RoadVitals

2012 Harley-Davidson Fltrx

Recalls, owner-reported complaints, investigations and safety data

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.
7
Latest Jun 23, 2015
Safety recallsA safety recall is issued when a manufacturer or NHTSA determines that a vehicle has a safety-related defect or does not comply with a federal motor vehicle safety standard. Recall repairs are free. Whether a specific vehicle is covered depends on its VIN — a recall listed for a model year does not necessarily apply to every vehicle of that year.
1
Latest Oct 19, 2011
InvestigationsNHTSA opens an investigation to examine whether a safety defect may exist. An open investigation is not a determination that a defect exists, and many investigations close without a recall. Investigations can, however, lead to one.
0
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
2 injuries, 0 deaths reported

Overview

Our database contains 7 NHTSA owner-reported complaints for the 2012 Harley-Davidson Fltrx, most frequently naming the tires & wheels, other / unspecified and electrical categories. 1 safety recall has been issued covering this model year.

Complaints are reports submitted by owners and drivers to NHTSA. They are not verified and do not establish that a defect exists.

What owners report

Complaints grouped by the component NHTSA recorded

  • Tires & wheels220.0%
  • Other / unspecified220.0%
  • Electrical110.0%
  • Engine110.0%
  • Exterior lighting110.0%
  • Brakes110.0%
  • Visibility110.0%
  • Driver assistance110.0%

Percentages are of component mentions. A single complaint can name more than one component, so these do not sum to the total complaint count.

Safety recalls

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.gov
11V506000

EXTERIOR LIGHTING:BRAKE LIGHTS:SWITCH

Oct 19, 2011
250,757 units potentially affected
The defect: HARLEY-DAVIDSON IS RECALLING CERTAIN MODEL YEAR 2009-2012 TOURING, CVO TOURING AND TRIKE VEHICLES MANUFACTURED FROM JUNE 6, 2008, THROUGH SEPTEMBER 16, 2011. SEE THE ABOVE LIST FOR THE MODELS INCLUDED IN THE RECALL. THE REAR BRAKE LIGHT SWITCH MAY BE EXPOSED TO EXCESSIVE HEAT FROM THE EXHAUST SYSTEM.
The risk: THE EXCESSIVE HEAT MAY CAUSE THE SWITCH TO NOT ACTIVATE THE BRAKE LAMP OR ACTIVATE THE BRAKE LAMP WHEN NO BRAKE IS APPLIED AND/OR CAUSE A BRAKE FLUID LEAK AT THE BRAKE LIGHT SWITCH, AFFECTING REAR BRAKE PERFORMANCE. EITHER CONDITION MAY INCREASE THE RISK OF A CRASH.
The remedy: HARLEY-DAVIDSON WILL NOTIFY OWNERS, AND DEALERS WILL A INSTALL A REAR BRAKE LIGHT SWITCH KIT, FREE OF CHARGE. THE SAFETY RECALL IS EXPECTED TO BEGIN DURING OCTOBER 31, 2011. OWNERS MAY CONTACT HARLEY-DAVIDSON AT 1-414-343-4056.
HARLEY-DAVIDSON MOTOR COMPANYManufacturer number 0145View on NHTSA.gov

Recent owner complaints

Reports submitted to NHTSA, shown in the owner's own words

Electrical
Filed Jun 23, 2015

WHILE RIDING ON MY 2012 HARLEY-DAVIDSON ROAD GLIDE MOTORCYCLE IT SUDDENLY DIED. IT DIED BECAUSE THE BATTERY WAS NOT BEING CHARGED; THEREFORE MY ELECTRONICS WOULD NOT WORK, INCLUDING THE FUEL INJECTION SYSTEM. THIS WAS CAUSED BY A DEFECTIVE VOLTAGE REGULATOR THAT IS A KNOWN ISSUE TO HARLEY. THIS DEFECTIVE PIECE OF EQUIPMENT IS PART OF HARLEY-DAVIDSON?S PRODUCT PROGRAM (PRODUCT NOTICE: 0912) AND NOT PART OF A SAFETY RECALL. I DON?T UNDERSTAND HOW THIS ISN?T A SAFETY ISSUE CONSIDERING THE MOTORCYCLE DIES WHILE YOU ARE RIDING ON IT.

NHTSA ID
10726815
Incident
Jun 19, 2015
Mileage
6,600 mi
BrakesDriver assistance
Filed May 31, 2015

I WAS TRAVELING DOWN HIGHWAY 101 SOUTH BETWEEN METCALF & BAILEY HERE IN NORTHERN CALIFORNIA YESTERDAY AFTERNOON (5/30) ON MY HARLEY DAVIDSON ROAD GLIDE 2015 THAT HAS LESS THAN 300 MILES. I WAS IN THE 2ND LANE TRAVELING ABOUT 65 MPH AND MY BIKE STARTED TO RIDE VERY ROUGH, I WAS LOSING SPEED VERY FAST. I WAS ABLE TO GET INTO THE 3RD LANE BEFORE THE BIKE COMPLETELY SHUTTING DOWN I DIDN'T EVEN MAKE IT TO THE SLOW LANE. THANK GOD ALL THE CARS BEHIND ME WERE PAYING ATTENTION & THERE WERE NO BIG RIGS BECAUSE THE BIKE CAME TO A STOP WITHIN SECONDS AND IT WOULD NOT START, THE FRONT BRAKE WAS COMPLETELY SEIZED, PUSHING THE BIKE OFF THE HIGHWAY WAS IMPOSSIBLE UNTIL THE FRONT BRAKE RELEASED. I KNOW THERE WAS A RECALL ON THE FRONT BRAKE LINE ON THE 2014 HARLEY DAVIDSON TOURING BIKES BUT NOT ON THE 2015. THERE ARE NO OPEN OR CLOSED RECALLS & NO PRODUCT PROGRAMS FOR MY BIKE AS OF TODAY. THIS IS A HUGE SAFETY ISSUE. I HAVE BEEN UNABLE TO SLEEP WELL & CAN'T GET MY MIND OFF OF THIS INCIDENT.

NHTSA ID
10722525
Incident
May 30, 2015
Mileage
245 mi
Visibility
Filed Jul 16, 2014

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 HARLEY DAVIDSON FLTRX MOTORCYCLE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT AFTER REPLACING A CURVED WINDSHIELD, THE CONTACT'S VISION BECAME DISTORTED. THE CONTACT MENTIONED THAT THE OBJECTS APPEARED CLOSER THAN THEY ACTUALLY WERE AND THE LINES ON THE HIGHWAY APPEARED IN A ZIGZAG SHAPE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 9,000 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 10,000. UPDATED 08/25/14*LJ

NHTSA ID
10610967
Incident
Jun 6, 2014
Mileage
9,000 mi
Other / unspecifiedTires & wheels
Filed Sep 18, 2012

THIS IS THE SECOND COMPLAINT I HAVE FOR THE SAME PROBLEM. I AM HAVING DRY ROT CRACKING ON NEW DUNLOP TIRES. I HAD A PROBLEM WITH DRY ROT CRACKING AT 7170 MILES AND THE DEALER REPLACED THE TIRE UNDER WARRANTY. I THEN NOTICED THAT THE NEW TIRE WAS DOING THE EXACT SAME THING WITH ONLY 8132 MILES ON THE VEHICLE. THIS NEW TIRE ONLY LASTED 962 MILES BEFORE SHOWING SIGNS OF FAILURE. ## VIN PASSED ## HARLEY DAVIDSON FLTRX 2012 ## *TR

NHTSA ID
10475804
Incident
Sep 12, 2012
Mileage
8,132 mi
Other / unspecifiedTires & wheels
Filed Sep 18, 2012

I WAS CHECKING TIRE PRESSURE ON MY MOTORCYCLE TIRES WHEN I NOTICED WHAT LOOKED LIKE DRY ROT. I THEN STARTED CHECKING ON VARIOUS FORUMS FOR HARLEY RIDERS AND NOTICED THAT OTHERS WERE HAVING THIS SAME PROBLEM. I CALLED MY LOCAL DEALER AND THEY CHANGED TIRES WITHOUT QUESTION. I FEEL THAT THIS IS A WIDE SPREAD PROBLEM ON FACTORY INSTALLED DUNLOP TIRES ON 2010 TO 2012 HARLEY TOURING MODELS. *TR *JS

NHTSA ID
10475796
Incident
Aug 11, 2012
Mileage
7,170 mi
Exterior lighting
Filed Aug 21, 2012

ON 21 JUNE 2012, I WAS DRIVING DOWN A NEIGHBORHOOD ROAD WHEN I STRUCK A POTHOLE IN THE ROADWAY. WHEN I STRUCK THE POTHOLE, THE LEFT BRAKELIGHT/TURN SIGNAL LENS COVER FELL OUT OF IT'S SOCKET AND ONTO THE ROADWAY. ON 20 AUGUST 2012, I WAS DRIVING TO WORK. THIS TIME THE RIGHT BRAKELIGHT/TURN SIGNAL LENS COVER FELL OUT OF IT'S SOCKET. I DID NOT HIT A POTHOLE OR EXPERIENCE ANY OTHER TYPE OF ROUGH DRIVING WHEN THIS OCCURRED. *TR

NHTSA ID
10471666
Incident
Jun 21, 2012
Mileage
6,900 mi
Engine
Filed Aug 14, 2012
2 injuries reported

THE EXCESSIVE HEAT PUT OFF BY THE HEADER PIPE DUE TO THE CATALYTIC CONVERTER IS CAUSING BLISTERS ON THE RIGHT DRIVERS THIGH(BACK OF LEG) AND PASSENGER'S RIGHT SHIN. THE HEAT PUT OFF BY THIS SET UP TO EXCESSIVE. WHETHER YOU ARE SITTING AT A RED LIGHT OR MOVING DOWN THE ROAD THE HEAT IS EXCESSIVE. HARLEY DAVIDSON HAS A PROBLEM AND IT IS COMMON ON 2010 TO PRESENT BIKES. I HAVE TAKEN PICTURES IF NEED TO VIEW OF THE INFLICTED BURNS. THIS BIKE IS STOCK. HOWEVER I AM GOING TO HAVE TO REPLACE THE HEADER PIPE WITH A NON CAT TYPE TO RELIEVE THE EXCESSIVE HEAT. I SHOULD NOT HAVE TO DO THIS. *TR

NHTSA ID
10470572
Incident
Jul 14, 2011
Mileage
10 mi

Compare model years

Complaint and recall counts across every year of this model

Harley-Davidson Fltrx by model year
YearComplaintsRecallsInvestigationsIssue Index
2026210—
2025610—
2024920—
2023000—
2022110—
2021010—
2020110—
2019100—
2018110—
2017320—
2016210—
2015320—
2014000—
2013600—
2012Viewing710—
2011220—
2010132045.5

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.