2012 Harley-Davidson Flstc 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 2012 Harley-Davidson Flstc, 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
- Other / unspecified960.0%
- Steering213.3%
- Body & structure16.7%
- Brakes16.7%
- Exterior lighting16.7%
- Suspension16.7%
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
Other / unspecified
Reports whose component NHTSA recorded as unknown, or that do not map to one of the categories above.
From owner reports, verbatim
I WAS RIDING NORMAL SPEED OF ABOUT 60 MPH AND WENT INTO VERY DANGEROUS WOBBLE/ WEAVE. I LET GO OF THROTTLE AND LAYED MY BODY WEIGHT OVER THE TANK AND WAS ABLE TO SLOW TO A STOP. CHECKED AND FOUND ALL SPOKES ON REAR WHEEL WERE DEAD AND LOOSE. BIKE ONLY HAS 1800 MILES ON IT. I HAVE SEEN TONS OF FORUMS ONLINE ALL COMPLAINING ABOUT THIS VERY ISSUE AND YET HARLEY HAS NOT MADE THIS A LEGIT RECALL OR KNOWN PROBLEM... SOMEONE WITH LITTLE RIDING SKILL WILL WIND UP BEING KILLED FROM THIS ISSUE. UNTIL IT BECOMES A KNOWN PROBLEM PEOPLE ARE SELLING THEIR FAULTY RIMS ON EBAY AFTER BYING NEW ONES AS WELL. *TR
BOUGHT NEW 2012 FLSTC H-D IN FEBRUARY 2011. TOOK THE BIKE IN FOR THE FIRST 1,000 MILE SERVICE. WHEN I PICKED THE BIKE UP IT WAS NOTED ON THE SERVICE TICKET THAT ALL SPOKES WHERE LOOSE ON THE FRONT AND REAR WHEELS. NOW HAVE 7700 MILES ON THE BIKE AND TOOK IT IN FOR NEW REAR TIRE.[ HAVE NOTICED JUST IN THE WEEK BEFORE HANDLING A LITTLE DIFFERENT] WHEN THE DEALER WAS INSTALLING THE NEW TIRE THEY CALLED ME INTO THE WORK AREA TO SHOW ME THERE WAS A WOBBLE IN THE REAR WHEEL. I THOUGHT THIS WAS NOT A PROBLEM BECAUSE I HAD BOUGHT THE EXTENDED WARRANTY. AFTER CHECKING THE FACTORY WARRANTY HAD GONE OUT ON APRIL 5TH,2014 AND THE SELLING DEALERSHIP DID NOT INCLUDE THE WHEEL AND TIRE WARRANTY IN THE EXTENDED WARRANTY.[ ALL THIS IS HAPPENING ON 05/06/2014] THE DEALER COULD NOT WARRANTY THE WHEEL AND RECOMMENDED THAT I PUT A TUBELESS MAG WHEEL ON THE BIKE BECAUSE H-D HAS A PROBLEM WITH THE SPOKE WHEELS ON THE FLSTC MODELS. AND I WOULD BE BACK WITH THE SAME PROBLEM IF I PUT THE SPOKE WHEEL BACK ON. THEY EVEN HAD NEW BIKES COME IN WITH THE SAME PROBLEM STRAIGHT FROM THE H-D FACTORY. SO $790.00 PLUS LABOR LATER! YOU WOULD THINK WITH THE DEALERSHIPS INFORMING THE H-D FACTORY ABOUT THIS THAT BIG H-D WOULD STAND UP AND TAKE CARE OF THE CUSTOMER WITH THIS PROBLEM AND FIX THEIR BIKES AND FIX THE PROBLEM AT THE FACTORY!! *TR
Steering
Reports naming the steering system — racks, columns, power-steering assist and steering linkage.
From owner reports, verbatim
TRAVELING ON AN INTERSTATE AT APPROX. 65 MPH, BIKE DEVELOPED AN UNSTABLE CONDITION THAT FELT SIMILAR TO RIDING ON AN UNDER INFLATED REAR TIRE. VISUAL INSPECTION FOUND EXTREMELY LOOSE SPOKES ON THE REAR WHEEL RIM RESULTING IN THE TIRE TRAVELING AT A DIFFERENT AXIS THAN THE HUB WHEN UNDER LOAD. RETURNED BIKE TO THE DEALER AND WAS TOLD THAT IT WAS A KNOWN PROBLEM WITH THE 2012 HERITAGE SOFT TAIL BIKES AND THEY HAD A PREVIOUS INSTANCE OF THE SAME CONDITION. CURRENTLY AWAITING RETURN OF THE BIKE AFTER WARRANTY REPAIR. *TR
WHILE RIDING ON THE HIGHWAY THE FRONT WHEEL BEGAN TO WOBBLE EXCESSIVELY, CAUSING LOSS OF CONTROL OF THE MOTORCYCLE. NO ACCIDENT OCCURED, BUT THE MOTORCYCLE WAS DANGEROUSLY DIFFICULT TO HANDLE, THE WHOLE BIKE WOBBLING UNCONTROLLABLY. STEERING WAS ALSO COMPROMISED. SLOWLY PROCEEDED TO HARLEY DAVIDSON DEALER AND WAS INFORMED THAT THIS HAD OCCURED WITH THIS MOTORCYCLE AND THAT IT WAS A "SPOKE LOOSENING" PROBLEM THAT THEY WERE AWARE OF WITH THIS PARTICULAR MODEL AND YEAR. *TR
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Body & structure
Reports naming the vehicle structure, frame, body panels, doors, hood and trim.
From owner reports, verbatim
THE SECOND TIME I RODE MY BRAND NEW 2012 HARLEY DAVIDSON HERITAGE SOFTAIL, THE KICKSTAND WAS LOWERED AND INEXPLICABLY BROKE OFF THE MOTORCYCLE CAUSING IT TO FALL OVER WHILE I WAS ASTRIDE THE VEHICLE. THIS CAUSED OVER $3500 IN DAMAGES AND INJURY TO MY ELBOW. HARLEY DAVIDSON COMPANY HAS BEEN EXTREMELY UNRESPONSIVE REGARDING THIS INCIDENT AND IT HAS BEEN NECESSARY TO HIRE AN ATTORNEY TO REMEDY THIS SITUATION. THE HD COMPANY INSTRUCTED ME TO TURN A CLAIM INTO MY INSURANCE COMPANY WHICH I RELUCTANTLY DID AS I FELT HD SHOULD BE RESPONSIBLE FOR ALL REPAIRS. AFTER AN INDEPENDENT REPAIR SHOP HAD ORDERED PARTS (THAT CANNOT BE RETURNED), HD THEN STATED THEY WOULD TAKE CARE OF ALL REPAIRS BUT ONLY IF THE REPAIRS WERE DONE AT AN HD DEALER. THEY HAVE NOT SAID WHAT REPAIRS THEY WOULD PERFORM. IN THE MEANTIME, THIS MOTORCYCLE HAS BEEN SITTING IN A SHOP WAITING FOR HD TO INSPECT IT AND PRESENT THEIR FINDINGS FOR ALMOST 2 MONTHS. WHEN ASKED TO SEND THE HD ENGINEER'S REPAIRS LIST AND THE ESTIMATE FROM THE LOCAL HD DEALER TO MY ATTORNEY, HD ORIGINALLY STATED THEY WOULD, THEN STATED THEY HAD ONLY THE ESTIMATE SENT BY THE INDEPENDENT SHOP. THE HD INSPECTOR FOUND ADDITIONAL DAMAGES (ALLUDED TO IN A COMMUNICATION BETWEEN THE HD CONTACT PERSON AND MY ATTORNEY) BUT AS OF THIS MORNING, HD STATES THEY DO NOT HAVE A REPORT WRITTEN BY THEIR INSPECTOR-WHICH, FRANKLY, SEEMS HIGHLY UNLIKELY AND COULD INCLUDE REPAIRS TO THE VEHICLE INVOLVING SAFETY ISSUES. *JS
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
MY REAR BRAKES STOPPED WORKING WHILE IN MOTION. THE REAR BRAKE PEDAL BECAME ROCK SOLID & WOULD NOT DEPRESS. THE BRAKE FLUID WAS CHECKED & FOUND TO HAVE PLENTY IN THE RESERVOIR. I HAD A HARLEY DAVIDSON TECHNICIAN ANALYZE IT & WAS TOLD THAT THE ABS UNIT HAS GONE BAD, I WAS ALSO TOLD THAT THERE WAS A RECALL ON THIS ABS UNIT FOR HARLEY DAVIDSON MOTORCYCLES BUT ONLY THROUGH YEARS 2011. HOWEVER, I BOUGHT MY MOTORCYCLE ON 09-11-11 SO HAVE TO WONDER WHETHER MY MOTORCYCLE WOULD BE COVERED. THIS SAME TECHNICIAN SAYS HE HAS HAD TO REMEDY THIS DANGEROUS ISSUE FOR SEVERAL CUSTOMERS, OWNING MOTORCYCLES MANUFACTURED PAST 2011. I WAS ALSO TOLD THAT THE SITUATION CAN BECOME EVEN MORE DANGEROUS (IT THE RIDER IS UNAWARE OF THE PROBLEM), IF THEY ARE TO PRESS THE PEDAL VERY HARD, THE REAR BRAKE COULD POSSIBLY ENGAGE & NOT RELEASE. I HAVE FULFILLED MY SCHEDULED MAINTENANCE PER THE MANUAL. FLUSHING THE ABS SYSTEM WAS NOT A REQUIREMENT IN THE REGULAR MAINTENANCE REQUIREMENTS. THIS SEEMS TO BE AN ONGOING DANGEROUS, DEFECTIVE PROBLEM THAT HARLEY DAVIDSON SHOULD REVIEW & EXTEND THE YEARS THAT NEED TO BE RECALLED.
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
PULLING ONTO THE ROADWAY I HEARD A HISS THEN A POP AND SAW SOMETHING FLY IN FRONT OF THE HEADLIGHT. FURTHER EXAMINATION REVEALED THAT ONE OF THE PASSING LAMPS HAD BLOWN OUT INTERNALLY
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Suspension
Reports naming suspension components — springs, struts, shocks, control arms and related hardware.
From owner reports, verbatim
TRAVELING ON AN INTERSTATE AT APPROX. 65 MPH, BIKE DEVELOPED AN UNSTABLE CONDITION THAT FELT SIMILAR TO RIDING ON AN UNDER INFLATED REAR TIRE. VISUAL INSPECTION FOUND EXTREMELY LOOSE SPOKES ON THE REAR WHEEL RIM RESULTING IN THE TIRE TRAVELING AT A DIFFERENT AXIS THAN THE HUB WHEN UNDER LOAD. RETURNED BIKE TO THE DEALER AND WAS TOLD THAT IT WAS A KNOWN PROBLEM WITH THE 2012 HERITAGE SOFT TAIL BIKES AND THEY HAD A PREVIOUS INSTANCE OF THE SAME CONDITION. CURRENTLY AWAITING RETURN OF THE BIKE AFTER WARRANTY REPAIR. *TR
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 .