NO BRAKES. THE FRONT BRAKE LEVER BECOMES DIFFICULT TO SQUEEZE AND ONLY APPLIES MINIMAL STOPPING ABILITY. THIS HAS HAPPENED THE LAST 3 TIMES I HAVE RIDDEN AND ALMOST CAUSED ME TO RUN A RED LIGHT THROUGH CROSS TRAFFIC. ONCE I GET THE BIKE HOME I CAN PUMP THE BRAKE AND IT WILL EVENTUALLY WORK PROPERLY AGAIN OR IF IT DOES NOT, IT WILL THE NEXT DAY.

NHTSA ID

10885170

Incident

Jul 8, 2016

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 HARLEY-DAVIDSON FLHX. WHILE DRIVING 50 MPH, THE CONTACT DEPRESSED THE BRAKE PEDAL. AS HE TURNED LEFT, THE BRAKE FAILED, THE MOTORCYCLE FLIPPED OVER, AND THE DRIVER WAS EJECTED INTO THE DITCH. THE DRIVER SUSTAINED A MINOR INJURY, BUT MEDICAL ATTENTION WAS NOT REQUIRED. THE MOTORCYCLE WAS TOWED TO THE DEALER WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE BRAKE FAILED. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 32,135.

NHTSA ID

10884079

Incident

Jun 1, 2016

Mileage

32,135 mi

I WAS IN A ROUNDABOUT WHEN I TRIED TO INCREASE MY SPEED BUT NO RESPONSE. THE BIKE WOULD STILL RUN SO I LIMPED HOME. EVER SANCE IT HAS SET TWO CODES THAY ARE P1510 AND P2138 WENT TO LOCAL DELER HE TOLD ME I WOULD HALF TO INSTALL A RACE TUNER I DIDNOT INSTALL A RACE TUNER . THAY ALSO TOLD ME TO LIVE WITH IT

NHTSA ID

10767595

Incident

Jul 18, 2012

Mileage

10,000 mi

REAR BRAKE LINE FAILURE -- IMPROPER CLUTCH CABLE ROUTING RUBBED AGAINST THE BRAKE LINE RESULTING A RUPTURE.

NHTSA ID

10767403

Incident

Sep 18, 2015

Mileage

59,000 mi

I HAVE ACTUALLY 2 COMPLAINTS REGARDING THE ENGINE I BOUGHT A 103 KIT IN MY HARLEY FROM THE FACTORY ... IN THE PAST YEAR I'VE NOTICED SOME ISSUES WITH STARTING ON TAKING IT INTO A MECHANIC I WAS TOLD THE ISSUE WAS INHERENT WITH THE 103 ENGINE THAT WAS LATER ADDRESSED WHICH THEY ADDED COMPRESSION RELEASE TO THE HEADS ... I AM OUT OF WARRANTY SO I WENT AHEAD WITH THIS FROM MY MECHANIC ... HOWEVER IN DOING SO HE HAD IT APART AND TOOK A LOOK AT THE COMPENSATOR AND PRIMARY BEARING ... BOTH OF WHICH WERE BAD ... I LOOK ON THE FORUMS AND IT APPEARS TO BE AN ONGOING ISSUE ... WHY WAS THIS NOT ADDRESSED AND RECALLED? BOTH ISSUES ARE PREVALENT FOR MY YEAR / MODEL ... OR ANY MODEL FOR THAT YEAR AND THAT ENGINE ... *TR

NHTSA ID

10701922

Incident

Mar 26, 2015

Mileage

26,523 mi

THE COMPENSATOR IS AN ISSUE WITH HARLEY THAT NEEDS TO BE ADDRESSED ON 2007 AND 2008 TWIN CAM BIKES. *TR

NHTSA ID

10695057

Incident

Oct 29, 2014

Mileage

35,000 mi

WHAT WE HAVE DISCOVERED IS THE COMPENSATOR SPROCKET HAS EITHER WORKED LOOSE OR IS CRACKED, THIS IS WITHIN THE SHAFT ASSEMBLY WHERE THE CLUTCH ASSEMBLY AND PRIMARY FINAL DRIVE IS LOCATED, HARLEY KNOWS THEY HAVE A PROBLEM WITH THIS, AND IT COULD RESULT IN THE DRIVE TRAIN LOCKING UP IF THE ASSEMBLY LOCKS UP OR SOMETHING COMES LOOSE AND CAUSES SUCH AN EVENT IT COULD LOCK UP THE REAR WHEEL AND CAUSE A CRASH I KNOW OF A FEW PEOPLE THAT ARE HAVING THIS SAME ISSUE, AND ALSO JUST FROM RESEARCH ONLINE THERE ARE A LOT OF MOTORCYCLES WITH THE SAME PROBLEM. *TR

NHTSA ID

10671869

Incident

Jul 2, 2014

Mileage

37,000 mi

I WAS DRIVING DOWN THE HIGH WAY AND WAS IN THE FAST LANE WHEN ALL OF A SUDDEN MY THROTTLE STOPPED RESPONDING AND I LOST POWER TO THE BIKE I THEN PULLED THE CLUTCH IN SO I DIDN'T COME TO SUDDEN STOP AND GET REAR ENDED BY THE CAR BEHIND ME AND I EASED OVER THE MEDIAN AND NOTICED MY CHECK ENGINE LIGHT WAS ON SO I TURNED THE BIKE OFF AND WAITED A FEW MINUTES AND STARTED IT BACK UP AND THE LIGHT RETURNED AND I WAS ABLE TO GET IT BACK TO THE HOUSE WITH LIMITED THROTTLE AND POWER AND CROSSING THE TWO LANES FOR TRAFFIC TO GET OFF THE HIGHWAY WAS THE SCARIEST THING I HAVE HAD TO DO ON A BIKE I WASN'T SURE WOULDN'T FAIL HALF WAY BETWEEN LANES SO IF THIS ISSUE COULD BE LOOKED INTO I THINK IT HAS POTENTIAL TO SAVE A LIFE AND I DON'T FEEL SAFE HAVING TO RIDE IN FEAR OF THIS TAKING PLACE AGAIN AND ITS BAD ENOUGH TO WORRY ABOUT TRAFFIC ITS SELF BUT TO ADD ANOTHER WORRY TO IT MAKES IT UNSAFE AND I FEEL THAT MORE LIVES ARE PUT AT RISK BECAUSE OF IT. *TR

NHTSA ID

10566569

Incident

Feb 24, 2014

Mileage

30,123 mi

WHILE DRIVING ON A VERY BUSY HIGHWAY AT AROUND 60 MPH I WENT TO PASS A CAR AND WHILE IN THE OTHER LANE PASSING I LOST ALL THROTTLE. THIS HAS HAPPENED NUMEROUS TIMES AND VERY DANGEROUS. I HAVE BEEN RIDING MOTORCYCLES FOR 40+ YEARS AND CAN'T EVEN IMAGINE WHAT WOULD HAPPEN TO AN INEXPERIENCED RIDER. I CAN NOT TO THIS DAY GET A STRAIGHT ANSWER FROM DEALER'S OR MECHANICS. I GUESS THIS IS ALL INCLUDED IN THE $22,000 I DISHED OUT.VERY VERY DANGEROUS. THERE ARE DEFINITE ISSUES WITH THE ELECTRONIC THROTTLE (FLY BY WIRE). *TR

NHTSA ID

10512689

Incident

Jun 6, 2012

Mileage

30,000 mi

INSTALLED LED HEADLIGHT AND PASSING LIGHTS. HEADLIGHT FAILED IN HIGH AND LOW BEAM MODES AT NIGHT. RECHECKED INSTALLATION AND HAD FAILURES TWO ADDITIONAL TIMES. UNIT COMPLETELY FAILED ON DECEMBER 2, 2012. MILEAGE ON UNIT WAS LESS THAN 1000 MILES. *TR

NHTSA ID

10488067

Incident

Sep 15, 2012

Mileage

24,000 mi

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 HARLEY FLHX MOTORCYCLE. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 35 MPH, A LOUD NOSE EMITTED FROM THE VEHICLE WITHOUT ANY WARNING. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER WHERE BOTH WHEEL BEARINGS WERE REPLACED. THE CONTACT STATED THAT IN 2012, THE FAILURE RECURRED AND THE WHEEL BEARINGS WERE REPLACED FOR THE SECOND TIME BY THE DEALER. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE PROBLEM. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 11,000.

NHTSA ID

10479808

Incident

Sep 7, 2010

Mileage

11,000 mi

COMPLETE THROTTLE FAILURE AT HIGHWAY SPEED. ERROR CODES COLLECTED INDICATE ELECTRONIC THROTTLE RESPONSE FAILURE. I HAVE EXPERIENCED THIS FAILURE ON MULTIPLE OCCASIONS. POSTINGS ON HD FORUMS INDICATE THE PROBLEM IS WIDE SPREAD ON HD MOTORCYCLES FROM 2008 FORWARD WITH AN ELECTRONIC THROTTLE CONTROL SYSTEM. THIS IS AN EXTREMELY DANGEROUS HAZARD FOR WHICH HD HAS FAILED TO ACCEPT RESPONSIBILITY OR OFFER TO CORRECT. PLEASE INVESTIGATE! *TR

NHTSA ID

10449386

Incident

Feb 24, 2012

Mileage

20,000 mi

THROTTLE CUTS OFF. HARLEY DAVIDSON SINCE 2008 USES A CABLE LESS THROTTLE. FROM READING THE FORUMS THIS SEEMS TO BE A WIDE SPREAD PROBLEM. THE THROTTLE WILL JUST STOP WORKING BECAUSE OF SENSOR FAILURE. THIS HAPPEN TO ME TODAY ON A SECONDARY ROAD. COULD NO EVEN IMAGINE THIS HAPPENING ON THE HIGHWAY AT 65 MPH. *TR

NHTSA ID

10437360

Incident

Nov 26, 2011

Mileage

13,200 mi

2008 HARLEY FLHX, WHILE TRAVELING AT NORMAL SPEEDS THE VEHICLE LOSES THROTTLE CONTROL, THE ENGINE IS STILL RUNNING JUST NO THROTTLE RESPONSE 'FLY BY WIRE THROTTLE', THIS HAS HAPPENED NUMEROUS TIMES AND I HAVE TAKEN IT BACK TO THE DEALERSHIP ON FOUR OCCASIONS, THEY HAVE REPLACED THE ECM, THROTTLE BODY SENSOR AND CONNECTOR AND CONNECTOR PINS WITH NO RESULTS. THIS SITUATION IS EXTREMELY DANGEROUS AND I HAVE NARROWLY ESCAPED DEATH ON TWO OCCASIONS. THE LATEST EVENT HAPPENING NOV 4, 2010, THE ORIGINAL EVENT HAPPENED OVER A YEAR AND HALF AGO. THE DEALERSHIP HAS PUT AT APPRX 3000 MILES ON THE VEHICLE DURING THIS LONG PROCESS. *TR

NHTSA ID

10364131

Incident

Nov 4, 2010

FLY BY WIRE THROTTLE ON TOURING AND CRUISER HARLEY-DAVIDSONS BEGINS TO REV / RACE WITHOUT EVEN TURNING THE HANDLE. HAPPENS QUITE FREQUENTLY ONCE IT BEGINS. PARTICULARLY HAZARDOUS DURING TURNS AND STARTING OUT IN TRAFFIC. HAS OCCURRED ON MY MOTORCYCLE ABOUT 15 TIMES IN THE PAST WEEK. 3 TIMES IT ALMOST CAUSED ME TO CRASH IN A TURN. CALLED LOCAL HD DEALER AND THEY CAME TO PICKUP MOTORCYCLE 5/25/10 TO SERVICE. SERVICE MANAGER SAYS THEY HAVE BEEN HAVING PROBLEMS WITH THIS THROTTLE SYSTEM. *TR

NHTSA ID

10332236

Incident

May 20, 2010

Mileage

24,000 mi