2016 Harley-Davidson FLSS: complaints, problems and recalls
Explore the records behind recurring owner reports.
Key facts
1 owner complaints analyzed
1 distinct recall campaigns
1,500 mi median reported failure mileage
Scope: 2016 model year. 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
Steering is the most frequently named component, appearing in 1 of 1 complaints (100.0%). A complaint can name multiple components.
| Topic | Matching reports | Share of complaints |
|---|---|---|
| Braking behavior | 1 | 100.0% |
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 |
|---|---|
| Steering | 1 |
Steering: 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 | 1 |
| 25,000 to 49,999 | 0 |
| 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: 1; 25,000 to 49,999: 0; 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 miles has the most reports with usable mileage (1). 0 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 |
|---|---|
| 2018 | 1 |
2018: 1
Pattern summary
Steering leads the component reports. 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.
Examples from the source records
Examples provide context, not a representative sample or a verified diagnosis.
Owner report 11083586 · 2018-04-06 (April 6, 2018)
ON EMERGENCY BRAKING WITH MOTORCYCLE IN MOTION THE HANDLE BAR TILTED DOWN. DRIVING SPEED BEFORE BRAKING WAS APP.20 MLS/H ON CITY STREET . THIS HAPPENED ALREADY FOR THE SECOND TIME.
Owner-reported narrative. 1,500 miles reported. Look up ODI 11083586 at NHTSA ↗
Recall history
1 distinct campaigns affect this selection. Announcement dates below are different from vehicle model years. A campaign may cover multiple years.
16V471000 · Power Train:Clutch Assembly
Reported: 2016-06-27 (June 27, 2016)
Harley-Davidson Motor Company (Harley-Davidson) is recalling certain model year 2016 Electric Glide Ultra Classic (FLHTCU), Electra Glide Ultra Classic Low (FLHTCUL), Ultra Limited Low (FLHTKL), Ultra Limited (FLHTK), CVO Street Glide (FLHXSE), Street Glide (FLHX), Street Glide Special (FLHXS), Road Glide Special (FLTRXS), Road Glide (FLTRX), Police Electra Glide (FLHTP), Road Glide Ultra (FLTRU), Fat Boy S (FLSTFBS), Softail Slim S (FLSS), and CVO Softail Pro Street Breakout (FXSE) motorcycles. In the affected motorcycles, the clutch master cylinder may lose the ability to generate enough lift to disengage the clutch, especially if the motorcycle has been parked for an extended period of time.
Consequence: When the engine is running and the motorcycle is in gear, if the clutch cannot be fully disengaged, the motorcycle may move unexpectedly, increasing the risk of a crash.
Remedy: Harley-Davidson will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the clutch master cylinder for the presence of gas in the fluid, if so, the dealer will flush the clutch system and rebuild the clutch master cylinder, free of charge. The recall began July 19, 2016. Owners may contact Harley-Davidson customer service at 1-800-258-2464. Harley-Davidson's number for this recall is 0169.
NHTSA campaign record ↗Vehicle analysis explorer
Inspect model-year patterns, reported mileage, monthly activity and the evidence behind each signal.
Data completeness
1 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 | 2016 | 2017 |
|---|---|---|
| Power Train | 00.0%No examples available for this selection. | 150.0%ODI 11001221 · 300 miWHILE DRIVING THE VEHICLE THE HYDROLIC CLUTCH BECOMES VERY STIFF. THIS IS RANDOM, IT MAY WORK CORRECTLY THEN SUDDENLY BECOME INCREASINGLY HARD TO PULL THE CLUTCH LEVER IN. WHEN THIS HAPPENS EVENTUALLY THE CLUTCH WILL NOT DISENGAGE. MAKING IT NECESSARY TO TURN THE BIKE OFF IN ORDER TO DISENGSGE THE CLUTCH. AT ONE POINT I WAS UNABLE TO PULL THE CLUTCH LEVER IN WHEN APPROCHING A STOP LIGHT ON A BUSY MAJOR INTERSECTION. I HAD TO TURN THE MOTORCYCLE OFF AND DRIFT TO THE SHOULDER AT THE LAST MOMENT. I HAVE SINCE HAD AN ACCIDENT ON A GRAVEL DRIV… |
| Service Brakes | 00.0%No examples available for this selection. | 150.0%ODI 10990826 · 950 miI WAS RIDING THE MOTORCYCLE ON A COUNTRY ROAD AT 65 MPH WHEN I NOTICED A SLIGHT POWER LOSS, I APPLIED SOME EXTRA THROTTLE AND THE POWER LOSS JUST GOT WORSE, THE MOTOR CYCLE WAS SLOWING RAPIDLY UNDER POWER SO I LET OFF OF THE THROTTLE, AT THIS TIME THE REAR BRAKE LOCKED UP THE REAR WHEEL SENDING ME INTO A SKID OFF OF THE PAVEMENT AND INTO THE GRAVEL. THERE WAS A SEMI TRUCK HAULING HAY THAT WAS BEHIND ME AND I MANAGED TO KEEP THE MOTORCYCLE UPRIGHT AS THE TRUCK WENT PASSED ME. I GOT OFF OF THE MOTORCYCLE AND COULD SMELL HOT BRAKE SMELL. I LOOKED … |
| Steering | 1100.0%ODI 11083586 · 1,500 miON EMERGENCY BRAKING WITH MOTORCYCLE IN MOTION THE HANDLE BAR TILTED DOWN. DRIVING SPEED BEFORE BRAKING WAS APP.20 MLS/H ON CITY STREET . THIS HAPPENED ALREADY FOR THE SECOND TIME. | 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Steering | Too few reports for a range | 1,500 mi | 1 (sparse) | ODI 11083586 · 1,500 miON EMERGENCY BRAKING WITH MOTORCYCLE IN MOTION THE HANDLE BAR TILTED DOWN. DRIVING SPEED BEFORE BRAKING WAS APP.20 MLS/H ON CITY STREET . THIS HAPPENED ALREADY FOR THE SECOND TIME. |
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.
2016: 1 complaints · 2017: 2 complaints
| Model year | Through age 0 | Through age 1 | Through age 2 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2016 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| 2017 | 2 | 2 | 2 |
Date coverage across each selected cohort
| Year | Incident dates used | Filing date fallbacks | Excluded dates |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2016 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| 2017 | 2 | 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 | Steering |
|---|---|
| Steering | — |
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.