RoadVitals

2008 Harley-Davidson Fxdb 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.
4
Latest Aug 31, 2011
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.
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What this page shows

Everything below is an owner-reported complaint submitted to NHTSA about the 2008 Harley-Davidson Fxdb, 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

  • Tires & wheels240.0%
  • Other / unspecified120.0%
  • Powertrain (other)120.0%
  • Suspension120.0%

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

Each component in detail

What the reports in each category say, in the owners' own words

Tires & wheels

Reports naming tires, wheels, hubs, or the tire-pressure monitoring system.

2
reports

From owner reports, verbatim

THIS IS TO CORRECT FILE NUMBER 10421452 -- THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 HARLEY DAVIDSON DYNA SERIES LOW RIDER. THE CONTACT STATED THE REAR TIRE IS A DUNLOP K591 160/70V-17. THE CONTACT NOTICED IN EARLY JUNE 2011 A SPLIT IN THE CENTER RAIN GROVE. ON AUG. 19, 2011 FOUND ADDITIONAL CRACKS IN THE TIRE IN THESE CENTER RAIN GROVES. THE MOTORCYCLE WAS TAKEN TO A LOCAL MOTORCYCLE SHOP WHO STATED THE TIRE WAS DEFECTIVE AND THE SPLITTING WAS ABNORMAL. THIS MOTORCYCLE SHOP SUGGESTED IT BE TAKEN TO KENTS HARLEY DAVIDSON WHERE EFFORT TO CONTACT ?DUNLOP MOTORCYCLE TIRE CONSUMER AFFAIRS DEPARTMENT? WENT UN-RESPONDED TO, UNTIL THE DATE OF THIS REPORT. KENTS HARLEY DAVIDSON CAN PROVIDE PICTURES OF THE DEFECTIVE TIRE. THE CURRENT MILEAGE ON THE TIRE IS AROUND 7000 MILES AND THE TIRE HAS 4/32 TREAD LEFT FROM A NEW 8/32 DEPTH. THIS IS A LIFE THREATENING SITUATION AND DUNLOP IS REFUSING TO RESPOND TO THE DEFECT. IT SHOULD BE FRUTHER NOTED DUNLOP IS WILLFULY , DELIBERTLY IGNORING THEIR WARRANTY ON MOTORCYCLE TIRES AND ARE THEREFORE WILLFULY DELIBERTLY INDANGERING CUSTOMERS AND HAVE FULL KOWLEDGE THEY ARE DOING SO. I HAVE ALL CORRESPONDANCE AND PHOTOS TO PROVE THIS IN A COURT OF LAW. THE GOV. SHOULD ACT ON THIS TO PROTECT THE CITIZENS. IT SHOULD ALSO BE NOTED THE FORM SAYS TIRE 407 -- IT IS A DUNLOP K591 160/70VB-17 --THIS GOV. FORM PROVIDES NO WAY TO PROPERLY GIVE THIS INFO EXCEPT HERE. BEFORE I HAD A [XXX] TO FILE THIS BY VOCAL AND HE DID NOT REPORT WHAT I SAID -- SO THIS FORM IS NOW NECESSARY IN THE MANNER BEST I CAN DO. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6) *TR

NHTSA ID 10422738 · filed Aug 31, 2011

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 HARLEY DAVIDSON DYNA SERIES LOW RIDER. THE CONTACT STATED THE REAR TIRE IS A DUNLOP K591 160/70V-17. THE CONTACT NOTICED IN EARLY JUNE 2011 A SPLIT IN THE CENTER RAIN GROVE. ON AUG. 19, 2011 FOUND ADDITIONAL CRACKS IN THE TIRE IN THESE CENTER RAIN GROVES. THE MOTORCYCLE WAS TAKEN TO A LOCAL MOTORCYCLE SHOP WHO STATED THE TIRE WAS DEFECTIVE AND THE SPLITTING WAS ABNORMAL. THIS MOTORCYCLE SHOP SUGGESTED IT BE TAKEN TO KENTS HARLEY DAVIDSON WHERE EFFORT TO CONTACT ?DUNLOP MOTORCYCLE TIRE CONSUMER AFFAIRS DEPARTMENT? WENT UN-RESPONDED TO, UNTIL THE DATE OF THIS REPORT. KENTS HARLEY DAVIDSON CAN PROVIDE PICTURES OF THE DEFECTIVE TIRE. THE CURRENT MILEAGE ON THE TIRE IS AROUND 7000 MILES AND THE TIRE HAS 4/32 TREAD LEFT FROM A NEW 8/32 DEPTH. THIS IS A LIFE THREATENING SITUATION AND DUNLOP IS REFUSING TO RESPOND TO THE DEFECT. IT SHOULD BE FURTHER NOTED DUNLOP IS WILLFULLY , DELIBERATELY IGNORING THEIR WARRANTY ON MOTORCYCLE TIRES AND ARE THEREFORE WILLFULLY DELIBERATELY ENDANGERING CUSTOMERS AND HAVE FULL KNOWLEDGE THEY ARE DOING SO. I HAVE ALL CORRESPONDENCE AND PHOTOS TO PROVE THIS IN A COURT OF LAW. THE GOV. SHOULD ACT ON THIS TO PROTECT THE CITIZENS. IT SHOULD ALSO BE NOTED THE FORM SAYS TIRE 407 -- IT IS A DUNLOP K591 160/70VB-17 .

NHTSA ID 10421452 · filed Aug 25, 2011

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.

1
report

From owner reports, verbatim

I PURCHASED A HARLEY DAVIDSON STREET BOB IN JULY. THE DAY I BOUGHT THIS MOTORCYCLE I PULLED OUT OF THE PARKING LOT ON TO THE SERVICE ROAD AND THE FRONT WHEEL STARTED WOBBLING REAL BAD. I RETURNED TO THE DEALERSHIP AND THEY SAID THEY REPLACED THE FRONT END AND I WENT ON MY WAY WITH THE NEW BIKE. THIS WAS NEVER LOGGED INTO THE MANUFACTURES WARRANTY. I HAVE NOT HAD ANY MORE PROBLEMS OUT OF THE FRONT END. A MONTH LATER THE REAR TIRE WENT FLAT AS I WAS RIDING. I PULLED OVER AND TRIED TO AIR IT UP AND IT WAS LEAKING OUT OF THE VALVE STEM. THE DEALERSHIP SAID I HAVE TO BUY A NEW TIRE AND I DID EVEN THOUGH I FELT LIKE THEY SHOULD HAVE TAKEN CARE OF IT. THEN ON 10/8/08 I WAS RIDING IT TO WORK AS I DO MON-FRI AND THE 6 BOLTS THAT HOLD THE REAR PULLEY SPROCKET TO THE REAR WHEEL WERE LOOSE AND WORKED THERE WAY OUT UNTIL THEY BENT OVER AND LOGGED INTO THE FRAME CAUSING THE REAR TIRE TO LOCK UP. I WAS GOING ABOUT 45 MPH AND CAME TO A COMPLETE STOP. THERE WAS A SPORTS CAR BEHIND ME THAT LOCKED HIS WHEELS UP AND STOPPED ABOUT 4 INCHES FROM HITTING ME. IF THIS WAS A TRUCK IT WOULD HAVE BEEN A DIFFERENT ENDING. THE DEALERSHIP SAID THEY HAD NOTHING TO DO WITH THIS. I JUST HAD THE MOTORCYCLE SERVICED THE FRIDAY PRIOR TO THIS INCIDENT. THE DEALERSHIP SAID THE BOLTS ARE PUT IN A THE MANUFACTURE AND NEVER COME OUT ONCE IN. THESE BOLTS HAD TO BE HAND TIGHT IN ORDER TO COME OUT, NOT JUST ONE BUT ALL SIX. THE DEALERSHIP SAID THEY WOULD REPLACE THE PARTS BUT HOW DO THEY ASSURE ME OF MY SAFETY WITH THIS MOTORCYCLE? *TR

NHTSA ID 10245051 · filed Oct 10, 2008

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.

1
report

From owner reports, verbatim

I PURCHASED A HARLEY DAVIDSON STREET BOB IN JULY. THE DAY I BOUGHT THIS MOTORCYCLE I PULLED OUT OF THE PARKING LOT ON TO THE SERVICE ROAD AND THE FRONT WHEEL STARTED WOBBLING REAL BAD. I RETURNED TO THE DEALERSHIP AND THEY SAID THEY REPLACED THE FRONT END AND I WENT ON MY WAY WITH THE NEW BIKE. THIS WAS NEVER LOGGED INTO THE MANUFACTURES WARRANTY. I HAVE NOT HAD ANY MORE PROBLEMS OUT OF THE FRONT END. A MONTH LATER THE REAR TIRE WENT FLAT AS I WAS RIDING. I PULLED OVER AND TRIED TO AIR IT UP AND IT WAS LEAKING OUT OF THE VALVE STEM. THE DEALERSHIP SAID I HAVE TO BUY A NEW TIRE AND I DID EVEN THOUGH I FELT LIKE THEY SHOULD HAVE TAKEN CARE OF IT. THEN ON 10/8/08 I WAS RIDING IT TO WORK AS I DO MON-FRI AND THE 6 BOLTS THAT HOLD THE REAR PULLEY SPROCKET TO THE REAR WHEEL WERE LOOSE AND WORKED THERE WAY OUT UNTIL THEY BENT OVER AND LOGGED INTO THE FRAME CAUSING THE REAR TIRE TO LOCK UP. I WAS GOING ABOUT 45 MPH AND CAME TO A COMPLETE STOP. THERE WAS A SPORTS CAR BEHIND ME THAT LOCKED HIS WHEELS UP AND STOPPED ABOUT 4 INCHES FROM HITTING ME. IF THIS WAS A TRUCK IT WOULD HAVE BEEN A DIFFERENT ENDING. THE DEALERSHIP SAID THEY HAD NOTHING TO DO WITH THIS. I JUST HAD THE MOTORCYCLE SERVICED THE FRIDAY PRIOR TO THIS INCIDENT. THE DEALERSHIP SAID THE BOLTS ARE PUT IN A THE MANUFACTURE AND NEVER COME OUT ONCE IN. THESE BOLTS HAD TO BE HAND TIGHT IN ORDER TO COME OUT, NOT JUST ONE BUT ALL SIX. THE DEALERSHIP SAID THEY WOULD REPLACE THE PARTS BUT HOW DO THEY ASSURE ME OF MY SAFETY WITH THIS MOTORCYCLE? *TR

NHTSA ID 10245051 · filed Oct 10, 2008

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 2008 HARLEY DAVIDSON STREET BOB FXDB MOTORCYCLE. WHILE DRIVING 60 MPH, THE VEHICLE WOULD PULL TO THE LEFT. THE FRONT TIRE FORK APPEARED TO BE TITLED A QUARTER INCH TO THE RIGHT. THE CONTACT HAD TO LEAN THE VEHICLE TO THE RIGHT IN ORDER TO CORRECT THE FAILURE WHILE DRIVING. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER WHERE THE CONTACT WAS AWAITING AN ASSESSMENT OF A POSSIBLE REPAIR. THE DEALER STATED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS OPERATING AS DESIGNED AND THE CONTACT DISAGREED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 300 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 1,300.

NHTSA ID 10333997 · filed Jun 1, 2010

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 .