RoadVitals

2012 Harley-Davidson Flstn Problems

Owner-reported complaints filed with NHTSA, grouped by component

Data refreshed

Owner complaintsComplaints are reports submitted to NHTSA by owners and drivers. NHTSA does not verify most reports before publishing them, and a complaint does not establish that a defect exists. Volume is influenced by how many of a vehicle were sold, how long it has been on the road, and how much attention an issue has received.
5
Latest Oct 4, 2017
Components namedHow many of our component categories appear on at least one report for this model year. One report can name several.
4
Crash or fire reportedComplaints whose submitter recorded that a crash or a fire occurred. These are the reporter's own answers on the NHTSA form, not verified findings.
0

What this page shows

Everything below is an owner-reported complaint submitted to NHTSA about the 2012 Harley-Davidson Flstn, 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%
  • Other / unspecified233.3%
  • Exterior lighting116.7%
  • Suspension116.7%

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.

2
reports

From owner reports, verbatim

ABOUT 10:30 PM WHILE EN ROUTE TO WORK I WAS RIDING ON THE FREEWAY AT THE POSTED SPEED LIMIT AND I NOTED FLASHING LIGHTS APPEARING ON THE SPEEDOMETER- THE LOW FUEL LAMP AND ELECTRICAL SYSTEM LAMP. I PULLED OVER THE EMERGENCY LANE RIGHT AWAY TO MAKE ANY ASSESSMENT. I WAS ABLE TO EXIT THE FREEWAY TO SECURE A SAFER ENVIRONMENT FOR ME. THE FLASHING LOW FUEL LAMP AND ELECTRICAL SYSTEM LAMP PERSISTED. I CALLED FOR MY TOWING SERVICE THE FOLLOWING MORNING BECAUSE I DIDN'T THINK IT WOULD BE SAFE TO DRIVE THE MOTORCYCLE HOME. ON 7/1/2014 I CALLED FOR MY TOWING SERVICE TO TRANSPORT MY BIKE TO AN HD DEALERSHIP TO REQUEST A DIAGNOSTIC SERVICE. MY MOTORCYCLE IS IN THE SERVICE DEPARTMENT AS OF TODAY, 7/3/2014. I LOOKED AT MY MOTORCYCLE THIS MORNING AND SPOKE TO THE TECHNICIAN DOING THE SERVICE. I WAS SHOWN A PART THAT NEEDED REPLACEMENT AND WAS TOLD THAT THE PART MAY BE THE CAUSE. THERE IS A DEFECT IN THE WIRING. I AM NOT A MECHANIC OR A MOTORCYCLE TECHNICIAN BUT I NOTED WHAT MAY BE A FACTORY RELATED DEFECT. THIS DEFECT IS SERIOUS IN THAT IT AFFECTED MY SAFETY. I READ THE FOLLOWING AND IT DOES APPLY: "..UNITED STATES CODE... (TITLE 49, CHAPTER 301) DEFINES MOTOR VEHICLE SAFETY ... SAFETY AS THE PERFORMANCE OF A MOTOR VEHICLE OR MOTOR VEHICLE EQUIPMENT....ACCIDENTS OCCURRING BECAUSE OF THE DESIGN, CONSTRUCTION, OR PERFORMANCE OF A MOTOR VEHICLE, AND AGAINST ... RISK OF DEATH OR INJURY IN AN ACCIDENT, AND INCLUDES NONOPERATIONAL SAFETY OF A MOTOR VEHICLE. A DEFECT INCLUDES ANY DEFECT IN PERFORMANCE, CONSTRUCTION, A COMPONENT, OR MATERIAL OF A MOTOR VEHICLE OR MOTOR VEHICLE EQUIPMENT. GENERALLY, A SAFETY DEFECT IS DEFINED AS A PROBLEM THAT EXISTS IN A MOTOR VEHICLE OR ITEM OF MOTOR VEHICLE EQUIPMENT THAT: POSES AN RISK TO MOTOR VEHICLE SAFETY, AND MAY EXIST IN A GROUP OF VEHICLES OF THE SAME DESIGN OR MANUFACTURE, OR ITEMS OF EQUIPMENT OF THE SAME TYPE AND MANUFACTURE." *TR

NHTSA ID 10608186 · filed Jul 3, 2014

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 HARLEY DAVIDSON FLSTN. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE PARKED THE MOTORCYCLE FAILED TO START. IT WAS ABLE TO RESTART AFTER HAVING A JUMP PERFORMED. ALSO, THE MOTORCYCLE WOULD STALL INTERMITTENTLY WHILE RIDING IT. THE MOTORCYCLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER WHO DIAGNOSE THAT THE BODY CONTROL MODULE NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE MOTORCYCLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 15,000. UPDATED 09/26/12*LJ

NHTSA ID 10474494 · filed Sep 10, 2012

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.

2
reports

From owner reports, verbatim

PURCHASED MY FIRST BIKE, A 2012 SOFTTAIL DELUXE WITH 4,700 MILES PURCHASED FROM MY COWORKER WHO HAD ONLY PUT 500 MILES ON THE BIKE IN LAST TWO YEARS (SINCE THE 5000K SERVICE WAS DONE @ 4200MI.). TOOK THE BIKE OUT ON A COUNTY ROAD FOR THE FIRST TIME AS A NEW RIDER AND THE BIKE DEVELOPED A HANDLEBAR SHAKE THAT I COULD NOT FIGHT AT 45 MI/HR. THEN WHEN THE BIKE WAS SLOWING THE WHOLE BIKE WOULD WOBBLE. MY FIRST RIDE ENDED UP BEING TO THE LOCAL DEALERSHIP WHERE THEY FOUND THE SPOKES ON THE REAR RIM HAD COME LOOSE AND HAD ELONGATED THE SPOKE HOLES IN THE RIM. MY DEALERSHIP CALLED IT UNSAFE TO RIDE AND URGED ME TO LEAVE THE BIKE. A NEW RIM WAS BACKORDERED, THEN DELAYED TWICE BEFORE I CHANGED THE ORDER TO A MAG REAR WHEEL WHICH I'M STILL WAITING FOR. THE DEALERSHIP WHERE THE PREVIOUS OWNER HAD THE BIKE SERVICED WOULD NOT ACCEPT ANY RESPONSIBILITY. MY DEALERSHIP ACKNOWLEDGES THAT THIS SHOULD NOT BE AN ISSUE AT SUCH LOW MILEAGE. ESTIMATE TO REPLACE THE RIM AND THE BATTERY WAS $1280.00.

NHTSA ID 11031815 · filed Oct 4, 2017

2012 HARLEY DAVIDSON FLSTN WITH ONLY 2,000 MILES. WIRE WHEEL SPOKES WORKED LOOSE. WHEEL WOBBLED. MY HARLEY WAS UNCONTROLLABLE AND NOT SAFE TO RIDE. I HAD THE SPOKES TIGHTENED UP BY THE HARLEY DEALER, BUT AT ABOUT 5,000 MILES SPOKES CAME LOOSE AGAIN. SAME THING HAPPENED AROUND 10,000. MY HARLEY IS NOT SAFE TO RIDE AND THE HARLEY DEALERS ARE NOT WILLING TO RECOGNIZE THE PROBLEM OR FIX OR REPLACE MY WIRE WHEELS . *TR

NHTSA ID 10542570 · filed Sep 9, 2013

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.

1
report

From owner reports, verbatim

ABOUT 10:30 PM WHILE EN ROUTE TO WORK I WAS RIDING ON THE FREEWAY AT THE POSTED SPEED LIMIT AND I NOTED FLASHING LIGHTS APPEARING ON THE SPEEDOMETER- THE LOW FUEL LAMP AND ELECTRICAL SYSTEM LAMP. I PULLED OVER THE EMERGENCY LANE RIGHT AWAY TO MAKE ANY ASSESSMENT. I WAS ABLE TO EXIT THE FREEWAY TO SECURE A SAFER ENVIRONMENT FOR ME. THE FLASHING LOW FUEL LAMP AND ELECTRICAL SYSTEM LAMP PERSISTED. I CALLED FOR MY TOWING SERVICE THE FOLLOWING MORNING BECAUSE I DIDN'T THINK IT WOULD BE SAFE TO DRIVE THE MOTORCYCLE HOME. ON 7/1/2014 I CALLED FOR MY TOWING SERVICE TO TRANSPORT MY BIKE TO AN HD DEALERSHIP TO REQUEST A DIAGNOSTIC SERVICE. MY MOTORCYCLE IS IN THE SERVICE DEPARTMENT AS OF TODAY, 7/3/2014. I LOOKED AT MY MOTORCYCLE THIS MORNING AND SPOKE TO THE TECHNICIAN DOING THE SERVICE. I WAS SHOWN A PART THAT NEEDED REPLACEMENT AND WAS TOLD THAT THE PART MAY BE THE CAUSE. THERE IS A DEFECT IN THE WIRING. I AM NOT A MECHANIC OR A MOTORCYCLE TECHNICIAN BUT I NOTED WHAT MAY BE A FACTORY RELATED DEFECT. THIS DEFECT IS SERIOUS IN THAT IT AFFECTED MY SAFETY. I READ THE FOLLOWING AND IT DOES APPLY: "..UNITED STATES CODE... (TITLE 49, CHAPTER 301) DEFINES MOTOR VEHICLE SAFETY ... SAFETY AS THE PERFORMANCE OF A MOTOR VEHICLE OR MOTOR VEHICLE EQUIPMENT....ACCIDENTS OCCURRING BECAUSE OF THE DESIGN, CONSTRUCTION, OR PERFORMANCE OF A MOTOR VEHICLE, AND AGAINST ... RISK OF DEATH OR INJURY IN AN ACCIDENT, AND INCLUDES NONOPERATIONAL SAFETY OF A MOTOR VEHICLE. A DEFECT INCLUDES ANY DEFECT IN PERFORMANCE, CONSTRUCTION, A COMPONENT, OR MATERIAL OF A MOTOR VEHICLE OR MOTOR VEHICLE EQUIPMENT. GENERALLY, A SAFETY DEFECT IS DEFINED AS A PROBLEM THAT EXISTS IN A MOTOR VEHICLE OR ITEM OF MOTOR VEHICLE EQUIPMENT THAT: POSES AN RISK TO MOTOR VEHICLE SAFETY, AND MAY EXIST IN A GROUP OF VEHICLES OF THE SAME DESIGN OR MANUFACTURE, OR ITEMS OF EQUIPMENT OF THE SAME TYPE AND MANUFACTURE." *TR

NHTSA ID 10608186 · filed Jul 3, 2014

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.

1
report

From owner reports, verbatim

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 HARLEY DAVIDSON FLSTN. THE CONTACT WAS DRIVING 40 MPH WHEN THE MOTORCYCLE BEGAN TO VIBRATE ABNORMALLY. THE CONTACT TOOK THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALER FOR DIAGNOSTIC TESTING. THE DEALER ADVISED THAT THE REAR WHEEL WAS FAULTY AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE DEALER REPLACED THE REAR WHEEL BUT THE REPLACEMENT DID NOT REMEDY THE ISSUE. THE CONTACT TOOK THE VEHICLE BACK TO THE DEALER WHERE THE DEALER WAS UNABLE TO DIAGNOSE THE FAILURE. THE MOTORCYCLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 800. UPDATED 02/15/12*BF

NHTSA ID 10444627 · filed Jan 20, 2012

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

Data on this page last refreshed .