Recalls, owner-reported complaints, investigations and safety data
Data refreshed
Our database contains 3 NHTSA owner-reported complaints for the 1999 Harley-Davidson Fxdl, most frequently naming the engine, other / unspecified and steering categories. 2 safety recalls have been issued covering this model year; and 2 manufacturer communications are on file.
Complaints are reports submitted by owners and drivers to NHTSA. They are not verified and do not establish that a defect exists.
When owners filed reports about this model year
Not enough dated records to plot a meaningful trend — 3 months of data.
Complaints grouped by the component NHTSA recorded
Percentages are of component mentions. A single complaint can name more than one component, so these do not sum to the total complaint count.
2 campaigns 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.govFUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:STORAGE:TANK ASSEMBLY
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:GASOLINE
Reports submitted to NHTSA, shown in the owner's own words
I JUST PURCHASE A 1999 HARLEY DAVIDSON FXDL FROM SMOKEY MOUNTAIN HARLEY DAVIDSON. ON MY WAY TO WORK DOING ABOUT 70MPH I EXPERIENCED A HIGH SPEED "WOBBLE" ON THE BIKE CAUSING A IMMEDIATE LOSS OF CONTROL AND MANUVERABILITY OF THE MOTORCYCLE. I HAD TO SLOWLY REDUCE SPEED AND TRY WITH WHAT LITTLE STEERING TO PULL OVER ON THE SIDE OF THE ROAD. IT ALMOST MADE ME CRASH THE MOTORCYCLE BECAUSE I WASNT PERPARED OR EXPECTING IT TO HAPPEN OR HAD ANY KNOWLEDGE THE BIKE WAS DEFECTIVE. I IMMEDIATELY CONTACTED SMHD AND EXPLAINED TO THEM THE PROBLE AND DROPPED IT OFF FOR REPAIR AND THEY GAVE THE MOTORCYCLE BACK AND SAID THEY "DIDNT FIND ANYTHING WRONG." THIS COULD BE DEADLY AND IS A SAFETY ISSUE THAT NEEDS FIXING IMMEDIATELY.
NO SUMMARY LISTED FOR ABOVE VEHICLE. *AK
THE BROKEN PIVOT BOLT CAUSED THE REAR WHEEL TO FALL OFF, WHICH ALMOST CAUSED AN ACCIDENT. PLEASE PROVIDE FURTHER INFORMATION. *AK
A bulletin sent by a manufacturer to its dealers. Not a recall, and repairs are not necessarily free.
POWER TRAIN
TECH ARTICLE TA0023: TA0023: Crankshaft Rod Bearing. Purpose: Technicians have been falsely identifying connecting rod bearings as failed due to a perception of resistance as the rods are rotated. The clearance of the Twin Cam and Milwaukee-Eight® crank pin bearings are maintained to a very tight range. This optimizes performance and maintains low mechanical noise in operation. The connecting rod bore can also distort slightly in operation due to stress relaxation. As a result, bearing clearance decreases due to the contact zone broadening and the load being distributed over more rollers. The combination of a bore being slightly out of round and reduced bearing clearance can result in varying degrees of resistance through the range of motion. Axial clearance is also tightly controlled for proper alignment. For these reasons, zones of resistance can be found when the connecting rods are rotated by hand through their range of motion. Resistance during rod motion, by itself, is not an indication of a performance or durability concern.
ENGINE; EQUIPMENT
THIS DOCUMENT WILL OUTLINE INSPECTION AND MEASUREMENT PROCEDURES FOR GEROTOR STYLE OIL PUMPS. IT PROVIDES INSPECTION PROCEDURES ONLY WITHOUT SPECIFICATIONS.
Manufacturers file copies of the bulletins they send to dealers with NHTSA. These often describe diagnostic or repair procedures for a known condition. They are not recalls: repairs described in a bulletin are usually only free if the vehicle is still under warranty or the manufacturer has extended coverage.
Complaint and recall counts across every year of this model
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.