2014 Harley-Davidson XL1200C 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 2014 Harley-Davidson XL1200C, 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%
- Fuel system133.3%
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
LEFT SIDE BATTERY COVER FALLS OFF, HAVE REPLACED CLIPS FROM HARLEY DAVIDSON BUT COVER STILL FALLS OFF. THIS IS COMPLETELY DISTRACTING WHILE DRIVING AND COULD CAUSE ME TO CRASH OR HIT ANOTHER VEHICLE AND CAUSE AN ACCIDENT. THE DEALER HAS STATED THAT THEY HAVE DONE ALL THEY CAN AND HARLEY DAVIDSON CORP. HAS TOLD ME TO PUT ZIP TIES ON IT AND IT IS STILL UNDER WARRANTY. THIS IS DANGEROUS AND FROM THE HD FORUM THIS HAS HAPPENED TO MANY RIDERS. THE COVER HAS REPEATEDLY FALLEN OFF SINCE I BOUGHT THIS MOTORCYCLE IN THE SPRING OF 2015.
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
UNCONTROLLED RPM WHEN DECELERATING. ENGINE RPM RAISED ON SEVERAL OCCASIONS TO 3200 RPM'S WHEN ALL THROTTLE UP WAS REMOVED. ENGINE KILL AND RESTART DID NOT REMEDY THE PROBLEM THE RPM WOULD NOT DROP UNTIL KEY WAS TURNED OFF. WHEN RESTARTED ENGINE REV'S IN IDLE AT 1350 RPM 15 MINUTES THEN DROPS TO JUMPING BETWEEN 900 AND 1000 RPM'S NEVER HOLDING A CONSTANT IDLE. UNIT CAN BE RAN AN HOUR, DAY, MONTH BEFORE REOCCURRING AGAIN. NO SIGN OF WHEN IT IS GOING TO HAPPEN UNTIL IT HAPPENS. YOU DOWN SHIFT, LET OFF THE THROTTLE AND THE BIKE TAKES OFF ON YOU. HAPPENS IN ALL CONDITIONS OF TRAVEL, TURNING HIGHWAY TO EXIT RAMPS, RESIDENTIAL STREETS, GOING TO SLOW DOWN TO MAKE TURNS. UNIT HAS ALSO DIED UPON ACCELERATION FROM A STOP. SYMPTOMS HAVE ALSO HAPPENED MULTIPLE TIMES BEFORE DATE LISTED BELOW. BOUGHT MACHINE 2 1/2 YEARS AGO NEW. 8500 MILES ON BIKE. I HAVE 43 YEARS AND 200,000 MILES ON MOTORCYCLES. THERE IS DEFINITELY A PROBLEM THAT EXISTS HERE.
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Fuel system
Reports naming fuel storage or delivery — tanks, pumps, lines, injectors and fuel leaks.
From owner reports, verbatim
UNCONTROLLED RPM WHEN DECELERATING. ENGINE RPM RAISED ON SEVERAL OCCASIONS TO 3200 RPM'S WHEN ALL THROTTLE UP WAS REMOVED. ENGINE KILL AND RESTART DID NOT REMEDY THE PROBLEM THE RPM WOULD NOT DROP UNTIL KEY WAS TURNED OFF. WHEN RESTARTED ENGINE REV'S IN IDLE AT 1350 RPM 15 MINUTES THEN DROPS TO JUMPING BETWEEN 900 AND 1000 RPM'S NEVER HOLDING A CONSTANT IDLE. UNIT CAN BE RAN AN HOUR, DAY, MONTH BEFORE REOCCURRING AGAIN. NO SIGN OF WHEN IT IS GOING TO HAPPEN UNTIL IT HAPPENS. YOU DOWN SHIFT, LET OFF THE THROTTLE AND THE BIKE TAKES OFF ON YOU. HAPPENS IN ALL CONDITIONS OF TRAVEL, TURNING HIGHWAY TO EXIT RAMPS, RESIDENTIAL STREETS, GOING TO SLOW DOWN TO MAKE TURNS. UNIT HAS ALSO DIED UPON ACCELERATION FROM A STOP. SYMPTOMS HAVE ALSO HAPPENED MULTIPLE TIMES BEFORE DATE LISTED BELOW. BOUGHT MACHINE 2 1/2 YEARS AGO NEW. 8500 MILES ON BIKE. I HAVE 43 YEARS AND 200,000 MILES ON MOTORCYCLES. THERE IS DEFINITELY A PROBLEM THAT EXISTS HERE.
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 .