Harley-Davidson FXST problems and owner complaints
Explore the records behind recurring owner reports.
Key facts
15 owner complaints analyzed
4 distinct recall campaigns
11,600 mi median reported failure mileage
Scope: 1989 to 2023 model years. Data updated: . 7 complaints include usable failure mileage. View data status.
This selection has limited data. It remains available for lookup but is excluded from search indexing.
Owner-reported patterns
Most common problems
Electrical System is the most frequently named component, appearing in 3 of 15 complaints (20.0%). A complaint can name multiple components.
Recurring terms in complaint narratives
Topic
Matching reports
Share of complaints
Braking behavior
3
20.0%
Engine operation
2
13.3%
Fuel system concerns
2
13.3%
Electrical and battery issues
1
6.7%
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.
Electrical System
3
Suspension
2
Electrical System:Ignition:Switch
1
Engine
1
Engine And Engine Cooling
1
Fuel System, Gasoline
1
Fuel System, Gasoline:Storage:Tank Assembly
1
Fuel System, Gasoline:Storage:Tank Assembly:Filler Pipe And Cap
1
Component breakdown data
Category
Count
Electrical System
3
Suspension
2
Electrical System:Ignition:Switch
1
Engine
1
Engine And Engine Cooling
1
Fuel System, Gasoline
1
Fuel System, Gasoline:Storage:Tank Assembly
1
Fuel System, Gasoline:Storage:Tank Assembly:Filler Pipe And Cap
Electrical System leads the component reports. Braking behavior appears in 3 complaint narratives. Engine operation appears in 2 complaint narratives. Fuel system concerns appears in 2 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 862863 · 2000-06-01 (June 1, 2000)
FXSTD, LOCATION OF THE REAR BRAKE HOUSING WHICH WAS CONNECTED TO THE FRAME CRACKED IN HALF, CAUSING EXTENDED STOPPING DISTANCE. ALSO, AFTER FUELING VEHICLE AND PLACING THE GAS COVER ON, STARTED MOTORCYLE AND FUEL SPILLED THROUGH FUEL CAP. PLEASE PROVIDE FURTHER INFORMATION.*AK
REAR BRAKES LOCKED UP, THROWING DRIVER TO GROUND AND INTO REAR OF A PICKUP TRUCK. SECOND INCIDENT, BRAKE DID NOT LOCK UP, BUT BRAKES WERE DRAGGING VERY HARD AND BRAKES CAUGHT ON FIRE.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2014 HARLEY DAVIDSON FXSBSE BREAKOUT MOTORCYCLE (N/A). THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 55 MPH AND ATTEMPTING TO PASS ANOTHER VEHICLE, THE MOTORCYCLE SUDDENLY STALLED. THE CONTACT INDICATED THAT THE MOTORCYCLE HAD ALSO EXPERIENCED HESITATION AND DECELERATION ON MULTIPLE OCCASIONS. THE MOTORCYCLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER, WHO DIAGNOSED THAT THE DEFECT WAS CAUSED BY BUFFING COMPOUND RESIDUE INSIDE THE FUEL TANK. THE MOTORCYCLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE DEFECT. THE FAILURE MILEA…
THERE IS LEAKAGE FROM THE GAS GAUGE WIRE THAT GOES TO THE BOTTOM OF THE GAS TANK DUE TO A MISSING SCREW IN THE FUEL GAUGE, WHICH IS CAUSING LEAKAGE IN THE ENGINE. *AK *YC
WAS ON ILLINIOS ROUTE 150 TRAVELING AT 55 MPH WHEN SUDDENLY THE MOTORCYCLE LOST ALL POWER. THE ENGINE SHUT DOWN, THE ELECTRAL SYSTEM SHUT DOWN. I COSTED TO THE SHOULDER OF THIS BUSY 2 LANE HIGHWAY WITH ONLY A SOFT SHOULDER. THE VEHICLE WAS COMPLETE DEAD EXCEPT FOR THE ALARM SYSTEM. TAILERED THE BIKE TO THE DEALER AND THEY FOUND THE MAIN ELECTRICAL CONNECTOR TO THE TANK MOUNTED "PRIMARY" IGNITION SWITCH HAD NOT BEEN INSTALLED PROPERLY. THE CONNECTOR JUST FEEL OFF WHILE THE BIKE WAS IN MOTION. IF THIS HAPPENED IN A TURN OF CROSSING AN INTER…
Inspect model-year patterns, reported mileage, monthly activity and the evidence behind each signal.
Data completeness
15 unique complaints in this selection. Analysis snapshot: 2026-10-01.
46.7%Usable mileage7 / 15 records
93.3%Valid incident date14 / 15 records
100.0%Valid filing date15 / 15 records
93.3%Ordered incident and filing dates14 / 15 records
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 complaint heatmap
Component
2023
Electrical System
1100.0%ODI 11624901
Started bike, rode down street engine was on, came back called a service person at a dealership. Went through codes, cleared code. Next day rode to work, left work and stopped to get haircut. When leaving bike was dead wouldn't even turn over. Tried to remember code resetting, tried to start, started but engine xame on again. Got it home called same service guy. Cleared codes. There were different codes. Had bike towed to that dealership. Still trying to figure out problem, he said that this would be recorded with Harley-Davidson. Called agai…
Started bike, rode down street engine was on, came back called a service person at a dealership. Went through codes, cleared code. Next day rode to work, left work and stopped to get haircut. When leaving bike was dead wouldn't even turn over. Tried to remember code resetting, tried to start, started but engine xame on again. Got it home called same service guy. Cleared codes. There were different codes. Had bike towed to that dealership. Still trying to figure out problem, he said that this would be recorded with Harley-Davidson. Called agai…
Fuel System, Gasoline:Storage:Tank Assembly:Filler Pipe And Cap
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 failure mileage distribution
Component
Mileage range (25th–75th percentile)
Median
Usable records
Examples
Electrical System
Too few reports for a range
24,327 mi
1 (sparse)
ODI 10325446 · 24,327 mi
THE FAILURE HAPPENS AFTER ABOUT 15 MINUTES OF RIDING AND WARMED UP. THE ENGINE AND LIGHTS SIMPLY STOP WORKING AND THEN MAY START RIGHT BACK UP OR NOT. THIS HAPPENS EVERY TIME I TAKE THE BIKE OUT. I HAVE REPLACED THE COIL, MAP SENSOR,CRANKSHAFT SENSOR, CIRCUIT BREAKER AND THE ELECTRONIC CONTROL MODULE TO NO AVAIL. I AM PRESENTLY NOT ABLE TO RIDE MY HD AND IT IS MY ONLY TRANSPORTATION. *TR
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2014 HARLEY DAVIDSON FXSBSE BREAKOUT MOTORCYCLE (N/A). THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 55 MPH AND ATTEMPTING TO PASS ANOTHER VEHICLE, THE MOTORCYCLE SUDDENLY STALLED. THE CONTACT INDICATED THAT THE MOTORCYCLE HAD ALSO EXPERIENCED HESITATION AND DECELERATION ON MULTIPLE OCCASIONS. THE MOTORCYCLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER, WHO DIAGNOSED THAT THE DEFECT WAS CAUSED BY BUFFING COMPOUND RESIDUE INSIDE THE FUEL TANK. THE MOTORCYCLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE DEFECT. THE FAILURE MILEA…
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
Monthly complaint and recall timeline
Month
Complaints
Campaigns announced
Examples
2024-11
1
None
ODI 11624901
Started bike, rode down street engine was on, came back called a service person at a dealership. Went through codes, cleared code. Next day rode to work, left work and stopped to get haircut. When leaving bike was dead wouldn't even turn over. Tried to remember code resetting, tried to start, started but engine xame on again. Got it home called same service guy. Cleared codes. There were different codes. Had bike towed to that dealership. Still trying to figure out problem, he said that this would be recorded with Harley-Davidson. Called agai…
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.
2007: 1 complaints · 2023: 1 complaints
Equal observation windows
Model year
Through age 0
Through age 1
Through age 2
2007
1
1
1
2023
0
1
1
Date coverage across each selected cohort
Date basis for all complaints in selected model years
Year
Incident dates used
Filing date fallbacks
Excluded dates
2007
2
0
0
2023
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 co-occurrence matrix
Component
Electrical System
Suspension
Electrical System:Ignition:Switch
Engine
Engine And Engine Cooling
Fuel System, Gasoline
Fuel System, Gasoline:Storage:Tank Assembly
Fuel System, Gasoline:Storage:Tank Assembly:Filler Pipe And Cap
Electrical System
—
0
1ODI 755786
WAS ON ILLINIOS ROUTE 150 TRAVELING AT 55 MPH WHEN SUDDENLY THE MOTORCYCLE LOST ALL POWER. THE ENGINE SHUT DOWN, THE ELECTRAL SYSTEM SHUT DOWN. I COSTED TO THE SHOULDER OF THIS BUSY 2 LANE HIGHWAY WITH ONLY A SOFT SHOULDER. THE VEHICLE WAS COMPLETE DEAD EXCEPT FOR THE ALARM SYSTEM. TAILERED THE BIKE TO THE DEALER AND THEY FOUND THE MAIN ELECTRICAL CONNECTOR TO THE TANK MOUNTED "PRIMARY" IGNITION SWITCH HAD NOT BEEN INSTALLED PROPERLY. THE CONNECTOR JUST FEEL OFF WHILE THE BIKE WAS IN MOTION. IF THIS HAPPENED IN A TURN OF CROSSING AN INTER…
Started bike, rode down street engine was on, came back called a service person at a dealership. Went through codes, cleared code. Next day rode to work, left work and stopped to get haircut. When leaving bike was dead wouldn't even turn over. Tried to remember code resetting, tried to start, started but engine xame on again. Got it home called same service guy. Cleared codes. There were different codes. Had bike towed to that dealership. Still trying to figure out problem, he said that this would be recorded with Harley-Davidson. Called agai…
WAS ON ILLINIOS ROUTE 150 TRAVELING AT 55 MPH WHEN SUDDENLY THE MOTORCYCLE LOST ALL POWER. THE ENGINE SHUT DOWN, THE ELECTRAL SYSTEM SHUT DOWN. I COSTED TO THE SHOULDER OF THIS BUSY 2 LANE HIGHWAY WITH ONLY A SOFT SHOULDER. THE VEHICLE WAS COMPLETE DEAD EXCEPT FOR THE ALARM SYSTEM. TAILERED THE BIKE TO THE DEALER AND THEY FOUND THE MAIN ELECTRICAL CONNECTOR TO THE TANK MOUNTED "PRIMARY" IGNITION SWITCH HAD NOT BEEN INSTALLED PROPERLY. THE CONNECTOR JUST FEEL OFF WHILE THE BIKE WAS IN MOTION. IF THIS HAPPENED IN A TURN OF CROSSING AN INTER…
Started bike, rode down street engine was on, came back called a service person at a dealership. Went through codes, cleared code. Next day rode to work, left work and stopped to get haircut. When leaving bike was dead wouldn't even turn over. Tried to remember code resetting, tried to start, started but engine xame on again. Got it home called same service guy. Cleared codes. There were different codes. Had bike towed to that dealership. Still trying to figure out problem, he said that this would be recorded with Harley-Davidson. Called agai…
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2014 HARLEY DAVIDSON FXSBSE BREAKOUT MOTORCYCLE (N/A). THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 55 MPH AND ATTEMPTING TO PASS ANOTHER VEHICLE, THE MOTORCYCLE SUDDENLY STALLED. THE CONTACT INDICATED THAT THE MOTORCYCLE HAD ALSO EXPERIENCED HESITATION AND DECELERATION ON MULTIPLE OCCASIONS. THE MOTORCYCLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER, WHO DIAGNOSED THAT THE DEFECT WAS CAUSED BY BUFFING COMPOUND RESIDUE INSIDE THE FUEL TANK. THE MOTORCYCLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE DEFECT. THE FAILURE MILEA…
Matching rule\b(stall\w*|loss of power|lost power|engine shut\w* off)\b
Brake response concerns
1 mentions · 6.7% of complaints
Median mileage: 15,000 mi (1 usable records).
ODI 10122552 · 15,000 mi
DT: BRAKE FAILURE ON MOTORCYCLE. HYDRAULIC BRAKES HAVE PAINT ON METAL FITTINGS, AND AS THE PAINT FLAKED AWAY THE FITTINGS RUSTED, AND THE FLUID LEAKED OUT. THEN, THE BRAKES FAILED. DEALER SAID THEY DO NOT GUARANTEE BRAKES WHERE THEY USE SALT ON THE ROADS OR CLOSE TO OCEAN. MANUFACTURER HAS NOT BEEN CONTACTED YET. *AK