2016 Harley-Davidson Flhx Problems
Owner-reported complaints filed with NHTSA, grouped by component
Data refreshed
What this page shows
Everything below is an owner-reported complaint submitted to NHTSA about the 2016 Harley-Davidson Flhx, grouped by the component NHTSA recorded on the report. These are not confirmed defects, and they are not recalls. NHTSA does not verify most reports before publishing them, and a category with more reports in it is not evidence that a part is defective.
Complaints are reports submitted by owners and drivers to NHTSA. They are not verified and do not establish that a defect exists.
Reports by component
Ranked by how many owner reports name each component category
- Electrical233.3%
- Brakes116.7%
- Exterior lighting116.7%
- Other / unspecified116.7%
- Powertrain (other)116.7%
Percentages are of component mentions. A single complaint can name more than one component, so these do not sum to the total complaint count.
Each component in detail
What the reports in each category say, in the owners' own words
Electrical
Reports naming the electrical system — wiring, battery, charging, control modules, infotainment and electrical accessories.
From owner reports, verbatim
AFTER RIDING IN RAIN, ALL GAUGES( SPEEDOMETER, TACHOMETER, ETC) BECAME INTERMITTENT. THE PROBLEM STILL EXISTS. WATER BEHIND GAUGES, NOT JUST CONDENSATION.
THE ELECTRICAL SWITCHES ON THE LEFT SIDE STOPPED WORKING. IT HAS LEFT ME WITHOUT INPORTANT SAFETY FEATURES LIKE HIGH BEAMS, LEFT BLINKER, AND HORN. CRUISE CONTROL AND VOLUME CONTROL ARE ALSO UNUSABLE. WHEN I TOOK IT INTO THE HARLEY DEALERSHIP IN FAIRFAX, VA THEY TOLD ME THEY COULDN'T DO ANYTHING AT THE SHOP B/C IT WASN'T CURRENTLY "THROWING A CODE". IT HAS SINCE STOPPED WORKING AGAIN. THE GUY AT THE SHOP SAID IT'S FAIRLY COMMON FOR THE SWITCH HOUSING TO GO OUT. THE KICKER, THEY SAID IT WOULD BE $100 JUST TO READ THE CODE (NOT COVERED UNDER WARRANTY) AND IF THE PROBLEM WAS U SEE WARRANTY, THEY WOULD FIX IT. SEEM'S CRAZY THAT THE BIKE IS LESS THAN 6 MONTHS OLD AND HAVING SAFETY ISSUES! NOTE: DATE GIVEN BELOW IS JUST AN ESTIMATE. NOT SURE OF EXACT DATE.
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Brakes
Reports naming service brakes, the antilock braking system, brake hoses, master cylinders or the parking brake.
From owner reports, verbatim
TL* THE CONTACT OWNED A 2016 HARLEY-DAVIDSON FLHX. WHILE RIDING AT AN UNKNOWN SPEED, THERE WAS EITHER A TIRE BLOWOUT OR A BRAKE FAILURE THAT CAUSED THE CONTACT TO CRASH INTO A ROCK WALL. AS A RESULT, THE CONTACT WENT AIRBORNE AND LANDED ON THE PAVEMENT. THE CONTACT SUSTAINED LACERATIONS AND INJURIES TO THE LUNGS, HEAD, ELBOWS, FINGERS, AND NECK THAT REQUIRED MEDICAL ATTENTION. A POLICE REPORT WAS FILED. THE MOTORCYCLE WAS TOWED TO YELLOWSTONE HARLEY-DAVIDSON (540 ALASKA FRONTAGE RD, BELGRADE, MT 59714, (406) 388-7684) WHERE IT WAS DEEMED DESTROYED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED AND OPENED CASE NUMBER: [XXX]. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 13,000. *TT INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6). *TT
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Exterior lighting
Reports naming headlights, tail lights, turn signals and other exterior lighting.
From owner reports, verbatim
THE ELECTRICAL SWITCHES ON THE LEFT SIDE STOPPED WORKING. IT HAS LEFT ME WITHOUT INPORTANT SAFETY FEATURES LIKE HIGH BEAMS, LEFT BLINKER, AND HORN. CRUISE CONTROL AND VOLUME CONTROL ARE ALSO UNUSABLE. WHEN I TOOK IT INTO THE HARLEY DEALERSHIP IN FAIRFAX, VA THEY TOLD ME THEY COULDN'T DO ANYTHING AT THE SHOP B/C IT WASN'T CURRENTLY "THROWING A CODE". IT HAS SINCE STOPPED WORKING AGAIN. THE GUY AT THE SHOP SAID IT'S FAIRLY COMMON FOR THE SWITCH HOUSING TO GO OUT. THE KICKER, THEY SAID IT WOULD BE $100 JUST TO READ THE CODE (NOT COVERED UNDER WARRANTY) AND IF THE PROBLEM WAS U SEE WARRANTY, THEY WOULD FIX IT. SEEM'S CRAZY THAT THE BIKE IS LESS THAN 6 MONTHS OLD AND HAVING SAFETY ISSUES! NOTE: DATE GIVEN BELOW IS JUST AN ESTIMATE. NOT SURE OF EXACT DATE.
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Other / unspecified
Reports whose component NHTSA recorded as unknown, or that do not map to one of the categories above.
From owner reports, verbatim
TL* THE CONTACT OWNED A 2016 HARLEY-DAVIDSON FLHX. WHILE RIDING AT AN UNKNOWN SPEED, THERE WAS EITHER A TIRE BLOWOUT OR A BRAKE FAILURE THAT CAUSED THE CONTACT TO CRASH INTO A ROCK WALL. AS A RESULT, THE CONTACT WENT AIRBORNE AND LANDED ON THE PAVEMENT. THE CONTACT SUSTAINED LACERATIONS AND INJURIES TO THE LUNGS, HEAD, ELBOWS, FINGERS, AND NECK THAT REQUIRED MEDICAL ATTENTION. A POLICE REPORT WAS FILED. THE MOTORCYCLE WAS TOWED TO YELLOWSTONE HARLEY-DAVIDSON (540 ALASKA FRONTAGE RD, BELGRADE, MT 59714, (406) 388-7684) WHERE IT WAS DEEMED DESTROYED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED AND OPENED CASE NUMBER: [XXX]. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 13,000. *TT INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6). *TT
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Powertrain (other)
Powertrain reports that are not specifically the engine or transmission — driveshafts, axles, transfer cases and differentials.
From owner reports, verbatim
GAIL'S HARLEY DAVIDSON IN GRANDVIEW, MO. SOLD ME A NEW MOTORCYCLE THAT HAS A VERY SERIOUS EXISTING SAFETY RECALL .......... HD # 0169 NHTSA #16V-471. THIS IS A VIOLATION OF FEDERAL LAW. PER HARLEY- DAVIDSON'S OWN WEBSITE, OF WHICH I HAVE COPIES, THE RECALL CAME OUT ON 7/8/2016 AND I PURCHASED MY MOTORCYCLE AND TOOK POSSESSION ON 7/17/2016......... I HAD SEVERAL NEAR ACCIDENTS BEFORE I STOPPED RIDING THE BIKE ANY MORE; FOR INSTANCE I WAS ALMOST PULLED INTO AN INTERSECTION WHEN THE CLUTCH FAILED... IT DID THIS SEVERAL TIMES BEFORE I GOT IT HOME AND PARKED IT IN MY GARAGE.
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
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.
Elsewhere on this vehicle
Data sources
- NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation — owner-reported complaints and the components recorded on them
Data on this page last refreshed .