2012 Harley-Davidson Fxdb 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 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
- Body & structure133.3%
- Engine133.3%
- Exterior lighting133.3%
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
Body & structure
Reports naming the vehicle structure, frame, body panels, doors, hood and trim.
From owner reports, verbatim
HARLEY DAVIDSON DYNA STREET BOB MODEL YEARS 2011 AND 2012 HAS A CHROME TAIL LIGHT ASSEMBLY THAT STICKS UP OFF OF REAR FENDER. THE BRACKET ON THE UNDERSIDE SUPPORTING THE TAIL LIGHT ASSEMBLY IS JUST ABOUT THE SAME WIDTH AS THE TAIL LIGHT ASSEMBLY ITSELF. WHEN IN MOTION AND WITH THE ASSOCIATED VIBRATION, THE REAR FENDER CRACKED ON BOTH SIDES OF THE TAIL LIGHT ASSEMBLY AND RIGHT ALONG THE SUPPORTING BRACKET. FURTHER MOTION AND VIBRATION ACCENTUATES THE CRACKING. IF GONE UNNOTICED, COULD LEAD TO TAIL LIGHT ASSEMBLY FALLING INTO REAR WHEEL CAUSING SIGNIFICANT DAMAGE AND POSSIBLY AN ACCIDENT WHILE IN MOTION. IN MY OPINION, MANUFACTURERS DEFECT IS THE CULPRIT. INSUFFICIENT BRACKET FOR THE SIZE AND WEIGHT OF TAIL LIGHT ASSEMBLY. DRIVING STYLE HAS LITTLE TO NO INPUT. MOTORCYCLE WAS 8 YEARS OLD AND AROUND 13000 MILES WHEN CRACKS WERE FIRST NOTICED. IMAGES SHOW INITIAL CRACKS ABOUT 2 TO 3 INCHES ON BOTH SIDES OF TAIL LIGHT. THOSE WERE WELDED AS A TEMPORARY FIX UNTIL A NEW FENDER COULD BE ORDERED. SUBSEQUENT CRACKS FORMED ALONGSIDE INITIAL CRACKS AFTER 200 MORE MILES.
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Engine
Reports naming the engine itself — including stalling, misfires, oil consumption, cooling and internal engine components.
From owner reports, verbatim
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 HARLEY DAVIDSON FXDB MOTORCYCLE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE FAILED TO START. THERE WAS A LOUD, TICKING NOISE FROM THE ENGINE IN ADDITION TO AN ERROR MESSAGE APPEARED ON THE SCREEN. THE MOTORCYCLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER SEVERAL TIMES FOR THE FAILURE. THE DEALER REPLACED THE ENGINE CAPACITOR HOWEVER THE FAILURE WAS NOT CORRECTED. THE MANUFACTURER ADVISED THAT THEY ARE AWARE OF THE FAILURE HOWEVER THEY DID NOT HAVE A REPAIR FOR THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 3,522 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 4,750.
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
HARLEY DAVIDSON DYNA STREET BOB MODEL YEARS 2011 AND 2012 HAS A CHROME TAIL LIGHT ASSEMBLY THAT STICKS UP OFF OF REAR FENDER. THE BRACKET ON THE UNDERSIDE SUPPORTING THE TAIL LIGHT ASSEMBLY IS JUST ABOUT THE SAME WIDTH AS THE TAIL LIGHT ASSEMBLY ITSELF. WHEN IN MOTION AND WITH THE ASSOCIATED VIBRATION, THE REAR FENDER CRACKED ON BOTH SIDES OF THE TAIL LIGHT ASSEMBLY AND RIGHT ALONG THE SUPPORTING BRACKET. FURTHER MOTION AND VIBRATION ACCENTUATES THE CRACKING. IF GONE UNNOTICED, COULD LEAD TO TAIL LIGHT ASSEMBLY FALLING INTO REAR WHEEL CAUSING SIGNIFICANT DAMAGE AND POSSIBLY AN ACCIDENT WHILE IN MOTION. IN MY OPINION, MANUFACTURERS DEFECT IS THE CULPRIT. INSUFFICIENT BRACKET FOR THE SIZE AND WEIGHT OF TAIL LIGHT ASSEMBLY. DRIVING STYLE HAS LITTLE TO NO INPUT. MOTORCYCLE WAS 8 YEARS OLD AND AROUND 13000 MILES WHEN CRACKS WERE FIRST NOTICED. IMAGES SHOW INITIAL CRACKS ABOUT 2 TO 3 INCHES ON BOTH SIDES OF TAIL LIGHT. THOSE WERE WELDED AS A TEMPORARY FIX UNTIL A NEW FENDER COULD BE ORDERED. SUBSEQUENT CRACKS FORMED ALONGSIDE INITIAL CRACKS AFTER 200 MORE MILES.
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 .