2016 Harley-Davidson Fxsb 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 2016 Harley-Davidson Fxsb, 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
- Brakes150.0%
- Engine150.0%
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
Brakes
Reports naming service brakes, the antilock braking system, brake hoses, master cylinders or the parking brake.
From owner reports, verbatim
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2016 HARLEY-DAVIDSON FXSB. WHEN THE BRAKE PEDAL WAS APPLIED WITH FORCE, THE REAR MASTER BRAKE CYLINDER CRACKED AND LEAKED BRAKE FLUID. THE CYLINDER MATERIAL SEEMED TO BE STRUCTURALLY UNSOUND TO PREMATURELY FRACTURE WITHOUT WARNING. THE CONTACT SLOWLY COASTED THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALER (RIVERSIDE HARLEY-DAVIDSON, 7688 INDIANA AVE, RIVERSIDE, CA 92504, (951) 785-0100). THE DEALER TOOK PICTURES AND INDICATED THAT THE REAR MASTER BRAKE CYLINDER NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE MANUFACTURER AND THE DEALER BOTH INDICATED THAT THIS WAS A COMMON FAILURE WITH THE PART, BUT THERE WAS NO RECALL AND SOLUTION OTHER THAN REPLACING THE PART. THE CONTACT WAS UNCERTAIN IF THE FAILURE WOULD RECUR DUE TO THE MATERIAL OF THE REAR BRAKE MASTER CYLINDER. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS NOT AVAILABLE.
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
I PURCHASED A NEW HARLEY DAVIDSON FXSB BREAKOUT ON OCTOBER 2015. THIS VEHICLE ONLY HAS 3,010 ACTUAL MILES AS OF TODAY 1-23-18. THE ENGINE OF THE MOTORCYCLE HAS ALWAYS HAD A VERY LOUD MECHANICAL NOISE FROM THE BEGINNING. HOWEVER, ONCE THE INITIAL BREAK-END PERIOD OF 1,000 MILES THE ENGINE WOULD QUIET DOWN. THIS DID NOT HAPPEN AND SUBSEQUENTLY WHILE I WAS RIDING THE MOTORCYCLE IN THE MIDDLE OF TRAFFIC IN ATLANTA, GEORGIA THE ENGINE SUDDENLY BEGAN TO VIBRATE ERRATICALLY, THE BACK TIRE BEGAN TO SLIDE. I PRESSED IN THE CLUTCH LEVER IN ORDER TO GET A HANDLE ON THE MOTORCYCLE IN THE MIDDLE OF A VERY BUSY INTERSECTION TO PULL OVER AND TO INVESTIGATE WHAT WAS GOING ON. UPON MY COMPLETE INVESTIGATION, I WAS ABLE TO RIDE THE MOTORCYCLE AT A VERY SLOW PACE TO THE HARLEY DAVIDSON DEALERSHIP TO GET THE VEHICLE REPAIRED. ON THE HD MESSAGE BOARDS THERE ARE MANY INSTANCES OF THE HD 103B ENGINE HAVING SERIOUS MECHANICAL BREAKAGE PROBLEMS WITH THE VALVE LIFTER / CAMSHAFT. AFTER THE HD SERVICE TECHNICIAN DID HIS COMPLETE INSPECTION OF THE VEHICLE, IT WAS DETERMINED TO HAVE A CATASTROPHIC ENGINE FAILURE DUE TO DEFECTIVE ENGINE PARTS. UPON REPLACEMENT OF THE LONG BLOCK ASSEMBLY AND ALL RELATED PARTS. I BECAME VERY NERVOUS ABOUT MY CONTINUED OWNERSHIP OF THIS MOTORCYCLE & WANTED TO TRADE UP IN SERIES TO THE NEW 2018 HD BREAKOUT. HOWEVER, HARLEY DAVIDSON CONSUMER DIVISION WOULD NOT GRANT / BUY THE DEFECTIVE VEHICLE SO I'M STUCK WITH A VERY DANGEROUS MOTORCYCLE WHICH IS ABOUT TO RUIN MY FINANCIAL LIFE DUE TO THE FACT THAT I CAN'T GET RID OF IT. I HAVE ADVERTISED THE VEHICLE IN MANY PUBLICATIONS WITHOUT ANY TAKERS.
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 .