Harley-Davidson FL SERIES problems and owner complaints
Explore the records behind recurring owner reports.
Key facts
12 owner complaints analyzed
2 distinct recall campaigns
48,700 mi median reported failure mileage
Scope: 1982 to 1999 model years. Data updated: . 1 complaints include usable failure mileage. View data status.
This selection has limited data. It remains available for lookup but is excluded from search indexing.
Most common problems
Electrical System:Ignition:Switch is the most frequently named component, appearing in 2 of 12 complaints (16.7%). A complaint can name multiple components.
| Topic | Matching reports | Share of complaints |
|---|---|---|
| Transmission and shifting | 1 | 8.3% |
| Braking behavior | 1 | 8.3% |
Topic matches use published keyword rules. They describe mentions, including negations or comparisons, and do not confirm a diagnosis. Read the matching rules.
Component breakdown
Number of unique complaints naming each component. Top eight shown.
| Category | Count |
|---|---|
| Electrical System:Ignition:Switch | 2 |
| Power Train | 2 |
| Electrical System:Ignition:Module | 1 |
| Exterior Lighting:Headlights | 1 |
| Fuel System, Gasoline:Fuel Injection System | 1 |
| Power Train:Manual Transmission | 1 |
| Service Brakes, Hydraulic:Foundation Components:Disc | 1 |
| Suspension:Rear | 1 |
Electrical System:Ignition:Switch: 2; Power Train: 2; Electrical System:Ignition:Module: 1; Exterior Lighting:Headlights: 1; Fuel System, Gasoline:Fuel Injection System: 1; Power Train:Manual Transmission: 1; Service Brakes, Hydraulic:Foundation Components:Disc: 1; Suspension:Rear: 1
Reported problems by failure mileage
Complaint counts in mileage bands. These are not failure rates per vehicle or mile.
| Category | Count |
|---|---|
| Under 25,000 | 0 |
| 25,000 to 49,999 | 1 |
| 50,000 to 74,999 | 0 |
| 75,000 to 99,999 | 0 |
| 100,000 to 149,999 | 0 |
| 150,000 and above | 0 |
Under 25,000: 0; 25,000 to 49,999: 1; 50,000 to 74,999: 0; 75,000 to 99,999: 0; 100,000 to 149,999: 0; 150,000 and above: 0
25,000 to 49,999 miles has the most reports with usable mileage (1). 11 complaints have missing, zero or invalid mileage.
Complaints over time
Year the complaint was filed, not the vehicle model year or incident year. The snapshot year is partial.
| Category | Count |
|---|---|
| 1995 | 1 |
| 1996 | 2 |
| 1998 | 4 |
| 1999 | 3 |
| 2006 | 1 |
| 2007 | 1 |
1995: 1; 1996: 2; 1998: 4; 1999: 3; 2006: 1; 2007: 1
Pattern summary
Electrical System:Ignition:Switch leads the component reports. Transmission and shifting appears in 1 complaint narratives. Braking behavior appears in 1 complaint narratives. Use these patterns to inspect individual reports and prepare questions for a mechanic.
Calculated from recorded counts. An AI narrative has not been published for this selection.
Complaint evidence
Examples provide context, not a representative sample or a verified diagnosis.
Owner report 505384 · 1996-06-09 (June 9, 1996)
TRANSMISSION METAL DIP STICK IS BREAKING OFF DUE TO VIBRATION, CAUSING SEVERE TRANSMISSION DAMAGE/LOCK UP. *SD
Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 505384 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 979808 · 1996-02-27 (February 27, 1996)
PURCHASE MOTORCYCLE NEW THE FRONT BRAKE ARE WARPING, IT CAUSE A VIBRATION WHEN DRIVING PLEASE DESCRIBE . *AK
Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 979808 at NHTSA ↗
Recalls by model year
All campaigns in the snapshot affecting each model year, including recalls announced years later.
Recall campaigns
Shared campaigns appear once in each affected model year.
| Category | Count |
|---|---|
| 1990 | 0 |
| 1995 | 0 |
| 1996 | 0 |
| 1997 | 0 |
| 1998 | 0 |
| 1999 | 0 |
1990: 0; 1995: 0; 1996: 0; 1997: 0; 1998: 0; 1999: 0
Year-by-year records
Vehicle analysis explorer
Inspect model-year patterns, reported mileage, monthly activity and the evidence behind each signal.
Data completeness
12 unique complaints in this selection. Analysis snapshot: 2026-10-01.
Missing, zero and invalid mileage is excluded. Dates after the snapshot are excluded. Examples are limited selections, not a representative sample.
Problems by model year
Model-wide comparison of the eight most reported components across the model. Cells show counts and shares within each model year. Open a cell for source examples.
| Component | 1990 | 1995 | 1996 | 1997 | 1998 | 1999 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Electrical System:Ignition:Switch | 00.0%No examples available for this selection. | 00.0%No examples available for this selection. | 00.0%No examples available for this selection. | 1100.0%ODI 828644RECALL 98V158000, IGNITION SWITCH. CONSUMER STATES THE DEALER STILL DOES NOT HAVE ANY PARTS TO REMEDY THE PROBLEM, CONSUMER HAS NO OTHER MEANS OF TRANSPORTATION UNTIL IGNITION SWITCH IS REPAIRED. MODEL # FLHPCUI. *AK | 116.7%ODI 609919THE MOTORCYCLE'S IGNITION SYSTEM FAILURE CAUSED LOSS OF CONTROL AND DAMAGE. YH | 00.0%No examples available for this selection. |
| Power Train | 00.0%No examples available for this selection. | 150.0% | 00.0%No examples available for this selection. | 00.0%No examples available for this selection. | 116.7%ODI 539416SPEEDOMETER STICKS AT 33 MPH WHEN WEATHER IS COOL (75 DEGRESS OF LOWER). | 00.0%No examples available for this selection. |
| Electrical System:Ignition:Module | 00.0%No examples available for this selection. | 00.0%No examples available for this selection. | 00.0%No examples available for this selection. | 00.0%No examples available for this selection. | 116.7%ODI 825472INTERMITTENTLY AFTER DRIVING ABOUT 5 MILES MOTORCYCLE LOSES ALL POWER. THE SPARK PLUGS DO NOT GET ANY ELECTRICITY. DEALER IS AWARE OF THE PROBLEM. THE PROBLEM HAS NOT BEEN CORRECTED. MODEL ULTRA CLASSIC. | 00.0%No examples available for this selection. |
| Exterior Lighting:Headlights | 00.0%No examples available for this selection. | 00.0%No examples available for this selection. | 00.0%No examples available for this selection. | 00.0%No examples available for this selection. | 00.0%No examples available for this selection. | 1100.0%ODI 852675THE BOLT TO THE HEADLAMP ASSEMBLY BROKE OFF, CAUSING THE HEADLAMP TO FALL OFF THE MOTORCYCLE. DEALER REPLACED THE BOLT. *AK |
| Fuel System, Gasoline:Fuel Injection System | 00.0%No examples available for this selection. | 150.0%ODI 847209CONSUMER WAS SENT RECALL NOTICE. CONTACTED THE DEALER, DEALER STATED PARTS NOT AVAILABLE. MANUFACTURER HAS YET TO CONTACT THE DEALER REGARDING RECALL. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY FURTHER DETAILS. *AK | 00.0%No examples available for this selection. | 00.0%No examples available for this selection. | 00.0%No examples available for this selection. | 00.0%No examples available for this selection. |
| Power Train:Manual Transmission | 1100.0%ODI 505384TRANSMISSION METAL DIP STICK IS BREAKING OFF DUE TO VIBRATION, CAUSING SEVERE TRANSMISSION DAMAGE/LOCK UP. *SD | 00.0%No examples available for this selection. | 00.0%No examples available for this selection. | 00.0%No examples available for this selection. | 00.0%No examples available for this selection. | 00.0%No examples available for this selection. |
| Service Brakes, Hydraulic:Foundation Components:Disc | 00.0%No examples available for this selection. | 00.0%No examples available for this selection. | 1100.0%ODI 979808PURCHASE MOTORCYCLE NEW THE FRONT BRAKE ARE WARPING, IT CAUSE A VIBRATION WHEN DRIVING PLEASE DESCRIBE . *AK | 00.0%No examples available for this selection. | 00.0%No examples available for this selection. | 00.0%No examples available for this selection. |
| Suspension:Rear | 00.0%No examples available for this selection. | 00.0%No examples available for this selection. | 00.0%No examples available for this selection. | 00.0%No examples available for this selection. | 116.7%ODI 10206458 · 48,700 miREAR FORK CRACK NOTED ABOVE REAR AXEL ON DRIVE SIDE OF FORK. COMPLETE FAILURE WOULD/COULD RESULT IN LOSS OF CONTROL AND CRASH. THIS PROBLEM IS NOTED IN WEB INFO AVAILABLE BY RESEARCHING GOOGLE SEARCH HARLEY DAVIDSON REAR FORK CRACKS. THIS RESEARCH REVEALED THAR IN FLH MODELS FROM 1996 TO 2002 THIS IS OCCURRING. I NOTED THE CRACK IN MY REAR FORK FOLLOWING THE DISCOVERY IN A CLOSE FRIENDS 1999 HARLEY DAVIDSON FLHT MODEL. WEB RESEARCH INDICATES THIS IS NOT AN UNCOMMON MAJOR STRUCTURE FAILURE. HARLEY DAVIDSON 2003 AND NEWER MODELS HAVE STRENGTHENED… | 00.0%No examples available for this selection. |
Darker cells indicate a larger share of submitted complaints. Components overlap. This measures complaint composition, not failure probability.
Failure mileage by component
Median and middle 50% of usable owner-reported mileages. Ranges require at least five records.
| Component | Mileage range (25th–75th percentile) | Median | Usable records | Examples |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Suspension:Rear | Too few reports for a range | 48,700 mi | 1 (sparse) | ODI 10206458 · 48,700 miREAR FORK CRACK NOTED ABOVE REAR AXEL ON DRIVE SIDE OF FORK. COMPLETE FAILURE WOULD/COULD RESULT IN LOSS OF CONTROL AND CRASH. THIS PROBLEM IS NOTED IN WEB INFO AVAILABLE BY RESEARCHING GOOGLE SEARCH HARLEY DAVIDSON REAR FORK CRACKS. THIS RESEARCH REVEALED THAR IN FLH MODELS FROM 1996 TO 2002 THIS IS OCCURRING. I NOTED THE CRACK IN MY REAR FORK FOLLOWING THE DISCOVERY IN A CLOSE FRIENDS 1999 HARLEY DAVIDSON FLHT MODEL. WEB RESEARCH INDICATES THIS IS NOT AN UNCOMMON MAJOR STRUCTURE FAILURE. HARLEY DAVIDSON 2003 AND NEWER MODELS HAVE STRENGTHENED… |
Complaint and recall timeline
Explore monthly filing activity alongside recall announcements. Up to ten years of monthly history is available.
Solid line: filed complaints. Dashed amber lines: recall announcement dates for this vehicle selection; markers include all recall components. The latest month is partial. Temporal proximity does not establish causation.
Monthly counts, recall campaigns and complaint examples
| Month | Complaints | Campaigns announced | Examples |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2024-11 | 0 | None | No examples available for this selection. |
| 2024-12 | 0 | None | No examples available for this selection. |
| 2025-01 | 0 | None | No examples available for this selection. |
| 2025-02 | 0 | None | No examples available for this selection. |
| 2025-03 | 0 | None | No examples available for this selection. |
| 2025-04 | 0 | None | No examples available for this selection. |
| 2025-05 | 0 | None | No examples available for this selection. |
| 2025-06 | 0 | None | No examples available for this selection. |
| 2025-07 | 0 | None | No examples available for this selection. |
| 2025-08 | 0 | None | No examples available for this selection. |
| 2025-09 | 0 | None | No examples available for this selection. |
| 2025-10 | 0 | None | No examples available for this selection. |
| 2025-11 | 0 | None | No examples available for this selection. |
| 2025-12 | 0 | None | No examples available for this selection. |
| 2026-01 | 0 | None | No examples available for this selection. |
| 2026-02 | 0 | None | No examples available for this selection. |
| 2026-03 | 0 | None | No examples available for this selection. |
| 2026-04 | 0 | None | No examples available for this selection. |
| 2026-05 | 0 | None | No examples available for this selection. |
| 2026-06 | 0 | None | No examples available for this selection. |
| 2026-07 | 0 | None | No examples available for this selection. |
| 2026-08 | 0 | None | No examples available for this selection. |
| 2026-09 | 0 | None | No examples available for this selection. |
| 2026-10 (partial) | 0 | None | No examples available for this selection. |
Emerging complaint spikes
Complete months in the latest six months with at least 10 complaints, at least twice the preceding 12-month average, and at least three square-root deviations above that average.
This is a descriptive screening rule, not a statistical defect finding. Publicity and reporting changes can increase submissions.
No complete months meet the spike thresholds for this selection.
Equal-age model-year comparison
Model-wide cumulative reports during the first three or five calendar years, starting with the model year (age 0). Only fully elapsed windows are compared.
1998: 3 complaints · 1999: 1 complaints
| Model year | Through age 0 | Through age 1 | Through age 2 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1998 | 3 | 3 | 3 |
| 1999 | 1 | 1 | 1 |
Date coverage across each selected cohort
| Year | Incident dates used | Filing date fallbacks | Excluded dates |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1998 | 4 | 1 | 1 |
| 1999 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
Incident date is preferred when valid and no later than filing; otherwise filing date is used. Model year approximates age. Equal observation time does not adjust for sales, distance driven or reporting delays. One complaint linked to multiple model years can appear in each cohort.
Components reported together
Each cell counts unique complaints naming both components. Open a nonzero cell for examples.
| Component | Electrical System:Ignition:Switch | Power Train | Electrical System:Ignition:Module | Exterior Lighting:Headlights | Fuel System, Gasoline:Fuel Injection System | Power Train:Manual Transmission | Service Brakes, Hydraulic:Foundation Components:Disc | Suspension:Rear |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Electrical System:Ignition:Switch | — | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Power Train | 0 | — | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Electrical System:Ignition:Module | 0 | 0 | — | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Exterior Lighting:Headlights | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Fuel System, Gasoline:Fuel Injection System | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Power Train:Manual Transmission | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | 0 | 0 |
| Service Brakes, Hydraulic:Foundation Components:Disc | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | 0 |
| Suspension:Rear | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — |
Co-reporting does not establish that one component caused another concern.
Recurring narrative patterns
Specific keyword mentions beyond broad component labels. Matching includes negations and comparisons and does not confirm a diagnosis.
0 patterns with matching reports.
No narratives match the published patterns.